We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ingrid Pagliarulo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ingrid below.
Alright, Ingrid thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
In 2020 the artistic panorama was hit hard by the restrictions resulting from the pandemic. Being an artist who continually gives birth to ideas and initiatives, I reacted with creativity. Together with Low Pulse Project we have created an editorial project called Napulitanamente.
Napulitanamente deals with Neapolitan heritage which, for historical and geographical reasons, extends its interests to the entire Mediterranean area, from Naples to Tehran and beyond!
Alongside the website that offers free content, there is a semi-annual print issue, a luxury half-book, half-magazine publication.
Our mission is to spread hidden truths to keep alive the heritage, history and culture of the entire Mediterranean area by eliminating any misunderstanding widespread in the world.
Too many false myths have been spread for years about the entire South.
We believe that Naples, with its excellence and its world records that not everyone knows about, and the whole of Southern Italy as well, are one of the most beautiful and serene places in the world and we aim to help people discover this area, whilst also informing them about its culture and history.
In the Western world, what happens in the Mediterranean area, most of the time, is known little or not at all.
Italians living abroad, for example, do not know their own history. Many don’t even know the Italian language!
I’m not talking about those who immigrated many years ago, I’m also talking about those who, like me, moved to the United States a few years ago.
Since I am Italian and I have also worked with Italians, I got to know the Italian community in Los Angeles, a community that only bears the name of “Italian” and is managed entirely by Americans or pseudo-Americans, that is, half Italians who associate Italy with Italy, 16th century Florence (not even Italy at the time).
It is an old and dusty context, made up of clichés and false information, of prejudice and racism, and characterized by a profound NON-culture typical of the country in which they currently find themselves.
Realizing the misinformation that exists on the “Bel Paese”, especially on Southern Italy, I thought it appropriate to do something that is useful to dispel false myths and dust off some hidden truths in favor of greater awareness and a stronger sense of community.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I was born in Naples, Italy, an extraordinary city, embraced by Vesuvius, and I grew up in a family of artists, surrounded by art, and beauty. I was attending classical high school when an entrepreneur from Turin noticed me and proposed that I work, during the summer seasons, as a performer in his resort, quickly entering the professional entertainment and hospitality circuit.
During the winter seasons I studied and had other work experiences, enriching my background. Subsequently I founded my own company, with my own team of performers, and produced my own shows.
At that time, in Italy, the number of female entrepreneurs in the entertainment and tourism sectors could be counted on the fingers of one hand and social media didn’t even exist.
Since the first year, my company Etnica Animazione & Spettacolo has taken care of the artistic direction of 6 tourist facilities in Southern Italy, participating in the Borsa Internazionale del Turismo (International Tourism Exchange), in Milan, and obtaining the interest of regional newspapers for the offer of 100 places of seasonal work with better wages than the large Italian companies in the sector.
In addition to the resorts, I took care of the artistic direction of ZerodB Lab (arts laboratory and music academy in Naples) with which I became part of the organization of national events and festivals.
The work of being an entrepreneur was hard and kept me constantly busy. However, I have never stopped performing, both in Italy and abroad.
Then I closed my company in Italy and finally moved to California, where I continued as a talent scout, artist manager and journalist. This allowed me to expand my network of contacts and interview big names in the world of music and entertainment, including Eddie Kramer, Serj Tankian, Ross Hobarth, Ludovico Einaudi, for Italian and foreign magazines.
But I felt something was missing.
Artists come to Los Angeles from all over the world who work hard to make themselves known and to achieve success. Since when I was a girl I was given the opportunity and a space to perform, so I decided to find a space and give a chance to young talents.
First through my work as a talent scout, artist manager and sector journalist, then as an author of television programs, and, since 2010, with Low Pulse Project, I have promoted and given visibility to lesser-known talents by hosting them in my television programs and bringing someone on tour to Italy too.
