Just discovered that nice article in uk.ign, dating back from 2004 when Julie Delpy was promoting her album - which is, more or less, the time when Before Sunset was released. And we all know that this movie contains three tracks of that album: "An Ocean Apart", "A Waltz for a night", and "Je t'aime tant".

Spence D., the journalist of the article, questioned Julie Delpy about the links between her music and Before Sunset:

Speaking of decisions, whose idea was it to feature Julie's music in Before Sunset? "Actually when Richard and Ethan heard my music they were like 'Okay, we've got to figure out a way to put this in the film,'" laughs Delpy. "I wouldn't impose on them to do something like that."

While Delpy, Hawke, and Linklater convened as far back as 2002 to work on the script for the film, she had actually written and recorded most of the music that would eventually end up on her European album Julie Delpy, which was released overseas in 2003. But when listening to the songs "A Waltz For A Night" and "Ocean Apart" it sounds as if they were written with the film in mind. "No I didn't," admits
Delpy when posed with the question of whether or not she wrote the songs after working with Hawke and Linklater on the Before Sunset script. "We were already
working on the sequel when this song was written, but I didn't think it was meant to be for the film," she continues. "I adapted them a little bit, though. I cut one chunk of the 'Waltz'for this film. It was obvious that I was singing a song about a one night stand that I had something in common with. But I adapted it a little bit to make it sound like [it fit the characters in the film]. It's weird, when I wrote this one night stand song there was a little bit with Before Sunrise in mind, also a little bit of me just writing a song about a one night stand, you know? When I recorded this song, which was a waltz for Jesse, basically. I mean I say the name 'Jesse' in it. I don't know why I wrote it for Jesse, I mean there was another Jesse in my life at that time, but it's just coincidence." Art imitating life imitating art, perhaps? Delpy laughs and
agrees, "Yeah, I think it's a little bit like that. I have a lot of that in my life."

As for the choice of which of Delpy's songs made the final cut of the film? It was a bit of a group choice. "We chose together the song that's in the film, you know 'The Waltz For A Night.' That was obvious it was the right song [for that scene]," explains Delpy. "Then the opening song, it came later. Richard was like 'I really love that song ["An Ocean Apart"]. I would like to figure out a way to put it in.' And then he was like 'Why not use the French song ["Je T'aime Tant"] for the ending credit?' I mean there's very little music in the film apart from what the characters listen to, which is Nina Simone and my music."

About playing guitar, recording an album (and maybe more?):

Remarkably, Delpy didn't pick up the guitar until rather recently. "I started in November 2000." But her musical leanings actually began much earlier in life. (...)

One of the reasons that Delpy hasn't had as much time to write music as she'd like is because she loves to be involved in various artistic endeavors. "I like to explore so many different things. I'll definitely do another album if somebody wants to put it out. I mean I've had offers, so it's not like [it won't happen]. But I like to take my time, you know? Because I'm doing so many different things it won't happen in the next two months, but it will definitely [happen]. I mean I've already written many more songs and I probably have enough to do another album, but I want to look for certain sounds more and stuff, you know, before I do another one?"

So what did recording an album take away from Delpy? "Well it took away the feeling that I was just writing songs for myself and for no one else," she says. "And now when I'm writing a song I'm like 'I'm writing this for myself' but I'm also thinking 'Oh, maybe it will be on an album.' It's a different feeling. It's not the same
at all. It's sometimes a little bit more intimidating, actually." She pauses for a second before continuing, "But it gave me something else, which is that I've been on tour in Europe and played with a band and understands the concept of playing music with other people. Before this I didn't know that."

Given that she's found herself playing her music in front of live audiences, doe Delpy find the act of performing music to provide more of a connection with people than the acting she commits to film? "No, it's just another medium for me to express my self, you know? I mean I love acting, but with acting you're very dependent on other people's desire. But with writing you're free and with music you're free. Even if no one ever wants to hear my music again, I can still play guitar and write songs, you know? I can play music for the rest of my life."

And finally, about cat and music:

"Okay, I actually do have a song about my cat, but it's such a hidden song. I mean it's not about my cat, it's for my cat. It's really weird. But I sing it onstage sometimes in Europe. And surprisingly it's the song that has the most success 'cause I go crazy at the end and I think I'm a cat!"

Great article!