Australian singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Vetta Borne seamlessly blends R&B, soul and pop genres together to create her unique sound.
You might recognize her from songs such as “Girls,” “Hey,” and “Beyonce,” or you might also be familiar with her former stage name, Maribelle. No matter how you recognize her, she joined us last week to talk about her most recent single “Kissing Strangers,” and her upcoming EP, Emelia, coming out on May 21st.
Based out of Melbourne, where places are starting to open back up due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Vetta Borne had her first live performance as Vetta Borne after our interview. While it can feel overwhelming, it can be just as exciting to see live people again after 8 months.
Borne wrote her latest her bittersweet bop single “Kissing Strangers,” during lockdown after a breakup. She detailed how she was thinking about somebody and the conflict between setting healthy boundaries but still wanting to know that they’re doing alright.
She also spoke about how identifying as queer has affected her music, helping her greatly in being more honest about her experiences. In queer anthems such as “Girls,” you can definitely hear the honesty in full-force. Fun fact: she stated that it was a past song she is most proud of. She serves as an inspiration for LGBT+ people in general, as her candid lyrics help those who identify with them — lyrics that are often not found in the heteronormative mainstream.
For her future works, Borne said she’d love to work with Janet Jackson. “She’s like my ultimate idol,” Borne said.
In the past, she has written for George Alice, Young Franco and M-Phazes, and we both can’t wait to see what the future holds for Borne. She teased us about her upcoming EP Emelia, the name inspired by her grandmother. The song she is most excited for her fans to hear is “Love on You” as “it is such a happy song,” standing out from much of her other, more bittersweet, work. She started writing the song two years ago with the chorus, but finished the song fully while in quarantine. She also said we could expect numerous visuals for the EP and some colorful looks!
Be sure to check out Emelia, which releases on May 21st! For more information, her Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook handles are @vettaborne! You can find her on these streaming services: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music, and YouTube. Be sure to check out the SoundCloud link above for the full interview, where we discuss a few more topics such as the visuals for the EP, as well as the emotional weight of performing back in person.