Aged just 12, she wrote her first song. However, Brooker didn’t just follow the time-honoured tradition and sketch down some poetry in an adolescent diary then warble a tune into a mobile phone. Displaying the dogged determination that’s stood her in good stead throughout her rise through the music industry, she nagged everyone she knew in the hunt to find a producer.
Eventually, she was put in contact with a guy who had a recording studio in east London. “It was like a cupboard and he probably only turned a few knobs on and off. But I thought the whole thing was amazing – I played the song to everyone.” It was called ‘Summertime’ and it was, of course, rubbish. “After about a year of playing this song I was mortified and never played it again!”
But having made her recording debut at the ripe old age of 13, a suitably inspired Brooker kept at it. She wrote song after song, hassling musician after musician, following up any sniff of an opportunity. By the age of 15, she was hanging out in a studio complex in Hackney, working with different producers, trying to develop a sound.
At home, her equally music-obsessed Dad played Aerosmith, Queen and AC/DC. Liking his old school rock with a side-order of R&B and hip hop – Brooker remembers being driven to school with her dad blasting out Tupac Shakur. Her Venezuelan mum, meanwhile, liked Fleetwood Mac, Prince and Latin artists such as EXAMPLE? To this day, Brooker – a fluent Spanish speaker – sprinkles her live sets with Spanish-language classics such as Contigo En La Distancia, by Juan Carlos.
“We only speak Spanish at home,” she says adding that her plan is to record an entirely Spanish-language version of her debut album.
Her parents met when her Dad’s family played host to foreign students. One day they held a barbeque. A teenager, over from Venezuela to study English, turned up, making an instant impression on the local lad. When she returned home to South America, he promptly followed. “My dad’s a little bit of a stalker!” she laughs. But it paid off – aged 18 [is this correct?], the pair were married. After four years living in Caracas [correct city?], the young couple returned to England. Throughout Brooker’s childhood, the family – she’s the middle of three children – would return to Venezuela for extended visits.
This rich cocktail of influences – English, American, Latin-American – fed into the songs Brooker wrote throughout her teenage years. She didn’t have to work much at her voice: rich, expressive, soulful, it was a natural-born gift. But, candid to a fault, she admits she had to hone her songwriting.
“I was writing all the time, and just trying everything – one day, I was doing a load of jazz, another day, rocky stuff. Then I was doing lots of pop. It was just a bit of a mismatch – I didn’t know what I was doing, so I tried everything.”
This included every aspect of the music biz. Brooker didn’t want to go down the talent show route. Not prepared to become anyone’s puppet, the idea of being a pretty face and a big voice fronting someone else’s songs and vision was anathema.
So, determined to make her own sound and her own opportunities, she secured a concert booking agent, a US publicist, a lawyer, making contacts wherever she could.
Turn It Up
Daniela Brooker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Always gotta be anywhere we go
Looking that song ...
About love, love, love!
But it's about time for something fun,
I gotta a feeling, I gotta vibe that this is one,
Working on that now the mix is almost
Done, done, done!
Play this on a jukebox, oh
Replay it when the record
Chorus:
If you're driving with the top gear (?)
Turn this on a real love,
Don't take love so ........
Just gotta move a little bit,
Let the rhythm move you,
Show it if you want to,
When the song comes up on the radio
Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up
It doesn't really matter where you're from,
Music is universal .....
Need someone say hey what's up?
More, more, more!
If I'm having a bad day at the ....
Those Caribbean rhythms they ...
I'm feeling in just another day,
It's on, on, on!
So play this on a jukebox, all right!
Replay it when the ...
Chorus:
If you're driving with the top gear (?)
Turn this on a real love,
Don't take love so ..
Just gotta move a little bit,
Let the rhythm move you,
Show it if you want to,
When the song comes up on the radio
Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up!
............
Where everything changes,
Where everything changes
Oh, and full of ....
And... and then the tension...
Chorus: (x2)
If you're driving with the...
Turn this on a real love,
Don't take love so ...
Just gotta move a little bit,
Let the rhythm move you,
Show it if you want to,
When the song comes up on the radio
Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up!
.... where everything changes,
When the song comes up on the radio
Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up!
Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up!
Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up!
The song "Turn It Up" by Daniela Brooker is a lively and upbeat track that celebrates the power of music to bring people together and uplift their spirits. In the opening verses, the singer describes the creative process of making music in the studio and expresses her desire to create a song that is "fun" rather than serious. She talks about the joy and excitement of discovering a new sound and the satisfaction of finishing a mix.
The chorus of the song encourages listeners to "turn it up" and let the music move them. The lyrics suggest that music is a universal language that can transcend differences between people and cultures. The song also speaks to the idea that music has the power to heal and inspire, as the singer talks about how a good beat can turn a bad day around.
Overall, "Turn It Up" is a fun and energetic song that celebrates the joy of music and encourages listeners to dance and let loose. It's a great reminder that even in difficult times, music has the power to uplift and inspire us.
Line by Line Meaning
Sitting here in the studio,
Starting the song writing process in the studio
Always gotta be anywhere we go
Always on the move to find inspiration for the song
Looking that song ...
Searching for the right way to express feelings about love through music
About love, love, love!
A song expressing feelings of love
But it's about time for something fun,
Wanting to make a fun and upbeat song instead of a slow love song
I gotta a feeling, I gotta vibe that this is one,
Feeling confident that this will be a great song
Working on that now the mix is almost
Working to perfect the mix of the song
Done, done, done!
Finally finishing the song
Play this on a jukebox, oh
Suggesting that the song would sound great on a jukebox
Replay it when the record
Suggesting that the listener should play the song again
Chorus:
The chorus is about enjoying the song and letting it move you
If you're driving with the top gear (?)
Describing a fun and exciting situation to listen to the song
Turn this on a real love,
Listen to this song when you want to feel good and have fun
Don't take love so ........
Don't take love too seriously, let loose and have fun
Just gotta move a little bit,
Suggesting that the listener should dance to the song
Let the rhythm move you,
Encouraging the listener to let the music guide their movement
Show it if you want to,
Suggesting that the listener should express themselves through dance if they feel like it
When the song comes up on the radio
When the song plays on the radio
Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up
Increasing the volume of the song, showing excitement for it
It doesn't really matter where you're from,
The universal language of music brings people together
Music is universal ......
Music can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of background
Need someone say hey what's up?
The music can initiate conversation or establish a connection between people
More, more, more!
Desiring more music and enjoyment
If I'm having a bad day at the ....
Using music to improve mood on a bad day
Those Caribbean rhythms they ...
The rhythm of the song has a Caribbean influence
I'm feeling in just another day,
Feeling good and energized when listening to the song
It's on, on, on!
Enjoying the music and keeping the energy high
............
No lyrics provided
Where everything changes,
A pivotal moment or atmosphere shift in the song
Oh, and full of ....
The moment is significant and emotional
And... and then the tension...
Building up anticipation and energy in the song
Chorus: (x2)
Repeating the chorus to emphasize the message of enjoying the song
.... where everything changes,
Repeating the line from earlier, suggesting a pivotal moment in the song
When the song comes up on the radio
When hearing the song on the radio
Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up!
Increasing the volume and excitement for the song
Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up!
Repeating the above meaning
Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up!
Repeating the above meaning
Contributed by Eli B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.