Spotlight on Caren Tevanny

Never giving up is one of the pathways to finding longevity in the music industry. And when you have honed and developed your musical talents those are reasons enough to continue and keep exploring your artistic inclinations to where they will take you.

Caren Tevanny has experienced the highs and lows of being an artist and she has been through them all. She was a member of the now defunct General Luna which was one of the most popular bands in the Philippines during the late 2000’s. General Luna had an all-female lineup of a “Who’s Who” in the indie scene and when these five women came together and formed one band they found that crossover appeal that led them to have mainstream success during their run.

With that chapter in her life behind Caren Tevanny for a few years now, she has not stopped doing what she does best and that is being a musician. She is a respected guitarist, a noteworthy singer, and a capable composer in her own right. Whether Caren Tevanny is in one of the top bands in the country or performing independently, there is no question that Caren Tevanny has the passion for doing this and that is why she lasts.

Let’s take a deeper look at Caren Tevanny with my interview with her below.

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1) Sometimes artists go through phases in their professional career pondering whether they want to continue making music or not? What has kept you focused and not distracted from continuing to make music and perform?

Caren Tevanny: My love and passion for the art itself.

2) In the local scene, you are one of the most attractive and eye-catching artists now. Has this in any way motivated you to write more romantic songs?

Caren Tevanny: Not really. I seldom write romantic songs… actually, I only have one.

3) For those who are not that familiar with you yet, what would be a good starting point for them to learn about your music?

Caren Tevanny: The best way to start knowing my music is to watch me in my gigs.

4) Looking back, General Luna was such a popular and successful band in the Philippines. It was truly a dream team of female musicians who accomplished a lot in their own right without discounting that all members were extremely attractive to a degree that it would seem that the band was initially and deliberately formed with good looks the paramount consideration. When you think of your time spent in General Luna, how do you think you girls would have ranked among the past all-female bands in the Philippines?

Caren Tevanny: We actually did not see the band that way. I actually see us as an inspiration rather than as some competition with other all-female bands. For me, I don’t really care about rankings. What matters most is the intention of why we are doing/making music.

5) How many bands have you been a part of in total? What was the very first band you joined?

Caren Tevanny: I can say five.

6) The local scene seems to be thriving again with the influx of new musicians. What do you think keeps many wanting to be a part of the scene as musicians and pick up and learn to play a musical instrument?

Caren Tevanny: There’s a lot of factors. It could be because they treat it as work. Some may be inheritance. The rest may want to try and see what happens. Others just want to play, that’s it. Or they just want to be out there.

7) You have been around long enough to know of the different phases and movements that have come and gone in the music industry. Is there a particular year in the past that you wish would make a full comeback now?

Caren Tevanny: None at all. It was a wonderful journey but I’m not really looking at the past. It has all been done. What matters now are the present and the future and that’s where I am now and where I’m going to be.

8) You are a noted guitarist in the local scene. Are there any other musical instruments that you know how to play?

Caren Tevanny: I can play the bass guitar, a little of the piano and ukelele. I actually want to learn how to play the theremin.

9) When you watch music channels, what kind of genre do you think should be played more and put on regular rotation which you believe non-musician viewers at home should get more exposed to?

Caren Tevanny: I think every kind of genre should be played in music channels equally so that everyone will get a chance to listen to them. Nowadays, we have all sorts of music platforms where we can learn and discover new sounds/music… and everyone should be open to listening to all sorts of music may it be Pop, Metal, Progressive, Jazz, Reggae, Punk, Alternative, Grunge, Dance, etc.

10) Growing up, when did you realize that you wanted to become an artist? Did it seem a vague dream then or were you driven even early on to pursue that goal?

Caren Tevanny: I had always wanted this since I was like five. I had always wanted to perform. It was always very clear to me that I wanted to be a musician/an artist when I grew up.

11) Who were your earliest musical influences that played a key role in developing your own artistic sense and creative direction?

Caren Tevanny: Dream Theater, Yes, Rush, Led Zeppelin, Mr. Big, Enya, Bjork, Testament, Nightwish and much more.

12) I heard that you have a new band called I CONTROL. What can you tell us about this band and what can people expect from it, music-wise?

Caren Tevanny: This is really an exciting project for me because I am trying to learn some new digital sound/stuff that we will be using for our originals. In fact, everyone is learning new stuff for the band. That’s why we are taking this time to work on our songs and the band itself. I am looking at putting some digital elements with the heavy guitars, synths and some exotic notes on the vocals. With I CONTROL I want to try doing both rhythm/solo guitars and the digital sounds and put them all together… some new elements that I have never done before. Visually, we are also looking at different ideas on how we will present ourselves and how our performances will be on stage.

13) You compose songs. Since General Luna ended, what do you think is the ratio of your own original compositions that have been heard to those not heard yet by the public?

Caren Tevanny: There was one that was played on the radio.

14) If you could perform any of your original compositions that have not been heard yet and you can get to perform one song and it can be played simultaneously on all the local based music channels, what song would that be and how do you envision your performance will be like?

Caren Tevanny: “Serendipity”, I wanted it to have an orchestra and some digital stuff/sound everywhere. I wanted us in the band to be wearing some futuristic outfits with some laser lights around.

15) Why is Caren Tevanny worth watching and supporting?

Caren Tevanny: Everyone is worth watching and supporting because whatever genre it is and whoever it is… it’s art. It’s music.