Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Aaron Dalla Villa

Aaron Dalla Villa is a multifaceted talent who’s using his craft—whether acting, dance, or music—to tell vulnerable stories that are connecting with audiences around the world. With the film and television industry on a hiatus due to the ongoing pandemic, Aaron has turned to music and released a brilliant new single, “Demon Killer.” Pop Culturalist caught up with Aaron to learn more about him, his career, and his latest release.

PC: How did you discover your passion for the arts?
Aaron: Since birth, I’ve always been a natural performer. My grandmother used to refer to me as Jim Carrey. I used to hate it, but now I love it! But in regards to that “moment of clarity,” it was when I heard the middle school jazz band playing during one of my school’s mandated concerts. Despite being forced to attend, the sound of the brass was intoxicating. I wanted to be a part of that. From that moment, I fell down the rabbit hole of the arts, and I’m still continuing to fall to this day. I’m never leaving Wonderland.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Aaron: I definitely have quite a few people to thank for this. For starters, my dear sweet mom, Torri Dalla Villa. Italian men, like myself, love their mother. I mean, come on, it’s ma! She got me into dance in the first place and has always believed in my talents.

Next, my first dance teacher, Jennifer Wheeler. She was my second mother, who saw the potential in me and refused to stop pushing me until I owned that potential myself.

Next, my dance teacher, Todd Rosenlieb. He was the dad I needed in high school. His coaching, training, and wisdom opened my mind up to the possibility of something greater than my surroundings, which allowed me to fully pursue a career in the arts, post–high school graduation.

And last but certainly not least, the man who saved my life, James Bonney. He was another father figure who helped me get sober and realize that if I wanted the career I desired, I had to seriously ground myself in reality and get to work.

There have been many more angels in my life, but these are the ones that stick out in particular.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
Aaron: My first series lead as Malcolm Carver in the short-form TV show Duels for the Blackpills app. What a dream come true. It was my first big job. I was flown down to Miami and put up in an oceanfront hotel for six weeks and given the five-star treatment. Also provided gun and some stunt training because I played a college-aged marksman. The script was great, the director was fantastic, and the whole cast and crew were super talented and a pleasure to work with. One night, we were already running two hours over time. I remember looking around and thinking, “I could go twelve more hours.” That’s when I really fell in love with being on set.

PC: You’re an actor, dancer, and musician? Is there one that you naturally gravitate towards?
Aaron: Oooh. Good question! I feel like I naturally gravitate to one over the other, depending on where I am in my life at the moment. Currently, I have this desire to flex this musician muscle, which is currently taking precedent—that is, until the acting industry picks back up, I’m sure. Dance is ingrained in my body, and I get frequent opportunities to revisit that skill, which is awesome. Furthermore, I’d argue that they are all intertwined. When you’re acting, you’re trying to find the rhythm of the scene. You and your scene partner then square off and dance together through exchanged dialogue, not always spoken. When you are dancing, you are moving to the music and acting out a story. When you are making music, you are telling a story through song, and if there is movement within yourself when creating the song, you are more likely to move others.

PC: What’s been the biggest lesson you’ve learned from acting that you’ve applied to your music and vice versa?
Aaron: People want stories. It’s all about telling a story. In acting, it’s about being genuine, telling the truth, and thus revealing very vulnerable parts of ourselves. The same goes for music. When it’s real, it’s undeniable and can have huge impacts on the listener. Making music has helped me find the pacing and rhythm for a particular acting scene. A scene contains a set of notes that have to be played. How do I go about playing those notes? Therein lies what makes every actor tackling the same scene different: choices! Do I choose to hold this note? Do I cut it short and speed up? Do I color it with blues or fiery red? Do I stay silent? Also, the structure in music has helped me structure my scenes. Where is the chorus? Where are the verses? Where is the resolution? Having structure allows me to be free and make bold choices that still fit the scene without being out of control.

PC: Tell us about your single, “Demon Killer.” What was the inspiration behind the song?
Aaron: I’ve always been a big fan of Kanye West. One day, I was listening to this beat titled “Oh Lord” by V-Sine Beatz. I fell in love with it and just had to have it. I ended up buying three other beats from him and have plans to distribute those soon too.

Before I found “Oh Lord,” I had been compiling sheets of lyrics I had written over the years on my laptop in a folder titled “Raps.” I decided to use plug and play to see if any of the lyrics I had written would work. The third verse worked perfectly! It was a divine moment of clarity.

This song should be about my sobriety and have some numerical, symbolic number to it. Hence, why the song is 3:33. According to Google, when you see number 333, it means that there are angels all around you. They have heard your requests and prayers, so they are coming in your life to help you. If you see number 333 very often, it means that your angels want to remind you that they are with you at any moment.

From then on, the second and first verses came to me but with some tweaking. In order to find the right sound—effectively balancing and marrying the beat to the flow/delivery—I must have recorded each verse fifty times. I finally found the sound and then got it mixed/mastered, but something wasn’t right.

My original flow for the first verse didn’t match the energy of the song, and the song didn’t lock in until the middle of the second verse. Unsatisfied and unable to move forward without it being right, I went back in and, with a little help from my friends, found that the first verse and first part of the second verse needed some more finesse. I went back to the drawing board and played with that first verse over and over again.

Frustrated that it wasn’t achieving the sound I wanted, I just let myself exhale and threw away the first verse. The result is what you hear on the song. My exhale and throwaway allowed me to ride the beat better than I had before and match the song’s energy out of the gate. I instinctively knew how the second verse needed to start right after. Thrown away and more playful! I have found that I do my best when I’m not trying so hard. The homework is in the crafting of the lyrics and song structure. Once I have that, when I step up to the mic, I have to allow myself to let go, play, have fun, and trust that all my homework will be there.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Aaron: “Celestial Body” by Mark Sherry. I love a lot of EDM, dubstep, and deep house music. The driving bass, the fluctuations, and the storytelling through emotional vocals keep me inspired and on the edge of my seat. I plan on making some music like this after I finish putting out my hip-hop and rock ideas.

PC: First album you bought?
Aaron: I think it was Meteora by Linkin Park. They are still one of my favorite bands!

PC: First concert you attended?
Aaron: I think it was the band All Time Low. I find appreciation in that style of music, too.

P-c: An album that changed your life and why?
Aaron: 808s & Heartbreak by Kanye West. His song “Pinocchio Story” in particular. I would dance to that album in my room for hours. That album helped me through a lot of hard times growing up.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Aaron: Coachella, Madison Square Garden, the NorVa, and an old folks home—but only as my alter ego, Tucci Badaducci. You can find his music on my YouTube channel. Also feel free to give him a follow on SoundCloud. He’s another guy with big dreams.

PC: A must-have on the road?
Aaron: STōK Cold Brew Coffee, GPS, and Bluetooth for the phone. The open road, caffeine, and good tunes.

To keep up with Aaron, follow him on Twitter and Instagram.