Brijitte West
brijittewestmusic.com
Brijitte West’s “LOCKDOWN” EP is out.
Most of “LOCKDOWN” was written and all of it was recorded during the lockdown of 2020. “So much of this album is a desire to connect with people,” says Brijitte, who was the dynamic frontwoman for the 1990s band New York Loose.
NY Loose is most known for “Year Of The Rat” on Hollywood Records and their classic song, “Pretty Suicide,” which also appeared on “The Crow City Of Angels” soundtrack in 1996.
Something special for her fans, especially those that stayed in touch during the pandemic, “LOCKDOWN” contains two new songs, “Can You Talk” and “Let’s Build A Fire,” as well as four acoustic songs—TITLES: .
She states, “This is my lockdown project. It’s the weirdest experience of my life. I recorded my vocals in a broom cupboard because I could not get to a studio, as there were strict lockdown rules in the UK where I have lived for the past 21 years. I also recorded some live video with my Iphone and put it up there on my social media. The response was amazing and I was really able to connect with fans in the midst of such isolation.”
“’Can You Talk’ is about meeting somebody online during lockdown,” explains West. “It’s about a relationship that started with texts and how that can be very constricting but liberating at the same time. You can say anything and send it. You build a foundation. Then suddenly you realise just how lonely it can be, words on a screen and the lack of human interaction. Lockdown seemed to slowed people down and perhaps made then rethink their lives and the little things we take for granted. ‘Can You Talk’ is a social commentary on that time and how it was for me.”
“’Let’s Build A Fire,’ a ballad written around the metaphor of building a fire and coming to terms with the things in life that no longer serve you,” she says. It’s about taking your time to think about things it’s time to burn and how that knowledge and confidence can be the very thing that saves you.”
During lockdown, Brijitte picked up her guitar, and recorded Ron Sexsmith’s “Secret Heart” on her I-phone and posted it on Facebook. The response was incredible. The requests started coming in. Acoustic versions of “Pale Blue Eyes” by Velvet Underground and one of West’s solo hits “Lie To Me” showcased her incredible vocals. The song that received the most popular vote was NY Loose “Pretty Suicide.”
“Pretty Suicide’ was inspired by a famous Life Magazine photo.” Brijitte says on the making of that 1990s’ hit, “A girl committed suicide by jumping off the Empire State Building and landed on the roof of a car. She landed in the most angelic, graceful final pose. No blood or splatter — just this beautiful state of relaxation. It seemed like the ultimate example of the collision between violence, tragedy, and beauty. It’s ironic, she adds, with an acerbic smile, “because it was probably the best photo that this girl had ever taken.”
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