V.E.N! is the solo project of Edu Campoy Molinero. Previously, he led the Seville power pop trio Club Radar as lead singer and guitarist. Influenced by classic sixties roots sounds and power pop bands, the group’s live shows were dominated by direct pop melodies and garage guitars.
In the following years, he focused especially on his Novalis library in Seville, while composing and designing solo material for his new musical project, V.E.N! (Virtual Emotions Network).
In this new solo musical adventure, he lets himself be carried away by very varied influences, expanding his style toward slightly progressive, post-punk, and Britpop trends. He already has an extensive repertoire distributed in EP format. The pop art aesthetic of his collages is part of the project, illustrating each of his songs.
Always with antennas deployed toward the pop satellite, V.E.N! stands out for vitalist melodies, sometimes dark and melancholic, wrapped in intimate lyrics with an open spiritual dimension, alongside sharp takes on current social realities.
With “NOW” out now, we took some time to hear from V.E.N! Read below to learn more about V.E.N!, the story behind “NOW,” and what’s to come.
Hi V.E.N! Let’s start with how did you get your artist name?
The name V.E.N!, which in Spanish sounds like an imperative call (“¡Ven!”), is also an acronym for Virtual Emotions Network. It came from the idea of how emotions and melodies circulate and connect us within this digital universe. Although we’re more connected than ever, we also experience profound solitude, and V.E.N! embodies that very paradox.
What city are you from, and where are you based now?
I’m from Seville, and I’ve lived here all my life. It’s a wonderful city full of contrasts, with a lot of history reflected in its streets and monuments, where people live the traditional and the alternative with a natural ease, without any complexes. It’s a city of flamenco and rock, of Holy Week processions and indie concerts, full of life out in the streets.
At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music? How did you get started?
I feel like I didn’t really choose it. It was the circumstances that led me to it, the inertia of composing, wanting to turn it into a recording, and the need to share it and reach other people. One phase just leads you to the next.
How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?
I’d say my sound combines melodic and vitalist energy with acid guitars, blending influences from power pop and progressive rock. At times, it becomes intentionally intimate and vulnerable, while at others it shows a more rebellious attitude toward what surrounds us, with more energetic choruses.
Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?
Reading, cinema, and art in general are my passion. To stay creative, I think life itself is already giving me doses of uncertainty, of blows, some joys, and, far too often, conflicts that generate a lot of emotions. Channeling them is part of the creative process, I suppose. One way to exorcise and release those tensions and contradictions is to turn them into songs.
Who are some of your main musical influences?
I’d say some of the bands that have really marked me are The Clash, The Beatles, and The Smiths. Then there are other influences we’re not always aware of. Since I started, I’ve listened to a lot of music from the 1960s: The Who, melodic girl groups, Northern Soul, and some progressive rock like Pink Floyd. Later, power pop bands like The Beat and The Jam, and post-punk acts like The Sound. I’m also a big fan of Elliott Smith, and many more.
What’s one of the proudest moments of your music career so far?
Well, not necessarily the ones focused on the outside world, but perhaps more intimate moments related to firsts, when the first songs that I really like and that resonate with me are born, and I feel others will like them too. Or the courage it takes to get on stage and play your first concerts when you’re still starting out, and especially the first applauses.
What would you say are the greatest lessons that you’ve learned so far?
Learning to follow my first instinct. Learning to broaden the perspective in everything I do and to keep it in perspective. And realizing that, without illusion and without an audience, the magic disappears.
Now onto your release, “NOW.” What inspired this song? What is “NOW” about?
The music came first, and the lyrics came later. The melody suggested to me a moment of liberation from the mental prison we all live in. The protagonist is someone who sails alone, against the current, and takes on those risks because they don’t want to betray who they are. It’s not a hymn to selfish individualism, but to staying true to yourself while still living with others.
What was the inspiration behind the cover artwork for “NOW?”
I usually work with the collage concept for each song’s cover art, often using cutouts from old magazines as backgrounds. The lyrics themselves then suggest different motifs to me. Generally loaded with symbolism and an apparent aesthetic and colorful chaos.
What was the creative process like when making “NOW?”
Most songs start on acoustic guitar, imagining how they’ll expand with other instruments. I considered keeping “NOW” as a slow, almost folk acoustic track. But, I mentally sped up the verse transition for a sense of release. It starts contained, then shifts to light, optimistic arpeggios from the intro. Then came more arrangements, guitar layers, and other instruments.
How long did it take to complete “NOW?”
I like recording the instrumental beds for each song and letting them breathe for a while, to gain perspective and avoid ear fatigue. When enough prudent time has passed and I reopen the project, I already know clearly what each track needs to finish. Though some say mixes are never finished…they’re abandoned, like paintings. Choosing that moment is essential.
What is your favorite song on THE BEAUTY OF DANGER and why?
It could be “THE SILENCE OF GOD.” Before the existence of evil in this world, the silence of God or any spiritual entity generates a lot of frustration in believers of many religions. They live it as an existential abandonment. It also expresses the feeling, or the need to peer “to the other side,” and return to tell about it and give hope in a changing world that seems to have no certainties anymore.
By contrast, I particularly like the social denunciation irony of “COLIVING, POLYAMORY & e-SCOOTER.” Before socioeconomic problems, it seems they deceptively prioritize spreading ideas that make us assume very defined identities and useful for glossing over the real problems of increasingly precarious youth. To make them more bearable, instead of going to the root of the conflict. It’s all a trap.
What do you hope fans take away from THE BEAUTY OF DANGER and your music in general?
That they feel the pleasure of listening to these songs, their melodies and arrangements, and when reading the lyrics interpret them freely according to their own experience. That they enjoy this music, save it and share it. Despite the rawness of some lyrics, I always show hope and lots of optimistic color in the covers.
What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects, or do you have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?
I’m recording new material right now and composing for future projects. The results so far have me very satisfied, more details coming soon.
Thanks for the opportunity to present my EP, THE BEAUTY OF DANGER, and the track, “NOW.” Best wishes to all.
Where can we follow you on social media?
This is my biolink with the main links to platforms and social networks:
https://linktr.ee/virtualemotionsnetwork
SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3sO9u4dOUWYj61kcOTBExd
BANDCAMP: https://venmusic.bandcamp.com
CANAL YOUTUBE-VIDEO LYRICS: https://www.youtube.com/@EduardoCampoyven
MERCHANDISING: https://www.latostadora.com/shop/collagespop
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/vencampoy
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/v.e.n_virtualemotionsnetwork
TWITTER: https://x.com/VENpopmusic
YOUTUBE MUSIC: https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCxkXsQhOHO_Y3lMvVwB4L8A
APPLE MUSIC: https://music.apple.com/es/artist/v-e-n/1489925851
TIDAL: https://tidal.com/artist/17569674
DEEZER: https://www.deezer.com/us/artist/79950732
SOUNDCLOAD: https://soundcloud.com/factoriaven
Any parting words?
Please follow me on social networks and platforms, and save my songs. Your support is essential for me to keep creating and recording new music. Thank you so much!
Thank you for the great interview; wish you much continued success!
