Q: ‘Communicate’ is such a catchy song! What is the story behind it?
CAii: I wrote the track about how communication is key in relationships and bottling up your emotions just leads to everyone being unhappy. It’s about being frustrated when you can see your partner (or friend, or family member) is in pain but they won’t ask you for help and lean on you for support. It can be really painful to see someone you love suffering and ‘Communicate’ is an expression of that. At times there’s a bit of a tough love vibe too, as being with someone who can’t manage their stress and feelings can have an effect on your mental health too. It’s encouraging people to be brave and share their worries for the good of everyone involved!
Q: What is the songwriting process like for you?
CAii: Each song is a little different to be honest! As I write and produce for myself, sometimes I’ll start with the melody, other times the chords and occasionally even a beat. I grew up writing at the piano before I learned to produce, so that’s probably my default. I also love recording a quick voice note of a vocal melody into my phone and then going back to listen to them when I have more time. The only annoying thing is that inspiration always hits me at really annoying times like when I’m in bed or traveling or at work! The number of times I’ve had to record quiet vocals in a plane or train bathroom is pretty high!
Q: How did living in Manchester affect your music journey?
CAii: Manchester is obviously a very important city in the history of UK music (which is inspiring) but the soundtrack in my household growing up wasn’t really typical Manchester music - with the exception of my Dad liking Oasis. I wouldn’t say I have been hugely influenced by the ‘Manchester sound’, with Bruce Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac, Michael Jackson and Nina Simone being more what I was exposed to! Manchester doesn’t have a huge pop scene, so I’ve split my gigs between London and Manchester in the past few years. I recently started my own pop event in Manchester called Pop Tart Hangover Club, aimed at championing genres outside the classic indie vibe.
Q: What is your favorite song that you have released? You can only pick one!
CAii: Problem! It’s written about an ex I still hold a lot of resentment towards and it feels so fun to sing it because it’s a bit petty and bitter! I always feel so vindicated when I perform it and it kind of makes all the pain from that period worth it!
Q: Who is one artist you would love to collaborate with?
CAii: Jeremy Zucker or FLETCHER I think! If I could pick both I think we’d make a good pop trio!
Q: What are you most excited for in terms of your future with music?
CAii: My next single is a song I wrote a long time ago but I’ve been revamping the arrangement and I think it’s the best song I’ve produced, so I’m super excited to share it with the world. I’ll be doing a new shoot for it with my photographer and friend, Geena Sharma-Singh, and I can’t wait to create some fun visuals to go with such a fun song. The track is a bit of an independent, girl-boss kind of anthem called ‘Solo’, and it always gets the best reception when I play live! It’s my Dad’s favorite track of mine too, which is nice!
Interviewed By Kendall Koval
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