When Napulitanamente magazine was born, I took the opportunity of this space to continue another mission, that of promoting talented artists for free. And so, alongside the interviews with celebrities that the magazine offers, we publish interviews with those who are talented but less well-known.
In three years we have made important steps by publishing, alongside free online content, 7 paper issues available for purchase at https://www.
Last May 4th, the first edition of the multi-artist event “Mediterranean Cocktail of Art” took place which saw the presentation of issue no. 6 of the magazine, with a new graphic design and richer in content, the presentation of the logo, created by the communication and excellence agency Campana, Officina Mirabilis and an extraordinary exhibition of painting, sculpture, photography, classical music and Neapolitan opera, with artists from Southern Italy, Iran, Armenia and Peru.
The event was inaugurated by NA57, a powerful, explosive and entirely Neapolitan cocktail, created by Il SudPlus and Campanica, for the first time overseas and served to guests and participants.
The realization of the event was possible thanks to Low Pulse Project, Los Angeles, CA; Parvafolium, Los Angeles, CA; Mario Pagliarulo, Rome, IT; P.A. Rehearsal Studios, Reseda, CA; Officina Mirabilis Naples, IT; Gioia Luisa Sorrento, Naples, IT; Cenatiempo Vini d’Ischia, Ischia island, IT.
The positive outcome and the support obtained from “Mediterranean Cocktail of Art” have expanded our collaborations and have allowed us to publish the seventh issue of the magazine which came out last October 4th and which is enriched by the participation of writers from different parts of the world and featuring topics of broader interest. You can find it here https://www.peecho.com/
If you have a story to tell, visit https://www.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I believe that having built a good reputation is due to a number of things. First of all, I developed a good work ethic thanks to my parents who taught me education, a sense of responsibility and respect for everything around me and for all people. From them I learned moral principles, values and attitudes on how to act in life as well as at work.
Then it must be said that before being an editor I have a small business of handmade skincare products and herbal remedies, named Parvafolium and also I work with Low Pulse Project which is quite established in the musical environment as an independent label, artist management, publishing and production. I deal with people all the time, many different types of people. Furthermore, even if less than before, I continue to perform and have a quite contagious enthusiasm. Due to professional deformation I involve everyone around me and I easily empathize.
Having started working when I was very young, I learned everything like a sponge and I immediately understood that punctuality, seriousness, respect, dedication and a positive attitude are winning cards.
I also believe that communication and clarity are fundamental in every field.
I put my heart into everything I do without sparing myself and I have never stopped studying and learning.
This improves me and helps me to have a good relationship with my collaborators as well as with those who read my magazine.
When we had “Mediterranean Cocktail of Art ”, last May, I informed some journalists.
Everything they posted and wrote about it, before and after, is full of authentic excitement and enthusiasm. This is the reason why there was also profound interest and great participation in the event. This gives me a lot of satisfaction and fills my heart with joy and even more love for my work. With this I am deeply happy to contribute to the diffusion of art and talents.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
The business partner with whom I share Low Pulse Project as well as Napulitanamente, is Daniele De Cario and he is also my life partner. He is an established producer, pianist, singer…But above all an exceptional bassist! I met him in Naples, during a band rehearsal whose members were all friends of mine. He was the only one I didn’t know. During the break the rhythm section remained to play the bassist’s pieces. I listened and had goosebumps! Vibrations never experienced, new music, an extraordinary sound!
We exchanged a few words on that occasion. Subsequently, I moved from the Costa degli Dei to Naples and contacted him for bass lessons. This allowed us to first get to know each other professionally, cultivating a deep mutual respect that unfolded into a fruitful, exciting collaboration that has lasted 16 years. A bond that goes beyond work because we are deeply in love with each other and with what we do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.napulitanamente.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/napulitanamentemagazine/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Napulitanamentemagazine/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/napulitanamente
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@napulitanamentemagazine
Image Credits
Low Pulse Project Jean Luis Contreras Nancy Villareal