Icelandic musician Ásgeir on his new free-flowing album 'Julia' • FRANCE 24 English

Key Concepts

• Asa (Ashk): Icelandic electronic artist, focus of the primary interview, discussing his new album Julia.
• Julia: Asa’s fifth studio album, written entirely in English, representing a creative muse and a regaining of artistic freedom.
• Against the Current: A single from Julia, exploring themes of breaking boundaries and self-acceptance.
• Chet Faker: Australian artist discussed as a parallel to Asa, known for landscape-inspired music and early viral success.
• Love for Strangers: Chet Faker’s new album, focusing on connection and overcoming fear in relationships.
• Peaches: Canadian electronic artist, known for provocative lyrics and a long-standing career, promoting her album No Lube So Rude.
• Intimacy in Performance: Asa’s preference for smaller venues to foster a closer connection with his audience.
• Creative Process & Vulnerability: Asa’s exploration of writing in English as a means of achieving greater artistic vulnerability.

Asa: Exploring Artistic Freedom and Introspection with Julia

The interview centers around Icelandic electronic artist Asa (pronounced Ashk), celebrating the release of his fifth studio album, Julia. Marjorie Hash, the host, begins by acknowledging Asa’s rise to fame in Iceland in 2012 and his unique blend of falsetto vocals and complex guitar melodies.

A Shift to English: Julia and Artistic Confidence

A significant aspect of Julia is that it marks a departure from Asa’s previous work. He traditionally collaborated with artists like John Grant to translate his Icelandic lyrics into English. This album, however, is entirely written in English. Asa explains this decision stemmed from a growing confidence and a desire to challenge himself. He found it surprisingly easier to write directly in English, noting a sense of detachment that allowed for greater vulnerability in his songwriting. He states, “I just thought it was time… I just felt now was the time I yeah have a self-confidence to do it and I wanted to kind of show myself I could do it.”

Thematic Exploration: Breaking Boundaries and Self-Acceptance

The discussion delves into the themes explored in Julia, particularly through the single “Against the Current.” Asa clarifies that the song is about resisting societal expectations and embracing individuality. He acknowledges a period where he felt constrained by expectations as his career progressed, questioning what was “expected of me.” He expands on this, stating that the song also addresses internal limitations, the “boxes” we create for ourselves, and the importance of “mov[ing] freely.” He emphasizes a feeling of liberation throughout the album’s creation, focusing on songwriting and disregarding external pressures.

Julia: A Creative Muse Reclaimed

The album’s title, Julia, is revealed to be symbolic. Asa describes Julia as a “creative muse” he felt he had lost and was in the process of regaining. He discovered a connecting thread between several songs that coalesced around this concept. The album represents a journey of artistic rediscovery.

Touring and Connection with the Audience

Asa’s upcoming tour dates, including performances at Leil on April 23rd and Paris’s Mini on September 20th, are announced. He expresses a preference for smaller venues, prioritizing intimacy and a direct connection with his audience. He values the opportunity to meet fans after shows, fostering a more personal experience. He also subtly acknowledges a potential environmental benefit to choosing smaller, more grassroots venues.

Chet Faker: Viral Beginnings and the Pursuit of Connection

The segment transitions to a feature on Australian artist Chet Faker, highlighting his new album Love for Strangers. A clip of an interview with Chet Faker reveals the album’s central theme: exploring love not in a traditional sense, but as a desire for connection and overcoming the fear of vulnerability in a world increasingly mediated by screens. He describes the album as an “ode to the sounds that were reaching me in the '9s,” blending grunge and piano pop influences. Faker recounts his early viral success with the song “No Diggity,” which spread through blogs before the age of TikTok, demonstrating a different era of online music discovery. He notes that, “songs don’t really go viral [now], Tik Toks do.” He also filmed a music video on his grandparents’ dairy farm, tying the project to his childhood.

Parallels with Asa: Early Career Trajectories

Marjorie Hash draws a parallel between Asa and Chet Faker, noting their similar career starting points. Asa confirms this, acknowledging the pre-TikTok era of viral music. He admits to being “trying to get better at social media” but sees it as a valuable tool for reaching a wider audience.

Peaches: Continuing to Push Boundaries

The segment concludes with a brief mention of Canadian electronic artist Peaches, who is releasing a new album, No Lube So Rude, and embarking on a tour with a Paris date on April 22nd. She is described as an “Electro Clash Queen” and a pioneer in provocative lyrics, demonstrating a continued artistic vitality at age 60.

Synthesis

The program highlights the creative journeys of three distinct electronic artists – Asa, Chet Faker, and Peaches. Asa’s Julia represents a bold step towards artistic independence and vulnerability through writing in English, while Chet Faker explores themes of connection in a digitally saturated world. Peaches continues to challenge conventions with her unapologetic artistry. A common thread throughout the program is the artists’ desire for authentic connection, whether with their own creative impulses, their audiences, or each other. The discussion also subtly touches upon the evolving landscape of music promotion and discovery, from the early days of viral blog posts to the current dominance of platforms like TikTok. The emphasis on smaller venues and grassroots connections suggests a growing appreciation for intimacy and genuine engagement in the music industry.