Armenian artist Brunette has so much to tell you

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COLORS x EDITORIAL | ARTIST INTERVIEWS

Armenian artist Brunette has so much to tell you

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Known for her unique R&B and soul-style tracks featuring a mixture of English and Armenian lyrics, Yerevan-based artist Brunette started out sharing covers on a secret social media account to keep her music under wraps from her strict father. Now, she has nothing to hide: since releasing her breakout track ‘Gisher’ in 2022, Brunette’s gone on to drop several viral singles including ‘Smoke Break’ and ‘Bac kapuyt achqerd’, and even competed for her country in the 2023 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Following her debut A COLORS SHOW, we sat down with Brunette to find out more about capturing the beauty of two languages, how she uses fashion as a form of visual storytelling, and why she wants audiences to tear up or laugh while listening to her music.

 

You’ve been singing since the age of four. How did you get started?

When I was a baby, my mum wouldn’t just sing lullabies, she’d play me operas! Apparently, instead of snoozing like any other baby, I became super interested in the music and began singing along. Even before I was old enough to know myself, my mum knew that I was going to have a passion for music.

What were some of your favorite songs as a child? Were your musical tastes influenced by your friends and family? 

They were for sure! There’s something special about sharing music with loved ones. It’s like getting a window into their world.

As a teenager, I had three favorite songs to sing. The first was Doja Cat’s ‘So High’. I perform it with my band, Project 12, to this day. It has a vibe that transports me to another dimension. I also loved Russ’ ‘Goodbye’. It hit me right in the feels with its raw emotion. Finally, I’ve always loved jazz music, so I can’t forget to mention Dinah Washington’s timeless classic ‘What a Difference a Day Makes’.

You started writing your own tracks when you were 14-years-old.

Before then, I wrote a lot of short rhyming poems. One day, I shared my creations with my family. As I read my words aloud, a melody started to form in my head. I went over to the piano and just let the music flow. That’s how I wrote my very first song. I think it was about magic. From that moment I knew that music would always be a part of me.

How did you choose your artist name, Brunette?

When I was a teenager, my father was very strict. He kind of of cast a shadow over my desires. In general, in Armenia, it’s a bit difficult to express yourself freely, especially as a teenage girl. While everyone else was on social media, I was stuck on the sidelines because my father wouldn’t allow me to have a profile. Eventually, I made a secret account and named it Brunette—that’s what my friends used to call me because of my dark hair. I started posting covers on it. With each cover song I posted, I felt a sense of excitement, because I knew I was finally expressing myself. Since then, I haven’t changed my nickname. Now I’m proud that I don’t have to hide my true identity.

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You don’t just cover songs, you write them too. How would you describe your musical style?

I mostly write R&B and soul-style music, with a bit of Armenian zest! I think that adds a unique flavor to my sound. This said, there are times when I stray from my usual style of writing and create something completely different, like a house track or a jazz piece. I’m in the process of exploring myself and discovering new sounds that inspire me.

Your breakout single, ‘Gisher’, came out in 2022. Can you tell us more about the inspirations behind it? 

“Gisher” is the word for “night” in Armenian. In the track, I’m talking about how my life without love is like a night without the moon. When I wrote it, I felt a strong feeling of loneliness. It’s an important song for me because it’s all in Armenian. Back then, it was hard for me to express my thoughts and feelings in Armenian. That song helped me to get better at it.

Why was it difficult for you to write in Armenian? 

Armenian is a really beautiful, rich language, but there are a lot of expressions that you can’t articulate easily. You have to be really careful to choose the right words.

Now, you write in Armenian and English. How do you switch between the two? 

Switching between Armenian and English in my songs allows me to capture the beauty of the expressions that are unique to each language. I get messages from my audience saying that they love hearing me sing in Armenian. Even if they don’t understand it, they can still feel the emotion that I’m communicating to them. I’m proud that my language is being heard and loved by foreign listeners.

Last year, you represented Armenia at the Eurovision Song Contest. How did you react when you found out that you’d been selected? Had you been a fan of the competition for a long time? 

I can’t say that I was a huge fan of Eurovision. I’d never imagined myself competing, but I do think it’s a really great platform for artists to showcase themselves. I was so honored and proud to represent my country. I’m thankful for the talented artists that I met there and the fans that I gained from it. It was a life-changing experience.

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“Switching between Armenian and English allows me to capture the beauty of the expressions that are unique to each language.”

The song you performed for the competition was called ‘Future Lover’. 

I found it really hard to write. One day, I just sat down and said to myself, “write what you feel right now. Just do that.” That’s what I did. I love that song. It’s a really emotional one for me. After it was released, people messaged me to say that it helped them to survive difficult events in their lives.

 

There’s one lyric where you say that you “decide to be good, do good, look good.” What does this mean to you as an artist? In terms of “looking good”, how do you use fashion and aesthetics to support your music?

This line means that you need to be good to everyone, including yourself, and to look good for yourself too. Not every artist prioritizes fashion as part of their artistic expression, some focus solely on their music. But for me, fashion is a form of visual storytelling—it can reflect the mood, themes, and personality of my songs.

Tell us about the song you performed for your debut A COLORS SHOW.

‘U De Mi Or’ expresses feelings of love and missing someone special. There are so many beautiful Armenian expressions in it. There’s one in the chorus that roughly translates as “one day you will say no to me and the snow of the mountain will turn black.” It’s very imagistic and metaphorical.

Do you have any other favorite lyrics from the song?

There’s a saying in Armenian that translates as “my black heart and your blossom butterfly.” We use it when someone you know is really happy, but your heart is broken. In my song, I reference this expression and say “it’s interesting that my heart is still red, it should be black because I’m sad, but I stay positive.”

What are your ambitions for the future? 

I aspire to connect with even larger audiences. I want to collaborate with aspiring musicians and use my platform to make a positive impact on the world.

What does a positive impact look like to you?

I want the people hearing my music to feel something, to laugh or tear up while listening to it. I want people to really feel my emotion because I have so much to tell them.

What one message would you like to send to the COLORS audience right now?

Never underestimate the power of your persistence. Stay true to yourself, and believe in your unique voice and vision, because everyone has something to tell to the world. Embrace your journey, celebrate your successes, and never stop chasing your dreams.

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Brunette is an Armenian artist whose A COLORS SHOW was released on Monday 27th May 2024. You can watch the full performance on our YouTube channel.

Text: Emily May
Photography: Vahan Stepanyan

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