We're buzzing to have the exclusive premiere of Camille Christel's new track, All I Ever Do...
After releasing her debut EP You, Camille Christel has been working throughout lockdown to create and release the music video for her song All I Ever Do. The Notts musician has caught the attention of Mary Anne Hobbs of BBC Radio 6 and Dean Jackson of BBC Introducing with her peacefully haunting voice.
Looking back on your previous titles, they all share a similar theme. Why does All I Ever Do move away from geographical titles?
I like to give my music a theme. Each body of work was written during difficult moments of my life, and I order them based on times that were similar to each other, which is why future projects will all have a different theme. All I Ever Do has sat in my files since 2017, but we kept the same vocals three years on - it was the missing piece to the EP. As it has the same elements from that initial writing session in Berlin, I named it All I Ever Do (Berlin, solo) as it still sits within the theme of location, just in a different way.
What made you want to release the song now, three years after you first wrote it?
I wrote the song with M.Craft in his Berlin studio. It was a last minute song, written in half an hour at the end of our session. I was about to go home and it just came out of nowhere. To me, the song has always been about loneliness, sort of a letter to the lost. Lockdown has felt so lonely that it was kind of the perfect time to release it. I told myself that if it made at least one person feel a little better than it would be worth it.
Can you elaborate on the phrase 'letters to the lost' and what you mean by that?
It refers to something that is never coming back, but you still miss it so much that it haunts you. Like when you turn the radio on and song instantly takes you back to a vivid memory. However, this isn't the only interpretation of the song or video - I encourage listeners to allow the song to represent what they think it means. This is just the way I envisioned the song when I was writing it in Berlin.
How did you find the filming process for your new music video?
It wasn't what I was expecting. I am really happy with the way it turned out. We had a zero pound budget and I shot it on my iPhone. For me, this music video represents a time in lockdown when we couldn't go out. But that was nice, it made me be more creative and, in the end, I prefer the outcome over anything we had in mind before shooting.
How would you describe the new music video?
I controlled all aspects of this music video and, for me, the song is so dream-like, it represents that feeling of missing something so much it finds itself in your dream. I wanted to capture how it feels to listen to the song visually. I used projections of Chicago that I took when I was there a few years back. I was driving out of the city ta night, and just knew that the footage I was getting should be used for something - I just didn't know what at the time.
Is it daunting to release music? Especially during a global pandemic?
I think that music will always be vital. No matter what the circumstances are, everyone needs music. Music is a great form of escapism. During trying times such as now, many people are looking for that form of escapism to take them away from reality, even just for a few minutes. For me, music consumes my whole life. It is an essential.
Considering that you wrote the song back in 2017, I guess you never could have predicted the circumstances in which it would be released...
No, not at all. Over the past few months I knew I had to make a music video but didn't have a full vision. I was able to Facetime with the producer of the track, Alex Burey, who has produced artists like Loyle Carner and Matt Maltese. It was such an unprecedented time to collaborate with someone as it was all done screen to screen as opposed to face-to-face.
With that being said, did you actually find lockdown helpful for you creatively?
I can't lie, I thoroughly enjoyed the lockdown. At first, like everyone, I was confused and scared because it was so new. After a while I was finding myself enjoying the freedom - I brought my studio stuff home and created my own set up in the spare room and I was creating new material every single day.
For me, my goal is to be able to create music every day, perform and not have to do anything else
What can people expect from your other projects in the near future?
After this music video the whole EP will be completed and out. This being done will allow me to start on getting new music out. Readers can follow me on Instagram and Spotify to keep up to date with all of my exciting new projects.
I saw that recently you took a break for social media, was this to focus on the new music video?
Over the six weeks away from social media I was writing so much that I kind of just got so consumed by being in my studio and creating new stuff. I wanted to channel all of my focus into the music. It was an unintentional break away from social media, I'm glad to be back and it's great to be doing with the launch of the new music video for All I Ever Do.
Will new projects consist of the work you created from lockdown?
Yes - I controlled every aspect of these new projects during lockdown so that was really fulfilling. Even down to the tiny details that nobody will ever know are there, the fact that I do makes me proud of these new projects even more and I can't wait to start the process to allow everyone to see them.
What is your own personal goal with your music?
For me, my goal is to be able to create music every day, perform and not have to do anything else. Music is the love of my life, it is the only thing that I will ever want to do. If I got to that point I would be so thankful and happy forever. Within the next year I would love to be able to play the Social, London and in the future possibly Green Man and End of the Road.
We've featured you in our Nusic podcast a couple of times since 2018. How does it feel to now be launching your new video alongside us?
I've always felt supported by LeftLion, I remember the first time I met you guys was at my NewYork launch at RoughTrade in 2018. It's a great magazine and I love picking up a copy, it's nice to see that from praising my music on the podcast it's kind of done a full circle, I really like the fact I'm keeping it local and two Nottingham based creatives are able to work together to help me complete my EP.
If you could write an article for LeftLion, what do you think you'd write about?
I think I would either write about a poet (I love poetry) or possibly even a gig review. I really miss live music so I think if I could write an article it would be a gig review. I used to work at RoughTrade so I was used to seeing live music every other day. When I attend a gig after lockdown it will feel like my first concert again, so I would write about that experience.
To see more of Camille follow her on Spotify, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
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