Catching Up With Chloé Caroline As She Releases Her Brand New Single "GEMINI"
Tell me a little bit about your background & where you come from.
I’m from Manhattan Beach, CA—I grew up in a little beach town 15 mins from LAX. It allowed me to grow up with a melting pot of influence: between the city and ocean, different cultures, various types of food and music, a huge range of creativity and professions—I took it all in. Most of my family is in Canada (I’m half Canadian) and I spent my summers running wild and barefoot in a rural lake area at my family’s cottage. Much like LA, there was always something to explore, a place for my imagination to wander, and people to connect with.
What are the most important things you envision, a newfound listener of your songs, would take from them, both musically & lyrically?
I hope my songs inspire listeners to embrace their most authentic selves, to take risks on their dreams, to love on themselves and others to the fullest, to fail, to have faith/trust in infinite possibilities and in the unknown, to wander, to escape, to let go and flow, to be vulnerable, to be open, to connect and lastly—use their own creativity to their full potential however it shows up. We all have the capability to add our light to the world in various ways.
Does the recurrent process of cultivating & developing your overall sound, ever reach a maturation point for you, or is it truely neverending & continuous?
I believe it's limitless. I think the constant is that my music will always come from a place of authenticity and truth— I will never sacrifice that for more fame or money but I will allow myself and my creativity to grow, shift, and be challenged as I continue to evolve and experience all that is still unwritten.
Who is your all time dream collaborator? Why?
Stevie Nicks. She always shows up as exactly who she is and writes from that place of truth no matter what. Her vibe is incredible and magnetic, and she’s a free spirited woman. I relate to her energy and always have. As a little girl, I remember listening to her music and understanding lyrics most kids wouldn’t comprehend because she delivered them so honestly. That’s everything.
Tell me about your newest song, “Gemini".
It’s essentially about realizing you continually have been attracted to or are attracting the same kind of person that always ends up in inconsistency or disaster and eventually trying to get to the bottom of it. In this case, attracting the same zodiac sign repeatedly. GEMINI was written in Nashville, TN by myself and producer, Jamie Kenney but has been on a crazy ride in how it’s developed–part of it was even done in Thailand at Karma Sound Studios. It’s catchy, fun, and definitely pop but has some rock feel too with the distorted guitars and synths used. Because GEMINI’s are the zodiac sign symbolized by twins and “two sides”, we wanted to have a production that kind of played on that so you’ll notice the chorus and verses have a contrast in their energy too.
What inspired you to write "Gemini."
I remember thinking it was really strange that almost every romantic connection I had was with a Gemini and came to find out it was very common for my sign (Aquarius) to be drawn to them. They all at least seemed to have similar personalities or behaviors and the relationships had many commonalities as well. I started looking at my friends and family and they too shared common zodiac signs and when I asked them the zodiac signs of who they attracted, there was a trend almost always. I thought it would be a unique twist on what it’s like to become aware of red flags (being able to recognize them in ourselves and in others), who we attract, and ultimately the various reasons WHY—which naturally occurs as we discover ourselves and experience life.
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GEMINI Music Video Coming In July
How is "Gemini" similar to & different from your prior releases?
Like all of my music, GEMINI definitely pulls from some of my own experiences, uses some real instrumentation and pulls from the past and present production wise. It’s definitely bigger and bolder than anything I’ve done though and definitely is a development of my sound.
What factors initially drew you into the style(s) of music, you're now most comfortable recording & releasing music in?
I love the honesty of real instruments in some form and lyrics that tell a story or strike your soul through their candidness and intentionality. I love combining the past and the present or borrowing from multiple genres because it creates something fresh. It allows people of a limitless range to find something they can grab onto every time.
Do you ever take the time to actually listen through your own songs, just to see and get a feel for what they sound like for your listeners?
Definitely. Not necessarily just jamming in the car, but I listen to them countless times as they are developing and I love to listen to them on walks for rehearsal purposes and also to visualize music video ideas or me playing them in giant arenas haha It’s part of how I manifest. When you first write something as a songwriter it’s like your favorite thing you’ve ever written so you listen on repeat out of excitement especially if it’s a song inspired by something you’re currently working through.
Who are your major influences? Why?
