Veronica Fusaro leads a quite but happy life in Switzerland, giving her enough opportunity and inspiration to make music that gets deployed by a relaxed vocal style. Helping her casual delivery is the flow of lyrics, which are personal, interspersed with jagged guitars. She has quite a following in India, much of it has to do with her 2019 tour. Fusaro has a new song — Better With You — and it’s part perplexing, part enchanting. Here’s what she had to say over a video call.

It’s been quite a journey for your new song, Better With You....

I started writing the song in December 2020. I recorded the first demo in January 2021 and then it just sat around on my laptop for weeks. I don’t know why, though I really loved it from its inception. And I was looking forward to putting it out. Perhaps I didn’t find the right producer for the song at first. Finally I worked with Jamie Ellis (producer), who was earlier there for my song Lie To Me. It just took a while.

Have you been able to explore music at your pace in the last couple of years?

In the beginning, not so much when this whole (pandemic) thing started; there were so many administrative things to take care of. After a few months I once again started to write songs. This is a song that I wrote after a long time and I am really happy about it. When we were into the second half of the pandemic, I was in a better place with my music.

You are also preparing for an album?

I think the songs are all finished; now it’s about the production bit. I feel good about them….

Will there be a connecting thread running through these songs?

The main connective factor — though this may sound weird — is my life. It’s me telling all these different things that I’ve written over the years. One of the songs is from 2016; I wrote it back then and it’s still here with me. So it will be my life and my thoughts while musically, it’s in this space of soul, organic pop music. It’s important that I have been able to write songs that I can also play for myself.

Veronica Fusaro’s new single is titled Better With You. Picture: Nils Sandmeier

Putting out music in 2022 is different from putting out music in pre-Spotify days. What are the challenges?

I think the amount of music being put out is the biggest challenge; it’s in the thousands per day. That’s crazy. But it’s also beautiful that so many people can make music and just put it out, which has become an easy process. At the same time, it’s difficult because how do you know the song you are writing will stick out in this ocean of music? I don’t know how but I guess making music that you love matters most; it’s about believing in yourself.

We are in living in an era of playlists. Are they important?

When I write music, I don’t think about: ‘Oh, I need to write this and that type of chorus in order to make it to this and that playlist.’ That wouldn’t help write a good song, besides that’s not me. I think it’s super important to be myself and make music that I love.

When did you realise you wanted to become a musician?

I always loved doing it. As a kid, I never thought this can also be a job. I just enjoyed and loved doing it. I was in choirs, went for guitar lessons and I was in school bands. I think I realised that music was my calling when in seventh grade we had a gig in school. I was on stage, stiff and very nervous. But it was the first time I got to perform with a band and it was fun. I knew this was my calling.

Amy Winehouse, Lana Del Rey… you like their music. At the same time, you want to break away from their music and find your sound. When did that happen?

I just make music. Of course, there are influences. But I don’t think about it, like this sound is already out there. I just do whatever feels right and that’s how I write songs.

One’s environment plays an important role when it comes to making music. Living in Switzerland, you are surrounded by snowy mountains. Is that important to you?

Compared to Calcutta, the city I’m from is very small. It has like 45,000 people, so there’s not a lot going on. It may sound cheesy, but there’s a lake and mountains. It’s very pretty. But there are no big festivals or parties. I guess, at times, I may get bored but this is also the time I turn to writing music. I feel fine in my basement, making music by myself.

You were in India in 2019. Any memories?

I only got to see Mumbai and Bangalore; India is much bigger than that. I was there for five days and even though it was a packed trip, I enjoyed my stay. I got to meet so many people; fans used to message me on Instagram and then I got to meet them in real life. It was a beautiful trip.