Description

Artiste indépendante, Cherise allie la soul, le jazz et le r'n'b pour créer sa propre sonorité, qu'on pourrait associer à la musique de Steve Lacy, Daniel Caesar ou encore Moonchild.  Cherise a trouvé sa voie créative en explorant les liens entre son histoire familiale originaire de Jamaïque en tant que membre de la génération Windrush et son identité d'artiste polyvalente à Londres.

Après avoir collaboré avec des artistes renommés tels que Nubyan Twist, Gregory Porter, Michael Kiwanuka ou encore les français d'Emile Londonien, Cherise a sorti son 1er album "Calling", en juillet 2023. Remarquée par la critique (Clash, Numéro, Dazed, Notion, TSF Jazz), Cherise s'est produite à Paris au Soho House & au New Morning.

Elle est désormais signée chez GiantSteps en France et était en concert le 21  novembre à Paris au Pop-Up du Label.

C'est à cette occasion que Marcus Gon a eu le plaisir de la rencontrer pour échanger dans un entretien exclusif et ô combien inspirant !

On y découvre les coulisses de sa tournée, et toute la philosophie derrière sa musique, et ces heures passées en studio aux côtés des producteurs Lewis Moody Benjamin Muralt Tal Janes et des musicien.nesSilvan Strauss Pitch 92 Mariama Frida Touray etMeduulla.

On a tous une histoire qui vaut la peine d'être écoutée.

"We've all got a story worth listening to".

Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Transcription

• Speaker #0

  Why fake what brings you joy?

• Speaker #1

  Tough question.

• Speaker #0

  Go for the real thing. So that's why I think that's one of the keys to authenticity. There's such authenticity in a laugh or a smile.

• Speaker #2

  presented by Cheris for the first time in 2023 for his first album, entitled Calling. At that time, the individuality of the London vocalist was the spearhead of his vocal universe. From the first titles, harmonic research and vocal technique are appreciable. Very quickly, Calling calls for the respect of the greatest of the Soul and Jazz scene, including Gregory Porter, Nubian Twist, to Michael Kawanuka at Olympia. Meanwhile, the artist is approaching the French scene and collaborates with the Strasbourg trio Emile Londonien on the single Fly, a song inspired by the UK jazz of the last 15 years. On Sensi Beautiful, we have the opportunity to describe the meaning of this new EP, Butter, which has several readings. First of all, the listeners can note the remarkable difference between Calling and Butter. For the first album, we focus more on the singer's portrait in black and white in a minimalist tone. The key to the album Calling is really Cheris'voice, highlighted in the album production. Here in Bohe, we opt for colors, and we draw attention not only to the singer and her vocal talent, but also to her pigmented environment and her creative team, whose work is here more highlighted than the voice. This EP is highly representative of the long hours spent in the studio to release a unique and remarkable sound signature alongside producers Lewis Moody,

• Speaker #1

  Benjamin Mouholt, Tal Jaynes

• Speaker #2

  and musicians like Sylvain Strauss, Pitch92, Mariamma Fida Touré and Medula. The name Boa suggests a multitude of connotations. Butter, so butter in English, can have as a connotation the sweetness, smooth, the fragrance of charity butter for black hair,

• Speaker #1

  Shea Boa,

• Speaker #2

  or a hydrated polish. As she sings it, I'm like Boa, softer than you think. Finally, the fact that Lepé starts on a phone conversation between Chéris and her mother also suggests the nostalgic and sentimental dimension of Lepé. We will necessarily think of the title Coco Butter Kisses by Chance the Rapper, a title that addresses this nostalgia for the discussions and kisses of the mother figure. From the French stage to the New York stage. Noticed by critics, Chéris was produced in Paris at the Soho House and New Morning, and is now signed at Giant Step in France alongside Léon Phalle, Sophie Souriveau, and Celia Camini, among others. On November 21st, in Paris, it was the release party of her EP Boa, at the Pop-Up of the label. On this occasion, I had the chance to meet her for a beautiful video exchange. Thank you Priscilla. And we were able to talk about the preparation of the tour. We had this interview the day before her concert at the Pop-Up. She was able to come back during the interview on everything that animates her in her music, whether it is as an author and composer, and interpreter, or as a solo entrepreneur, an entrepreneur musician, with products like Shed Indigo, which highlights the London scene in terms of soul and R&B. We listen to this interview to learn a little more, and always with authenticity at the heart of this music.

• Speaker #1

  I'm just really glad we can make it because I really love your music. I've been following you for... for a few times since the Calling album. And so we're going to chat a little bit about your albums, about your touring and about some other side projects that I'm really excited to talk about. So first of all, how's the tour going so far? And what was the most warming reaction from the audience?

