Sillamaa recalls founding Paabel ahead of new album

Estonian musician Sandra Sillamaa told Vikerraadio that she sees her role in life as starting bands and projects. Her band Paabel will release the album “Ajatu” on August 21.

Sillamaa said Paabel began during her first year at the Viljandi Culture Academy, when she wanted to attend a folk music arrangement festival in Põlva and decided to bring friends along. The group won the festival, and the musicians then decided to continue after receiving an invitation to perform a full-length programme at a festival in Võru.

“We only had two songs at that point, and from there we continued working as a band,” Sillamaa recalled.

She said she has always wanted to do things differently and keep herself interested. The band’s members, she added, were all very distinctive and did not restrict one another.

Paabel includes Sillamaa, Jaan Jaago, Arno Tamm, Lauri Kadalipp, Tanel Kadalipp and Tõnu Tubli. Jaago said he was not part of the original line-up, while Kadalipp joined later after having been Sillamaa’s bagpipe student. Jaago said he had been a major fan of the band since its first concert.

Sillamaa said the group used to hold many band camps, either at her mother’s country home or later at bassist Tanel Kadalipp’s rural home. The musicians were also friends, spending time together, partying and “doing foolish things”, she said.

According to Jaago, the band eventually took a break as its members moved away from Viljandi and started families and other commitments.

Sillamaa said her busy performance schedule is possible because she no longer parties or drinks alcohol, plans her time carefully and takes deliberate care of herself. Sleep and exercise are essential, she said, adding that she is not willing to accept more work at the expense of her children.