Bodine Gets Turned On By Working With New Artists.
Bodine gets turned on by working with new artists. After spending time developing her own unique sound and discovering herself through music, the rising Puerto Rican-Dutch artist focused on collaborating with other musicians and producers to bring her most recent EP, Quemo Lento (Slow Burn), to life. As she gets ready to tour, she reflects on the album’s ethos of finding the symbiosis between pain and sensuality, considering how to bring this aural connection to her visual experience. MERDE sat down with Bodine to hear more about her process conceptualizing and producing and how she stays sonically stimulated through working with her dream collaborators.
Directors @shootchevytyler & @gregswalesart
DOP @shootchevytyler
Produced by @agpnyc @alexeyg @ryancfahey
Production Designer @itsisaacaaron
BTS Film @spanishmiketv
Gaffer @clarky2324
Technocrane @elifranks.dp
1st AC (A Unit) @hannahannahlee
Steadicam @steadimandan
1st AC (Steadicam) @miekyj
Key Grip @julietlambert
Best Boy Grip @jaredslates
Grip @_electrocutie
Hair and Makeup @lio_maldonado
Stylist @oxandsnake
Designer @theblondsny
Makeup product @rinnabeauty
On-Set Dresser @char_3d_artist
Ser Dressers la_matanza @artdeepart
2nd AC (A Unit) @makeitrayner
2nd AC (B Unit) @mel.wick
Camera PA @cyn.67
BTS @shamyllle
MERDE: What is your first memory of sound and music?
BODINE: When I really entered my consciousness I think I was around five or six years old, and I was all about The Spice Girls. It really impacted me, it stimulated me visually and sonically. I didn’t really know English at that time, so I didn’t really care what they were saying, I just felt the girl power and wanted to be part of that. I pretended that I was Geri (Halliwell).
MERDE: Was learning English an AURAL experience, and what was it like growing up with English as your 3rd language?
BODINE: My first years were in Amsterdam, so Dutch is my first language. I would pretend to know English, but I wouldn’t know what I was saying, speaking gibberish. I actually learned English much later when I moved to Puerto Rico and my mom had a best friend whoe daughter was obsessed with Sailor Moon. She had all these Sailor Moon videotapes and I literally learned English watching this anime.
MERDE: When you hear a beat or a sound, what language is your instinct to start singing it in?
BODINE: Every process is different. Some people like to write poetry then add sound and navigate the music around the lyrics. I’m definitely the opposite, I need to hear a sound, a rhythm, a progression and from there, if the beat is calling for going out to the club, having drinks and getting fucked up, that’s how I’ll start: “we’re going out tonight and we’re getting fucked up.” *laughs*. If it’s more melancholic, perhaps more romantic and intimate, immediately I start having a conversation with myself and I try to be as genuine as possible by putting that conversation in the music. When I started making music all my lyrics were actually in English because it was like the in-between of my main two languages, Dutch and Spanish. But I’ve always had such a big heart for Latin music, and Reggaeton music in particular. I wanted to write in Spanish, but the Spanish language has a very fine line. In English, it’s very easy to say oh ‘your cheeks are rosy pink’ and when you sing that it’s cute. In Spanish you might need to find a metaphor to make it sound cool, it’s not that easy. You have to be careful how you put it together, it could be cheesy so easily. Writing in Spanish, I would literally have to sit down and listen to other artists, like school, use my dictionary and not be afraid to use my Puerto Rican slang when expressing myself. I remember releasing my first few singles and people were like ‘yah, it’s kind of cool, but lyrically it’s still not hitting,’ you know, everyone and their opinions, but I challenged myself to be the most vulnerable I could be, and now people are asking me to co-write records for them. It’s been a journey, and I think that at least shows I’m not doing a bad job!
MERDE: What about Reggaeton and Reggae music inspires you?
BODINE: I love Reggae music, I think all the Marley’s are amazing. Cultura Profética is my favorite Reggae band, their music is fantastic, it’s so beautiful, lyrically and everything. I’m just in love with their flavors and flows, their baseline and instrumentals and lyrics are super inspirational. I really love Reggaeton, and the first time listening to it, it really shocked me because I was just learning Spanish and when I listened to the lyrics, it was like porn. It was very stimulating in that sense, I was like ‘oh my god, she’s saying she wants what? Where? How? Wow!’ That was very shocking and inspiring at the same time. It’s very liberating, there are no ‘fronteras’ or limits to what you can actually say. The funny part is, women are saying everything and anything, I think even more than men. Before it was all about the man speaking about what they want to do to a woman. Iris Chacón really punched that door in the 80s, she was like wait a minute, I can say whatever I want. Someone else I really admire is Karol G and Bad Gal and other artists who dare to break these barriers.
MERDE: Do you feel inspired by nightlife and sounds and promiscuity now that you live in Miami?
BODINE: I think Miami has become so interesting. I remember coming here 13 years ago from Puerto Rico, just popped here by chance for some Swim Week things. I remember saying ‘this is cool, but dangerous because nightlife is dangerous here’ and I felt that here still wasn’t enough for me in the arts, culture, and music scene at the time, I hadn’t discovered it yet. I moved to New York, and when I came back here in 2018 it was incredible. There was a movement where all these producers and artists from Columbia, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, they were all here gathering around and suddenly these big name producers. With events like Art Basel becoming more mainstream, there emerged more links to Rap music, R&B, Hip Hop, to Reggaeton within Latin culture. I’m not a big going out girl, but but when I do, my going out moment is studio hopping. I like to see if there are any artists in town, find out what studio they’re recording at, and try to attend their sessions. I just love listening to them create. I’m like a ghost.
