17 Dec Interview: Bluecomotive Talks with… Sara Cruz
«I wanted it to be very true, very real»
The “Live & Acoustic” EP marks Sara Cruz’s return to the essence of her music: voice, guitar, and harmonica in their purest form. In this new work, the singer revisits songs from “Fourteen Forty-Five,” her debut album, and surprises us by including a song in Portuguese — a true rarity in her repertoire. The EP also features an intimate version of an American classic that carries deep emotional symbolism for the artist, a gem from the Azores that all of Portugal deserves to know.
The “Live & Acoustic” EP is a return to the basics: voice, guitar, and harmonica. Where did this desire to revisit your songs in acoustic format come from?
That’s how my songs are born — voice and guitar — and those on the album were no exception, so I always wanted to revisit some of the arrangements and show them in a more raw form. The fact that it’s “live” is also something I really appreciate when I listen to and watch music and performances, so I also wanted to add that aspect so that, in addition to being stripped down, it would also be very true, very real. It’s different from releasing an acoustic version recorded by tracks.
The album includes three versions of tracks from your debut album, Fourteen Forty-Five. What was the criteria for selecting the songs? Why Go-Getter, Faithful, and Good Thing?
“Go-Getter” is a song that I really enjoy playing, and I felt there was room to add the harmonica, so I ended up choosing it. “Faithful,” because of the contrast between the disco version and an acoustic version. And “Good Thing,” because it’s one of my favourite songs on the album.
“Na Ponta da Madrugada” marks an important new development in your discography: it is sung in Portuguese. How did this song come about and what does it mean to you?
This song was created because I was invited to compose one for the Mar & Ilha album, a project from the island of Pico. The album was to be in Portuguese and very Azorean. In the meantime, it has already been released, and their beautiful version has been available for three years now, but I always wanted to record my own version one day, which is actually very similar to the audio I sent them when I showed them the song. Guitar and vocals.
And speaking of special and unexpected themes… why did you choose to include ‘Somethin’ Stupid’ on this EP? What attracted you to this American classic?
‘Somethin’ Stupid’ is, for me, one of the most beautiful songs ever written. I’ve been listening to it since I was a child, and my grandfather used to sing it live. I never got to hear it, because he never released it, but all my life I heard about how beautiful his version was, which he sang live. I love singing it and I thought it made perfect sense to include my own version on this raw EP, not only because it’s a wonderful song, but also because it has that special meaning for me.
“Fourteen Forty-Five” was released just over a year ago. Musically, what has changed about you since then?
I am at a stage where I can look at the album and listen to it from the outside. The other day, I listened to it in the car, from start to finish, and fell in love with it all over again. As a year has passed, I have come out of my bubble and out of myself, and I can now feel it in a less compromised way, which I really like. I’m already thinking about my next projects, with different influences, etc. A lot happens in the space of a year, we change with life, and I know that my next work will have a different sound from this one.
CONCERT IN LISBOA
