Nashville native singer/songwriter Cecilia Castleman takes the world by storm in her coming-of-age self-titled LP – a file crammed with a timeless heat, depth, and intimacy.
‘Cecilia Castleman’ – Cecilia Castleman
Have you ever met somebody who you knew was destined to be a shining star?
About eight years in the past whereas at summer time camp in Los Angeles, I felt that method about somebody for the primary time in my life.
In the future at camp, a small group of us younger musicians fashioned a semi-circle and took turns exhibiting our songs to one another. Within the heart was Cecilia Castleman, a blonde-haired, bright-eyed woman enjoying her acoustic guitar. Time got here to a standstill the second she began singing. She had a gently soulful tone past her years and a presence that stole everybody’s consideration. I bear in mind pondering to myself, “Whoa, music can sound like that?”
That summer time I not solely made a brand new pal, however I additionally discovered one in all my musical inspirations for the years to come back.
Cecilia Castleman made her preliminary breakthrough in 2022 with the discharge of her first single “Lonely Nights” (co-written with Daniel Tashian, who co-wrote/produced Kacey Musgraves’ Grammy Award Profitable Golden Hour). Set in opposition to the backdrop of a luscious, old skool country-esque soundscape with lyrics that might’ve been taken straight out of an Eagles’ songbook, “Lonely Nights” captured the hearts of individuals of all ages and walks of life.
In an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, which additionally simply so occurred to be her first interview ever, Castleman says, “This track [Lonely Nights] was the beginning of all the things. It was written throughout the pandemic, and it appeared out of nowhere on this mysterious method… the factor about making this file was that I didn’t actually query so much. What was gonna be was what was gonna be.”
Atwood Journal additionally made the track an Editor’s Decide, writing, “Castleman’s radiantly expressive and emotionally potent vocal chords seal the deal as she spills her coronary heart out in track.” She was subsequently named one in all our prime artist discoveries of 2022, and an artist to look at in each 2023 and 2024.
The 2021 pandemic, although an isolating time for Cecilia Castleman and lots of artists across the globe, ended up being an equally thrilling and fruitful second in time for the singer/songwriter.
That yr, she acquired signed to esteemed indie label Glassnote Information and began recording her debut album with none aside from legendary musician/producer Don Was of The Doorways.
“Don and I have been engaged on the file at Henson Studios in LA, and one particular second that stands out was recording ‘I Don’t Must Love You,” Castleman shares.
“It was the third day of monitoring with the band, and we have been all jamming on what’s now the ending of that track. I feel everybody may really feel that we have been creating one thing particular that day.”
Coming down from a massively profitable few years enjoying Bonnaroo and SXSW festivals, in addition to opening for a few of her heroes akin to Sheryl Crow, Hozier, and Marcus King, Cecilia Castleman is taking to center-stage along with her very personal file now out on the earth. Castleman’s self-titled debut Cecilia Castleman (launched January twenty fifth through Glassnote Information) is a timeless and sonically lush coming-of-age album with seemingly infinite layers. It’s each private but common, assured but yearnful, simple but complicated.
When listening to Castleman’s debut, it’s clear that she’s an previous soul residing inside a 20-something’s physique, and he or she absolutely embraces it. Within the album’s standout monitor, “Cadillac,” she proves that she’s greater than what individuals see on the floor; she’s acquired one thing to say, and he or she’s right here to remain.
“Everybody loves a reasonably woman
Like there’s nothing extra in her world
It takes some time for them to see you develop
Let ‘em wait.”
– “Cadillac,” Cecilia Castleman
It’s nothing wanting a full-circle second to have reconnected with Cecilia Castleman at this part in our lives.
Sitting within the bed room of her Nashville house along with her canine by her aspect, Castleman is each bit composed, humble, and smooth spoken as I recalled.
It seems like no time in any respect has handed, although we have now a lot to atone for. On this dialog, we talk about the tales behind her album, a few of the highlights of her profession to this point, and the way her mother has impressed her to be the multidimensional artist she is right this moment.
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A CONVERSATION WITH CECILIA CASTLEMAN
Atwood Journal: It’s sort of an influence transfer to self-title an album, particularly a debut! What made you resolve to make use of your title for the title of the album?
Cecilia Castleman: I feel this file simply felt like probably the most me that I ever have. That is type of my first stamp on making a file, and it felt becoming to title it my title. I’ve at all times liked self-titled albums. A few of my favourite albums of all time are self-titled.
How would you describe the album to a stranger or to somebody who hasn’t heard it but?
Cecilia Castleman: This album to me could be very a lot so eight years of a younger woman who’s simply making an attempt to develop up and work out her life. It’s a really coming-of-age album that exhibits a younger woman’s coronary heart.
How have these songs developed over the previous eight years, if in any respect?
Cecilia Castleman: I delivered to my producer Don Was all of the demos that I had. We didn’t attempt to change them. I didn’t change any of the phrases both. I feel it was about capturing a efficiency and enhancing the music greater than something.
