Rapper Because describes Claudia Barretto as a classy singer yet very accessible to the masses. According to the young hip-hop artist, listeners can hear the sound of nature through Claudia’s voice, yet, one can also hear the sound of Makati or Taguig’s boujee lifestyle through the young singer’s soothing pipes.
“She has that kind of impression. Her style is mature but open to interpretation, everyone can relate to her. She sings about vulnerability. Her vibe is expensive but vulnerable enough that you can still relate to her music,” Because says.
Speaking to Manila Standard Entertainment, Claudia opened up about wanting to reach more audience through the songs she puts out and be able to carve her own path in the music scene while at the same time developing different interests including finishing a degree in Psychology and looking into different creative avenues where she can thrive as an artist.
“Honestly, I also wonder why acting didn’t become something I’m inclined to do naturally considering the environment that I was in. But I guess, growing up, I always looked up to musicians and singers,” Claudia said underscoring the fact that she draws inspiration from life experiences and the artists she listens to.
“With music, you can have some sort of personal life, a bit more separate from your art. With music, I feel like I have more space to build a brand which is different from your work. I can decide what I can share with the world and have a personal life that I want to live for myself,” the 22-year-old Viva Records artist carried on.
In her effort to reach a wider audience through her music, Claudia drops the single “Everything” in collaboration with the young prolific rapper Because.
This is not the first time that Claudia and Because have worked together. The two music artists are among the headlining music acts in Viva Live’s digitally streamed music event titled “ARRIVAL.”
“When the ‘Arrival’ was pitched to me, they had introduced me to a number of other talented artists. Because was one of the artists I felt I could easily collaborate with,” said Claudia.
From there the two hit it off musically resulting in this modern and highly stylized pop track.
The sound is of course all Claudia, who’s been methodically building a reputation as a modern Pinoy pop tastemaker. Her previous releases have a common denominator – all are steeped in R&B, lo-fi feels with elements of hip-hop beats, and a moody demeanor to it.
Her debut single with Viva Records and its follow-up, titled “Nothing To Do” and “Be It,” respectively, are prime examples.
“With ‘Everything,’ the whole writing happened during our first in-person meeting and within one studio session. We wrote and recorded everything during that day,” Claudia recalled.
And while the new track’s sound and style is all Claudia, she had envisioned the “BMW” hit rap artist from the start, saying, “I consciously did. I’ve always wanted to experiment with a little bit of melodic rap. Because had come up with an original melody that made it easy for me as a singer to translate my singing into that type of melodic rapping.”
Claudia only has high praises for his collaborator. “He is one of the most talented people I’ve met so far and he writes and raps with such ease, it’s so inspiring.”
The young Barretto expressed her intention to more collaborations in the future including another work with Because.
“Definitely. We have some things in the works as we speak, (among those are) an Electronic EP, (more) singles, (and) collaborations,” she concluded.