March – Turn around, Ballet Dancer
The March song
Turn Around, Ballet Dancer
Just like the dancing man in this song, Yuna Mas passes by. Like a street artist practicing her set in a quiet alley. You stop for a moment, watch, and then move on.
“Turn Around (Ballet Dancer)” captures that fleeting moment—witnessing something magical, a glimpse of beauty in the ordinary. A dancer lost in movement, an audience pausing just briefly.
Maybe you’re the observer. Seven songs have been released, each on the seventh of the month. In my dark, quiet alley. A place where you can stop and listen.
Will you stay, or will you move on?
Listen to ‘Turn Around (Ballet Dancer)’ now
Song Lyrics & credits
Yuna Mas - 'Turn Around, Ballet Dancer'
Lyrics
I take a shortcut walking home
Then I see this man
He removes his shoes
He’s going to dance
The evening air is warm
He takes off his shirt
His feet feel the ground
For pieces of dirt
Around he scans
Before he starts his dance
Hey turn around
Ballet dancer
I see you
I’m just watching I hope that
(Turn around ballet dancer)
You don’t mind if I do
(Turn around ballet dancer)
He tunes the music in his ears
Focus in his eyes
He begins to move
His arms both rise
The leap that he takes
Superhuman, so high
I don’t hear him land
He runs through the sky
He dives and lands
Face down on both his hands
Turn around ballet dancer
Turn around ballet dancer
Turn around ballet dancer
Hey turn around
Ballet dancer
I see you
I’m just watching I hope that
(Turn around ballet dancer)
You don’t mind if I do
(Turn around ballet dancer)
Hey turn around
Ballet dancer
I see you
I’m just watching I hope that
(Turn around ballet dancer)
You don’t mind if I do
(Turn around ballet dancer)
It’s a full house, he’s on stage
Lights and music are on
He is the star
I am in awe
He sees me now
I smile and I walk home
Copyright: Aline Juliá
Credits
Written, composed and sung by Aline Juliá.
Arranged and produced by all of us
Jan Hautekiet – piano & keyboards
Pieter Vereertbrugghen – drum & percussion
Dirk De Groef – guitar
Koen Vanbets – bass
Yannic Fonderie – vocal production
Dirk Lekenne – recording engineer/mixer & guitar
February – New groove
The February song
New Groove
Two and a half years ago, my eldest son packed his bags and left home to study in Brussels. The city he now owns. He was ready. So, I let him go.
Last September, it happened again. My second son packed his things, said his goodbyes, and stepped into his own new life.
By now, it’s a routine. Packing up, making sure they have what they need. Fruit, some cheese, a few home comforts tucked into their bags. A quick hug, a last reminder, and off they go. Their clothes are clean, their backpacks are full, and they’re eager to get back to their independent lives.
Letting go is never easy, but it’s part of the deal. They grow, they move on, they find their own way. I miss them both more than I admit, but that’s not the point. The point is seeing them stand on their own two feet, creating their own rhythm, their own groove.
The artwork for New Groove refers to the line “we send pictures of cats”. That’s how we stay connected—small moments, little check-ins. A funny meme, a quick “mama, what spices go in this?”, or even “mama, I need your advice…”. That ongoing conversation, those everyday messages, they keep us close. A thread that never breaks, no matter how far they go.
I dedicate this song to all mothers and fathers, and to all children finding their new groove.
Song Lyrics & credits
Yuna Mas - 'New Groove'
Lyrics
He packs all his stuff
He has just enough
Or do you?
I say
Five big apples and cheese
Anything you please
It’s for you
I say
Off he goes with a bag
And a heavy backpack
All his clothes are clean
The kissing is quick
He is never homesick
He’s just very keen
He is
Look at him
He found his life
His new groove
His own thing
Look at him
He’s ready now
He can do
Anything
He knew every street
Found our hood real sweet
But even so
He said
He wanted to move
Looking for a new groove
And himself in one go
He said
So he packed his clothes
A few plants and some prose
Acquired kitchenware
The kissing was quick
Mom, I won’t be homesick
I just need the air
I do
Look at him
He found his life
His new groove
His own thing
Look at him
He’s ready now
He can do
Anything
Now he’s leaving first base
Looking for a new place
Cruising the city
That’s his now
He rules his own show
We just watch him grow
Owning the city
That’s his now
All the facetimes and chats
We send pictures of cats
He needs a recipe
When he’s home we hang
He says he likes our old gang
We are the family
Yes we are
Look at him
He found his life
His new groove
His own thing
Look at him
He’s ready now
He can do
Anything
Look at him
He found his life
His new groove
His own thing
Look at him
He’s ready now
Copyright: Aline Juliá
Credits
Written, composed and sung by Aline Juliá.
