In Conversation With #150 - Brodka
Alt-pop Polish superstar Brodka took a moment to talk to us about her album ‘Brut’ - which is a powerful examination of gender, self image and society.
Hey there Brodka, how are you? So your album ‘BRUT’ is out now - how does it feel to have it out there in the world?
It is an amazing feeling and really satisfying. The album was ready in late 2020 and I've waited quite a long time for its release. The fan reaction to this new music has been amazing. It has been worth the wait to see how much my music means to people.
Is there a certain meaning behind the title?
BRUT means something dry and not sweet. It refers to the character of the music and many of the themes of the album. BRUT also refers to Brutalism, an amazing and abstract field of architecture, which was a big inspiration for the visual side of the album.
Where was the album recorded? Any behind the scenes stories from the creative process that you are happy to share with us?
The album was made in three places on Earth. I began the writing process in Los Angeles in 2019. When my demo was completed I traveled to London where Oli Bayston and I worked on the arrangements at the Flesh and Bone studio. The global pandemic interrupted this process and I recorded the rest of the album in Poland. I will definitely always remember this album as a pandemic release. The fact that we were closed in one space pushed us to sample and record all the sounds that surrounded us. And so the sound of air-conditioning or metal railings around the studio created the sound of drums in one of the tracks on the album.
This is your 5th album how - so how does it differ from your previous releases?
BRUT is a continuation of a thought I started on my fourth album Clashes. Only the tools I used have changed. Each of my albums is some kind of a record of my life and who I've become, so BRUT is like my fifth memoir.
What are the key themes and influences on this album?
BRUT is an album about being in-between. It's about not fitting into broadly defined roles and patterns that society throws us into. There is also a lot of love songs about desire, and adult perspectives on relationships. The pandemic also influenced its dystopian atmosphere and initiated the theme of the approaching end of the world.
Do you have a favorite lyric on the album? If so, which one and why?
I really like the song Fruits. It's a bitter-sweet love song about the relationship between two people as a metaphor for planting and taking care of a tree. We watch it grow, bear fruit, and pruning its branches so that it grows beautifully and strong. I guess it is a sign of entering adulthood.
Now the album is out there - what next for you?
I'm starting rehearsals with my band so we can continue this project live. The visuals during the concerts are super important for me so now I'm in the middle of creating the scenography and light design for the show.