io io by Clelia

Formal:

Io Io is an album that encapsulates years of work and collaborations, spanning almost a decade. It represents the journey—both musically and personally—that has unfolded over time, weaving together experiences, emotions, and creative partnerships.

The title and imagery of Io Io reflect a surreal, almost existential struggle. The evil redhead from another universe, disrupting my own, is a symbol of forces beyond my control—chaotic, invasive, and ever-present. Meanwhile, the dragon serves as a guardian spirit, a representation of my mother’s energy, warding off these negative influences. The album plays with this duality, much like a Descartes experiment gone wrong, where reality bends, and unseen forces manipulate fate like a game of yo-yo tricks.

The yo-yo, when not at rest but in kinetic motion, becomes something more—a Schrödinger’s cat’s cradle in form, suspended between possibilities, existing in multiple states at once. It’s a concept that reflects the uncertainty of life, the push and pull of fate, and the constant flux of experience. This symbolism is deeply personal, something my dad once taught me, adding another layer to the album’s exploration of movement, chaos, and control.

The album’s cover art was created by Anna K. ([Cactus Under Rainbow](https://www.fiverr.com/cactusblooming)), an illustrator and designer based in France. Inspired by simplicity, natural harmony, and the aesthetics of the '60s and '70s, Anna describes her work as an intuitive and evolving process:

"To tell you the truth, it’s hard to describe in words what I do, why I do it, or what’s the aim of my work, as I don’t really know the answers. I guess I am just a human who loves to create and share, follow my intuition and my passion. I am always open to your critiques, suggestions, and ideas. I am a work in progress."

Her art perfectly captures the surreal, introspective, and almost mythological themes of Io Io, visually bringing to life the tension between chaos and protection, distortion and clarity, destruction and resilience—a reflection of a universe in motion, never truly at rest. Yet, despite this turbulence, her work leaves an unexpected feeling of peace—almost jarringly so, unsettling yet calming at the same time. With her clean lines and bold yet subtle color choices, she complements the roller coaster within, providing a visual counterbalance to the emotional ride of the album.




Informal:

Hidden. Hide. Hid. Nunquam Iterum.

Secrets whispered by bold masons.

This album is a compilation of music I created between 2017 and 2021. Singing has always been a passion, and growing up playing piano gave me some skills that were still buffering and rendering—so I put them to use. There are more tracks, but not everything is meant for public ears.

This project wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible producers I connected with through Airbnb experiences and SoundBetter. Without them, this might have been a complete disaster. That said, I’ll take credit for the concepts, lyrics, creative sound choices, and sheer determination to make it happen.

Shoutout to local rapper from the 757, Rich Lanski, for his contribution to The Veil—all original lyrics on the spot from his end.

No, I’m not in a secret society (except maybe the Cantalupa one). Io Io is a play on words—partly about yo-yo dieting, partly about the strange ways quantum physics and possibly an evil redhead have altered my life. It also nods to our self-absorbed, “I”-driven society.

"Twiddle dee twiddle dum hø hi hø hum." -stuff grandma used to say.



The dragon is for Terni, the land of my mother's birth.




But hey, don’t take any of this too seriously. Does sarcasm even exist anymore?

LEGALIZE COMEDY.




Official Genre: shoe gaze, post-punk pop, indie folk pop, experimental garage band, depressed 90s grunge flow prog rock Enya, aggressively neutral

Classically trained with piano in my youth, I later studied jazz singing. Along the way, I dabbled with the theremin and developed a love for all things percussion and raw, objet trouvé sounds. My influences range from hauntology to shoegaze, dream pop, and soulful indie pop-rock, with a tinge of the beauty of simple acoustic sounds and a dash of alt- R&B soul.

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