A prima vista non si direbbe una cantante, tantomeno una cantante lirica. Silfide dallo sguardo determinato, frantuma ogni stereotipo legato alla pomposità e all’alterigia del mondo del bel canto. L’incedere è deciso, ma lasciate le crinoline, è la semplicità a far da padrona. Un attimo di concentrazione e già non è più con noi, tanto da riportare alla mente quel versetto di Filippesi in cui “…svuotò se stesso, prendendo la forma di servo…” Ed ecco che dal corpo delicatamente dipinto dalla mano del Creatore s’innalza una voce cristallina e pura a riempire l’intera sala. Il professionismo appare paradossalmente banale di fronte alla qualità di un acuto frutto di uno spirito che anela al Cielo. Semplici note diventano sinfonia, e dalla sua bocca una spada di fuoco raggiunge la radice dei cuori della platea. E’ allora che diventa Liliana, la guerriera temeraria che cavalca nella battaglia dei cieli a fianco del suo Generale Gesù Cristo; ma anche Lily, piccola “piaf” ? usignolo, n.d.a.? che dolcemente e con occhi di stupore si affida alle cure amorevoli del Padre… La sala risuona ancora della lode, ma il pubblico è avvolto da un manto di silenzio e di timore: è la presenza di Dio, e le lacrime solcano il viso in un gesto liberatorio d’adorazione.

At last your first CD! The fruit of an intense commitment.   When was this project birthed ?

It happened four years ago while sitting at the piano trying to compose something for the wedding of a very dear friend of mine. The Holy Spirit inspired the music for a passage from the “Song of Solomon”.
I had never thought about the possibility of composing new music (Never put any limitations to God!)
Day after day, month after month ,always praying fervently, I used to sit at the piano and record whatever happened during that session.
Sometimes the words came first, on other occasions it was the music.
It was always something spontaneous, void of any thinking or planning: the fruit of a deep communion with the one and only really great composer: HIM.
After, while listening to the recording I would be astonished at the result. It was just so obvious that it was not “my work”!
A year passed by and there were almost 30 pieces. Piano and voice recorded on tapes, the orchestration in my mind.
The next step was the invaluable work of Franco Muggeo who has been an enormous and invaluable help in all the arrangements.
I had to convey the sounds I could hear in my head to him, so that he could “arrange” then in music using the keyboard and the computer.
Then, I waited for the possibility to record with a real live orchestra because I wanted only the best for the Lord. I waited for more than two years: it was painful, difficult, frustrating. Finally, I understood the lesson: I was to offer Him all that I had at that particular moment. He knew my heart’s desire to give him only excellency: this revelation filled my heart with a great peace.

What do you believe is the intrinsic feature of this work? Is there a common denominator?

I would like to say “the anointing” but that’s something you’ll have to judge!.
Surely the vocal style, the classic background, the blending together of creative “Sicilian fire” and rigorous “English discipline” can produce very intense emotions.
Regarding the river that links the songs, I believe it is represented by the many facets of my relationship with God: His power and majesty, His sweetness, His faithfulness, my deep love for Him.

You were born in England but of Italian descent and you are a newcomer in the Italian market. What are your views of the Christian music in Italy in relation to that of the Anglo Saxon countries?

I believe that Christian music in Italy, regarded as a product able to compete with lay music, is in a stage of development and growth. From this point of view, Sabaoth Shop and its vision to bring together Christian artists, to promote and represent them in their diversity, constitutes a very important novelty.

The victory of king Jeoshaphat over the Moabites and the Immonites was mainly the result of the Levites who went ahead and stood up with their powerful praise to God. Is this your kind of music?
What did you want to convey to your listeners?

There is a prejudice against operatic and classical music: both tend to be regarded as “too difficult” for untrained listeners. My CD aims at demolishing the wall created by this lie and at the same time at emphasizing the beauty of a music so rich and full of incomparable resonances, for centuries regarded as one of the noblest forms of music.
It is my deepest desire to make this music accessible to everybody because I firmly believe that whatever God has created is meant to be shared by everyone.
One of the best compliments I have ever received is: “I never liked operatic music but this is different!” Obviously it’s different because God makes a difference!
The vocal style and the kind of music are only a container used to convey the word of God. My music expresses the great desire to unite heaven and hearth and take people into God’s presence inside His throne room, ( I believe this is a dream shared by every Christian musician).
I would especially like to convey my deep personal relationship with Jesus: my absolute obedience to Him, my love and my gratitude for the absence of any veil of separation between us.
My hope is that the same chords of love vibrate within the listener’s heart.

A long journey searching for God, going through the experience of Occultism and New Age.
A few years after your Christian conversion, have you found a balance between your being a woman and a singer?

The balance as a singer is very positive. When in 1999 I found God (truer still, He finally caught my attention!) I decided to offer Him the gift of my voice and I promised not to sing any more unless He requested it. Whoever has been an artist in the secular world knows very well that the Lord has to do a lot of work on our pride, self-centredness, in short on our personality.
I decided that my priority was to be a good disciple so I applied myself to the study of God’s Word and above all to strengthening my relationship with Him.
When I resumed my singing I found that the great difference was the absence of fear linked to all the rules that usually control this career: if you are tired , the voice is affected; if you don’t warm up your voice it’s “cold” and doesn’t respond well; if you don’t practice for long hours, your final result will suffer.
Since I have started singing for God I have never been able to follow those rules!!!
Last summer, travelling with Pastor Roselen, was a succession of very long and tiring days ,air conditioning, vocal exercises to warm up my voice performed inside the car, getting changed into concert clothes in motorways restaurants ( how different to the days of beautiful dressing rooms where a dressmaker, a make up artist and a hairdresser used to look after me).
Living in the world, your self confidence depends on the control of every single detail but when you live in Christ you put Him in charge of everything , resting peacefully in your faith!
The experience of teaching and singing represents for me the fulfilment of my final aim: the music is no longer at the service of my voice but my voice is at the service of the Word.!

From the point of view of being a woman, the balance is very positive ( it couldn’t be otherwise with Jesus!).
It is true that I had always sought God relentlessly and often got whiffs of His perfum. On my journey I met several special souls seeking Him with sincerity, but I was definitely deceived by the great love and compassion I felt towards others because I came to the conclusion that proclaiming and believing only in one God and one truth was not a charitable thing to do because it would exclude so many people.
I firmly believe that today this is one of the most deceitful strategies of the enemy who is trying, with the false pretence of “Universal Love” to gather everybody under the banner of one universal religion, proclaiming that all different roads lead to God.
The revelation that there is only one name who bears authority , one truth ,and that Jesus is the only way to God has revolutionized my life.
It was truly a supernatural revelation because no other human being would have been able to change my mind: only the Holy Spirit.
From that point on I began to discover my true identity and experience a powerful inner healing;
I discovered the invaluable tool of prayer and one of the most beautiful gifts I received was my wonderful husband, the perfect gift from God ( this is undoubtedly the main contribution to my positive balance as a woman!).
Before accepting Jesus as the only Lord and Saviour of my life, I was not unhappy, neither sick nor miserable but I was surely an incomplete person and because I was unaware of the authority that every believer has in His name I was not moving in the power of the Holy Spirit. Now I feel that I have reached some of my aims and together with God I am able to look into the future, trusting in His promises and His faithfulness, firmly believing that although everything and everybody can fail me He will always be there on my side.
I reckon that’s a pretty satisfactory balance, don’t you agree?

Marzia Buson