As a kid, when you listen to your favorite song from your favorite artist, you may dream of one day meeting that artist or even making music just like them. But for most, that’s all it is. It’s just a dream. Unless, of course, you’re the Brazillian house music prodigy Cour T., where that dream quickly manifests into your reality.
Introduced to electronic music at age 13 through Claude VonStroke’s 2015 hit Make a Cake, he became infatuated with the genre. It wasn’t long before he started making his own house music, and by age 17, he became the youngest artist to ever sign to VonStroke’s iconic label Dirtybird. Now seven EPs, many singles, and four years later, Cour T. is not only one of Dirtybird’s brightest young stars but has officially dropped his full-length debut album, Brain Deals, at just 21 years old. Filled with a multitude of sounds, the record blends that distinct Dirtybird sound with influences of Brazil spread throughout.
Ahead of the release, The Daily Frequency caught up with Cour T. to discuss Brain Deals, joining Dirtybird, and so much more.
Check out our exclusive interview with Cour T. below.
DF: What’s up, man? Thank you for chatting with us! You just wrapped up an incredible summer touring the US and just dropped your debut album, Brain Deals! How are you feeling about life right now?
Cour T. Thank you for inviting me for this interview. I’m feeling super great. The US summer tour was excellent. I cannot wait to return to the US after my first album release. This is such a great achievement, and I’m really proud of it. I am feeling more mature and prepared for the future.
DF: You created such a unique sonic experience with Brain Deals! Everything from the album’s singles to the artwork and, of course, the music showcases a great deal of artistry and intentionality. Is there an underlying theme you wanted to represent throughout the record?
Cour T. During my creative process, I like to think first about the work as a whole. Then, I dissect it into small pieces, mixing visual art and including subtle references, even Easter eggs, hahaha LOL. For this specific work, I brought the relationship between dualism, various facets of the mind, doubts, and fears. The name “Brain Deals” represents the deals and agreements we are making all the time with our own minds, avoiding sabotage and trying to remain authentic.
DF: The album not only takes listeners on a journey, but you’re able to blend so many different influences into one cohesive sound. Where does your diverse musical taste come from?
Cour T. This is a reflection of my own experiences. It’s a combination of what I like from old-school minimal, house, and tribal. I don’t really know how to classify it, but my intention is to show what Cour T. is all about, without any labels and without following trends. I like the exotic, the surprise, and the different. That’s why I believe this album works so well together with Dirtybird.
DF: It’s clear you infused a lot of tribal elements and inspirations from your home country of Brazil. How important is it to represent your Brazilian heritage in your music?
Cour T. Brazilian music is extremely rich in terms of arrangement, timbration, and poetry as a whole. These things definitely influence me. An album is something special for any artist, not that a single or an EP is not. However, without any doubt, I believe that by creating an album, we achieve a better and greater artistic expression. I’m writing my story and, at the same time, inserting myself into the history of house music. Being able to leave a little piece of our culture and nation is an honor beyond measure, and it makes me very proud.
DF: Overall, your productions are out of the box, and you really push the boundaries of what house music can be. Where does your creativity come from?
Cour T. Sometimes creativity comes out of my head, and I believe we are all like that. But, it is by having these escapes that I am able to better understand how my brain works. Creativity comes with innocence. So, sometimes, we are so caught up with mundane things and adult life commitments that we forget how fun life is. I believe that creativity is at its best when the mind is free, just like in childhood. Only imagination is necessary to have fun and create something.
DF: While you’re no stranger to dropping EPs, creating an album can be an entirely different entity. Were there any new challenges you faced while making the album, and if so, how did you overcome them?
Cour T. It took about ten months to work on it! It was a unique and intense experience, a mental exercise. I believe that this is also part of an album, living the construction of the work, “suffering” along with it, and bringing the truth to the work so that it rings true when it reaches the public.
I think planning and advancement are the key points to designing this with excellence. My biggest challenge was reconciling the work of the album with my tour routine, studio production, and my social life. But, I knew that going through great abdications would be part of the conception of the work. You just have to live in the moment.
DF: Let’s take it back. You have said that Claude VonStroke’s Make a Cake is what got you into electronic music at age 13. In 2019, you became the youngest artist to sign to Dirtybird, and now you’re one of Dirtybird’s brightest stars. How does it feel to not only manifest your dreams but do it with the label that started it all?
Cour T. I have no words to describe this. I am extremely happy with it. Being able to contribute my art to the label of my heart is an immense honor. I am a firm believer that there is always a purpose behind everything, regardless of what anyone thinks. If we are good people and apply kindness in our everyday lives, it comes back to us – it’s a cycle. With all my history with Dirtybird, I believe it couldn’t be any different.
DF: Over the years, you’ve become a fan favorite at events like Dirtybird’s Campout and CampINN. What is it about Dirtybird curated events that make them so special?
Cour T. I don’t see Dirtybird as just a label. Claude and the whole team have achieved something unique: a lifestyle! This is explicit at the events. People are there to live it without shame, without fear, and without caring about other people’s opinions. We go back to the issue of creativity. Why do their events all sound extremely creative? Costumes, unique things, and crazy sounds. That’s certainly the reason why. We are back to being innocent children and living in that parallel universe for just one weekend. For me, this is one of the most incredible things I have ever seen and experienced in my entire life.
DF: With the album dropping, you’re closing out 2023 with a bang! What can fans expect as we look towards the new year?
Cour T. I want an increasingly solid, consistent sound without straying from my roots and what I like. I think you can expect authenticity and increasingly greater work, as I like challenges. Next year will be intense! I hope to do more traveling and show more of my art. Thank you very much to everyone who has read this far and who follows my work. Lots of love, peace, and good music!!
You can stream Brain Deals by Cour T. HERE!
Check out more exclusive interviews with The Daily Frequency HERE!