One of many singles off the album, “It’s Alright,” was a extremely large second for you! What’s the story behind the making of that track?
Cecilia Castleman: I wrote ‘It’s Alright’ whereas at my professor Mark Rubel’s studio right here in Nashville. Me and my pal Elijah went over to the studio and recorded some songs. There have been a lot of guitars there. I had by no means performed electrical guitar earlier than, and I used to be actually all for making an attempt it out. I got here up with the riff for the track and wrote the remainder of it that evening. It type of got here out of nowhere, and I used to be actually excited after I wrote it.
That’s a tremendous story. You talked about your professor Mark Rubel – have been you two shut?
Cecilia Castleman: We have been fairly shut. I bear in mind I had all my songs burned on a CD, and on the time I didn’t have a pc or any of that. I might take them over to high school and he’d put them on a pc and let me hearken to them on the massive audio system… He was only a actually sort soul and a savant of all issues music. Everybody who ever met him liked him. “It’s Alright” is a particular track to me too as a result of Mark handed away final yr from abdomen most cancers, and I simply consider him so much after I play that track.
I’m so sorry. It looks like the track is a tribute to him now, which is absolutely stunning.
You’ve had a extremely massive yr for the reason that launch of that track. Final summer time you opened for Marcus King, and I learn that it was your first time receiving a standing ovation! What was that have like?
Cecilia Castleman: I bear in mind it was in Syracuse, and I used to be so nervous that day as a result of my flight had gotten delayed and I used to be so late to soundcheck. I had been up since 3 AM and was so flustered and all the things. Then I acquired there and simply took a breath.
The group was very sort. I really feel like as soon as a pair individuals stood up, all people else most likely felt like they needed to rise up too [laughs]. Nevertheless it was actually, actually cool. I’d by no means skilled something like that earlier than.
Was it intimidating enjoying by your self at Marcus’s present or are you comfy enjoying solo?
Cecilia Castleman: It was intimidating for certain. His band was large, they usually have been killer. I bear in mind one in all his band members jokingly stated to me, ‘Is it simply you? The place’s your band?!’. It’s simply tremendous costly to tour with individuals, not to mention get myself there. I’ve simply realized to go and play on my own, and I actually get pleasure from it. It’s actually enjoyable for me. It could be good to have a band to cowl up all my errors. Possibly sometime we’ll get there.
Have you ever discovered that the songs translate properly to reside audiences?
Cecilia Castleman: I’ve solely performed the entire album via as soon as with a full band, nevertheless it was attention-grabbing to see which of them individuals gravitated in the direction of extra. It’s humorous as a result of a few of the notes in my songs I can’t sing anymore, so we’ve needed to mess around with them and transfer them down. Nevertheless it’s actually enjoyable to determine it out and to play them reside. I like enjoying them reside. I hope I get to do it extra.
Is there a track off the album that you simply personally really feel most related to at this second?
Cecilia Castleman: I actually love ‘Firm’ proper now. However so long as I’ve lived with these songs, all of them fortunately nonetheless very a lot really feel like me, and I like them so much.
That’s so superior.
I noticed that you simply cited your mother as one of many greatest influences behind this file, which I believed was actually candy. May we speak extra about that and your upbringing and the way it’s influenced this file?
Cecilia Castleman: My mother confirmed me all the things music-wise. As a child, we might go to the CD retailer and he or she was simply at all times ensuring that I knew actually nice artists. I used to say she would’ve been such an incredible A&R, as a result of she simply loves music and instilled such a piece ethic in me. As a child she would say, ‘Hey, you need this? It’s not going to be straightforward, however you gotta give it your all. What do you must lose?’ I really feel like I’m who I’m 100% due to my mother. She’s such a sort soul, and I like her a lot. I really feel like I owe all the things to her.
That’s so candy. Who have been a few of the artists she launched you to as a child?
Cecilia Castleman: She confirmed me quite a lot of harmony-based stuff rising up, a number of Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty, and he or she was the most important Prince fan. My favourite artists to hearken to now are all of her heroes.
Talking of Prince, I noticed that you simply acquired to make use of one in all his guitars on the file, which might be the best factor ever. What was that have like?
Cecilia Castleman: It was so surreal. My producer Don purchased it from him. I bear in mind whereas I used to be enjoying it, Don – so nonchalantly – informed me it was Prince’s. It was exhausting to absorb. It was wild.
What, if something, would you need somebody to remove from this file?
Cecilia Castleman: I hope they’ll see themselves in my songs. They’ve saved me firm for thus lengthy now. I hope perhaps at the very least one of many songs would maintain different individuals firm as properly. I attempt to at all times maintain it private but common writing-wise, so if individuals take away something, I hope they only relate to it not directly. Even when it solely reaches 5 individuals, that’s all I hope for.
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