Rising singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Brigitte Bardini sits down with FIB to chat about her brand new single, “Heartbreaker” from debut album Stellar Lights.
“Heartbreaker” is a melancholy voyage into the frightening potential of losing a loved one. It’s the third single from Brigitte Bardini’s self-produced debut album, Stellar Lights, out August 30.
“Heartbreaker” pulses and pulls, combining gentle, ever-present synths with snappy beat-making and Bardini’s unique vocal, taking inspiration from legendary musicians such as PJ Harvey, Thom Yorke, and sonic masters Air.
“Heartbreaker” is a sample of the complexity and depth found in Stellar Lights; an excellent debut by Bardini. The album displays a knowledge of music that is likely to surprise. It is self-written and self-produced, excluding six tracks that have been co-produced with Adam Calaitzis at Toyland Studios in Melbourne. The album has a lovely mystery at its core, with gentle, welcoming, and captivating compositions of synthesisers, pounding percussion, and fanciful vocal melodies.
FIB chats with Brigitte Bardini to discuss “Heartbreaker”, her biggest inspirations, and her upcoming debut album “Stellar Lights”
FIB: What was the last song you listened to?
Brigitte: Scrap the Book by Crazy P – They’re a dance/funk/electronic UK group that just hit me in all the right places. Definitely check them out if you haven’t heard of them before!
FIB: Who is on your playlist at the moment?
Brigitte: I have a bunch of Playlists but you could definitely count on there being some Jeff Buckley, Jamiroquai, Air and Paul McCartney and Wings. I actually just put a playlist out that I recently made called ‘Songs That Will Make Your Life Better Pt. 1’. It kind of flows from folk to electronic, to 90s, 80s and then ’70s which is a really fun evolution to play with when you’re creating a playlist. I feel like I love such a wide range of music so there’s going to have to be many more playlists to share…
FIB: What is it like to work as a female producer in a male-dominated industry?
Brigitte: I think that it’s super liberating to be able to depend on my own abilities confidently when I’m producing at home or in the studio. Artists like PJ Harvey, Alison Goldfrapp, Kate Bush, Chrissy Amphlett, Joan Jett, Siouxsie Sioux and Elizabeth Frasor all gave me that gift of being able to see myself as a serious musician and producer in the music industry. These women and more have made it easier for female artists to enter the industry and feel like there’s a space for them.
FIB: Who, or what, is your biggest inspiration?
Brigitte: This might be cheesy but the obvious answer that pops up for me is that my biggest inspiration is life. We have so many experiences and take so many strange turns in life that we didn’t expect. We meet people and lose them, evolve faster than we expect, and learn new things every day. I think if I didn’t have music to help me express all the things life throws at me I wouldn’t be very sane ha!
FIB: What are your thoughts on feminism in 2021?
Brigitte: I think that it’s great that we are pushing for a higher standard. Without the work, there would be no result and I think that we’ve still got a long way to go but have also made so much progress. I feel very lucky to be a woman in 2021, to be able to feel confident in my life and my choices, and have been brought up to know that I deserve the same rights as a man. It breaks my heart to think that people all around the world have suffered greatly because of a system that doesn’t accommodate their needs or grant them the rights that they’re entitled to from birth.
FIB: How would you describe your music to someone who hasn’t heard it before?
Brigitte: I’d say it’s airy, dreamy, and ethereal.
FIB: What are five things you can’t live without?
Brigitte:
- Food – not just because of survival but because I also am more obsessed with it than the average person. You know that feeling when you’re lying in bed ready to go to sleep and you just think “I’m so excited to get up, have my morning coffee, and eat breakfast”…? Well, I feel like I have this level of excitement if not more leading up to every meal.
- I think it goes without saying but music of course!
- Film – I need movies in my life…they’ve taught me so much and molded me over the years. The soundtracks have really given me an insight into how to use music to evoke an emotion. If you want a movie and soundtrack pairing that will show you how touching a moment can be in a film, watch ‘Youth’ directed by Paul Sorrentino and just wait for that ending…It’s worth it trust me.
- Time around greenery – Whenever I’m having a rough day or even just feeling the need to get some fresh air and sun on my skin I make the effort to get some trees around me at my local park. Isolation in covid has really taught me that I need this sometimes to feel grounded.
- My cat. He’s the most hilarious thing that exists on this earth. When I pick him up he turns to face me, extends his arms, and wraps them around my neck like a child.
FIB: Worst trend you have ever tried?
Brigitte: Tie dye… It works so well on some people when they do it right…I did it soooo wrong.
FIB: What is one of your favourite collaborations, projects, or career highlights so far?
Brigitte: I think getting into live rehearsals has been really special for me as it’s allowed me to evolve and get to know that live performance side of myself. Making music is one thing and playing it live is another kettle of fish. I have learnt so much so far from it and can’t wait to be able to use those skills at a gig soon!
FIB: What advice would you impart upon a female producer, looking to get her name out there?
Brigitte: Cringe at what I’m about to say but… Just Do It. If you feel that you NEED it and don’t just want it you will find a way to get your name out there and be heard! Trust yourself and what you’re able to do. And whatever happens, you can look back and say that you actually did it even if success doesn’t look the way you wanted it to.
FIB: Tell us a bit about your upcoming debut, Stellar Lights
Brigitte: Stellar Lights was built around this vivid apocalyptic dream I had where meteorites were falling to earth. It was basically the end of it all. This really was an enlightening experience as to how vulnerable we are as humans. And what a rarity it is that we actually exist sitting in this ever-expanding universe. This taught me to embrace all my experiences as much as I can without judgment and learn from them. Sometimes we forget that we’re not here forever. So it’s so important to sometimes give those life pressures a bit less weight if we can and enjoy the moment.
FIB: Never Have I Ever…
Brigitte: Seen Radiohead or Thom Yorke live. This has to happen one day… it has to.
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