• Speaker #0

  The tour is three shows in and I am so... It shocked. It's been a month and for lack of a better phrase. But the butter has spread. It's spread so far already. And with the album, it was a lot of work, a lot of just hustle, hustle, hustle. And I'm still working, but this feels different. What's heartwarming is that. it feels like a different chapter and people are finding the music without me having to try to convince them of its value and for me as well what comes with that is with this chapter it's just so much fun i'm not thinking i don't have to think about things as deeply i was just I made the music I like while eating toast with butter on it.

• Speaker #1

  Simple.

• Speaker #0

  In the studio.

• Speaker #1

  Yeah. That's disturbing. Yes.

• Speaker #0

  And if it's deeper than that, then it's because it's authentic. It's just me being myself with my mates.

• Speaker #1

  Yeah. I do. I do. I did feel. I did feel. Sorry. I did feel it a bit deeper than this, even though I felt it as well. really like light and easygoing. But I felt some intentions, really strong intentions, because there's a lot of meaning around the bar. And I had my few understanding. And when I was watching your interviews, I was glad to get the confirmation of it. But... Before the Butter EP, there was The Calling, and I've been witnessing some kind of evolution. It feels like the first album was more about your vocal skills as a soul singer. Here I am, I'm a soul singer. I like Sade, I like Snow Adegra, I like, you know. And now Butter is more about the sound signature and the stories that matter. What would you say about it?

• Speaker #0

  First, thank you, because I'm always shocked when anyone else resonates with the stuff. I think it's because, and I think it's good for every artist to go through a season or just have a long period of time. It's always good for an artist to be around people that either don't know their music or don't like their music. I think it keeps the spirit sober. And so whenever I'm in a world or in a scenario situation like this, where someone does know it, I'm like, wow. Anyway, I'm just saying I'm grateful. And the evolution, I'd say, is this weird balance. of me, I have a feeling that I have a plan, I'm a planner. But the results of that plan are just, I am shocked by the different meanings in calling that I didn't even... see at the time this interesting while still knowing that it was a very intentional project for example that it was very intentional in that I wanted to honour my grandparents'generation and the Windrush generation of Caribbeans that migrated over to the UK in order to help the UK rebuild after the Second World War. That was very intentional. And there are songs... There was an intentional sequencing. I'm very intentional with sequencing in that not a love song. is meant to be the opposite of different kind of love.

• Speaker #1

  Okay.

• Speaker #0

  Like not a love song is me opening through my rage and grief at my grandparents passing away during the pandemic. And. It's, it opens with their death and different kind of love. Yeah. Different kind of love is me talking about my absolute hope for love and love looking different in the future. And the final conversation you hear, instead of it being a reaction from their granddaughter. of their death is my grandma, in the final song, you hear my grandma talking about the very first moment that she met my granddad.

• Speaker #1

  Oh, okay.

• Speaker #0

  So the age that it all begun. And when you listen to it back, maybe, I don't know whether people really pick up on that, but that was intentional. What I didn't realise was... How much the making of the project was healing for me.

• Speaker #1

  The after effect.

• Speaker #0

  The after effect for me and others. And like a song, like not a love song.

• Speaker #1

  Yes.

• Speaker #0

  I feel that's the song when I perform it live. the others who are going through a heartbreak or just had a breakup they leave my gig feeling like I've gotten the most feedback on that they don't feel alone anymore yeah with the grief or if they've just lost someone or with different kind of love I just intended for that to be a throwaway story about la la la la la. Imagine if I was like this Disney princess and I found the love of da da da. But, you know, it's now I look back on that and see the different kinds of affection I've been able to have, not just with in a romantic sense, but also amongst my friends and family. I'm now seeing, oh my God, this is a different kind of love. Like in my family, you know, being Caribbean, there is generational work and trauma for us to heal. And if we're going to heal, the way that we love each other is going to look completely different to how it has in the past. But I didn't think of it that way when I was writing it that way.

• Speaker #1

  Because it's like... It's surrounding you. It's maybe not really conscious. And so it's funny that you're sequenced to your grandmother in the previous project. And now on the Butter project, you're sequenced to your mother. So I don't know if it's like a follow up or if it's just natural for you to include your closest ones in your projects.

