Formally known as Elizabeth Rose, BRUX is leaving her mark on every music scene she enters.
Australian-born producer BRUX has just dropped Take, her first EP since relocating to Brooklyn last year.
She’s also recently dipped her toes into the NFT market, selling exclusive releases, music videos, and collectors items as non-fungible tokens.
Off the back of her new EP, we chatted to BRUX about the world of digital currency, synth shopping, and the music scene in Brooklyn.
HAPPY: You’ve just released your new EP, Take. I read that it’s about regaining power and autonomy, what was your process for finding that again?
BRUX: Most of this EP was written in lockdown 2020 during a time when I felt I had lost all control – writing these songs was a turning point for me, as if they were written to self empower. Music is so healing and it’s why this EP is so charged with vibrant energy both visually and sonically!
HAPPY: You posted videos on Insta, playing around with an analog synth at home, is that how a lot of the EP was recorded?
BRUX: I collect analog synths, yes! A lot of the EP was recorded with my Moog DFAM semi modular percussion synth, Take especially.
HAPPY: I also wanted to ask where you got the synth, because they can be pretty hard to get your hands on.
BRUX: The Moog DFAM is fairly accessible – I bought it back in 2020 when I was living up in Katoomba for a few months from a great store called Steep St…they sold plants, synths & tea – best combo!
HAPPY: What’s your experience of Brooklyn been like since moving from Sydney?
BRUX: Brooklyn has such vibrancy – I really love living here. I’m currently living a few blocks away from Notorious B.I.G’s childhood home and there are murals of him everywhere. Brooklyn has a dense population, but it feels energetically less intense than Manhattan. I’m surrounded by countless live music venues, bars, restaurants & people from all walks of life.
HAPPY: How does the music scene differ between the two cities?
BRUX: There’s a lot of niche pockets of artists everywhere and on a much larger scale than Sydney. It’s kind of like the ‘little fish in the big pond’ scenario. The music scene specifically is super active and lively – there is always countless gigs on, no matter what genre, every day of the week.
HAPPY: You were an early adopter of NFTs, and I know pretty much nothing about digital currencies. So for people like me, can you explain how your NFT drops work?
BRUX: So an NFT is a non-fungible token i.e. something that is unique and can’t be replaced with something else. Each NFT has what’s called a blockchain (think of an imprint/ barcode) making it impossible to hack so music can be collected the same way ‘first pressings’ of a vinyl would be or the original copy of a painting. Music NFTs allow music to be fairly valued [cue DSP royalty stream rates] and allows artists to build a community of collectors in a digital space, known as ‘web3’.
The currencies are decentralized with one of the most popular currencies being Ethereum, (current Ethereum value is 1ETH = ~$2500USD). Releasing music NFTs has personally allowed me to make a viable income which I can funnel back into the project to grow and develop it. I’m surprised more artists aren’t doing this in Australia!!
HAPPY: How have you found the transition into digital currencies?
BRUX: It felt clunky at first but having a digital wallet with digital currencies now makes total sense to me. It was fairly simple to set up a metamask wallet! First step is to buy cryptocurrency with AUD or USD.
HAPPY: Do you feel like you’ve connected with fans and the electronic music community on a deeper level since jumping on Twitch?
BRUX: To be honest, not really. I haven’t found Twitch to be that engaging for my fans. I’ve connected with fans and the electronic music community on a deeper level by selling music NFTs. I know personally who my collectors are and they are invested in the project long term!
HAPPY: Have you got any other new projects that you’re keen to plug?
BRUX: I’m excited to share that I’ve produced an upcoming single for Kimbra on her album that drops later this year…!
Take is out now on all major streaming platforms. Get a taste for the EP below.
Photos provided
Interview by Lochie Schuster