Arranged and produced by all of us
Jan Hautekiet – piano & keyboards
Pieter Vereertbrugghen – drum & percussion
Dirk De Groef – guitar
Koen Vanbets – bass
Milos Willemse Juliá – euphonium
Dmitri Dijkstra – trumpets
Barbara Pieters – sax
Yannic Fonderie – vocal production
Dirk Lekenne – recording engineer/mixer
January- Speed Speed
The January song
Speed Speed
I worked on all my songs with my American friend and songwriter Daniel. We dealt with them one by one. This is what he replied to me when he got the first version of Speed Speed. The mail was longer, I’m only sharing the first part (the rest was Work Work!).
Daniel always starts with a review and this one is particularly nice:
“Hi Aline,
I really like the reggae feel. The band will have even more fun with this one.
I’m guessing that you were an impatient child, bugging your mom (and everyone else). The song suggests you might still be a bit like that.
One thing stands out: in the chorus the voice starts “late”, plus it’s only six measures instead of the normal eight. So it’s destabilising in an interesting and very cool way.
Favorite line:
I do what I can and I
Take what I take
(…)
Daniel”
And yes, I confirm, I’m still “a bit like that”. Some may say “a lot like that”. Let me call it ‘energy’!
Song Lyrics & credits
Yuna Mas - 'Speed Speed'
Lyrics
Not now
You won’t have it right away
No no no not now
It won’t be done today
You’re a little restless
Give me a break
I do what I can and I
Take what I take
Not now
Hm hmmm
Hmmm
Patience, wait longer
Be still!
Now you just wait, girl
Speed speed
No it ain’t what you need
Patience, wait longer
Be still!
Now you just wait, girl
Speed speed
It only gives you heat
Hold back
You don’t go and ask ‘cause you
Push too damn hard
Don’t call, don’t text ‘cause you
Run ahead of time
Always in a rush
You’re too eager
Hush hush hush
Hold back
Hm hmmm
Hmmm
Stand by
Slow down your pace so you
Get what you want
Stand by, breathe in and out
It’s the count to ten trick
By now you should know
Make sure you count slowly
Before you go
Copyright: Aline Juliá
Credits
Written, composed and sung by Aline Juliá.
Arranged and produced by all of us
Jan Hautekiet – piano & keyboards
Pieter Vereertbrugghen – drum & percussion
Dirk De Groef – guitar
Koen Vanbets – bass
Milos Willemse Juliá – euphonium
Dmitri Dijkstra – trumpets
Barbara Pieters – sax
Yannic Fonderie – vocal production
Dirk Lekenne – recording engineer/mixer
December – Blue Plastic Bag
The December song
Blue Plastic Bag
Blue Plastic Bag is a song inspired by the story of my grandparents and their children. The youngest, who later became my mother, was only 11 years old when they left Indonesia in 1958. As a mixed Dutch-Indonesian family, they faced unique challenges—too Dutch for Indonesia, too “brown” for Australia, where they hoped to emigrate, and too unfamiliar for the Netherlands, where they eventually settled.
This song is dedicated to all refugees who share the painful experience of leaving everything behind, forced to pack up and go in haste. The blue plastic bag in the song symbolizes the few precious items they managed to bring, capturing both the loss and resilience of starting over.
Song Lyrics & credits
Yuna Mas - 'Blue Plastic Bag'
Lyrics
They arrived
Her parents knew the day would come
At dinner, the shock was still great
The men
Their guns and knives were not what scared them most
What did were their eyes filled with hate
You must leave right now
There’s no time to pack
She took the first thing that she found
A blue plastic bag
They rushed
They took their stuff so brainlessly
Driven by panic and fear
Following her feelings
She grabbed memories
The bag became her souvenir
You must leave right now
There’s no time to pack
She took the first thing that she found
A blue plastic bag
The flight
Silent but for her mother’s sobs
Exhausted, she fell asleep
Suitcases and packs and clothes
So many people here
She woke up Oh no, where’s my bag?
