“When Andra Borlo sings, it’s like honey floating over sandpaper – this voice so tastefully raw, ignoring limits, is amazing!” Berner Zeitung
Andra Borlo is a bit of a gipsy, a free spirit, living her life with a lot of passion between music and human rights. As a young woman she travelled for almost 2 years from Alaska to Fireland, Patagonia – ever since she got the „explorer virus“ in her blood – and the love for Latin America, it’s culture and it’s language too.
Andra Borlo is a bit of a gipsy, a free spirit, living her life with a lot of passion between music and human rights. As a young woman she travelled for almost 2 years from Alaska to Fireland, Patagonia – ever since she got the „explorer virus“ in her blood – and the love for Latin America, it’s culture and it’s language too.
After releasing the beautiful „New York Diary“ (Universal Music 2006, recorded in New York) and living between Switzerland and New York for a few years, the singer packed her bags to discover the sounds and the heat of Buenos Aires end of 2007, where „Pieces of Buenos Aires“ was recoreded with some of the best musicians of Argentina. Together with Beni Mosele she created a new sound between Pop, Folk, Tango and Soul. (press HERE for „the making of“) ( press HERE for „the music“)
Andra Borlo was born in Chicago but grew up in Switzerland. The stories her parents told her about Chicago, the discrimination, the racism, and the Jazz/Blues records they played for her were a big influence for the girl who loved music and who was rebellious with a strong sense for justice at a very young age.
At the teachers’ training college in Lucerne she was suspended from singing classes because of her raspy voice. With this extra time Andra indulged on her human rights activities and listening to music. As a teenager she listened to singers like Betty Smith, Etta James, Sarah Vaughn, Tina Turner and Janis Joplin. She played the piano and the saxophone for many years (unfortunately always improvising and too lazy to practice what she was supposed to…) but didn’t discover her passion for singing until she was 20 years old. During that period she had a boyfriend who was spending time in a Lucerne prison for refusing to join the army, which is mandatory for Swiss men. The prison was in the middle of the town and there he shared the cell with a guitar player. In tune with her persistent character Andra managed to convince a man who lived across from the prison into letting her have conversations with her incarcerated boyfriend from across the street. The guitar player was fascinated by her loud, raspy, dark voice and invited her to sing in his band right after his release. So, one could say it all started in prison, a topic that is very present in her life and work up until today.
When Andra started her studies in political science and law in Bern 1994, she made her first steps as a singer,
on various projects with musicians like Fabian Kuratli, Marc Rossier or Peter Hörisberger. In 1999, together with guitar player Marc Rossier, she founded the rock band and toured Switzerland for 5 years. Meanwhile, during her studies, she worked for peace and human rights institutions, did freelance work as a journalist, and spent some time in Havana, Cuba for research about the political opposition. She became active against the death penalty in the US and has been a regular visitor to Texan death row ever since, along with campaign work.
on various projects with musicians like Fabian Kuratli, Marc Rossier or Peter Hörisberger. In 1999, together with guitar player Marc Rossier, she founded the rock band and toured Switzerland for 5 years. Meanwhile, during her studies, she worked for peace and human rights institutions, did freelance work as a journalist, and spent some time in Havana, Cuba for research about the political opposition. She became active against the death penalty in the US and has been a regular visitor to Texan death row ever since, along with campaign work.
After getting her M.A in Political Science and working in the field of communications and human rights, in 2003 she traveled to New York for half a year to write songs. New York became her second home fort he next four years. The band K’daar came to an end in summer 2004, after two CD-productions and a lot of live playing. In the spring of 2005 Andra finally made the step into her solo career, featuring her voice, her lyrics and a unique acoustic sound. March 2006 she released NEW YORK DIARY, recorded in New York with outstanding musicians like bass player Gregg August (Elivis Costello, Paquito d'Rivera), violinist Todd Reynolds (Joe Jackson, Cassandra Willson) and oboe player Kathy Halvorson (Björk).
Andra Borlo lives now in Lucerne Switzerland and is strongly connected to Buenos Aires every since she recorded „Pieces of Buenos Aires“ and started promoting the album in Argentina in february 2009. She is an adventurer and explorer. Where will she record her next album?
