In this interview spotlight, we chat with Camille Miller about her influences, the new project and much more.
Full Q&A, links, and streams of Neverland and Banksy can be found below.
http://soundcloud.com/camillemiller/03_neverland_m2_16/s-vGeeB
Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)
I am originally from Vancouver Island,British Colombia, Canada. I am currently living in Sao Paulo, Brazil. My husband has a company that focuses on South and Latin America…This tends to have us living in some amazingly beautiful countries, attempting to speak local languages!
The kind of music I create, is always naturally from a singer/songwriter point of view. I use songwriting as a way to express myself, my idiosyncrasies,my opinions…Maybe things that I am a little too ‘chicken’ to say in ‘real life’. Sometimes the songs come out sounding a bit country,a bit pop, other times the songs need to have a PUNK feel, or maybe a less produced sound,in order to get the point across…I think over the years and over 7 albums, I have jumped around quite a bit…This has probably made it harder to pinpoint my real sound, but has been true to the actual music…
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to stay the course?
From a young age, I only wanted to be 2 things.
I wanted to be in The Military, a G.I. Jane character if you will, OR be a Singer in a MASSIVE gospel choir.
Over the years I was in the military, and also got to play clarinet in military bands…I have sung in church choirs and school choirs always working towards writing my own music, and holding my own in a band.
My Grandfather was an amazing musician as well as a Padre in The Canadian Airforce, and my whole family lived the military life while both my step father and biological father served in the Canadian Airborne regiment and Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. My mother and her 3 sisters all sing and are quite musical…From an early age, I was encouraged to do both by way of Military cadets and Music classes all through my schooling.
At the age of 21 after serving 3 years in the Canadian Naval reserves, I decided that my first plan ( To be G.I. Jane) was not really what I wanted to do.
I joined a six piece R+B band that was about to go on tour throughout Western Canada, and I got in the Van, and have NEVER looked back.
I learned my ‘musical chops’ while gigging 5 or 6 nights a week…I listened to hours of old jazz and blues singers, attempting to copy vocal scats…I was taught how to play guitar by the guys in my bands who could already play…I felt motivated to get better each night, as I knew I had to perform on stage, and drunk people don’t hold back in telling you if you are doing a BAD job! lol
Throughout the years of blues bands, cover bands, and many amazing part- time jobs, I managed to make enough money to record my own music.
I am extremely grateful for these opportunities over the years, as well as extremely honoured to have had the chance to have learned so much from the guys and girls I worked with in Bands.
Who or what are your biggest influences when it comes to your creativity?
Biggest creative influences…A lot of them are my friends, who may not be involved in music, but who own their own businesses and have started them from ground zero. They put their heart and soul into these projects, and this is their form of creativity. My husband holds a massive amount of my respect as far as this. He is not creating albums, but he is creating a business…I am constantly amazed and inspired by him…
As far as musical awesomeness, I am always inspired and get all rallied up for Singer Songwriters like Lucinda Williams, who just seems to get MORE awesome as she grows older…Grace Potter,Aimee Mann,Juliana Hatfield,Dolly Parton!!!- All amazing women who just get better and better with age and experience…These legends keep me going, knowing I can always improve and MAYBE one day, be ‘great’ like them!
New acts for me, out of the US and touring the UK right now a woman named Sari Schorr…WICKED blues singer/songwriter….Joanne Shaw Taylor, wicked guitarist and singer….
A band I love from Sao Paulo right now Saulo Duarte e a Unidade…These guys are making big waves and are creating such fantastic music….another Brazilian singer/songwriter Lucas Santtana- Crazy cool songs presented with a mix of organic instruments and Electronic sounds….Tata Aeroplano, a VERY cool Sao Paulo band that I have recently been turned on to…The list is endless…haaaahaaaa
How is your new release different than previous ones? Did you set out to accomplish anything specific?
This release is different in SO Many ways!
