JUNIE Wants You To Exercise
Frontman of Bootleg Rascal, Carlos Lara, has just launched his solo project, JUNIE, with the debut single Exercise–produced and mixed by the Sydney-based artist himself, and mastered by long-time collaborator Ian Pritchett (Boo Seeka, Kim Churchill, Angus and Julia Stone). The fresh new single is out today and we were lucky enough to have a chat with multi talented maestro to get the low down on the new project.
What is your first single about?
This track is one of the first songs that I wrote with the solo project in mind, it’s about someone I care about… And I think we can all understand the feeling of loving someone, having that distract you from everything in life! Completely overwriting things in your brain. I think I come to the realisation that maybe sometimes you need to accept the mistakes that you have made and not blame the people around you.
Would you call yourself a lazy person or a proactive person?
sometimes I can definitely be lazy, but I think everyone battles with trying to be productive especially artists I think. I wrote this song a while ago and I would like to think that since then I have picked up my game a bit lol
You produce and write all your own tracks?
Yeah a lot of my stuff is all me but I definitely have a few songs in the bag that are collaborations with some pretty cool people. But I’m a self-taught producer that has a lot to learn and I think the best way to do anything is to just jump in all guns blazing! Its working so far.
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Your sound is so different to Bootleg Rascal, How did that come about?
There were always songs that sat on the fringe of the Bootleg sound that I wrote, those songs sat in a hard drive somewhere for a while. But It was after a concert that I walked out of and had made the decision in my head that I was going to start this solo thing. And JUNIE was born!!!!
Who would you say your main influences are?
I have a lot. I grew up in South West Sydney, surrounded by hip-hop and Hard styles. But at home I was listening to salsa and heaps of Spanish music, mum also loved Frank Sinatra, the true OG and I was pretty into it. I think it all sits in there subconsciously and comes out in some way or form when I’m writing.
What are your plans for the year?
I have another single locked and loaded for you after this one has its way with everyone. And I’m excited to keep releasing music and be doing shows whenever I can.
Valentines day will finally be special this year as I’m launching the new single at the Gladstone upstairs in Goodspace and that will be a night that were going to struggle to remember, but never forget.
Is it hard to be writing for two different projects, JUNIE and Bootleg Rascal?
Well when I write I don’t always sit down with an intention to write a song for JUNIE or BOOTLEG. I usually just write and at some point one or the or the other starts to show itself a little more. It’s at that point Jim usually walks in and says “that’s dope!”. That usually signifies it’s a booty track.
