Q&A: jame minogue Creates a Delicious Blend of Cultures in His Love-Centric EP ‘Príncipe Azul’
FROM CYNICAL LENSES TO ROSE-TINTED ONES - jame minogue journeys through eight different perspectives on love in his latest EP Príncipe Azul. Weaving Latin elements through a breezy blend of indie, funk and synth-pop jame minogue effortlessly displays his genre-defying abilities.
Focusing on a maturation in accepting and embracing romantic love, the EP begins with tracks like “Hating Being In Love” and “You’re Thinking Of Me”, which both present pessimistic and overcompensating takes on love, and travels through an eight-part evolution ending with “Tu Me Ha Cambiado”, showcasing the artist's fresh, optimistic outlook.
Alongside the release of the EP, minogue unveiled a vintage-infused music video for the EP’s third track “You’re Thinking Of Me”. While the track’s lyrics explore arrogance and overcompensation within romantic relationships, minogue chose to take inspiration from adolescent celebrity crushes for the video. Minogue’s vocals drift between English and Spanish, blending together his multicultural upbringing.
Keep reading to find out more about the creative process behind jame minogue’s sparkling new EP Príncipe Azul.
LUNA: Congrats on the release of Príncipe Azul! Can you talk us through the ordering of the tracks on the EP? What’s the story behind this?
MINOGUE: Thanks so much! The order of the tracks was very intentional. The story follows the protagonist, “Principe Azul”, through a journey where he slowly figures out what love means. The EP starts with a naive, materialistic and cocky perspective of love and eventually transforms into this profound and raw perspective we get with “Tu Me Ha Cambiado”. All of the stories told in the songs are based on things that have happened to me in the last few years. Some savage and some pathetic – I really wanted to be open and honest with this.
LUNA: Who is Príncipe Azul? What does this character mean to you personally?
MINOGUE: Principe Azul – which translates to Prince Charming – is based on this kind of version of myself I had created when I first started exploring love. I thought everything had to be like it was in the movies and that material things mattered. Principe Azul is in for a rude awakening, though.
LUNA: You’re incorporating more of your Dominican heritage into your music in this EP – can you tell us more about this?
MINOGUE: I’ve been trying to figure out for a while how to incorporate all of the sounds I grew up with. A lot of experimenting and working with some great musicians (Mark and Omar) really fast tracked that process. There’s so much culture in Dominican music and Latin music in general. I wanted to tap into that raw emotional party music. It’s nice to make songs that my mom understands now too.
LUNA: What influenced this EP the most?
MINOGUE: I realized that I wanted to continue to make honest music but also something that felt a little festive. Sad summer party music?
LUNA: Which track on the EP do you feel most connected to?
MINOGUE: That’s a tough one. I’d say “I’ll Get There” is the most personal for me. It deals with a lot of feelings I struggle with constantly. It’s also a hopeful song that brings comfort in knowing that things will eventually be okay.
LUNA: Did you learn anything about yourself in the process of creating the EP?
MINOGUE: I feel like I re-learned how to make music if that makes sense. As a kid, I would make a lot of music by just jamming on live instruments with my friends. It was like hanging out. That’s something I finally got to do again with Mark and Omar. Just a few friends in a room playing instruments and seeing what happens. It’s not something you see much of anymore. It’s also so much fun.
LUNA: What was your mindset at the beginning of creating the EP? Does the finished EP match up with your initial vision for it?
MINOGUE: I’d say my initial vision was milder than what we ended up making. I didn’t expect to go into some of the crazy grooves we did but I’m so glad we got crazy with it. It’s beyond anything I had imagined.
LUNA: Did you find yourself forming any habits or processes to get into a creative mindset when producing the EP?
MINOGUE: Putting the phone down! I learned to be present and block out external things while I’m in the studio. Always eating good is a must as well.
LUNA: Which songs from Príncipe Azul are you most looking forward to performing live, and why?
MINOGUE: I’d say “Morir Sonando” and “You’re Thinking Of Me” are songs I’m definitely itching to play live. There’s so much percussion there and I just know it’ll feel like a party. I think those tracks really bring the summer vibes.
LUNA: How are you feeling about this release? What excites you most about it?
MINOGUE: I’m incredibly excited for this to come out. I really want everyone to see and hear this side of me. I’m stoked for the live elements and for the visuals. Camila Noriega has directed an amazing music video that the world will see soon!
LUNA: A big theme in the EP is love – what are some things you love most right now?
MINOGUE: I love being outside. I love exploring new foods. I love spending time with the people closest to me and having great conversations. I love a glass of wine and a classic film. Most of all, I love making music.
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