We often find out that the artists we idolize aren’t so perfect in the more human aspects of their lives, especially in their relationships with other people. Picasso was one such great artist, conflicted in the way he treated his muses and lovers. ‘Barcelona” is a love letter to Picasso’s women by Surrija, who actually traveled to the Spanish cultural hub to tap into the artist’s lingering energy and write her debut album, before finding out about those controversial layers of his life.
“These women gave me agency to work through my own trauma,” Surrija says, which surfaces in the song that has a palpable cathartic feel about it, an ethereal release of emotions that had probably stayed subdued for a while. The glitzy electro-pop style of the song very nicely reflects the struggle to give voice to trauma and makes for a very vivid contrast with the free-flowing chorus, in which everything spills over.
“Barcelona” is a very unusual song, both musically and emotionally, and if it’s any indication, Surrija’s self-titled album, which comes out on 04/03/20, will definitely be worth a listen.
