London based, alt-pop duo Berne release a powerful second single, To The Lions. Consisting of both Maltese born Deborah Borg Brincat and Gianluca Pulvirenti, the pair deliver a moving environmental message. I had a chat to find out more about the band!
What’s the music scene like in Malta? I’ve been 30 odd times for holiday (family from there!).
I think there are many talented and hardworking musicians and producers in Malta which in my opinion merit a lot more support from the media and the government.
I think it would really benefit the music scene if a quota of local music played on radio stations were to be implemented. What a well-deserved platform this would be for local musicians who are made to compete with big budget worldwide stars.
Having said that, I can’t not mention the continuous hard work and dedication of a few key media people whose life mission is to support and promote local artists.
Why did you move to London?
We moved here to further our education in music. Deborah studied performance and Gian studied sound engineering in educational institutions in London. We feel really lucky that as a result of these experience we have found a space for our music to grow and continue to grow into something that excites us.
Your latest tune is about animal rights, and the previous was about migration. Serious stuff. Can music be used to change hearts and minds? Can pop music save the world?
Absolutely! Music is such a beautiful and clever art form. The world would be an incredibly dull place without it which makes it an important part of people’s lives. It brings people together and people power is exactly what is needed to change the world.
Who influences you?
Musically, we are influenced by different artists, although largely within the same genre. I bring my Agnes Obeland Adna influences and Gian brings his Joy Division and Radiohead influences and it morphs into something that we like.
Lyrically, we are inspired by society and the environment. Being the melting pot it is, London has accented the beauty of diversity in the world for us but also brought to light a lot of injustices in society. We’re also extremely environmentally aware. We feel encouraged to question the status quo and often think about the impact our actions have on our planet. Naturally, this makes its way into our songs.
What’s next for the band?
We’ve got so many exciting plans for the year which we can’t wait to share! Over the next few weeks, we will continue to share material around To The Lions. The music video, which we made with MarieClaire Portelli out on Friday 20th March. We also have a few surprises and collaborations in store too! We’re also in the process of finalising our next releases and producing a brand new live show.
People can find out what we’re up to by following us on social media..