For those readers that haven’t heard of you before could you tell us a little bit about yourself, your story?
So I had a childhood influenced by Buckinghamshire and Bucharest. I moved through the violin and five sizes of recorder before settling on a nylon-stringed guitar, spent the early part of my life juggling classical music scholarships, treading the boards in every show going, and painting and scribbling on anything she could. I also picked up languages during regular family VW-caravan trips across obscure parts of Europe and now work in more languages than I have fingers.
I trained as an actress in London and Paris, studied opera on the side and then really focused on a career as an actress who sometimes sings or plays an instrument. It really wasn’t until the tragic passing of my musical and inspirational father that I suddenly found myself writing songs and ended up doing a solo headline spot at a London French cabaret night. My alter-ego Diva de la Guitare was soon born on-stage during a technical hitch and I kept that artist name for a few years, performing between the UK and Switzerland, and releasing my debut album ‘Entr’acte’ (the French word for ‘Interval’).
After only a few years in the music industry, I have played live for BBC6 Music (with Chris Hawkins describing me ‘a beautiful, captivating and delicious chanteuse’), recorded with film composer Yann McCullough (Spectre-Bond, Grand Hotel Budapest, The Hobbit), provided classical guitar for Channel Four’s Award-winning Unreported World series, and had my Romanian-Language track Sunt Romanca selected for charity compilation album Mitra for Nepal, produced by Annie Hogan (Marc Almond).
I like to thread together charismatic chanson, fairytale-folk and evocative dream-pop, balancing sensual ballads decorated with my classical guitar roots, and entertaining autobiographical ditties to which everyone can relate; either un-plugged and pared-down, or atmospherically mixed up in a loop-station.
Who inspired you to get on stage?
It’s funny because no-one in my family has a background on stage. But I had some inspirational teachers at school who encouraged and supported me in both music and acting. The first moment I knew performing was for me was during a school musical set during the First World War, at the age of eleven. I had finished my first ever solo (‘Those Were The Days My Friend’, the classic war-time song) and I was so ‘in-character’ over my dead husband, that I forgot that it was the end of the show and time to get off stage and let everyone bow…I was held in this suspended alternate space and I loved it. Getting that early taste for transporting an audience got me hooked.
You’ve performed music and written music in multiple languages that must be quite challenging?
To be honest, it is such a huge passion of mine, that I would never find it challenging in a negative way because it gives me so much joy to connect between borders and across cultures. I travel a great deal, and always have a guitar with me, because no matter where you are in the world, you can always touch people through music. It moves me every time.
So far I have performed in French, Italian, German, Swiss German, Spanish, Russian and Sanskrit; composed additionally in Romanian, Portuguese, Catalan, Greek and Basque, and reached audiences in over twenty-three countries….
Could you tell us a bit about the writing/recording of the Syncr Music winning track “Time That Is Mine”?
This is a song that flowed out of me as fast as the flow of Zurich’s Limmat river. It was written five years ago when I was living in Switzerland, literally above the Limmat river, and swimming in it most mornings.
I took the mix of ethereal harmonies, conscious lyrics and classical guitar arpeggiation to Swiss-based electronic sound designer Rupert Lally, and together we created the signature sound. The song is being re-released now to celebrate the launch of the music video.
It’s now my most downloaded track, and was recently described by producer Pete Brazier at Vertical Rooms as “a psychedelic selfish flamenco ballad”.
Making the music video with director Vee Vimolmal, we wanted to make something simple, spontaneous and soothing, inspiring a dreamy, nostalgic journey. We chose the locations of natural beauty between London’s Hampstead Heath and Surrey’s Mayfield Lavender Farm and shot exclusively on an iPhone XR and DJI Osmo Gimbal.
Your last video “Don’t” won several awards, what plans do you have for the video of “This Time That Is Mine”?
Yeah, I’m so proud and grateful for the continued nominations for “Don’t”.
The track ‘Time That is Mine” has recently been chosen as the soundtrack to the film The Litter Mermaid (A comedy about humans, a tragedy about plastic). I’m so delighted it can be part of something that not only raises awareness for positive change, but that is artistically brilliant.
I also want to encourage people to create and express themselves, to go for it; as everyone has a dream. This video is about being who you are and making the most of your time on this planet.
I also am curious whether the ‘Time That is Mine’ music video can also get some attention as a project made a with simply an iPhone, because so many music videos have extraordinary budgets these days…I wanted to prove that you can create your vision without having to spend stupid money.
Do you have plans to record a new album?
Yes. The next album release is imminent: I am collaborating with hip-hop mixer and producer Darryl Thorne, who has worked with the likes of Jamiroquai and So Solid Crew. It will be greatly influenced by the themes of going inward, finding a deeper consciousness and inspiring connection and creativity. We also have another rather retro project planned, but it’s very hush, hush!
What is the most interesting venue you have performed at?
Well, I’ve played at some quite obscure places, so off the top of my head:
Singing opera inside a sauna at the ‘Pete the Monkey’ music festival in France to a group of naked, french rugby players!
Entertaining and calming thousands of stressed and exhausted passengers in the departure lounge of Dubai airport, after 36 hours of being kept inside for security reasons.
You are also working on several projects outside of music could you tell us a bit about those?
I am currently shooting the pilot for the sitcom Baggage, co-created with my sister (author and comedy writer Lorelei Mathias), and in which I play the lead role of Sue Fennel, Emotional De-clutter-er & Head of Cling-Ons Self-Storage Unit. Check out the teaser video and follow on Instagram or Facebook
I’m also studying the ancient, vibrational language of Sanskrit in detail at the moment, which combines my passions for meditation, language and sound. If you can catch my next London concert on September 26th at the lavish Leyton Technical you will get to hear my first ventures into mixing Sanskrit vocals, classical guitar and percussive beats through my Boss RC-300 Loop-station!
Here at Artistic Echoes, we are always on the lookout for new artists do you have any to recommend?
I love to catch Gabby Young live for her fusion of craft, circus and opera; and I can really appreciate the multi-identity/home theme and skill behind the compositions and percussive guitar style of Maneli Jamal.
What plans do you have for the rest of the year?
Well, I mentioned my journey with Sanskrit…I am riveted to be composing music using and inspired by the ancient verses of the ‘Mandukya Upanishads’, which are texts in Sanskrit describing the truth of the universe. It’s deep and powerful stuff! Again I’m collaborating with Darryl Thorne; the project has the aim of bringing what might be marginalised as ‘spiritual/new-age music’ to a wider and newer audience.
I also plan record, record and record. I have a lot of material to choose from, which is a good problem to have, but it can be difficult at times to know what to discard. My next single release (currently being produced by Pete Brazier at Vertical Rooms) will be a very entertaining song that is going to have a really fun video, I can’t wait to start that.
I’m also going to travel some more, which always mean writing a load more….!
And I know that more multi-disciplinary, cross-genre projects will appear in the most unexpected places, as they so often do. Whatever I end up doing, as long as I am combining my various passions and stimulating and inspiring people, I’m happy!
Find out more:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/camillamathiasmusic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/camillaCmathias
Website: https://www.camillamathias.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/camillacmathias/
