'I hate your boyfriend': Semi-final success for Belsize Park singer
Hamish Hallett
Lara Blecher made it to the semi-final of the United Kingdom songwriting contest 2021, with her track I Hate Your Boyfriend. - Credit: J B Li-Kam-Tin
A Belsize Park singer song writer made it to the semi-final of a national competition with her catchy song about boyfriends.
Lara Blecher made it to the semi-final of the United Kingdom Songwriting Contest 2021, with her track I Hate Your Boyfriend.
The singer-songwriter, who has lived in the area for 12 years, said she's grateful for the reaction to her song.
A still from Lara Blecher's I Hate Your Boyfriend video starring comedian Alice Frick - Credit: Alice Frick
Lara said: "It’s nice to feel like people resonate with the song and are getting something out of it. I am grateful for all the people who agreed to work with me and who supported me."
Lara told the Ham&High that she only hates some of her friends' boyfriends, with her song having a story behind it.
"I was frustrated with one of my friend’s boyfriends, and I didn’t like him as it was impacting the friendship," she said.
"It was meant to be an expression of frustration and hurt, but my dad said, you can't control how people receive art, and everybody received the song as really funny.”
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Due to such reaction, Lara made a video out of the lyrics and during the lockdown, she met comedian Alice Frick, who plays the leading role.
Comedian Alice Frick stars in Lara Blecher's I Hate Your Boyfriend video - Credit: Alice Frick
Lara said: “Because of the reaction of the song, it was one of the reasons why I asked Alice Frick to do the video – because she’s a comedian, but her comedy is nuanced.
“I didn’t know her, and it took me six weeks to have the courage to ask her to do the video, but she was super nice, and she said yes.”
The 48-year-old began writing music when she was 11 years old.
"I started writing songs consistently as of 25 because I was coming out of a serious depression and it was a way to deal with my emotions in a positive way," she said.
"It's had tremendous benefits in all areas of my life, both emotionally and in terms of teaching me to write better, in a more structured way for work and for my PhD for example.
"It's also just fun, so being recognised by the song contest was merely icing."
She said Belsize Park's community choir sang a couple of her songs, adding: "The choir was so receptive to the songs that I wrote, and it encouraged me to keep writing.”
To listen to the song visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3XHVdErJKM
