Hollywood's Artist Interviews Magazine had a chance to sit down with Tiamo and ask him about his music, inspirations, and personal stories. Here's what Tiamo had to say...

You are having incredible success, especially in Europe and Australia, where two of your songs have reached #4 and #19 on the radio charts. How do you feel about that?

I feel a rush of humbleness and joy when I think about how far reaching the inspiration behind my music can travel. To think that complete strangers on the opposite side of the planet are perhaps moved and connected to me through my music is like the universe whispering in my ear that I'm on the right path. While making it high on the radio charts is very reinforcing to me from an industry perspective, even more validating is that everyday people are listening and requesting my music.

Where does the inspiration for your songs come from and what is the message behind your lyrics?

My inspiration goes beyond just entertaining people in the moment. I see myself as a healer that uses music as an antidote to the fears and conditioning that we all live under. My message is that we need to love ourselves, which allows us to love each other, to celebrate life, to laugh often, and to just be who we truly are. About personal stories, most of my songs are powered by my observations of the world around me. I actually tend to get some of my best song material from other people's personal stories. Yet, there are still a good number songs that I have written just for me.

Who are some of your musical influences?

I've gravitated tremendously to the emotionally naked songwriting and performances of Jewel, as well as the great live performances of Jason Mraz, the mellow sounds of Jack Johnson, the hip-hop/blues flavor of G-Love and Special Sauce, the soothing melodies of Counting Crows, the wit and storytelling of David Wilcox, as well as John Mayer and India Arie.

Can you tell us about your experiences in the studio?

I totally felt like a little kid during the whole studio experience. It was like a constant ride of creativity and flow. Transcending what's in my heart and mind into something tangible was like living in a come-to-life movie. It was thrilling to share in the artistic chemistry with everyone involved and to experience moments of true synergy. I also really enjoyed breaking out in random dance in mid-song, untimely laughter, and improvising when deemed most inappropriate. Because I didn't take the recording process too seriously, I had a great time and I feel that comes across in the albums.

We know that Tiamo means "I love you" in Italian. Is that your artist name?

No, that's the name my parents gave me at birth. It was their way of telling me that they loved me even before I entered into the world.

On that note, do you have any interesting anecdotes from your trips to Europe?

I loved going to the Italian village where my De Vettori family originated and being surrounded by the love of my current relatives who live there. This is a village of at most 300 people and I'd say a quarter of them are De Vettori's. When I arrived, we had a huge feast filled with lots of food, more food, wine, and family all talking over one another. I really cherished things like visiting the village well, the church on top of the hill where my ancestors from as far back as the 13th century could be visited, and just being a part of the simplicity and richness of life that they inhale with every breath.

We know that music is your love and you are always creating, rehearsing, or performing. Do you have time for hobbies and if so, which one's?

I am a connoisseur of life and play, so with that comes a lot of hobbies. I absolutely love sports and play in 3 leagues including basketball, football, and ultimate frisbee. I also love the outdoors and go hiking, rock climbing, and especially camping whenever I can. Otherwise, I love reading, learning, stimulating conversation, ice cream, breaking it down on the dance floor, and anything involving interacting with people.

Do you ever get stage fright?

Not really. The stage is my home.

We know that you have a great charisma on stage and that girls really love you at your concerts. Do you have any interesting stories about that?

I played at a college one time and at the end of my show, to my surprise, they had a "Date with Tiamo" fundraising auction. I won't say how much I went for, but let's just say that I wouldn't have paid that much to go out with me.

What do you hope to accomplish as an artist?

It comes down to 5 things for me. When people hear my music, I want them to experience at least one, hopefully some, but ideally all of these:

1. Be entertained.
2. Feel.
3. Connect.
4. Take action.
5. Compelled to make a difference in the world. This is what I call "The Ripple Effect".

What dream would you like to have come true?

Well, I believe that my music is a vehicle for raising the standards by which we all live. So, I can say that my dream is not about living the "rock star" lifestyle. It's about waking people up and getting them to believe that they are capable of so much more. It's about the possibility that someone might tell a loved one that they love them when they otherwise wouldn't have had they not heard that one song of mine. If I sell millions of albums along the way, that's wonderful, but it's a positive shift in collective consciousness that I'm after. I don't have an attachment to the outcome, but I do know that my dream is taking a journey that makes a whole lot of people feel good around the world. The rest is just details.

Anything you want to say to your fans and supporters?

I don't think words can fit inside the gratefulness I have for my family, friends, and supporters that have really pushed my boundaries. The fear of failure in life is hard to get past, but when you have fans and believers like I do, you start to forget about fear and start moving toward making your dream a reality. I believe in myself because my fans believe in me.