You must leave right now
There’s no time to pack
She took the first thing that she found
A blue plastic bag
I want my blue bag
It’s a blue plastic bag
I’ll find my blue bag
I want my blue bag
It’s a blue plastic bag
It’s gone for good
Copyright: Aline Juliá
Credits
Written, composed and sung by Aline Juliá.
Arranged and produced by all of us
Jan Hautekiet – piano & keyboards
Pieter Vereertbrugghen – drum & percussion
Dirk De Groef – guitar
Koen Vanbets – bass
Milos Willemse Juliá – euphonium
Dmitri Dijkstra – trumpets
Barbara Pieters – sax
Yannic Fonderie – vocal production
Dirk Lekenne – recording engineer/mixer
November release – Olvida
The November song
Olvida
Whoever knows me calls me passionate. People often refer to my Spanish roots… I’ll admit, I can get angry or sad in a way that might seem “typically Spanish.” But I can also be joyful. Happy. In love. Enthusiastic—in that passionate, Spanish way.
Yet this song is about anger, frustration, and sadness. When something triggers these emotions, my mood can shift in an instant. Sometimes, I can sense it coming and sidestep the confrontation with my anger. And sometimes, I don’t see it until it’s too late:
“Anger delivered with a button to open. It cannot be put back inside and always forgotten.”
Because so much of our life is digital now, those emotions also come wrapped in bits and bytes. You open a message you didn’t want to read…
“Click here for sadness but you cannot swipe back. Once you accept, you’ll carry tears in your pack.”
It’s deeply human, and perhaps a bit foolish, that all the bad stuff weighs so much more in our attention and memory than the good. Writing this song was an attempt to turn that around—at least for me.
Here’s my ode to forgetting. Olvida means “forget” in Spanish. Olvidalo means “forget it.” This song is my mantra on angry days…
Song Lyrics & credits
Yuna Mas - 'Olvida'
Song Lyrics
Bad vibes bad vibes
How they spoiled the fun today
Bad stuff, you know
Stuff that happened on my way
Anger delivered
with a button to open
It cannot be put back inside
and always forgotten
Olvida…
Stories that I hate to tell
Stories and questions
The answers hurt like hell
Click here for sadness
but you cannot swipe back
Once you accept
you’ll carry tears in your pack
Olvidalo
Olvidalo
I empty my bin
And I unload my mind
Olvidalo
Olvidalo
I empty my bin
And I unload my mind
Bad vibes bad vibes
How they spoiled the fun today
Bad stuff, you know
Stuff that happened on my way
Anger delivered
with a button to open
It cannot be put back inside
and always forgotten
Olvida…
Stories that I hate to tell
Stories and questions
The answers hurt like hell
Click here for sadness
but you cannot swipe back
Once you accept
you’ll carry tears in your pack
Olvidalo
Olvidalo
I empty my bin
And I unload my mind
Olvidalo
Olvidalo
I empty my bin
And I unload my mind
Olvida olvida
I cannot forget
All the tiny nasty details
Remain stuck in my head
Olvida olvida
I just wipe out the dirt
All the tiny pretty details
I will write on my shirt
Olvida olvida
All the bad stuff that occurs
We all want eternal sunshine
But that isn’t how it works
Olvida olvida
It’s like that in the end
There’s no light without the dark
This I can comprehend
Olvidalo
Olvidalo
(Olvida!)
I empty my bin
And I unload my mind
Olvidalo
Olvidalo
(Olvida!)
I empty my bin
And I unload my mind
Olvidalo
Olvidalo
(Olvida!)
I empty my bin
And I unload my mind
Olvidalo
Olvidalo
(Olvida!)
I empty my bin
And I unload my mind
Copyright: Aline Juliá
Credits
Written, composed and sung by Aline Juliá.
Arranged and produced by all of us
Jan Hautekiet – piano & keyboards
Pieter Vereertbrugghen – drum & percussion
Dirk De Groef – guitar
Koen Vanbets – bass
Milos Willemse Juliá – euphonium
Dmitri Dijkstra – trumpets
Barbara Pieters – sax
Yannic Fonderie – vocal production
Dirk Lekenne – recording engineer/mixer
October release – We want to Play
The october song
We Want to Play
“We Want to Play” is a song I wrote for the musicians. My friend Pieter, the drummer, pulled together the right people to turn my music into reality. Their energy, laughter, and good vibes became a crucial part of the process. I wanted to capture the joy of playing—of coming together and sharing that creative spark.
