I had the pleasure of catching ATZUR after Primavera Sound Barcelona 2023, and I could tell that they were something special. As a fan of their music, I was excited to have the opportunity to interview the band and learn more about their journey, creative process, and the messages they strive to convey through their music.
ATZUR is an Austro-Spanish duo in the world of Alternative Pop. Together they create a sound that lives between north and south, warm and raw, free and epic. Between Florence + The Machine and Woodkid, with a pop and punk attitude. Formed in the spring of 2019, the band signed a record deal with the Austrian label Seayou Records and released their first single “Running“. The song quickly entered the charts of Austria’s Radio FM4 and Germany’s EGOfm.
The first single, “Faithful Believer”, from their coming debut album has rotation on the German radio eins and the Spanish Radio3 and Radio Primavera Sound, among many others. ATZUR is now ready to present their very first album “STRANGE RITUALS” this September 2023.
In this interview, we chat about everything from cultural roots to musical influences and discuss some of the challenges ATZUR has faced in a predominantly male-dominated industry. So, without further ado, let’s dive into this conversation and get to know the members of ATZUR a little better.
www.instagram.com/atzurmusic
atzur.lnk.to/Nostalgia
KB: Can you tell us a little bit about your journey as a band and how you got started making music together?
Long story short, we met on Tinder, recorded a couple of demos, sent them around for feedback and shortly after landed a record and booking deal and made it to the radio charts with our first single.
KB: How would you describe your music to someone who hasn’t heard it before?
Lucid dreams, freedom, crying laughing, raw, big feelings, dancing in your room, self-worth, life anthems, first love, spirituality, core memory, epic.
KB: Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
Lorde is a huge vibe, Rina Sawayama’s song structures, the energy of Paramore’s early albums, the honesty and poetry of Fiona Apple all the way to the Arctic Monkeys. On a rhythmic level, we love the rawness of the first Woodkid tracks and the percussive thinking of Foals.
KB: How do your cultural roots influence the music you create?
We come from both the north and south. And we feel at home in both cold and warm. When it comes to making music, this comfort in the contrast shapes us. We don’t really need a frame to fit into or a recipient. Each song comes with an impulse, like a cut. Warm-hearted, a little chaotic, but focused. The roots come from far but they interconnect with each other dynamically. We love to build big contrasts and unexpected turns. And this definitely is rooted in the cultures we grew up with.
KB: How was your experience at Primavera Sound Barcelona 2023?
HUGE! All the time up up up. No down moments, such a beautiful gorgeous thing it was. The people we met, the support, the love from everyone… This is why we started making music, the collective experience, the sharing and connectedness. And for a first show in Patricia’s hometown, this has been a dream.
KB: How did the audience react to your performance at the festival?
They were extremely engaging! We really felt that we were all together in this moment like the outside world did not exist. Complete mindfulness! It was so beautiful to see the crowd growing – the longer we played the more people stopped by and danced with us.
KB: Were there any memorable moments from your performance that you’d like to share?
We kind of happily freaked out when we heard that the crowd were singing along to some songs. Like when did they have time to learn the lyrics?? And all the jumping around together with us, the screaming-crying-laughing, having a big party. People, that probably saw us for the first time being as engaged as we are, such an incredible feeling!
KB: Can you tell us about any new songs or projects the band is working on?
On June 23 we are releasing “People Pleasing” – the next track of our debut album to be released this September. This one is a low-key yet upbeat playful track ready for the summer. A new fresh side people will see from us. Stepping out (only for a moment) of our known epic and dramatic sound for a little coffee (or mojito?) break.
KB: What message do you want your music to convey to your listeners?
You are not alone. Be in the moment. There is always a way out. Honour your needs. Be kind, and gentle, and have all the fun that you can whenever you can.
KB: How do you create and write your music – is it a collaborative process, or does each band member contribute separately?
Every song is a feeling that exploded in my chest. It always starts with a sentence, a thought or a concept written down on my phone, or the corner of a book, a date with my piano and a little demo which I show to Paul. And together it grows and it expands, it gets bigger than us until it escapes into the world and it then belongs to everyone.
KB: What’s been a standout moment or experience for you throughout your time as a band so far?
On a positive note, the most recent has been playing at the Primavera Sound. On a negative note, when we got robbed right after our show at the BIME Festival in Bilbao. We went from the highest to the lowest within seconds. It still hurts to talk about it.
KB: Are there any particular challenges you face either when creating music or performing live, and if so, how do you work through them?
There are many challenges we unfortunately face daily but we want to specially mention sexism. From people confusing Patricia right before a show with the tour manager from the band (like we know she can be bossy but come on), music professionals not even making eye contact with her and only talking to Paul, and seeing that the music industry is still dominated by the same old players with their same old ways. The further you step into your career, the more you can see how much you get reduced to your age, nationality, body and gender. Luckily we have surrounded ourselves with the best crew that sticks together and stands up for each other each time. But ugh! It’s enough already!!