I am a huge fan of Stevie Nicks, Carole King, Dolly Parton, and Avril Lavigne to name a few female artists because when you strip everything back, they are storytellers who didn’t fit into any boxes, they made their own. Lyrically there is so much honesty and rawness. They pulled from rock, soul, pop, folk, country—combined inspirations and I love that. Stevie, Dolly, and Carole have these age old reputations too for not only creating music that inspires others to connect, bring more peace and love to the world but have reputations for being these magnetic lights that are so humble despite their success.
How do you take all that's contained within your work, and bring it to life, when performing live for an audience?
For me, my FAVORITE part is telling the stories behind the songs and setting them up for the audience. It allows me to really get them inside my head so that they can know me on a deeper level and gives more context to my intention behind each song. That’s beyond important to me. Vice versa, it also allows me to have conversations with them too and learn their stories.
What is a song you wished you’d written/recorded? What is it you find special about this particular song?
“Dancing in the Moonlight” (I especially love the Toploader version!), “You Get What You Give” by New Radicals, and “So Far Away” by Carole King are probably my first picks. The first two just feel SO good, you can’t turn them on and not be happy. “So Far Away” is just a timeless masterpiece all around. The lyrics hold up today more than ever and are said in such a simple but impactful way which is hard to do.
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What are your general thoughts in regards to the songwriting side of the creation process?
I always say first and foremost I’m a songwriter. I love to sing and perform but the songwriting part is where I work through how to be the best version of Chloé on a regular basis. It is my safe haven.
What subjects do you find the most difficult to write about, when initially conceptualizing & planning a new song from scratch?
The hardest songs to write about are definitely the more universal, inspirational songs because when done well they have unwavering impact but it’s really hard to not overthink, go slightly too far and be cheesy, or the opposite and oversimplify when every theme has essentially been said in some way before. To attack age old ideas in a unique way that feels good is a challenge I love but it’s definitely not easy.
What are your thoughts on digital interactions (Social Media), between yourself as an artist & your fans?
There is nothing more incredible than receiving a message from a fan that tells me a song of mine inspired them or helped them work through something. Or when a fan tells me they shared it with someone and goes out of their way to support me when they have yet to even meet me in person. It's the next level. I’ve also loved hearing their stories and building collaborations with them. I’ve created a jewelry line with one, met a videographer who created some of my favorite videos, designers, etc. all through getting to chat with people who started out as fans online.
What struggles have you faced early on as an up and coming artist?
The inability to be and do everything as one person without burning out and limited resources without consistent financial backing. Each role is a full time job but I wear the hats of like 10 full time jobs.
What role does fashion play for you, in connection with your music & who you are as an artist?
I’m definitely a free spirit and fashion allows me the freedom to show that off. There’s definitely some obvious bohemian inspo from growing up in Southern California but I love getting to mix things that are kind of unexpected. I get bored easily. Something feminine with something more tomboy. Something preppy with something more edgy. For example, I started wearing Nike socks a lot with dresses and I have no idea why, but I always get compliments haha I rock a lot of 90s or 70s inspo though I feel.
If you were not a musician, what do you envision you’d be doing instead?
I’m fascinated by the human body and mind so part of me says that but I honestly think I’d still do something creative. Run a brand and it’s marketing. Write novels and TV shows/movies.
How are you thinking about approaching the music video creation process of the "Gemini" Music Video? What form does your creative process take for you when creating videos?
I sat down with the director at a coffee shop in Echo Park–we didn’t have a ton of time to brainstorm because we originally wanted it to be released during GEMINI season when the song was coming out. Cosmically we were already thinking of a similar idea, to use tarot cards in a creative way and tell a story that also really demonstrated the hot and cold imbalance of the relationship. I’m always thinking of video ideas for my songs, usually I’ll get inspo during my long walks.
How has the world of music changed for you as an artist, over the last 2 years? How have you had to rethink your approaches to being a musician during these times?
It was a building phase for me to create and recenter but with much of the industry still not being in person, it's heavily dependent on social media. I’ve had to really make sure I’m being intentional on my social media and also not allow my worth to get too attached to numbers which has been difficult because it's been that much more oversaturated.
What are you most looking forward to, for the latter half of this year & into 2023?
Releasing and creating more in the physical world. Finally getting to share everything I’ve been building for so so long.
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