Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?
A: I am originally from Elizabeth City, North Carolina. A small rural town on the east coast of the US. As a kid, I was really into listening to my dad’s vinyl collection and the radio. I always tried to sing along to every song I heard on the radio, and I knew the lyrics to almost every song. Later, I started with flute, guitar and voice lessons. I would say it’s always been in my blood from an early age, and always felt like it came natural.
Q: And what other artists have you found yourself listening to lately?
A: I have been listening a lot lately to Sharon Van Etten, Future Islands, and Annie Lennox just to name a few.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences?
A: Oh wow, there are so many 🙂 but I would say growing up my biggest influences were Fleetwood Mac, Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Can, and Tangerine Dream.
Q: You have just released your new single, ‘Jumping The Gun’. Is there a story behind it?
A: Well it’s a unique song in the fact that Casper and I went in the old Efterklang studio in Weissensee Berlin and we created a beautifully cinematic one-take song. “Jumping the Gun” is actually the idea around false starts, which I feel I have had many of those as an artist. It is also about having the energy to fight for your ideas and what you believe in, and sometimes that means losing everything.
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
A: Yes, a new solo album under Angela Chambers is currently in the works. I will release a new album with my band Waking Dreams early next year, which will come out on Vinyl, CDs and Digitally on all platforms. And also, another album with my Corona lockdown project called Surrealia. Be on the lookout for many releases coming soon.
Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
A: I feel the key elements of my music are structured mostly around my vocals and melodies. My sound is something like a cross between a modern Marianne Faithful meets Annie Lennox. These are the influences for my forthcoming solo album.
Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?
A: It is hard to say, because I feel that it is all a process and it is also just starting to get going with my career. The pandemic also restricted many things as well in terms of performing live, but I feel it will eventually all catch up and make sense. Of course I am always expecting more, and still pushing myself for that hit song to come 🙂
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: I usually like to start with a basic guitar or piano sketch, and then construct the basic chorus and verses around that, and it is always interesting how it evolves in the process, and it never gets boring. The best part of it all is finding a way to shape the melodies and lyrics around the music.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: The most difficult thing in my career thus far has been learning to manage and deal with the many different egos that come with the industry. Also building and engaging with your audience, and getting people to actually listen to your music these days are all challenges. The rest comes very easy and natural to me.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: I would say that so far, Jumping the Gun has been one of the turning points of my music career. It has really forced me into a new direction, musically and creatively, and I look forward to how everything will evolve from here.