Songwriter Bianca Morales is stuck in the last millennium – “I’m such a retro girl”

Singer and songwriter Bianca Morales, 57, is still known in Finland, even though he hasn’t had a single hit in almost 40 years. Morales won the Kevään Sävel singing competition when he was only 18 years old in 1984.

The name of the song was Our Party, which is a combination of happy reggae and pop. It was also played in European clubs.

– In 2000, we made a new arrangement for it i’ve been dreamin’ to the disc. Next year it will be 40 years since the victory, so the song could be adapted to the present day in honor of it, Morales thinks in the cafe of the hotel Alanda Club Marbella on the Sunshine Coast.

Morales’ mother is Finnish-Swedish and his father is Cuban. Morales speaks both domestic languages ​​and English fluently after living in Los Angeles for almost 25 winters.

– Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to learn Spanish before my parents divorced, and my father moved to Sweden, but despite that, I am forever a playful brat who laughs and dances like other Cubans. I still have a young voice, which is why people come to my shows to listen to happy music.

The jazz fly would bite

Young Morales met the master lyricist in the studio after Kevää Sävele’s victory Junnu Vainion and composer Jori Sivonen. The men suggested cooperation to the young singer, but Morales says that he thanked the gentlemen nicely.

– I had already been bitten by the jazz bug at that point. The beginning of the 1980s was the time of the Finnish rock and tango boom. I knew I could still sing jazz at ninety, says Morales.

For one Finnish lyricist legend, Morales could have made an exception.

– I have always liked by Chrisse Johansson lyrics. Especially the fine Italian songs of the 1960s and 70s would have suited me, Morales praises Johansson, who has recorded more than 3,000 songs for various artists.

– Chris’s Katri for Helena written by Against the bridge of the sun could have suited me too. That’s a great lyric.

Morales mostly sings jazz. In his opinion, many songs that are more than a hundred years old last a long time.

– I’m this kind of retro girl who has stuck to the last millennium. Most of my songs I sing are from the 1920s-1960s, says Morales.

The beauty of jazz music is that every song sounds different when performed by a different artist. Jazz is like freestyle rap, you never know what you’re going to hear next.

– A jazz singer doesn’t have to worry about the audience booing off the stage if he doesn’t sing the same way as the creator of the original hit. Vice versa. The public will listen to something new, says Morales.

A song needs a story

Nor is it enough for Morales that the song has one catchy chorus. They have to have a story.

Morales composes his own songs, which imitate the songs of the masters, or pastiches. The purpose of the pastisses is to honor and continue the legacy of the great masters such as Antônio Carlos Jobin created Bossa nova style.

Morales joined Finland’s second oldest big band Grani Big Band as a soloist at the age of 14.

– That’s when I made my first recording. The single was on the first side Elvis Presley Can’t Help Falling in Love and on the second side Louis Armstrong Dinah.

Morales reminds us of Armstrong’s importance to modern Jats. He started improvising funny solos to songs by imitating instruments. A more modern example of conceiving is of John of Scatman hit song from 1995 The Scatman.

– Many musicians of different styles have also sought jazz riffs.

Riffs are melodic fragments that are repeated in a song. Everyone can repeat in their mind the 1980s Swedish classic Europe The Final Countdown – song. The riff can be found by humming.

Morales is satisfied that young contemporary musicians have also discovered jazz. Samara Joy23, won this year’s Best New Artist Grammy and With Esperanza Spalding38, there are already five of them.

LA changed to the Sunshine Coast

Since 2016, Morales has spent at least a month on the Sunshine Coast and performed there for Finns.

– I went to Los Angeles for 25 years almost in a row, but there were always difficulties with work visas.

On his travels, Morales likes to stay still for a long time and explore the surroundings.

– I acquired my first vacation shares already in the 80s. Unfortunately, they have a bad reputation because of aggressive salespeople, but I myself have enjoyed vacation weeks around the world, says Morales.

In addition to long-term travel, Morales wears out or recycles his clothes.

– I’m also retro when it comes to clothes. In my clothing, like in music, I strive for this kind of evergreen style.

The corona era taught artists that they need a strong association, Solo ry., to promote the cause of soloists and soloist musicians.

– Our current chairman Jyrki Härkönen had asked From Danny, what kind of secretary I was during his chairmanship. I was highly recommended by Danny. We used to work Armi Aavikon with as secretaries of the board and the association, Morales says.

Solo ry released a compilation album this week Solo Soi! Vol.2. Härkönen enticed Danny to join the collection of seven previously unreleased love-themed potpourri 60’s Medley.