INTERVIEW: BERNARDINE BACK WITH NEW SINGLE ‘TIPTOE’

Back with another hit, indie singer/songwriter Bernardine is sliding into our ears with ‘Tiptoe’.

Although clad with many an accomplishment under her belt, what with attention from various radio stations and magazines such as Triple J and Happy Mag, Bernardine makes sure not to slow her progression and has been a constant favourite on the Australian charts. Earlier this year, the musician made sure to set the tone for her career with the release of new tracks ‘22’ and ‘Horizon’. 

Your musical style has taken on a transformative journey since the release of the ‘Bernardine’ EP in 2015; what do you feel triggered this and do you feel like your recent releases have set a different trajectory for you musically? 
Yes it certainly has! The transformation was triggered by my own musical preferences. As a listener my first instinct is to always put on EDM for my enjoyment and relaxation and so I wanted to begin to incorporate some EDM elements into my singer songwriter style simply because I love it. The incorporation of electronic sounds has certainly set me on a different trajectory musically, I'm being led towards being able to offer a really energised and uplifting live set which is definitely on the cards in the near future.

New single ‘Tiptoe’ is defined as a “dreamy and uplifting indie pop” song, leading in with soft but foundational chords and a light guitar melody.

What is your new song, ‘Tiptoe’, about?
Tiptoe also means to walk on eggshells, and this can cause us to hold back from living our best life. I can remember times as a creative person where I have tiptoed around situations as I felt uncomfortable in the limelight, but I have learned that it can be a really enjoyable part of being an artist and have decided to learn to embrace it wholeheartedly. I wanted to write this song as a reminder to myself to always be true to myself and embrace all aspects of life as an artist.

The pre-hook is simple and sweet, but this combination is sure to leave the lyrics stuck in your head! Using emotive metaphors within the lyrics is Bernardine’s signature of alluding to the track’s content; “I heard you tiptoe/ into a waterfall” is a line that stands out the most - the imagery lends to a visual representation of a situation where little disruptions build up to a big climax or conflict.  

Can you tell us how the idea for 'Tiptoe' came about and describe the creative process that led to the final product?
The idea for Tiptoe came about in the Summer of 2020 when I was in COVID-19 lockdown in the US. The word Tiptoe and it's meaning resonated with me and I wrote the song during a solo songwriting session in my home in Indiana. In 2021 I tracked my vocals and guitar, arranged the song and did some pre-production in Ableton, then worked with my producer to design the final sound which moved towards an atmospheric dream pop quality. The final product is different to anything I've created before, it has a new energy and is really uplifting. I am really blown away when I hear the song and super inspired to keep creating!

Make sure to watch the music video for ‘Tiptoe’ down below!

Crystal Moonsamy