MERDE: Can you tell us more about your latest EP ‘Quemo Lento’ and co-creating your music video with Greg Swales?
BODINE: Yes, it’s a Slow Burn. The project was ready, I had selected the story, the songs, the theme, and what it was all about, but then Ibut then I had an idea while I was having brunch at this great place here in Miami called ‘Our House’ you should go, it’s amazing, and I was talking to my creative makeup artist, Lio Maldonado and I told him I loved this artist, Iris Chacón from Puerto Rico, and I would love to embrace her more and bring her into my life because she’s always been a big inspiration to me. He’s like ‘wow Iris Chacón, yes she’s amazing, I don’t know why people don’t reference her more, she’s incredible!’ We were talking about videos that she’s done, there’s one called ‘Con Tu Amor’ that is my dream video, that I think is the best ever created. We talked about the visual of her on a motorcycle, which was a special for a TV show. When you look at that original video it’s really insane. She was fire, and was really famous because it was a time where it was rare for a woman to move her butt in this super sensual way on TV while dancing and doing whatever she wanted. She broke the tvs at everyone’s houses.
I said to Tio that I know of this creative team in LA that I’ve never worked with, but I have a feeling that if I pitch this idea of an homage to Iris, they will probably say yes to me. I sent a DM to Chevy in LA who did all the DP work and is a genius, and said ‘Listen, I have a concept, but I don’t have the money, I would love it if you wanted to be a part of my artistic vision.’ I showed them the meaning behind the concept and immediately they said ‘yes, we are in!’ They really made magic happen. The Blonds participated with the looks for this project; Philip is from Puerto Rico so it meant a lot for him to be a part of it as well. We exchanged ideas, and when it came to shooting day we had the best time of our lives. It was so easy, I’ve done a few other videos and there’s always something off, but this was just rolling seamlessly, and Greg and Chevy were so incredible to work with.
MERDE: What are your other sources of inspiration for your music?
BODINE: For this video, I had a clear vision to bring to life an homage to Iris Chacón. I always start by finding the talent. I love working with new artists, it’s like a turn on for me. I need to find someone that has been polishing themselves looking for the opportunities, and hasn’t had the moment yet. I try to find these creatives that are craving creation. For example, my very first music video is called ‘Sola Pa Mi’ and I found this Ukrainian artist in New York who made videos for models to submit to their agencies. I found his work very simple yet incredible. I focused on what he is best at naturally, and I built a concept around what his strengths are. That’s how I work visually, I love collaborating. Sometimes I already have a vision, and sometimes I just send the music and ask what they see, not to block their ideas.
MERDE: Who are your dream collaborators visually and musically?
BODINE: Musically I have so many, we could be here until tomorrow. I really really like Rema, I think he is a genius, his music is insane. I love Bad Gyal, I like everything that she’s doing. I will always love Rosalia, it doesn’t matter what she comes out with. There are so many artists I would love to work with, even if I’m ghosting in the studio, just to see the process, to be a part of the moment. Visually, there are so many people coming up with cool ideas. I’m actually in the process of finding new talent and new people.
MERDE: Tell us more about the meaning behind the EP Ethos ‘I burn slowly next to pain, I burn slowly next to passion” What do these two sides stem from and what is the story you want to tell?
BODINE: I write about everything, but I tried to focus on what calls me most to writing. I see my two faces, one is very open about sexuality and sensuality, and my other face is just straight-up pain and betrayal. I see these as my two faces when it comes to my pen. Half of the E.P. is ‘let’s go out’ vibes and the song are so wet. The other half of the songs are like ‘it’s over.’ When I was looking for a name, I needed to balance this and make it a world. It’s a slow burn in pain and my sensuality. I’m so happy that all these women came into play, because now you can say anything you want, and I feel very powerful because I’ve had experiences before and even had people in the booth telling me ‘you shouldn’t say that because you’re
a girl,’ and I was like ‘can someone take him out’ *laughs*. I can’t wait to keep writing and expressing my heart. As an artist, you can explain it and express it through the lyrics, and I’m on that journey.
MERDE: What are your goals and what can we look forward to in the world of Bodine?
BODINE: Before this release, I was really focused on getting my sound right, and getting the producers I work with on the same page. I was very selfish in the sense that I was less interested in collaborating, I just wanted to write and produce my own things. Now I’m in a place where I feel that I’ve found myself and I understand what music is to me, so now I want to know who wants to come in the room, let’s go, let’s work together, find new openings and new challenges. That’s something I’m really looking forward to, more collaborations, as well as performing live. I can count the number of times I’ve performed live on my hands, and the times that I have done it, it was so cool to see your music connect with people. Not only that, but when I’m performing live I can connect with myself and my music in a deeper sense, and that hypes me up. I always need to be creating. It’s part of who I am - I’m addicted to it.
Who said shaking ass and sobbing can’t coexist? Stream Quemo Lento (Slow Burn) on all major platforms for just under 20 minutes of Bodine’s eclectic beats that will get you crying in the club for real.
