Inside Telescoping: Lorenzo Tomaselli on Fear, Faith, and Finding His Sound

Inside Telescoping: Lorenzo Tomaselli on Fear, Faith, and Finding His Sound

Telescoping isn’t just a project — it’s the sound of one artist carving out a universe from one of the most unexpected places on Earth. Speaking from Manaus, a city tucked deep within the Amazon rainforest, Lorenzo Tomaselli has built a world of shimmering indie psych, emotional storytelling, and fearless production work that’s already reshaping his local scene. Fresh off a transformative visit to Los Angeles and armed with Berklee‑honed skills, Lorenzo opens up about heartbreak, ambition, the fear of losing someone, and the spark that keeps him creating. What follows is a conversation with an artist who is quietly — but unmistakably — on the rise.

We’re here with Lorenzo from Telescoping. First of all, how long has Telescoping been happening?
Telescoping has actually been happening since 2022. I’ve been working on it for about four years, but I only started taking it seriously about a year ago. So I’d say it’s been serious for roughly a year now.

Where are you based out of, and what is your local music scene like there?
I’m based in a really unusual place — a city called Manaus in Brazil. It’s literally in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. It’s a strange place to be living as a musician, but it’s also unique.

The music scene here isn’t like LA’s, obviously — LA is one of the hearts of the global music scene. But Manaus has some good bands, and it’s actually thriving right now. I’m a producer, and I’ve worked with a lot of local bands, so I’ve seen the growth firsthand. Bands here are starting to travel to places like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro to play. So yeah, it’s thriving, even if it’s an unusual place to call home.

What was that experience like for you at Berklee College of Music?
I learned a lot there. Berklee helped me develop my production skills — not just for Telescoping, but also for the bands I work with here in Manaus. Music production wasn’t something people paid much attention to locally, and using what I learned at Berklee, I was able to raise the standard by a good amount.

Have you ever been out here to the Los Angeles area?
Yes, I visited in 2024, and it was an amazing experience. I had the chance to hang out with Lenise Bent — the legendary producer and engineer. She engineered Tusk by Fleetwood Mac and Aja by Steely Dan. I spent a whole day with her, and it was incredible.

I also got to visit EastWest Studios, Boulevard Recording, and some studios on the Sunset Strip. I had a great time.

Did you get to go to the Rainbow or any of the legendary clubs out here?
No, I couldn’t — I was twenty at the time, so I wasn’t allowed in. I’m twenty‑one now, though.

Let’s talk about some of your songs. Your latest track is When I Wake. Tell me about the song and the inspiration behind it.
This song is very special to me. I wrote it after a terrible experience. My dad is from a city called Santos in São Paulo, and we went there to visit family. On the trip back, during the flight, he started acting strange. I honestly thought he was going to die that day. It was an intense moment.

The song is about the fear of losing someone — not actually losing them, but that terrifying moment when you think you might. Today he’s doing really well. Actually, today is Father’s Day here in Brazil. I don’t know if it is in the US too, but we’re celebrating. Everything turned out okay, but the song comes from that deep moment.

Another song — True. Tell me about that one.
True is special for two reasons. First, it’s about trying to achieve things in life and not waiting for “the next life” to go after your dreams. It’s about taking risks and living a life worth living.

As artists, we constantly think, “Maybe I should quit and get a normal job.” But if you’re truly touched and inspired by music, you can’t live without it. That’s what the song is about.

It’s also special because it’s kind of my first hit. It was the first song I released that passed five thousand streams in less than a month. So it’s big for me, and I think it’s the song people like the most so far.

Let’s talk about a few more songs. Anything You Want — tell me about that one.
Anything You Want is about not giving up on dreams, but also realizing that dreams are hard to achieve. It’s about seeing life differently once you reach adulthood — like when you’re twenty or twenty‑one and you start experiencing more of the adult world.

It was the first song I released this year, and I was really excited about it. It’s similar to the stuff I released previously, and it kicked off the batch of songs I’m putting out this year.

Keep On Running — tell me about that one.
Keep On Running is about people who reappear in your life — old friends, old relationships — and you don’t want them to take control of your life again or be part of your circle. So you keep running from them. You don’t want them back in your life.

And the last song we’ll talk about — Glitter. I have to ask about that.
Glitter is interesting. I think it’s the most different song I’ve released so far, and I’m very proud of it. Honestly, I think it’s underrated — not many people talk about it, but I love it.

