What is singer-songwriter essentially? This CD project started as an open call to singer-songwriters. Paulina Dubaj, the Amsterdam based musician of Polish ascent, applied as such, but now appears with her band Secret Umbrella on this issueof Unsigned. A question of adjusting definitions. ‘I’ve been playing for four years with these musicians in several bands,’ she reveals. The musical treatment can be compared to Massive Attack. You have handful of beautiful songs which are difficult to define into a specific genre. But is that necessary? It is simply the adventure, combined with Dubaj’s splendid, trained voice which turns this music into what it is. What does she want to say with her lyrics? It’s all fairly autobiographical, but everything has really happened, but is always completely visualized,‘ she narrates. ‘I paint situations and characters to make the tale come alive for myself. With the band we create a secret world. And, therefore, Secret Umbrella? Indeed, she agrees. ‘And what’s that song Strange Decorations all about?’ producer JB Meijers asked at the start of the project. `The refrain is inspired by Kim Peek, the man on which the film Rainman is based,’ she replied. ‘That deals with a person who wrestles with certain things. He is stuck in his head. He was very intelligent, but communicated with great difficulty. Areal ‘singer-songwriter' topic therefore according to dominating notions. So, that’s that.