• Speaker #0

  Yeah, I would say it's my grandma. When I think of her, I think of her as my, she's the protector of my music. So when I included my grandma in Butter, because she's in Butter as well, but she's in Vega, the way that I ended it. Yeah, because at the beginning of Vega, she says, Charisse, in this industry, you've got to be careful. And she said so much more to me, but that's all I really wanted to give away to people. And in it, this project starts with my mum, because after calling, I was I was depleted. I was energetically tired, mentally fatigued, trying to fit with fit into the music industry that people told me I had to. And it wasn't working for me. And I looked around and it wasn't working for loads of creatives as well. So I was just like, I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do. And whenever I talk to my mum, she's like, Charisse, she'll be like, she'll listen. And then she'll be like, okay, are you ready? I'm like, she's like, okay, get up, let's dance. And she'll put on some earth, wind and fire. I'm like, mum, let me just be sad. She's like, you have been sad. Get up. Let's get on with it. Come on. You're going to dance or. We're going to cook something or we're going to go for a walk. We don't have to talk about it, but like you've got to move, move, take action.

• Speaker #1

  Okay.

• Speaker #0

  And that's why I just wanted to start. with my mum because she's the most authentic person I know like I the EP starts with authenticity me being like mum do you like this and her being like no and so what doing it again so what yeah I feel like that's part of why where I've just arrived back in front obviously you know that whenever I come here there's something in me maybe it's because my name is French as well kind of churries i just think the french are particularly good at championing authenticity oh you do you think so yeah i i it's for now once i'll see once i get into the layers of it but the way that in the uk or in america people talk they're like oh i can't possibly do that and i'm so sorry and then a french person like

• Speaker #1

  No. It's interesting. But not that I have the backstory of it. It makes more sense when I see the cover of the album because that was really the feeling that I was getting. Someone, some girl who's carefree, who's just having fun with her friends, making music, the music that she likes. And yeah, it was something kind of comforting. And I wanted to know, because I have to say, the EP in itself sounds really mellow, like smooth, soothing, soft as butter. And I was like, what did you enjoy the most working with the cats like Lewis Moody, Benjamin Moralt and Tal James? What was it?

• Speaker #0

  the friendship was the the the creative connection like you know what i'm gonna be on oh by the way are you recording this so that you uh yes yes it's recording yeah i really enjoy winding them up moments that make me laugh the most are the moments in the studio when like lewis is being like sharice you're such a brat stop it And I'm like, no, I don't like that bit. And he's like, well, we've got to make a decision. And I'm like, okay, fine, whatever. And there's just that we can have these moments of tension while we are all trying our best to service the music. Like, it's the way it's meant to be a bit more. Like, how? the reason why I chose those people is because they know me enough and I know them enough to tell if they are, if we are prioritizing, we keep each other in check so that we're prioritizing the music over our own sense of, I have to make a statement, you know? Um, I've, I, and That's, we grow as a team in those moments of tension. And I see those moments of tension in the moment. It's not like always pretty. Do you know what I mean? It's basically kind of like, you're like, okay, yeah, I want to go to dance class. I really want to dance. And then your teacher goes, okay, we're going to try something new. There's that tension of. curiosity wanted to try something i wanted to grow exploring but i don't want to try it different that's how i know it i think that's that that's those moments with a collaborator where it's like oh i really want to value your way of doing this but it's very different to mine are we both willing to dance to to create this new movement together.

• Speaker #1

  This must be challenging. Like it's like going to the unknown.

• Speaker #0

  Yeah. Because it's really different. That's where innovation lies, you know? It's like, it's not, that's the work. That's the work of an artist, in my opinion. And I say all of this being like, that's the work of an artist, you know.

• Speaker #1

  I understand, I understand.

• Speaker #0

  I really shit at it sometimes. A lot of times. I'm like, yeah, I know what the ideal is, but... I'm being fucking stubborn and that's the moment when they're saying to me like, Charisse, like, come on, this needs to be a collaboration or what's the point in us being here? That's why by the end of it, I was like, I don't want to be the only one on this cover.

• Speaker #1

  Okay.

• Speaker #0

  I want it to be us because we brought butter together, you know?

• Speaker #1

  But it really felt like a collaboration, even in the mixing. It really felt like there was a touch of everybody. You were a little bit behind even because it was more a group thing. And I found you a little bit more lyrical, like the sound would surround the stories, put the pictures in it. That's why we have an illustration in the cover. So, yeah. And talking about the collective, now you're on stage. you're performing in Paris and you play with great musicians, I'm sure. Sylvan Strauss, Pitch 92, Mariyama, Frida Thorey and Medulla. What do you enjoy the most when it comes to play with them?

