Lithuanian Star Vaidas Baumila Reveals Creative Process, New Album’s Introspective Turn
Lithuanian musician Vaidas Baumila, one of the country’s most prominent performers, has offered a rare glimpse into his creative process, revealing that inspiration often strikes in the most unexpected of places – the shower or the restroom. This newfound openness coincides wiht a shift in his musical direction, marked by a more personal and emotionally resonant latest album.
Baumila explained that the best ideas come when he isn’t actively trying to be creative.”The best way to create is when you don’t think about creativity and relax. Then it seems to come by itself. I relax the most in the toilet or shower – that’s probably why I get my best ideas here,” he shared with a smile.
Indeed, one of the most popular tracks from his album, “Vienodai žudi sodai” – titled “Gėlė” – was conceived during a morning shower. according to Baumila, he and his team had returned from a creative camp with a nearly complete demo. While showering, contemplating the song, the lyrics materialized. “We came back from the creative camp and we had the melody, the rhythm, an almost complete demo version of one song. In the morning I went to take a shower, I thought about that song and it was in the shower that its words were born,” he recalled. He arrived at an evening concert with the lyrics fully formed, sharing the nascent song with a colleague. “I came to my colleague and said to her: ‘Look, I was taking a shower and the idea came.’ She asked me to sing. And I sang: ‘You are a flower… You are a summer that bloomed in June.’ that’s how the song was born.”
A Deliberate Shift in Sound
The album “Vienodai žudi sodai” represents a conscious departure from Baumila’s previous work, particularly “Apžavai.” the artist sought a new sonic landscape, drawing inspiration from the pop music of the 1980s and 90s. “With this album, we deliberately went in a different direction than with the album apžavai. It was a tribute to the pop that we loved so much in the 80s, 90s. We wanted to thank the Lithuanian music of those times, which was created by ‘Hyperbolė’, ‘Rondo’ and other groups,” Baumila explained. The album’s title itself reflects this stylistic fluidity, embracing a range of genres. “And the very title of the album says that it’s like ‘gardens bloom the same’ for us – it doesn’t matter what style we sing. A little in one style, a little in another. That’s why you hear country music, a little bit of funk, a little bit of club music. You can also hear the music of irony directed at consumer culture.”
This willingness to experiment stems from a deeper self-awareness, Baumila admits.”I realized that I have a strange attachment style. It’s avoidance, so I often run away. So there’s a lot of me in that song – about my inability to stay in a relationship, constant running, some forms of lies.”
A Theatrical Concert Experiance
Looking ahead, Baumila is preparing for his third concert at the Žalgiris Arena in Kaunas on December 28th. He promises a performance that will be distinct from his previous shows, emphasizing theatricality and surprise. “You want to do better,differently. The first concert was full of excitement, becuase it was the first concert in Žalgiris Arena. The second concert was already with more confidence,but it was different,a little more perfect than the first. I want to bring theatricality to the third one – I can assure you that this wish will be fulfilled.” The concert will be structured around different themes reflecting the diversity of his music. “I will say that the concert is divided into several segments, because my music itself is diverse. There is darkness, celebration, and light. For example, the celebration is ‘Kunigunda’, the darkness is ‘Mergaitė’.All those four different themes will be combined into one celebration,performance and will help us tell a lovely story from begining to end.”
