BLUAI
BLUAI is an all-female band from Antwerp. It’s a project that started in my bedroom (Catherine Smet) but after getting the band together we began to take off. We won the three biggest music competitions: Humo’s Rock rally, De Nieuwe Lichting and Sound Track. Caitlin plays bass, Amina is our guitarist and Mo is our drummer. We make sweet soft indie folk but also lo of slacker rock. Our songs tell stories of heartache, road trips to breakups, and memories of childhood—the hardships of life but also everything that makes it all worthwhile.
How did your band first get started?
“BLUAI started out as a solo project but soon I realized I needed a few musicians to bring my songs to another level. I asked around for female musicians in my surroundings and quickly got my band together. I was friends with Mo on Facebook bc of common friends. Mo played the drums for my first solo single so afterwards, I only wanted her to join. Caitlin was recommended to me by someone so when I saw her grooving on Instagram I sent her a message and she was immediately on board. Amina joined later bc our first guitarist couldn’t combine projects anymore. Caitlin had been at her place and had seen a guitar in her room so very simply we asked if she would audition. She sent us the cutest video ever in which she played along to a few songs so soon we were whole again!”
Why did you wanna become a musician? What inspires you?
“When I was 14 years old I started learning guitar. From then on I never really stopped playing and writing music. But it only became a serious thing when I was about 24 years old. Sharing music and getting people to notice what I was doing pushed me to get on stage. Something I was so scared of. But now I can’t imagine doing anything else!”
You released your EP ‘Junkyard’: tell us all about it.
“Our EP Junkyard was released on the 28th of October. We got a vinyl pressed, which was a huge deal for us. It’s a chapter in my life that I put into these songs. Now I can finally let go of what I went through at that time of my life. All these songs started out as demos that I made. The band then found a way to add their own spice to it but they tried to stay as true as possible to the initial idea and essence of the songs. And so it became an ep that helped me get through some motions in life. First relationships, heartbreaks and so on. It’s a bundle of songs that means a lot to me on a personal level. I’m really telling my own stories.”
“My creative process is something that happens day-to-day. I write very sporadically. Sometimes it starts with a few chords or a sentence. I also spend a lot of time just thinking about a song I’m writing and singing it while I’m doing something or going somewhere. When I have a start I’ll record it and bring it to the girls. They have a huge part in shaping the songs and bringing a certain structure to it. Everybody brings their own special thing to the table with their own instrument.”
Are there any themes/issues you like to address within your work?
“I used to write a lot about love and getting my heart broken. But other themes like my family and memories from childhood are becoming a topic I feel the need to write about. We also write about women and standing up for ourselves. There’s something very sweet but also an angry side to our newer work.”
People describe your music as intimate and “sensitive”. How does it feel to perform this material in front of a crowd?
“Performing these songs in front of a crowd is the craziest most special thing in the world. When I see people swaying along to the music or even singing the words, I feel like I’m living some kind of different reality. The fact that I can share these stories in songs and that there are people who feel something when listening makes me the happiest person in the whole wide world. Most of these songs came from a time when I went through a depression. My life feels very different now in a good way. So I’m thankful for what I felt so that I can feel so happy now. And I’m thankful every day to be here and to be able to make music with my best friends.”
Are there upcoming events/appearances that you would like to bring attention to?
“Our release tour for our newest ep ‘Junkyard’ started the 16th of November. We’ll be playing in Mechelen on the 7th of December and in Namur on the 10th of December among other dates in venues near you. All info is to be found on our socials. Do come to say hi and discover this ep that we’re so proud of.”
