Claudia Brant

By Alex Teitz

Claudia Brant is an Argentine born singer-songwriter with a soaring voice and amazing creativity. She has done three albums for Warner Brothers in Argentina before moving to LA. In 1999 she won Outstanding Latin Artist at the LA Music Awards. Now signed to Peer Music she is working on her next album. For more information visit Peer Music at http://www.peermusic.com

FEMMUSIC: Can you describe your songwriting technique.

CB: Well, it actually depends on if I’m writing stuff for other people or if I’m just doing it for myself. Whenever I’m writing stuff for other artists sometimes I collaborate with other composers so I get together with them they give me the music and I write lyrics on that. Trying to think about what the artist will be interested in singing or the subjects that the artist would like to talk about. Sometimes, I collaborate with some guys from New York or Miami, so sometimes I get the music on tape and work on the lyrics. That’s when I’m working as a lyricist.

When I work for the stuff for my own project. The stuff I’m going to record in my album, it’s more of an inspiration thing. More staying at home and picking up my guitar and letting go, letting some ideas coming in, and singing the melody over the chords then the lyrics….most of the time it comes all together. That’s it!

FEMMUSIC: Who have been your musical influences?

CB: I don’t have brothers or sisters so when I was a teenager, the stuff I heard is what my parents were listening to at home. It was a mix of Frank Sinatra, The Carpenters, and some Brazilian stuff. Maybe some Boleros, some Armando Mantanero’s stuff from Mexico. That kind of thing.

Then I grew up and started listening to more Jazz. Which I adore. Some more Brazilian stuff, and now I’m more open. Since I moved to LA I’m hearing more rock and pop. But I always like the singer-songwriter thing. The poetry and good lyrics not much orchestration. I like simple things, simple good things.

I heard a lot of James Taylor’s stuff, and Cat Stevens’ stuff…besides Miles Davies and all of the jazz things that I like. That’s most of it.

Now I’m hearing more R&B. I’m kind of more open to everything.

FEMMUSIC: You’ve been in LA for nearly two years. Why did you move from Argentina?

CB: I’ve actually been an artist for Warner in Argentina. I did three albums over there. Being down there it’s really hard for you to have an international success. I got really tired of battling down there to make things work, so I decided to turn more into a songwriter. I came here for vacation for three months. I ended up having like five different offers from Sony, MCA, Warner Chappell, Peer and BMG and they wanted me to sign me as a songwriter. So I decided this is a great opportunity to work for the Latin market that has grown so much so I said to myself, “I have a contract. They want me to be in LA. This is the place where the music IS so why not?”, and that’s why I decided to move. I signed to Peer Music, and I’m doing pretty well. I’m having a lot of cuts a year. That’s interesting.

FEMMUSIC: What differences do you see between the LA and Argentinean audiences?

CB: A lot of the people who come to my shows like my music. They are Anglo speakers. Most of the time they don’t understand a single word of what I’m saying. They like it anyway. It seems like the music is powerful enough, you know, to reach them anyway.

I’ve always had a very good response of the public. I think it doesn’t matter where you’re playing as long you’re giving whatever you have when you’re on stage. That can touch whoever’s heart, it doesn’t matter where they are from.

FEMMUSIC: You’re in the studio now. Can you tell me what you’re working on?

CB: I’m actually starting to record the twenty-second of May. I’m going to start working on the album actually. We’re gonna start with four tracks that the producer, who’s going to produce it is Steve Lindsay. Today we are starting on the pre-production, but we’re going to start recording on the twenty-second. He’s going to work on four tracks then Peer is going to shop it, then we’re going to continue with the album. That’s the idea.

FEMMUSIC: As a woman in the music industry, have you been discriminated against?

CB: Well no, I haven’t been discriminated against….There are not many women in the music industry. Not a lot of songwriters especially in the Latin Market. Most of them are guys. I’ve been doing pretty good. I don’t think it’s a matter of what your sex is. As long as you work hard, especially in the States, ….I mean I always have good reception of whatever I do.

FEMMUSIC: What advice would you give to an artist just starting out?

CB: Well that it’s a long and hard road. You have to really believe in what you do a hundred percent no matter what to pursue and continue because you’re going to fall ten thousand times and you need to have enough strength to continue especially in a country like the US. There are so many talented people struggling to get a deal or a publishing deal or to get some cut or to get to perform somewhere. It’s really hard. I put all my energy on it, and I can not tell you that I made it but I feel like I’m doing really good so….It all depends on how strong you are and how much you believe in your project and your singing your songs and your writing….I would recommend to be very patient. Which I am not! But I try. Try to be your best and believe in what you…If you truly believe in what you do, there’s always a chance. I think that’s the most important thing.

FEMMUSIC: What would you like to see changed most about the music industry?

CB: Changes. Oh gosh. (pause) I don’t know much about the music business in the Anglo world, for the Latin world I would expect people to change their mind a little bit about how important it is for a look or pretty face or having a lead role in a soap opera more than having a good song or a good voice…more than having talent, you know? In the Latin market it’s always more important…the package. There are a lot of things that are fictious…not true…It’s really hard to find a true artist in the Latin market. Maybe in the Anglo market it’s so big that maybe you can have everything, but in the Latin market it’s much more common to find fake stars. I would like that to change. I would like that to come back to the time when the A&R guys were discovering talent to develop and not trying to invent something from…because they found a pretty face. Because it’s all about music. (sigh) If that could change it would be great. I try to do my with my writing and with my album, I’m trying to offer the Spanish speakers and whoever something better. Better lyrics, better music, better production. It shouldn’t be like that Latin means worst or poor. It should be as good as any other music with some content too.