Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: Hey! It’s great to be chatting with you! I got started at an early age. I grew up in a house filled with music in a family of music lovers. My dad used to blast Led Zeppelin in the car. I used to listen to his vinyls of “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John and Queen’s “The Greatest Hits”. My mum was into Enya, ethereal music and my elder sister used to play a nineteenth century upright piano we had at home. I guess I soaked it all in. I started to take vocal classes and perform at all sorts of song contests and festivals. Then I took piano lessons and discovered soul music (Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys) that blew my mind. I took classes in singing, acting, and dancing at musical theatres. But it was when I first heard Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, and Ella Fitzgerald I felt the urge to sing and make music.
Later on, I started music studies but decided to drop out of the jazz school to work on my own songs. The result of it was the release of my debut EP that basically combined all those inspirations: bold soul, ethereal folk & gritty uplifting pop. These elements are still present in my new EP ‘spacetime’, though enriched with other musical influences I immersed myself in along the way.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “Camila Knight”?
A: I’ll continue to connect with my audience on a personal level through songs and livestreams. Releasing new music in a consistent way, being present on social media platforms and keeping to a live streaming schedule have helped me to grow my fanbase. I feel it’s through live streaming, gigging, Discord server, social media posts and new music releases that now artists can truly engage with their fanbase. Having a faithful community on social media that wants to listen to your music is the biggest gift.
To those who are about to discover “Camila Knight”, I hope that they will find a safe, comforting place in my lyrics and melodies. And that my music will lift their spirits and have a healing effect on them. Hope that it’ll be their best company in the highs and lows. And hopefully it will make them feel empowered and emboldened to face any challenges and live in their truth.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: One of the most inspiring artists for me right now is Björk, Hozier, AURORA, Caroline Polachek, Lorde, Kimbra. When it comes to songwriting one of my biggest influences have been artists such as Joni Mitchell, Ella Fitzgerald, Carole King.
I’m inspired by nature, dreams, my own experiences and stories I’ve heard from my friends and family. It’s when I feel emotional or touched by something that I’m most creative and feel the need to express it through music.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the EP, “spacetime.”?
A: ‘spacetime’ is my sophomore EP that features a collection of five musical words: ‘no need to say goodbye’, ‘Journey’, ‘Satellites’, ‘Gone Away’ and a new song called “lavender fields”. I composed all these songs on my old piano in my cosy basement studio. I collaborated with some fantastic musicians on this record including my bandmates: Jorge Gándara on the drums and Freddy Lane on the bass. Also, I’ve worked with great producers on three songs from the EP and self-produced ‘Gone Away’ and ‘lavender fields’. ‘Satellites’ was mixed and produced by Ian Barter, part of the Universal Music Publishing Group and who previously worked with Amy Winehouse, Paloma Faith, Gabrielle and other UK artists. ‘spacetime’ refers to space & time interwoven into a single continuum. The EP touches on the subjects of soul searching, self-worth, search for a place to belong, letting go, heartbreak, daydreaming and self-discovery. It’s a new sonic world and releasing this EP feels like the beginning of a new musical chapter for me.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: “stardustgrit”, “gritethereal” or “magicgrit”, if those words existed.
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “spacetime”?
A: While recording “spacetime” I started working on the production on my own for the very first time. I’ve co-produced “Journey” and fully self-produced “Gone Away” and “lavender fields”.
I felt the urge to have a greater control over the creation process of my songs. And the production truly redefines the character of a song. I’ve worked with three incredibly talented producers on this album and I’m grateful for these collaborations. In the future, I would love to self-produce more songs but it’d be lovely to continue collaborating with producers and other musicians to enrich my sound even more and brainstorm ideas.
“spacetime” is a collection of songs I wrote pouring my heart out on paper and they just came to life naturally. If anything, it’s always challenging to face your own emotions and thoughts while songwriting and conceptise them into lyrics and a story. But it’s also the magic of music creation, overcoming your fears, facing your own demons and finding a funnel for self-expression.
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: I’d like my music to be felt as a magical resort, safe harbour from life storms, a warm hug when you feel alone or lost, as well as, a motivation boost to pick you up when you’re in your downs and to make you feel capable of facing daily life challenges. A self-love dairy to turn to at your lowest and celebrate your goals at your highest.
I started singing and making music as a way to express myself, open up and overcome shyness. It was my therapy and it worked miracles. Also, I treated it as a way to organise my mental chatter and then I realised that it could have a therapeutic effect on other people too. My major drive when writing music is to make others feel a certain way, raise their spirits and be their shoulder to cry on in tough times. Hopefully my songs can get their head away from everyday troubles to make them feel inspired, motivated and empowered. My goal is to connect with other people through music and unite like-minded and like-spirited peeps to make them feel understood, less alone, supported and loved.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: Björk, AURORA, Hozier, Amy Winehouse, Lana del Rey, FINNEAS, Imogen Heap, KAte Bush, Harry Styles.
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: I’d say to always put yourself first and above all believe in yourself and your abilities without waiting for someone else’s opinion or validation.
It’s always great to ground yourself daily, reminding yourself of your vision, and asking yourself whether you’re following your heart or got caught up in your head. I’d say to just believe in your art and keep making music that you love and that it’s a reflection of what you feel and what you believe in as an artist.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: I’d say to my younger self to never be afraid of expressing your thoughts and feelings in songs as it might be a message that many people could find encouraging and soothing. And they might actually connect with it and give it a meaning of their own.
I’d say that you don’t have to wait till you feel fully read, prepared, skilled enough to take one step forward.
I’d say be there for yourself, take care of your inner self. There’s time for everything. There’s no scheme, no fixed schedule for things to happen in your life. Get ready to be surprised!
