Music, Art and Words: A Conversation with Galine

For the series Eargasms – Pleasure for Your Ears and my spotlight on Belgian indie musicians, I had the joy of sitting down with Galine, Belgian-Dutch indie pop artist. I had already mentioned her to you in one of my previous articles, anticipating more. We discussed everything from her musical inspirations and creative process to books, surrealist art, and the challenges of the indie scene. Spoiler–I walked away an even bigger fan.

We meet in a cozy cafe in Ghent on a late autumn day. She greets me with a warm smile and a hug, and we start chatting in front of our cups of hot tea...

Let’s start from your name. Is Galine your real name or your stage name?

Yes, it’s my real name! It’s originally Russian, and it means calm sea, or something like that. But I’m not calm at all! – she giggles.

Musical Influences

I read that you were brought up in a musical family. Can you tell me a bit more about your background? How did you first get into music, and what inspired you the most to start creating?

Well, music has always been there for me. My grandma was a pianist and my parents were both amateur musicians. They enrolled me and my sister into music school. I started to play the flute at 7, but the stage part came way later. A big influence for me was definitely musical theater. I've watched Les Misérables so many times!

You’ve cited artists like Stevie Nicks and Florence Welch as inspirations. What specific qualities of their music resonate most with you?

It’s always hard to narrow it down to a couple of names. Another one is Big Thief, for instance. I’d say that in general I like voices evoking emotions.

Is there any album to which you’re particularly attached, and why?

To name one, maybe The Reminder, by Feist. After high school it was important for me to identify with female singers as models of inspiration. I needed women to show me it was possible for me to do it. I looked up to Joni Mitchell, the Fleetwood Mac or Sara Bareilles. I think the only way to develop as an artist is to go see things, but also re-discover music by re-listening to albums you liked.

I get it, and I agree. It’s a bit like re-reading a book you loved, for some people. You realize stuff you didn’t before.

Exactly! And books were also a source of inspiration for me, as well as visual arts.

Inspiration from art, literature and everyday life

Oh, if you’re a book and art lover we have big things in common. It was actually my next question, if there are any specific non-musical influences that inspire your work.

Absolutely. I like to absorb from every form of art, and for me there’s no bad art. Just art. For starters, it’s always been a combination of music and love for words and lyrics. In school I studied languages, Latin, ancient Greek, and along with that I was also joining a theater course. Literature was my first love.

Now I really need to ask. Favourite book?

Oh God. I read The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath when I was 19, and it paved the way to get to know more female writers–like Bell Hooks or Dorothy Parker–which were a big part of my formation. The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel van der Kolk is also linked to the album, how your body saves the trauma you’ve been through and how you’re also unaware of the intergenerational trauma that you bring along within yourself.

Image: ENFNTS TERRIBLES

It’s super interesting and very deep. What about movies, and other forms of art?

I love films like The Truman Show, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Dead Poets Society, especially their mix of humor and tragedy. I like Jim Carrey and Robin Williams a lot. I’m fascinated by the tragic clowns characters, the theme of grotesque. But also cabaret musicals. I like the right mix of story and aesthetics when it comes to movies. I have a degree in Art History and I like to incorporate that part of me in the visuals. The video of my song Cake for Dinner is inspired by a scene from Mathilda, for example. I am interested in performance art as well, like Marina Abramovic, and surrealist artists like Gertrude Abercrombie or Hilma af Klimt.

The video of Cake for Dinner inspired by Mathilda

I think now we have a very clear picture of who and what impacted you in your artistic journey until now. How do you work when it comes to your own music? And where do you drive inspiration from?

The first steps are always on my own. I like to have the idea alone, and then consulting with my team to help me grow it. Inspiration comes from everyday life, personal experiences, and then coming back inside to write about it. I don’t resonate with the old idea of the tormented artist never leaving their room and spending the whole time writing, it can’t be possible. You gotta go out there, live, and then develop the idea. It’s a natural process. Inspiration strikes you in the most random moments.

What’s the weirdest moment it hit you?

At the gym. One day I was working out on my treadmill and it just came and then I was in the locker room recording myself in a low voice because I didn’t want to lose it–she laughs. It's really random.

Are there any recurring themes in your music that you want people to take away?

I don’t think there’s something specific. It always stems from my life experiences, and I don’t want to expose myself or other people completely. I try to find the common ground between what happens to me and what might happen to others. I don’t want revenge or anger, because anger also doesn’t last. It’s a moment in time. There are no ‘I hate my ex’ songs in my music.

So far we've had a sneak-peek into Galine's background and influences. She's a well-rounded performer with a deep curiosity for every form of art, which she weaves into her music. But she has something exciting coming up. Her first album will be out next year! Stay tuned for Part 2 of the interview, where we’ll dive into the creative process behind the album, her thoughts on the indie music scene, and more about the artist behind the music.