After the dazzling response to their much-loved LP ‘Sweet Melancholy’ last year, Australian four-piece Dolce Blue recently returned for this year to unveil their shimmering new single ‘Sugar Free’.
Set to feature on the deluxe edition of their recent album, ‘Sugar Free’ continues that rich and spellbinding appeal they have been cultivating lately. And with the release still building plenty of buzz, we caught up with the band’s songwriter, singer, and guitarist Veronica Zurzolo to find out more about her origins and influences over the years.
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Can you tell us a bit about your musical background and how you got started in music?
I was very fortunate to have grown up around music at home – from my parents sharing their favourite albums with me to both of them playing instruments themselves. Because of this I had a lot of freedom to sing or pick up an instrument from an early age. Throughout my school years I sang in the choir, played in concert and jazz bands, and was always the first (and usually only student) to put my hand up for any performance opportunities at assemblies. This eventually led me to find some like-minded people in my year, who became good friends and now bandmates in Dolce Blue.
Who are some of your biggest musical influences, both past and present?
For me; Ella Fitzgerald, Rickie Lee Jones, Lana Del Rey, Kali Uchis, and Gwen Stefani.
My bandmates are influenced by Joy Division, The Black Keys, Arctic Monkey, Mac DeMarco, and Steve Lacy.
Are there any specific artists or bands that have had a significant impact on your music style or approach?
I think it’s hard to pinpoint particular artists that have influenced our sound. We all have varying, eclectic tastes in music, and I feel that when we combine that it creates something a bit different. In saying that, our most recent release ‘Sugar Free’ I feel was heavily influenced by obsession at the time with Raye and Måneskin.
Could you share any memorable moments or experiences that have shaped your musical journey so far?
The connections that music has made for us has been the best part of the experience – both connections with other artists and bands that are now good friends, and the connection between the people who genuinely like our music and the songs we share. My favourite moments are when someone messages or comes up to me after a show and tells me how they enjoy or can relate to a particular song. For me that’s something very special and inspired me to keep writing and keep sharing what I have to say.
How do you express your personal experiences and identity through your music?
For me I think it’s a pretty sub-conscious expression. Whilst I may have something in mind that I want to write about, usually what I end up writing can turn into something different or a bit more metaphoric than intended. But I kind of like writing a bit more vaguely and focusing on feel, emotion, and relatable elements rather than the specifics of my personal experience or my identitI like the subjectivity of music and like it when people can relate their own meaning or personal experiences to a song, rather than me telling them the specifics of what to think.
Have you faced any challenges or obstacles as a female musician, and if so, how have you overcome them?
There definitely are challenges to being a female musician, especially being the front person – there’s quite a bit of attention it attracts and sometimes it’s not the kind you want. I find most of the time though it’s actually just hard to be taken seriously. I find this mainly with my guitar playing, and I guess the best way to overcome it is to just prove them wrong. Generally though I don’t tolerate any of it and I got a great network of friends with me at shows and in the band that always have my back when I need them.
Are there any particular themes or messages that you aim to convey through your music?
When I was coming up with the band name I wanted something that I could shape the music towards; Dolce Blue, a balance between the sweet (dolce) and the soothing yet sometimes melancholic blue. Whilst the messages, style, and sound of the music changes and evolves as me and the band grow up, this theme stays consistent.
Can you talk about your creative process and how you go about writing and producing your music?
As I mentioned earlier, songwriting is quite a subconscious experience for me, and I’m never quite sure when inspiration will strike. A lot of the time it could be some lyrics I jot down in my notes app, a melody that comes to me whilst doing the dishes, or a chord progression that stands out to me whilst I’m just messing around on the guitar or piano. Once I’ve got the structure, chord progression, and lyrics figured out I’ll take it to the rest of the band and we’ll jam it out so that they can come up with their own parts for the song. We’ll play it live and continue workshopping in rehearsals until we’re happy with it, then hit up Michael Strong at the studio to book in some time! I have a basic recording setup at home so I’ll usually work out the tempo and record my guitar, vocals and sometimes the bass at home, then send it to Michael as a guide. We’ll use that guide to record the drums, bass, guitars, vocals, and then any overdubs like a shaker or synth. From there I’m quite involved with how the track is mixed in terms of how loud instruments sound and any effects or stereo panning I want on them. Then it’s mastered, and I can start getting it ready to release.
How do you hope your music will resonate with your audience, especially with other aspiring female musicians?
I hope that when people hear our music they can relate to the lyrics, and to the emotions that the music evokes. I know there’s been times in my life where I’ve felt like I’m alone, and music has been a comfort to make me feel a little less lonely, as well as validated some of my feelings. I hope by writing, performing, and just being myself publicly that other aspiring female musicians see that they can do it too, because everyone’s got something to share and you never know what impact it might make.
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Listen to Dolce Blue’s new single ‘Sugar Free’ below.