Portrait: Justine Electra

By Contributing Writer on Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - 23:34

by Nepeace

Sometimes you are watching a television show or a movie and there is a song playing in the background which is just perfect for the situation. The song catches your attention but it doesn’t take over the scene. A song can make or break a scene in my opinion. So the other day I was watching The L Word when a certain song caught my attention and it was that particular song that I couldn’t forget. But I had no idea who the singer/songwriter was and to be quite honest I didn’t really search for it either.

So when I was asked to write a piece for eurOut  about Justine Electra I had no idea who she was. But since I love music and I have a weakness for singer/songwriters I was curious to find out. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that she was the woman who wrote that particular song.

Justine Electra is a young woman who was born in Melbourne, Australia. She is a multitalented woman, she writes her own songs, she studied voice, piano, studio and live recording. The only degree in contemporary music available in Australia at that time. Her unique way of absorbing influences from all around her and being able to translate them into her songs is an ability that not many people possess.

Justine moved to Berlin; ‘Berlin was really tempting. Squat spaces abounded. You could get your place for free and your electricity from the hallway. I went to various record labels, Jazzanova and Kitty-Yo, and went through their promo bins to find records I could DJ to earn money to buy food.’ (quote from Cityslang)