• Speaker #0

  Oh, my gosh. I said I kept being told by someone who used to represent me. Oh, be careful when it comes to... supports or working with other people be careful working with other black women because the people in the music industry don't like it when you know they might find it hard to to promote two black women on the same bill or on the same song that pissed me off even in london said how even in london yeah and yeah and i was like why why you So I decided the first two people that I would have featuring on a project with me would be black women. And it's Frida Torrey and Medulla. And Frida is, I look up to her so much. She's so grounded. But one of the most versatile singers I know, working with Native Dancer and the main backing singer for Leanna Havas. Okay. and medulla she's rocking it in manchester which can sometimes when artists are outside of london sometimes it can feel quite isolating but she's really cool like she's she's really talented as a as a rapper and um i was like this represents what what the kind of artists that i want to feature with and um the musicians that produced or collaborated it was just very organic i said to them listen i'm an independent artist i don't have much money um you're willing to work together and they were like yeah cool simple and yeah so it was a mixture of skill and people who are down like in this industry there's this thing of like oh that producer worked with that person so you've got to get into a session with them oh like you've got to work with that person so I'm just trying to put the heater on you've got to work with that person because oh they did a song for Beyonce and I'm like what's the session going to be like the amount of people that think oh I'm going to get I'm just going to do the hard slog for a little bit of time and then I can switch off any morsel of I'm going to do the hard slog for a certain amount of time. The price is going to go up. Then I'm just a bit like, some of them get a bit clocked out of valuing smaller artists. And they just are like, well, if the price isn't what I'm getting paid by these people, then. I'm not about it. And fair enough for them protecting their energy. Yes. You know what I mean? Also, like, it's worth leaving 30%, like leave a window to be open to art for art's sake. and keep that discernment alive and that's what these artists do they've everyone's got to make ends meet like we're in a bloody inflation we're in a credit crunch true but um and we must as artists keep 30 to just focus on the art what is this for the art and the arts merits you know you

• Speaker #1

  I get it, I get it. That's a really tough topic you speak on and I think it's really, hard to say, relevant when we know what you do behind the scenes with the shed Indigo. That's why I wanted to emphasize on Demetola because I've noticed that she was at the debut event. So I'm really excited about this project. because that's kind of what we do at Sensibility4. We are not a magazine, but we do support independent artists by making our own platform for promoting our own gigs and et cetera. So what is the Shed Indigo and why is this project so important to you?

• Speaker #0

  Wow, we just made it. Thank you for knowing what... What we do, that's like, you see what I mean of like, things are just spreading now without.

• Speaker #1

  True,

• Speaker #0

  true. Wow. Shade Indigo is about awakening people's creativity. That is the tagline. Okay. Cherise is about, you know, and Shade Indigo is about awakening people's creativity by.

• Speaker #1

  Shade Indigo then. Okay.

• Speaker #0

  Yeah. Shade Indigo is like. Shade indigo, I just chose it because I like purple and my grandma loves blue. And what is a colour that's both blue and purple? Indigo, you know. And I also think that it's a metaphor for the art that's in between, full stop. People kept asking me, are you a jazz musician or a soul musician or an R&B musician? My answer to all is yes. Even funk. Do you know what I mean? Stop, stop it. Stop. Stop with all that.

• Speaker #1

  Yes,

• Speaker #0

  thank you. Yes to everything.

• Speaker #1

  Yes.

• Speaker #0

  I think I got to a point, similar timing to when we started with Butter, where I was like... Forget trying to sort this out for me. Let me just put on artists that I believe in, who I think are indigo, like Ashani White and Tan Solo at the time. Because Ashani White, my first headline artist, grunge soul music, where she's actively challenging the middle ground.

• Speaker #1

  Okay.

• Speaker #0

  And Tan Solo... no matter what the financial constraints might be, he's going to add visuals to his music and make it cinematic and cross platforms and create like soulful visions as well as audible experiences. That's what we need, in my opinion. That's what we need. We need people who love the music so much that they're willing to challenge the... stupid rules that some people set out what 30 years ago thank you jay dindigo is about at the tagline it's it's awakening creativity honoring art first and bringing the industry to the artists not the other way around the amount of artists right now that pacing ai pacing that's not our place Let the major labels, in my opinion, the reason why the major labels want to develop AI more than they want to develop artists is because it's something that they can control.

• Speaker #1

  Yes.

• Speaker #0

  It's something that they can see in a similar way to a stock or something on the stock exchange. And they've always been about honouring the format. Like... you know they're like i want to own the cd i want to own the gramophone i want to own the vinyl i don't think i think that the last thing that they have honored is the artist that they put on those formats in order to sell it that's for sure we've gotten to a point where they have shown that they don't value the artist so much that they don't even want the artist to be on the format anymore it doesn't even need to be a human that's the sad thing and the truth and that's

• Speaker #1

  Exactly the point that I wanted to make, when you rise yourself up to make a platform like Shade Indigo, that's really you trying to take back the control.

