Pitou Releases Debut Album “Big Tear”
and Shares New Music Video “Knife” via V2 Records
Dutch artist Pitou’s musical awakening came from an unlikely source. From a very young age, she developed an unexplainable interest in classical music – her father would often find her crouched down by the radio, in search of the sound of orchestras and choirs. From the age of 9, Pitou started singing in a children’s choir, and she soon found herself performing at the baptism of Catharina Amalia, the Princess of the Netherlands, and in renowned music halls throughout Europe. “Singing together with other singers, making harmonies together, made me feel like nothing had ever done before,” she says of that moment.
It’s a memory that continues to inspire. Big Tear, her long-awaited debut album, is a rich, fearlessly creative collection of alternative pop that draws from her classical background; unexpected harmonies and song structures, vocal layering, loops, wistful melodies, and classical instruments all swirled together in stylish, clever ways.
The record also marks her own development, both as a performer and a songwriter. “I knew I wanted to move away from the guitar being self-evidently always there,” she says. “I also wanted to find out what it felt like to tell the stories of my songs on stage with just my body and voice, without the physical restriction of the guitar.” Eager to move into other sonic worlds, she embraced the creative possibilities of different instruments – piano, harp, synths – and using computer programs to build and refine her music; some tracks were written entirely on piano or using software.
To celebrate the release of her new album, Pitou has shared a new music video, ‘Knife’. Of the video, she says:
“‘Knife’ is the emotional axis of this record, very raw in its sentiment, which is always a challenge to translate into visuals. The song is about a person deciding to break away from a bond, for their own sake. I visualised a couple living in a small, quiet home. One half of the couple would be a human, the other a faceless but ever-present being.
Artist Noa Jansma created the long, cushion-like creature portraying this character. The video was shot in a small village in the north of France. We stayed at the house the director’s father build himself. It was a combination of making very long hours, but also being made felt so welcome. I remember us walking through the (ever) empty streets early in the morning, carrying the creature on our backs, and coming home late at night, mud everywhere, with many stars above us. Almost as if we ourselves for four days, were living in a strange wondrous world like the one the video takes place in.”
This remarkable artist has this fearless attitude displayed in this very sentimental new piece. Unafraid to bring fragility and raw emotion to the forefront of this tender creation. The minimalist attributes create the most essential landscape, ricocheting this rhythmic pulse in the world that allows the delicate vocal harmonies to glide across.
This emotional orchestration immediately connects to the listener, the film being a visual guide to embrace the heartbreak, and the single is enough to move and enthrall.
Pitou’s sublime new record is available now and effortlessly demonstrates how vital this musician is, connect to the challenges of the affectionate journey and embrace every layer, texture, lyric, and expressive harmony.
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