BROCKHOFF is the German singer-songwriter behind one of our favourite projects of the year so far. Lina Brockhoff’s debut album, Easy Peeler, is a striking introduction to an artist with a sharp ear for melody and a natural gift for honest, introspective storytelling. Drawing from the raw energy and rich textures of ’90s rock production, the record blends epic hooks with deeply personal reflections on growing up and coming of age. We caught up with BROCKHOFF to talk about the making of Easy Peeler and what’s coming next.

Tell us about the genesis of the album. Is there a time that you can pinpoint when it really started to take shape and you realised that you were working toward your debut album?

I think it was when I had most of the songs, or a lot of the songs that ended up on the record, written already. But it was when I wrote the song “Easy Peeler,” which became the title song, that I realised what I really wanted to express with this album. I remember I came across the term “easy peeler” in a Flight song, “Better Than Blue,” where he sings, “Love is a tangerine healer that makes life an easy peeler.” I thought that was such a beautiful line, and I thought more about the term “easy peeler.” I didn’t know that it was a term to describe clementines that are easy to peel, but I really resonated with it because it was how I was feeling at the time — really ripped open, naked, emotional, and sensitive. Thinking more about it, it made me realise that these are positive characteristics. At the time I wrote that song, I was feeling frustrated. There were a lot of things going on — exciting things. I released my first songs, I was touring a lot, but I felt like I couldn’t really enjoy these things. It made me really sad, and it made me question if it was the right thing for me. Al I had to do was find ways back to why I was starting to write in the first place. It’s to express my emotions, and it’s to embrace my vulnerability. I think “Easy Peeler” is such a cool image to describe that. That was when I found this purpose again and when this album really started to take shape.‍

We love “Easy Peeler.” I think that might be our favourite song on there. Who did you work with on the album? Was there someone who really helped to shape your sound?‍

Yes, I produced the album with Hardy, a friend here in Hamburg and a producer. We’ve been working together ever since I started this project. He really introduced me to the ’90s grunge guitar sound with bands like Hole, Smashing Pumpkins, Sheryl Crow, and so on. I knew all of these artists like Soccer Mommy and Snail Mail, and then he showed me and introduced me to The Cardigans, and I was like, “Oh, that makes sense.” ‍

What did you learn about yourself through making and now releasing this album?‍

I think the most important thing I’ve learned is that you can be emotional and vulnerable, sensitive, and strong and confident at the same time. When I started to work on the album, I felt like being an emotional person was to my disadvantage. I felt like everything was more complicated. Especially, I think as a woman, you’re often told that these characteristics might be mutually exclusive to each other. Like you can be either cute and emotional and sensitive, or strong, sexy, confident. But actually expressing that you’re vulnerable and emotional and opening up, I think that even makes you stronger. It really helped me to develop my own gut feeling, and it’s actually the base of my writing and of art in general.‍

There’s so much strength to being really emotional and vulnerable. Are there other rising artists that you’re excited about? Have there been people that you’ve been listening to recently?‍

Yeah, there’s one artist that I’m really obsessed with from London, Jo From School. We’ve been touring together in the UK. She just put out her first two songs, and I’m really excited about her music. I think she’s such a good songwriter. I’m really excited for her EP to come out soon.‍

Is there something inspiring you right now aside from music?‍

I think music is the thing that inspires me most. But during the phase of promoting the album, I haven’t read a lot. Usually reading is also something that’s really inspiring to me, so I’m going to try to get that back. I’m working on my second album at the moment.

Already?!‍

Yeah. The debut album has been finished for more than a year now, so I had time. I had thoughts to express. Iit’s mostly music that inspires me all the time.

By the way, your visuals, the photos of you, the album artwork, are just as good as the music. So tell us about your visual world and what inspires that.‍

I’m so glad. That’s so cool. Thanks for saying that. It’s been a while since we had this press shoot for the album. It happens so often that when things take time, I don’t feel it anymore. But with these photos and visuals, I was like, “I still love the artwork as well.” I remember I went to a record store just looking at vinyls, and especially at ’90s artwork stuff. I saw some artworks where people were wearing something and the album title was on the shirt. So I wanted to do that as well. I’m really happy with how it turned out, and I still love it even though I think we shot the artwork more than two years ago now.

What’s next?‍

I’m going to play some headline shows with the album — some band shows in September. I’m really excited about that. I’d like to play the album in full length. And yeah, I’m working on new songs at the moment. It’s really fun. It’s exciting. So there’s going to be a second record, and it won’t take me as long as the first one.

Listen to Easy Peeler HERE.

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