A Chat with Paul Louis Villani (02.09.25)
Delivering an eclectic mix of music from folk to rock with both contemporary and vintage vibes, singer-songwriter Paul Louis Villani is a musical alchemist brewing hypnotic melodies. We speak with the Australian artist about his new EP, The Other Side Of Silence, what music means to him, AI in music, and more.
OSR: What drew you to music? How did this project come about?
Villani: I’ve been playing guitar (1977) and writing songs (1982) for quite some time. In and out of bands for 37 years, and since June 2021, I’ve been solely playing and writing in my studio. It has been the first time in my life where writing for a band wasn’t required, so I could just write for me, which is exactly how this EP came about!
OSR: What does music mean to you?
Villani: The easy answer is everything, but let me put it another way. I love being a father and family man. I enjoy being a provider and fulfilling my role as a human that does his best to contribute in the workplace and in community settings, but the only time I am truly the person I am meant to be is when I have a guitar in my hand. That’s the only version of myself (and the father part of me) that can look myself straight in the eyes and be totally happy with what is reflected.
OSR: You recently released your EP, The Other Side of Silence. What can you tell us about it, from writing the songs to the production? Also, is there a backstory or theme?
Villani: The theme is me just being me with words and music. They both come from life experience and from an honest and blunt place. The EP is about collapse, survival, doubt, human fragility and resilience.
OSR: Your music is rather eclectic, ranging from hard rock to haunting folk. Why opt to explore several genres instead of sticking to a single one? Do you find this diversity important for musicians?
Villani: Thank you for using the term “eclectic”! It is a term I’ve used in the past to describe my artistic output. It’s also in the title of a previous album I released in 2019, Pieces of an Eclectic. For me, genres can be like prison cells. I don’t want to be stuck in a place that’s the same, day in, day out. In fact, my next EP that’s already in the final stages of production will push my multi-genre reputation outwards a little further, so stay tuned for that!!
I see diversity in music like a painter’s choice of colours. If you limit yourself to just three shades without a plan or vision, you restrict your ability to explore. But when you embrace the full palette, you unlock the beauty, depth, and surprise of true creative diversity.
OSR: What do you hope people take from The Other Side of Silence and your music in general?
Villani: That there’s true creative freedom and passion in every word written and every single note and chord played.
OSR: What do you take from the new EP?
Villani: Personally, this has been a huge leap into the world of AI and how it can assist with one part of the creative process – vocals. Here is a space that divides opinion and sends eyes rolling back inside people’s heads! This I truly find encapsulating and absorbing because, is the use of AI in the vocal space “the straw that breaks the camel’s back”? Let me explain…
No one in my 30-year span of releasing music into the digital world has ever asked me, “What drum machine did you use to replace a drummer (a human)?” or “What synthesiser did you use to create orchestral parts (replacing the need for human string sections and brass or wind, etc.) for that song?”, or have I ever asked (as a human guitarist), “What midi programming or synth did you use to create the guitar rhythm or lead part?” But, here we are, and I’m getting at least 5-6 emails a day from DJs or reviewers asking why I haven’t listed a collaborator or singer’s name. When I tell them that for four of the songs on this EP, I sang (recorded) the melody line, uploaded an audio file into an AI subscription paid tool and had my (crappy) voice changed into what you’re hearing now – sounds simple, but there was a lot of tweaking and prompting to get to a final result. Then, about 80% of the time, I get replies of complete backlash and negativity. I had an Italian DJ tell me to “Get that AI rot outta my inbox”! I also had a couple of webzines refusing to mention the release because of the use of AI for vocals. So, as pathetic as I feel some of those opinions are, everyone is entitled to have an opinion. But, before more people pass negative judgment on me and doom me into a black hole of creative shame and endless condiment, let me ask some questions. I’m not going to give you my opinion, as these need to be answered by readers of this interview:
1. Why, for the past 40 years, has it been ok for studios to use a multitude of rhythm/drum machines to replace drummers/percussionists on records/CDs? Are they not important as human beings? Is a singer more important as a human than a drummer?
2. Midi has been used to replicate almost every instrument on some recordings. Mostly keyboard/piano or string arrangements. So, is a human singer not ok to be replaced by machinery, but it is ok to replace other human musicians (violinist, harpist, etc.) with a digitally programmed music tool?
3. Why, over the past 35-40 years, has it been ok for the above-mentioned human musicians to lose money by not being used in a recording studio, but now that vocalists may have their pockets affected, it is an issue?
4. Why is it ok for a solo human vocalist to perform live to backing tracks (most likely recorded with midi/synths) and not receive criticism for not hiring and paying human musicians for the job instead?
I’m super easy to find on most socials, if you want to give me some logical and not abusive responses to those questions, I’ll be more than happy to have those conversations!
OSR: If you had to introduce a new listener to your music, which song would you recommend?
Villani: That’s a tough one. There is no way I can name one song!! To get to know me as a composer, producer, performer, check out 2019’s ‘Fade Away’, 2021’s You lied by the band ‘Devils Kiss’, and from this year, from the album 2025 1.0 listen to ‘The Weight of Potential’ & ‘Paranoia in the Binary Flood’, and finally from the most recent EP, ‘Soldier Girl’.
OSR: Do you have any advice for new artists entering the music industry?
Villani: Same advice I’d give to two people entering into a new relationship, always be yourself and never accept behaviours or attitudes towards you (or your music) that is not up to your own personal standards.
OSR: What can we expect from you in the future?
Villani: I’ve already hinted at another genre-defying EP coming out before the end of 2025. I have approx. 40 songs written and recorded that just require mixing and a little polish before I consider them for release, but definitely two more EPs in 2026 and an album set aside for 2027.
OSR: Do you have a message for our readers?
Villani: If you’ve made it this far, you are a superstar!!! Thank you so much. Please reach out on socials and keep listening to my songs. I hope they provide you with whatever inspiration you need right now!
Many thanks to Paul Louis Villani for speaking with us. Find out more about Paul Louis Villani on his Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