It’s about failing and giving up — losing the spark you have for something because you failed once and want to quit. It’s a sad song. I wrote it thinking about a character who failed and gave up on everything. It’s more of a story‑type song. I’m really happy you asked me about it.

Has Telescoping ever played live, or is that something you’d like to do?
Telescoping has played live once. It was at a festival I organized here in my city, and I invited some of the bands I produce to perform. So we’ve only played live that one time.

But I really want to play live again — maybe outside Brazil or in another part of Brazil. It’s something I want to keep doing because playing live feeds the soul. I love it. And yeah, I really want to do it again. Especially in LA. I love going to LA, and I want to play there.

If you could open for any band or artist — now or from the past — who would it be and why?
Tame Impala. Kevin Parker and Tame Impala were the reason I started making my own songs.

It’s a cool story. During the pandemic, I went through my first breakup. Your first relationship ending is probably the one that hurts the most — you get really attached to your first girlfriend or boyfriend. After that, the pandemic started, classes were canceled, and everything moved to the computer. I realized I was really sad and wanted to put those feelings out somehow.

I wanted to record an album, but I didn’t want to make something classic like Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, or Pink Floyd — even though I love all those bands. I wanted a new sound. I discovered Tame Impala on Spotify through an editorial playlist, and it opened my mind. I thought, “I want to do this.” So I recorded my first album inspired by Tame Impala.

They’re a special artist for me, and opening for Tame Impala — or meeting Kevin — would be a dream come true.

You’re a multi‑instrumentalist and a producer. Who are some of the artists you’ve collaborated with that people might not know yet?
I haven’t collaborated much as Telescoping yet, but I’ve produced some cool bands. My favorite is probably a band called Não Existe Saudade. All these bands are Brazilian and sing in Portuguese.

There’s a word in Portuguese — saudade. It means “I miss you,” but it’s deeper than that. English uses three words to express what saudade captures in one. The band’s name translates to “There’s no saudade in English.”

I’m finishing their first record right now, and it sounds amazing. It’s something no one is doing here in Brazil, and honestly, it’s different from what people are doing outside Brazil too. It’ll probably come out next year. I produced their whole catalog, and I’m really proud of it. This record is going to be huge.

If anybody wanted to work with you as a producer, what should they do? And what do you look for in a band or artist?
I look for people who are fun to work with and who can do their thing well. I want to have fun producing. I want to make music with people who enjoy it, who have cool ideas, and who are excited to share their music with the world.

I don’t want to work with someone who doesn’t like me or doesn’t enjoy the process. I want to hang out, make music, and be passionate about it. That’s it.

Are you involved with any other bands or projects outside of Telescoping?
No, I just have Telescoping. It’s my main thing right now, and I want it to be my main thing forever.

Telescoping is such a cool name. Where did you come up with that?
Back when I made my first record in 2020, I wrote a song that didn’t make the album, but it used the word kaleidoscope. I thought it was a really cool word and a great band name — but there’s already a band called Kaleidoscope, a ’60s psychedelic rock band.

I didn’t want to name my project after something that already existed. So I started looking for similar words. Telescope came to mind, and I thought it was cool, but I didn’t want to name the project Telescope. So I added “‑ing” and got Telescoping. It’s kind of a silly story, but that’s how I came up with the name.

And what’s up next for you?
Just making more songs. I’ll start dropping a few demos on Instagram in the next few weeks after I finish the record I mentioned. I’ll probably finish it in two days.

Then I’ll start posting demos and see what people are interested in. If they like something, I’ll finish the song and release it. I’m really taking the music thing seriously — I want to build a community that likes what I do. I treat everyone like friends. I share things with them, see what they think, and if they like it, I make the full song.

I just try to make everyone my friend.

In Conclusion

Telescoping may have started as a personal outlet, but it’s quickly becoming a movement — one built on honesty, experimentation, and a genuine desire to connect. Whether he’s producing groundbreaking Brazilian bands, dropping demos for his growing community, or dreaming of future shows on the Sunset Strip, Lorenzo Tomaselli approaches music with the heart of a storyteller and the curiosity of a lifelong explorer. From the Amazon to Los Angeles, his journey is only beginning, and if his passion is any indication, Telescoping is a name we’ll be hearing for a long time.

(Interview by Ken Morton)

Telescoping on Instagram