For about six months prior to recording, I worked with the producer (Caetano Malta) on all of the songs…We had a bunch extra, and tried to pick the ones that made sense for this album…We were wanting to create something with very little production. Record as much as possible, live off the floor and with as few takes as possible.
In the pre production stage, we went through each song and lowered every song ( except 1 or 2 I think) a whole tone…VERY Strange for me, as I am used to singing higher…This was done to explore different parts of my voice, and to stay away from a ‘pop’ sound.
All the normal harmonies I would naturally put in were also scrapped for edgier harmonies, maybe just one single line that could be easily reproduced live…We listened to lots of RHCP, old Bowie stuff, Blur….And my fave for this album was Elastica and Portishead…Those were kind of our start points.
We incorporated Horns and organic instruments with Live drums and electronic drums…This also was new for me.
The style of singing, when delivering the verses was quite monitored as well…I am a bit of a blues singer by nature, and we both wanted to try and give a more deadpan delivery, instead of a more affected vocal delivery…
We had it mastered in California by Brian Lucey who had recently mastered Lucinda Williams newest album along with The Black Keys and Grace Potter..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN1hDY3pEVcDo you face any challenges as an indie musician in a digital age? On the flip side, how has technology helped you (if it has)?
Well, I think in this digital era there are as many pros as cons…it all depends on your/my motivation, confidence and sheer determination.
Some days I am super depressed and feel I am swimming in a sea of -EVERYTHING is BETTER THAN ME-ness.
Other days, I receive an e-mail from someone like yourself Josh, who asks some questions, and offers to share something I have worked on…In these moments, my energy level is boosted to a high point, and I feel onto of the world…
I am thrilled to log onto any music site, and see my music available for streaming or for sale to ANYONE in the world with a computer, and I am thrilled to see the stats and know that there are people in India listening to my songs…On the other hand, the money is hilarious…The .000000003 cents received overtime someone listens to your songs, is quite cute…lol
It all adds up though.
I am still blessed to be able to call people up in The UK, or Canada and share my music virtually, then have the opportunity to then perform live in these countries…All because of the ‘World Wide Webs’- So again, it’s all how you look at it!!
Today is a fantastic Day!
How do you feel about streaming services? Any romantic attachments to the physical formats: vinyl, 8-track, cassettes, CDs?
Haaaahaaaaa, I should have read ahead!
It’s cool to be able to say ‘Yeah, i’m on Spotify,’ It’s VERY cool to SHAZAM your own song, and it come up with your name…That is pretty cool for me…Again though, the payment is HILARIOUS, and in a sarcastic way, not in a HaaaHaaaa kind of way…Maybe ONE day though, I will change my point of view. We ARE allowed to change!
I have ALL kinds of romantic attachments about tonnes of things…Record players, LANDLINES, Phone with a long cord, Cars that you can change things yourself, if you happen to break down…The list is massive!
CDs, I STILL love getting a CD and reading the liner notes.- My car at this moment is my sanctuary for doing this…Listening to CDS and sitting in my garage, reading the liner notes! ( OMG is that sad to admit?)
VINYL, yes, I just spent a bloody FORTUNE getting my second run of vinyl printed…I now have two lovely Vinyl albums with Artwork from the AMAZING UK artist Nicholas Darby…
8-Track- nope, I’m ok there!
Cassettes- Oh JEEZ…I still have a massive shoebox, with all my 8 track cassettes and cassette recording of band rehearsals, demos etcetc…The front of the box was painted by a very young me…” One day i’m gonna be a star!”- Cant make myself throw it out…Secretly, I still think this…I just don’t paint it anywhere! haaaahaaaaaa
Where can we follow you online and hear more music?
Haaaahaaaa, I am everywhere…I am STILL even on MYSPACE!
- Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Camille-Miller-74718384345/
- Website:http://camillemillermusic.blogspot.com.br
- Soundcloud:https://soundcloud.com/camillemiller/banksy
- https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/camille-miller/id4654912
Anything else before we sign off?
Any of your readers can buy my new release now from CD Baby, prior to the official November 30th release.
