With his second album “Get On The Otherside”, Bobby Oroza gets to the heart of his longing for the profound. Musically, he has further developed the formula we know from his first record. Lyrically, however, the songs are boldly rooted in the more complicated, pervasive inner intricacies of life, like introspection and coming to terms with the vastness of the human experience.
When the corona virus brought the world to a standstill, Bobby Oroza – father and husband – had to do something. Unable to play tours or be in the studio, Bobby found himself working construction sites to support his family. “I was super grateful for the work-a lot of my colleagues didn’t have an option like that,” Bobby admits. More than a few personal difficulties forced him to admit and process some really uncomfortable truths. “Get On The Otherside” shows an artist who has to give up his old ways of thinking and his tried and tested approaches in order to be able to adopt a new perspective and come to new insights. A process that inspired Oroza’s creativity.
I had to do some real self-searching, come to terms with what was wrong, and how much of it I was responsible for.
Bobby Oroza
“Get On The Other Side” may be the album title, but the essence of the album is already captured by the opener “I Got Love”. In this gentle soul hymn, Oroza unabashedly addresses material concerns (“I don’t make much money”) and yet points out what is essential (“But, still, I’m as rich as I can be ’cause I got love”) and yet many of us have lost sight of.
“The Otherside” is an upbeat track in which Bobby humbly tells his story about the problems we keep creating for ourselves. At the same time, however, he also sings about the possibility of a change of heart that can free us from these problems.
Another highlight of the album is “Make Me Believe”. It’s a moody, soulful cry for help that comes with a certain sweetness. The vulnerability makes it romantic, while the heavy backing track gives it that unique energy.
“Get On The Otherside” shows that Bobby Oroza is not an old-school soul shouter who makes the crowd sweat with pure energy, but rather a master of soft, seductive tones. The intimacy and warmth of his voice make him one of the best European soul crooners of the moment and “Get On The Otherside” one of the best (soul) albums of the year. Oroza may not be materially rich (yet), but he has the love of numerous soul fans all over the world.
About Bobby Oroza
Raised in the immigrant-populated Eastern Center section of Helsinki, Finland, Bobby Oroza was born to a Bolivian mother, a poet and tango singer, and a Finnish father, a jazz guitarist and musician. The family record collection was a major backdrop, ranging from South American folk to Motown hits to Doo-wop crooners. Oroza began his professional music career in his youth. Even before graduating from high school, he went to Cuba for several months to intensively study the music that was most influential to him. Together with the band Cold Diamond & Mink, Bobby Oroza recorded his debut album “This Love” in 2018.
Photo: Carlos Garcia