• Speaker #0

  of it all and this reminds me of the talk I could have with other London artists like Marida Strom or I've seen you as well love and support singers and songwriters such as Ruby Francis, I love Kira Vision, I love Enix, I love Amethyst and I was about to ask you what are the challenges that emerging and established artists have to face in the in this uk music scene but you've already replied a bit and um i think that's a part of me you know the industry challenges sorry go ahead no no no it's all right yeah i just finished i'm like i

• Speaker #1

  think a part of me is done worrying i i know what the challenges are and i think a lot of us do you know you But talking about them has gotten us to a point where in the US, we've had a repeat of the exact same with the politics or whatever. There's this Jamaican saying, those who can't hear must feel. Those who can't hear must feel. And we've been talking, we've been sharing our concerns and our worries. Those who can't talk must feel. I feel like now we just make the art, we just do it, we just get on with it and have fun.

• Speaker #0

  Straight up.

• Speaker #1

  Because I've been having, I just was like with butter, I want to have fun. in the studio of my mates in with shade indigo i was like you know what brings me joy supporting ashaini and taan it wasn't this i'm facing the challenges maybe it was like what will liberate the challenges in my soul but

• Speaker #0

  i'm like let me have a bit of fun just have fun and be an initiative of the move

• Speaker #1

  Be authentic. Like what actually brings me joy? What actually brings love? You know, when we can fake all that we can, why fake what brings you joy?

• Speaker #0

  Tough question.

• Speaker #1

  Go for the real thing. So that's why I think that's one of the keys to authenticity. There's such authenticity in a laugh or a smile. That's why comedians are truth tellers. You know?

• Speaker #0

  True. Sorry. No, it's okay. And this leads us to our last question, talking about fun. I really wish you the most fun on the stages. You're approaching the French music scene with all its challenges, but all this joy as well. You've made some... great musicians like Emil Landonia. And I've seen you tagged along with the Giant Steps roster, along with... friends like Celia Kamini or Sophie Solivo, even Léon Fall.

• Speaker #1

  That's such a good name. Sophie Solivo. Sophie Solivo. In English, it doesn't sound like it. Sophie Solivo. She's going to laugh.

• Speaker #0

  I'm going to say it. I'm going to say it to her. She's going to, she's going to crack herself.

• Speaker #1

  Sophie Solivo.

• Speaker #0

  But... really beautiful people uh they are having a fun on stage where are you heading next and and and what do you expect or what should we expect i don't know but uh where are you heading next and next uh

• Speaker #1

  europe a lot of europe not much in the in the uk it's mainly going to be shade indigo europe butter is spreading across the world not just europe wink wink wink and um i'll be back in paris in april all right with with vinyl oh great amazing amazing yes i've i just i resonate i know that from from my french friends of many different cultures i know that france has its nuances and um It's isms and, you know, and it's human components, human's components. But I think there is something to the spirit across the way that makes me sense that my music has a place here for the next.

• Speaker #0

  while so i just again i'm having fun here as well so we'll just see how we go let's just see let's just see let's just see in any way um uh you've gone so far already so congratulations i hope you're enjoying the journey um and uh yeah it's beautiful to to see you bloom like this and the morality is just uh keeping authenticity this um always keep this message in every interview that I have. The last one was with Samara Joy or for who keeps really the authenticity in this jazz industry. By the way, I loved your intervention talking about the jazz on the Selector UK, I think. So really loved it and yeah, authenticity.

• Speaker #1

  don't forget the fun so thank you very much um i wouldn't i literally wouldn't be who i am without people like you because i think to myself the art is not just about the artist making it it's about the people it's about the way that we digest it and whether it awakens someone's sense of curiosity and creativity like And it's of equal importance how people digest it, you know. I love going to art galleries. I don't even know who the artist is half the time. Yes. I just walk into the Barbican and they say, oh, would you like a pamphlet? This is the art of blah, blah, blah, who made the blah, blah in the 1970s. Is it now? But I'm like... the amount of the amount that this is that my brain i've walked out feeling smarter because it's made the neurons in my brain go bing bong bing bong knowledge and i've left with so many more questions and i think that is just as valuable as getting a you know one of those paint brushes and going there's the end goal actually that's the fruit it's an awakening it's it's it's it's it's for the artist and We're all artists, you know. Anyway, I'm done. I'm done.