What does it mean to be fully open? To expose your truest self? To lean into complete vulnerability? For the Berlin-based Argentinian composer and songwriter Julieta Brur, it’s all about curiosity, a simple pursuit of exploration without limits, boundaries or expectations. This was the motivation behind her debut album, The Heart of the Heart, in which this artist moves seamlessly from one emotion to the next, one thought to the next, one musical style; by the end, any sense of artificially imposed lines becomes utterly and beautifully blurred. These ten tracks started out life in Paris, before being recorded over two years between Berlin and Barcelona, with the production aid of experimental composer Joan Arnau Pàmies. Underpinning the album is Brur‘s classical piano and composition training, yet here she has ventured into electronic production, art-pop construction and classic pop songwriting in order to further expand her sonic horizon. Her adventurous approach also lends itself to Brur‘s emotional exploration empathy, forgiveness vulnerability and bravery, particularly in a world that seeks to put everyone into neat and tidy boxes. Her refusal to be categorised is admirable. For On The Record, we indulged our own curiosity and asked Julieta Brur about her radical openness, creative process, experience of writing in English and the experiences that shaped The Heart of the Heart.
Welcome to Unrecorded! For those who aren’t already familiar with Julieta Brur, can you introduce yourself?
I am an Argentine artist and I make eclectic pop music somewhere between art pop and pure pop.
Congratulations on the recent release of your album! For those discovering you through The Heart of the Heart for the first time, how would you describe this release in three words?
Thank You! I would say: free, open and deep.
The album explores the courage required to remain emotionally open in a fractured world. Did you see this record as a personal statement, a political one or something more spiritual?
When I was making this album, I had to face a situation that forced me to see things from a different perspective. It took everything from me. It was extremely challenging and painful, but I also felt very alive, because my life was changing. Before that, I was somewhat indifferent, taking many things for granted.
You could say it’s personal and spiritual, but I think it can be applied to any situation.
What challenges came up in surrendering yourself to the songwriting process?
The first challenge was writing all the songs in English. I was already reading prose and poetry in English, but that didn’t necessarily make it easier for the words to come out.
In terms of the music, the melodies and chords came fast, but the arrangements and mixing decisions took much longer. Sometimes I would build a beat quickly; other times it would take me ages to get it right — or at least what I thought was right.
You trained in classical piano and composition in Argentina before moving into electronic production in Berlin. Did relocating fundamentally change the way you hear music?
It did. But mainly because in the university environment I was in a kind of bubble. We used to listen to music in a specific way. It took a while, but I started listening to music differently, and from a more neutral perspective.
Berlin has such a strong culture of experimentation and electronic sound design, so did the city also help to shape the album?
I was temporarily living in Paris when I started making the album, quite isolated and with a lot of free time. I basically spent my days making songs and going to bistros. There were a few albums and songs I played on repeat at the time, and I’m sure they influenced me in some way, personally I don’t consume the Berlin music scene that much.
One of the most transcendent songs is ‘Under Water / Better Place’, so how did this track come together?
Funny you mention that song. It’s basically like two songs.
I like songs that are mostly percussion and voice, at least for a moment, if not for the whole track. So it started with percussion and different samples, and at one point the song had to end, and this different melody just came to me. In the moment it made sense, but it’s definitely the craziest song on the album. I hope someone likes it. I do.
‘Girls Night’ immediately stands out as a title because it feels more social and grounded compared to the album’s more spiritual language. What’s the story here?
I made several songs before choosing the ones I was going to record, and ‘Girls Night’ had a catchy vibe. So I took it as an excuse to make a song about a friend of mine and our first years at university. Maybe I just happen to miss her.
What else do you hope that listeners will take away from The Heart of the Heart?
I wouldn’t hope anything. I would just let it be what it has to be.
Following the release of this album, what will be next on the horizon for you?
Performing it live!
You can listen to album track ‘Girls Night’ in our Shades of Pop playlist.
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