Written by: Jayme Face
Börni a singer/songwriter from Switzerland formerly released music as Vava Voom with Sean Kingston is now releasing her new single “New Heights” and she told us all about why she is releasing music as Börni and what influences her new sound!
Photo Credit: Pascal Wasinger
upfrontNY: Can you tell us about your sound and style of your music?
Börni: I think it’s a unique sound with fresh and futuristic notes of pop, blended with underlying hip-hop influences. Listeners can look forward to hearing really cool music they can relate to and can be inspired by.
upfrontNY: Can you tell us a bit about your new single “New Heights”?
Börni: I wrote the song with Synematik, Taylor Hill, and Lucius Page from the PageBrothers. We thought about what it took for us to get to the point we were, at the time. We all faced major obstacles and challenges in life and overcame them when it would’ve been so easy to just give up. We kept pushing and remained focused on making progress in all our lives. And that’s what the lyrics are about. “New Heights” was inspired by the struggles that I or anyone else who has a dream goes through. Those struggles either make you or break you, and “New Heights” is about what is possible when you don’t give up.
upfrontNY: You had released music as Vava Voom (“Supersonic” ft. Sean Kingston), what does it mean to you to now be releasing music as Börni?
Börni: Growing up as the cool friend who hangs around with the boys and influenced by three brothers, I also developed a girly side that most of the time didn’t shine through so much. Exploring this side more, my alter ego, Vava Voom, got her time to shine. Finding my true self on both sides makes me Börni, and it illustrates my true character. Releasing music as Börni is letting me tell my story as an artist in the most real and authentic way now. I am very excited about the music I’m releasing now, and I really hope people will be just as excited about it as I am.
upfrontNY: How do you get inspired when writing music?
Börni: For me, the music usually translates a certain feeling. It will decide the mood of what the topic will be, for sure. Most of the time, the lyrics will be about something I’ve experienced myself or possibly others or the world in the current state, and then I’ll go from there. How does the music, come along? I would say, that’s definitely depending on how I feel at the moment, or who is in the room with me to create. I usually start with an instrument, add a beat, and then try to come up with a vocal top line right away while It’s still fresh in my mind. I don’t think I’ve ever started with lyrics before I had the melody. But I would write down topics and when the right music was there, I would pull the ideas back up. Inspiration itself comes from life and captures the moment in feelings and melodies.
upfrontNY: What artists do you listen to?
Börni: Currently, it’s Sia, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, and a few more. More specifically, it’s a sort of long rotating list because I’ve always been curious about all types of music and was never afraid to listen and try them.
upfrontNY: You have grown up playing and performing all kinds of music, how did you know you wanted to do this as a career and how did you arrive at the style that you play today?
Börni: I found my passion for music at just three years old when I began singing and playing the violin, soon also turning to the piano and guitar. Throughout my adolescence, I sang in gospel choirs, wrote, and performed my own songs in my first garage band and quickly learned how to perform and entertain an audience. All these experiences lead me to believe I could do this as a career. So, when I was older, I was discovered on a show called “Music Star,” and that led to a record deal and a couple of albums with Sony Music. This was definitely a course-setting experience in my life. Also, my first trip to NYC. That laid the groundwork for my love and aspirations to be in the American and world music scene. Synematik is such a huge inspiration in my life and helped me find my new sound! He would challenge me and push me to new levels in the most positive way. I wouldn’t be the artist I am today without him, and I am so grateful for his constructive criticism, motivation, and vision and his faith in me as an artist! Synematik is not the type of producer that is just about the song, he’s also about facilitating an entire vision. He’s always thinking about the whole picture.
upfrontNY: One of your biggest real life music lessons was singing background for Celine Dion, what did that experience teach you?
Börni: Yes, I started singing in the children’s choir of the prestigious Zürich Opera House when I was 7 years old. Being on stage every week, I was discovered by the leaders and recommended when the management of Celine Dion was looking for 6 children to sing with her. I was honored and super nervous back then. It was such a course-setting highlight in my life. Singing in a stadium with an icon like Celine taught me that there are no limits to what you can achieve in life if you have a great talent and something to say. It also taught me deep gratitude to how beautiful it is that so many people would come to hear someone’s music and everyone shared this wonderful moment together.
upfrontNY: Being from Switzerland and also having been involved in the music business in the States, do the music scenes differ?
Börni: Absolutely yes. In Switzerland with a population of 8 million people, I was obviously presented to a much smaller audience. I’m glad I could “rehearse” there before entering the big stage, meaning it was the best training ground to get started, tour through the country, get to know the industry, the media, and everything that comes with promoting music until it became my comfort zone. I had to overcome fear and had to have great faith when trying to find my way in a huge foreign country like America. I could now use all I’ve learned while starting to maneuver in the massive US industry, a very exciting journey.
upfrontNY: How have you been spending your time during quarantine and social distancing?
Börni: Honestly, the extra time at home was great for me to prepare the release of New Heights and more new music. I also rediscovered playing the violin! I was really good at it as a child. I also explored online dance classes, and I think I like them just as much as the in-person classes. Online, I can repeat a certain section as much as I want at my own pace, and I can do it daily. The hard part during this time is that I can’t go visit all my beloved once but when you see your grandma discover FaceTime, and Instagram during this time, that makes it all better 🙂
upfrontNY: Is there anything else you would like to let our readers know?
Börni: Well, I can say I am soooo ready to release my new music with fun, cool visuals, starting with “New Heights.” And if the people like “New Heights,” they will definitely vibe with the upcoming singles as they all are amazing productions by dope producers such as Synematik and the PageBrothers. For the most up to date info people can follow me on IG, FB, or TikTok, and on their favorite streaming service to see what’s coming! And by the way, thank you for the love and support!
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