An Interview With The Musician BORZA On His Newest Music and More!

Born in London, raised in Québec, and of Persian background, Borza considers himself being a human on this earth. His main interest & goal with music is to have the listener experience the natural synergy that music has with spirituality. He believes that music can help to heal people in different ways. This year Borza released a full length record that has essences of alternative pop, folk & reggae. It was produced by his dear friend Malcolm Burn (Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, Emmylou Harris, Daniel Lanois).

Check out his newest track, “Live and Love” here-

Learn more about Borza in the following All Access interview:

What does a typical day look like for you? What do you have scheduled the rest of today and this week?

Well, I start my mornings with a little bit of yoga to wake my body up a bit, then I take a moment to give gratitude to all the good things in my life, this starts my morning just right.  Then I start working on music and my projects basically all day long.  It’s pretty much like this all week long unless I travel.

Now that we are in the latter half of the year, how has 2019 treated you?

Good but intense. My father passed away the year so this was pretty huge. I was his main caretaker.  But besides that, it was a year where I got to really concentrate on putting ‘Cocoon” together, and releasing it. It was a big year.

What are some goals that you have had for yourself this year? 

To make and release this record.  Also to travel lots. I live secluded in the middle of the woods, so when my work is done, I like to go and discover this world and interact with people.

How close are you to reaching them or did you already? 

I am happy and proud to say that they are happening !  It was hard to do given the responsibilities I had committed myself to with family. But it happened I it’s now released !  Plus I got a chance to get to France & Amsterdam and reconnect with some folks that I’ll be seeing later this year for shows.

What are you already excited about for 2020?

To tour! To go out there and live the songs with people directly, no matter how big or small of a venue. Also do start writing slowly again for the next record to come.

Growing up, how important was music in your life? 

Very, I was in music programs from high school all the way to university.  I always had bands going, writing and recording songs, most of my friends were musicians.. My father also encouraged me a lot since his brother was also a successful songwriter.

Can you recall the moment when you decided that you wanted to be in this industry? Was it an easy or difficult choice to make?

Oh it was a classic thing where I saw the Beatles on TV at 9 years of age and that was it, that got me going to learn the guitar and start writing songs. I quickly got into recording my own bands too. When around the age of 20, I decided I was going all in;  bands, shows, productions .. It was all pretty natural, I was going to do what I loved in my life, and nothing less.

Was there ever a time when you thought about doing something else? If you weren’t a musician today, what else could you see yourself doing? Would you be as fulfilled in life?

Yes an architect. I guess it’s a similar mindset to create a home for a family, or a space for people to be in to feel good and safe in.  This is what I aspire to share as a feeling with people when they listen to my music.

I don’t think I would be as fulfilled though .. I really love surrounding my life with music and the lifestyle that goes wit it.

What has been the biggest surprise so far about making music your career? What has been an unexpected or welcome challenge to it all? What has been the best part about it all?

That we can have a good life working in music. I was always told from the get go that it’s very tough to survive doing only music. However I think it’s the same for any career you decide that you want to be good at.  I am delighted to see that I enjoy the life I’m offering myself. I could have played it safer, but I would have not have had as much fun 😉

I think the money you need is only relevant to the life you want.

Let’s talk about your newest single, “True To You.” Where did the inspiration for this track come from? How does it compare to anything else you that have you previously released?

This is about a late enlightenment I had with a soulmate.  This experience has definitely sharpened my senses.  

I hope this song inspires mediocre moments to be fixed between people with strong ties. 

“If I can only be worth you” is a folk song like most of the foundation of my songs, however this track is very naked.

What has it been like working on your forthcoming collection with your producer Malcolm Burn? When do you hope to release it? How do you think “True To You” prepares listeners for this new album of yours?

It was an amazing experience .. Malcolm has worked on certain records that really marked & changed me musically. He was an amazing all on this record, as well as a true friend.

We tracked all the basics (Drums, Bass, Guitar & vocals) live with Jean-François on drums, Malcolm on bass & me on guitar & vocals. Afterwards Malcolm did some guitar & keyboard overdubs, and I redid my vocals. We really worked on capturing a great moment in 1 to 3 takes max ..

In a good way because the album travels through a few different styles, and “If I can only be worth you” has the raw folk element that all my songs derive from.

Where can people see you perform next? Do you have any fall tour dates scheduled yet?

A couple of shows in Québec, Montreal this fall, and then shows in Spain, France and Italy in the coming winter and spring.

How do you think you have grown as a musician since you first started making music?

To try to be a complete artist, to touch many things in the music industry and understand it. To be prolific. 

How do you feel about social media? What has social media done for your career so far?

I like it, it permits us to reach out to many people from one place. It helps to prepare shows and tours properly, knowing where your fan base is at the moment of time.

Who are some of your favorite artists or rather, what musicians have continued to inspire you and your music? Who would you absolutely love to work with in the future?

John Lennon, Bob Marley, Neil Young, Daniel Lanois, Dope lemon, Dan Mangan, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Cage the Elephant, D.D. Dumbo, Big thief, Clara Luciani, Bertrand Belin. . .

Working with Malcolm Burn was a dream by itself, it’s going to take some time to digest that alone.

If you had an unlimited budget and your schedule was free, what would your dream music video look like?

My daughter Charlotte G Ghomeshi does all my visuals, from videos to pics to album cover.  I’m a big fan of hers. I’m so happy she agreed to work on my project. So going to continue working with her and her team. However she can bring in whoever to join her team if we’re talking unlimited budget!

At the end of the day, what do you hope people take away from your music?

My main interest & goal with music is to have the listener experience the natural synergie that music has with spirituality. 

I think that music can help to heal people in different ways. I hope to touch subjects that can inspire others to feel better about a difficulty or questioning they might be going through. 

Would you like to share anything else about yourself or your music with our readers?

I think the next step into getting to know one another more would be to listen to the tracks. The was a wonderful interview thank you