Training and first steps
Lluc Bauzà Medina, born in Sóller in 2005, is a young Biotechnology student in Barcelona who, during the summers, works as a waiter’s assistant at a hotel pool. But his life does not only revolve around studies and work, since he has also cultivated several hobbies over the years, including basketball, which he practiced for a long time at the Joventut Mariana club, and music, which He started sharing on social media two years ago.
First contact with music
Lluc’s first approach to music came in his childhood, probably during car trips with his family. Later, in primary school, he signed up for classes in transverse flute and musical language at the Music School of Sóller. He continued his musical studies for a few years, but after completing the elementary level, he only continued with the flute for one more year before giving it up because he did not enjoy the mechanical part and the constant practice.
Start of the musical project
Shortly before the quarantine, Lluc began to become interested in urban music in English, and later in Spanish, discovering a new interest. He became familiar with this style and noticed that some young people from Sóller were also creating and publishing songs. Motivated by them, he began producing his own music in 2020 using basic programs. Over time, he improved his technique and in 2022 he purchased his first microphone, allowing him to release his first song and receive positive feedback that encouraged him to keep going. His main enjoyment comes from working the melodic part with his voice, although he finds the technical part more difficult.
Motivations and musical references
For Lluc, creating music is a way to feel good and a moment of liberation where ideas flow and create harmonies and melodies that give him great satisfaction. The creation phase allows you to abstract from the world and focus on the music of it. Although he doesn’t enjoy writing lyrics as much, he recognizes the importance of songs conveying a message.
In terms of influences, he is inspired by both English-speaking urban music artists such as Drake and Future, as well as Spanish-speaking ones, mentioning Leïti Sene, Enry-K, Feid and Raul Clyde. Furthermore, the Catalan group 31 Fam, and their album JETLAG, have an important role in his musical orientation.
Recent projects and stage name
Lluc recently published a song with his Mallorcan friend Mati, whom he met at the residence in Barcelona. Lluc created the musical base, while Mati professionalized it. Together with Adrià Estarellas, a friend of Sóller with similar musical tastes, they wrote the lyrics and recorded it. The song, titled 30 Nits d’Escàndul, addresses the story of two people who like each other but don’t dare to take the first step, and it is a melodic reggaeton.
Lluc’s stage name, VanBa, came about when he decided to share his beats on YouTube and needed a name for his channel. He wanted something short, with two vowels and original, and that’s how VanBa was born.
Reception and future of the project
So far, the reception of his music has been very positive, receiving few destructive comments compared to the favorable opinions. Lluc is aware that his musical style does not appeal to everyone, but the reception in Sóller has been a boost for him. Knowing that his efforts are valued motivates him to continue creating, although he admits that being new can influence the perception of his music.
As for his future plans, Lluc is at an early stage looking for a sound that he really likes and identifies with. He wants to experiment with different genres and get better at producing and mixing. His goal is to bring the urban styles that he has heard in Spanish and English to the Catalan level, a terrain that he considers still unexplored.
Future projects: EP and album
Currently, Lluc is working on an EP of between three and six songs, which will be his most serious project to date. In the future, he would love to release a cohesive album that fully reflects who he is, although he acknowledges that this requires significant prior work. The EP will serve as a first test to find his sound and make sense of his musical production.