You don’t even need to know each other well. The moment you share a common goal—whether it’s playing a game or making music—you become a team. Everything that weighs you down disappears, and you can’t help but laugh when you ‘win’. In a way, just playing together is its own kind of victory.
As time goes by, you start to know each other better. You talk about the day’s events, listen to each other, or sit in silence when grief hangs in the air. Sometimes you don’t want to talk about funerals, doctors, or hospitals—sometimes you just don’t want to feel the weight of it all.
But when we come together and play, ‘laughter gives us wings, and the pain walks out’.
Song Lyrics & credits
Yuna Mas - 'We Want to Play'
Song Lyrics
See how the ball moves
Right where you desire
Feel how it turns you
On like fire
One look at the cards
No, she’s not going down
It’s the ace of hearts
Making her own heart pound
He counts the steps
Focus clears his head
Endless game of chess
The queen is not yet dead
She has a go
And runs at triple speed
She didn’t even know
The power of her feet
Hey yo
We just want to play
To make the shit go away
Give me
That moment today
This is where I want to stay
We just want to play
To make the shit go away
See how the ball moves
Right where you desire
Feel how it turns you
On like fire
He throws as hard as he can
And watches how it flies
Says he’s superman
Clark Kent without disguise
They almost burst
They are light with joy
Burning hands don’t hurt
The rope feels like a toy
The piano begins
We all give a shout – HEY!
Laughter gives us wings
The pain walks out
Hey yo
We just want to play
To make the shit go away
Give me
That moment today
This is where I want to stay
We just want to play
To make the shit go away
Hey yo
We just want to play
To make the shit go away
Copyright: Aline Juliá
Credits
Written, composed and sung by Aline Juliá.
Arranged and produced by all of us
Jan Hautekiet – piano & keyboards
Pieter Vereertbrugghen – drum & percussion
Dirk De Groef – guitar
Koen Vanbets – bass
Milos Willemse Juliá – euphonium
Dmitri Dijkstra – trumpets
Barbara Pieters – sax
Yannic Fonderie – vocal production
Dirk Lekenne – recording engineer/mixer
September release – One Year Before
The september song
One Year Before
One Year Before is about love—a love that has spanned more than half my life. Love encompasses so much: it’s beautiful, uplifting, but also comes with its challenges. Especially when, like my man and I, you’re two individuals with strong wills and distinct ideas. Even after all these years, each day can bring an unexpected challenge, a debate, or even anger. And with that, comes sadness. But after that comes communication—something we’ve mastered. And then, love returns, stronger than before.
Most of the time, love feels like an incredible adventure. We live a life where so much is possible, or we find ways to make it possible. We dream, we scheme, and we solve the problems we create along the way.
But sometimes, routine is what we crave—oh yes! I used to think routine was dull, but life, especially after having our two kids, taught us the value of simple, comforting rituals. Food, for example, has become one of those grounding routines: eating together, sharing our stories.
And we laugh. We laugh a lot.
Song Lyrics & credits
Yuna Mas - 'One Year Before'
Lyrics
Madness
Drama always in my head
We argue and I feel sad
Bad days, but a shared cigarette
Bringing the love back in
Madness
Days that I don’t want to end
Days that I do want to spend (with you)
Madly in love with my friend
So lucky
I found the love
Well, you found me more
One year before
It’s what you say when
People ask us
What is your story…?
What happened to me
Is you loving me
Madness
Madness, always madness
Passion
Not just the chemistry, though
We talk, we eat, and we joke
Making plans and doing so
Even if sex is the
Passion
Possible is the password
Nothing is ever absurd
Sometimes routine is preferred
So happy
I found the love
Well, you found me more
One year before
It’s what you say when
People ask us
What is your story…?
What happened to me
Is you loving me
Passion
All that passion
I found the love
Well, you found me more
One year before
It’s what you say when
People ask us
What is your story…?
What happened to me
Is you loving me
Copyright: Aline Juliá
Credits
Written, composed and sung by Aline Juliá.
Arranged and produced by all of us
Jan Hautekiet – piano & keyboards
Pieter Vereertbrugghen – drum & percussion
Dirk De Groef – guitar
Koen Vanbets – bass
Milos Willemse Juliá – euphonium
Dmitri Dijkstra – trumpets
Yannic Fonderie – vocal production
Dirk Lekenne – recording engineer/mixer & guitar