It’s time again for another installment of My First Time, the series where I ask some of my favorite bands to share stories about their musical “firsts.” Everything from the first song they ever wrote to the response they got when they first played their songs for their family. It’s all here. Because after all, the best way to see where a person is going is by understanding where they’ve been.

MP3: Deradoorian – Grey Teeth
MP3: Deradoorian – High Road

Angel Deradoorian is aptly named. She brings a tremendous amount of heavenly beauty to the Dirty Projectors by lending them her voice and she lets her halo shine fully in her solo project, Deradoorian. She was nice enough to take some time to answer the My First Time Q&A, which sheds some light on a few questions — like why she sounds so much like a bad*ss Mariah Carey.

My First Time… with Angel Deradoorian of Dirty Projectors/Deradoorian

First record you bought
Fantasy – Mariah Carey

First record that changed your life
Yes – Fragile

First concert you attended
The Fabulous Flames (my Dad’s band)

First concert that blew you away
Radiohead on the Hail to the Thief tour

First time playing live
Capitol Garage, Sacramento, aged 16.

First tour (horror stories, unexpectedly great shows, etc)
Aged 16/17, West Coast of the United States. I slept on a lot of gross floors, and I remember playing Ms Pac Man and I somehow passed through the ghosts without dying. It happened twice, I think it was miraculous.

First instrument you learned and/or first piece of equipment you loved
Violin, then piano for real. Love our family piano, it is an upright grand. I’ve never heard a tone like it on another piano.

First band you were a part of
The Black Cadillac Gypsies (family band).

First time getting press and/or being interviewed
Aged 18.

First song you wrote and/or recorded
Probably something in 8th grade for my friend Trisha’s birthday. I remember there was a lyric about puke in there somewhere.

First reactions from your family when you played them your music
There was some crying involved. I played a lot of sad piano songs in my earlier stages of writing. They like the new stuff.

First musical obsession (band, song, singer, genre or otherwise)
I remember being pretty obsessed with the band Incubus when I was 13. Then I found out about Radiohead and got a bit more healthily obsessed with them. THEN I heard Led Zeppelin, and I still think they’re possibly my favorite band.