German-born pop iconoclast bülow released her new EP, Damaged Vol. 2 (via Republic Records/Wax Records) on Friday June 8, 2018. A child of the globe, the bright-eyed young singer has grown up in five countries including Canada, Germany, the UK, the US, and is currently finishing high-school in The Netherlands.
After releasing her powerful debut Damaged Vol. 1, bülow has instantly resonated with critics and new fans alike. Her tracks “Like This Guy”, “Lines”, and “Not A Love Song” have clocked over 30 million streams, reaching the Spotify Global Viral chart and earning praise as “beautifully crafted” (NME), “pop genius” (Noisey), and a “star in the making” (Pigeon & Planes).
Her latest project includes metaphorical “SAD AND BORED,” soulful “You & Jennifer” and a vulnerable track entitled “Honor Roll”.
Check out her EP “Damaged Vol 2” below:
Read our Q&A with Bulow, in full, below:
1) How did you get here? Did you always know you’d be a musician?
“Yes and no. When I was a little kid it wasn’t something that was consciously in my head, “I am going to be a musician”, but it was rather like I was spending all my time singing and writing, so I couldn’t imagine a life doing anything else.”
2) What has been your proudest moment so far in life? Music or otherwise?
“I find it hard to just look at one proud moment, it looks so small in the grand scheme of things. For me it’s the songs I write and walk away from thinking, wow this is the soundtrack to my life.”
3) What was the songwriting + production process behind this record? If you have any pictures, we’d love to see them.
“Through the process of writing Damaged Vol. 2, I’m leaving behind my teenage years, especially those connected with high school.
Honor Roll was written very fast, probably the fastest song I’ve ever written. Writing this song was synonymous to a running current. The words came out easy and fast; the flow was consistent.
Death was the most dominating fear in my mind since I was very young. This combined with the last two years of my life, trying to balance school with music was impossible. The consequences of these situations were my ‘all over the place’ emotions, but those are what helped me write these songs.”
4) Did you anticipate your records getting so much Spotify and blog love over the last year? You’ve been killing it. Some artists say they had no idea that this was about to come, but 20M+ on Spotify is a huge deal. Congrats!
“Thank you. I was confident in the songs because I was truly proud of them, but never in a million years did I think I would get this kind of love on this wide of a scale. I’m eternally grateful for every single human who has shown me love so early on. It’s encouraging and makes me want to work even harder to keep proving I deserve it.”
5) What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
“I used to have 2 pet rats. One was called Sneeze, and the other Cow.”
6) Do you think being a woman in music has affected your career? If so, how?
“I am more aware of women having disadvantages in the industry, but I try to not let that effect on me or my music, even if sometimes it’s out of my control.”
7) What’s your one piece of advice for women in the industry?
“Treat society as if it were fair across genders. You can’t let yourself become a victim and become discouraged, and therefore lack confidence. You can be that boss, leader, supporter, that good friend if you want to be. Just never ever ever ever ever ever give up.”
Bulow’s Girl Gang Music Picks
Grimes
“Check out Grimes, she’s from Montreal and does production, singing and writing. She’s a boss!”
Avril Lavigne
“One of my all time favorites is Avril Lavigne, that one is self-explanatory. She’s my hero.”
Lana Del Rey
“Lana Del Rey also has a special place in my heart, she is a true goddess with a dreamy and soothing sound.”
