Interview
judit neddermann
songwriter
“I’ve reconnected with peace to make my music”
“I think I’ve confirmed I have a characteristic way of making music, a sound that hasn’t been easy to find”
Judit Neddermann (Vilassar de Mar, 1991) premieres Lar (Universal / Música Global), a joyous fifth album full of light that stems, she says, from having reconnected with herself.
What is this Lar you refer to in the album title?
I needed a concept, like air, that was the same in different languages, since the lyrics are once again in Catalan, Spanish and some Portuguese. I found this word, which is of Latin origin, and in Spanish and Portuguese has been maintained and, in Catalan, has evolved to mean home. I liked it, in part, because I made the record after reconnecting with myself.
There was repeated talk that Judith Nedderman’s big moment had come... And then the pandemic hit.
Yes, and I realised that things would have to be done little by little, which is how I’ve always done them. And with good lyrics. It was a good learning experience, because the truth is that things were looking very good just before the pandemic. A path opened up, with Aire, to perform all over Spain, South America... And I ended up doing it, but everything went slower than I thought. But that’s made me rethink what makes me happy and what I need. I’ve rediscovered the peace I need to make music, which is what makes the vast majority of these new songs exude a lot of love, a lot of light.
I’ve heard you say Aire is a raw, less friendly record.
Yes, it was a much more intimate record, less expansive than Lar, where we decided to record a lot of guitars and a lot of percussion. It even has a danceable side to it. The production by Pau and Arnau Figueras is important in that regard. After being produced by both of them separately, I suggested they do it together this time and it’s been a good combination.
There’s a song called Celebrate. What is it you have to celebrate?
That I have a solid career and I live from my own music, with a team of people who inspire me a lot and who are rowing in the same direction. I feel the future is exciting.
Aside from your own albums you’ve been the singer of Coetus and The Gramophone Allstars. Has it been difficult for you to finally find a place to feel fully comfortable in the artistic field?
Yes, this already began to happen with Aire, and now with this one, I think I’ve confirmed that I have a characteristic way of making music, a sound that hasn’t been easy to find. Sometimes these things are unfair, because when someone finds a way to express themselves musically there are always those who say, “She always does the same thing!”, but listening to someone and being able to identify them is very valuable, I think. In any case, I’ve never felt that I’m repeating myself, but I notice that I’m stretching myself a bit further on each album, especially in terms of composition.
And you’re growing as a singer.
I feel at peace singing. I’ve found a sound I like and feel like I’m on firmer ground. Going into the recording studio and hearing my own timbre is an experience that satisfies me. Sometimes when I listen to old recordings, I hear things I wouldn’t do now, like too many nasal sounds, but I don’t obsess over those details either.
Do you take any language balance into account, singing in Catalan, Spanish and Portuguese?
I try to make it completely natural, because singing in different languages comes naturally to me. When I compose and make a melody, the lyrics come out in whatever language they come out in. And this is so spontaneous that, later, it becomes very strange to want to redirect it to another place.
interview music
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