Elle Celeste recently unveiled her debut solo album, Call on Me
Calgary, AB-based singer-songwriter Elle Celeste released her album, Call on Me on September 9, 2022.
Elle wrote all of the material herself for Call On Me, except for the closing track, “Big Mistake,” which was contributed by her friend Bryce Janssens of Vancouver band The Fine Options. Beginning with the soaring title track that pays tribute to colleagues lost to addiction, Elle pulls no punches in addressing relationships with her family (“Blue Moon”), her own sexuality (“Lorianne”), and her struggle with ADHD (“Back Again”).
The notion of loving another person gets especially complicated in the song “Love Is A Red Dress,” based on Elle’s original poem.
“It’s about a woman at an upscale cocktail party in a penthouse suite,” she describes. “She has spent her paycheque on a red cocktail dress specifically to catch the attention of the person with whom she is infatuated. She watches her muse throughout the evening, imagining stories in her mind of their shared passion. She never approaches them and leaves the party at the end of the evening, not unhappy. She enjoys the feeling of being in love without the fear of rejection.”
Elle also gives a nod to one of her favourite movies, Blade Runner, on the song “So Few,” of which she says,
“I enjoy the gloom and dread in the film and the feeling that everyone is just existing, not living. Every character seems depressed. Vangelis does an incredible job on the score. I tried to emulate his synth tone in the intro to ‘So Few.’”
In all, Call On Me provides a dramatic first impression of a dynamic new voice on the Canadian independent music scene. With an ear trained to the past but with her eyes firmly set on the future, Elle Celeste is an artist with unlimited potential.
“I feel I’ve matured in almost every way making this record,” she says. “It’s motivated me to keep looking for ways to connect my experiences and song concepts with audiences.”
Listen to Call on Me below, and learn more about Elle Celeste via our 10-question interview.
First off, care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Hello Humans, I am Elle Celeste. I am a musician and artist from Alberta, Canada. My debut album, Call on Me, came out in mid-September, and so far, people like it! I am also a full-time student and love playing around outside.
You have recently unveiled your debut solo album, Call On Me. What can you tell us about the writing process behind the album?
I wanted to combine electronic aspects, hip-hop percussion, and stacked soul-like backup vocals with singer-songwriter lyrical content. I really wanted to throw all my musical inspirations into this record to see what it would sound like. I hoped that this record would inspire me to write my next, which it did.
You have shared three singles from the album, “So Few,” “Call On Me,” and “Big Mistake.” How do you go about choosing which tracks should be singles?
Releasing Call on Me was a no-brainer because it is the title track and definitely showcases what I was trying to accomplish with this record (combining different sonic genres). So Few is the spacey jam on the record, and I wanted to show the record’s diversity with a second release that was different from the first. I honestly didn’t think anyone was going to like it. But I like it because it reminds me of Blade Runner. Big Mistake is the chill, most stripped-down song on the record. Again, I wanted to show the range of this record. Although none of the songs on the record sound the same, and I’m proud of that.
Back in March, you released a music video for “Call On Me.” What was the highlight of the video shoot?
If you haven’t seen it, the video is of a drug-induced dream sequence starring me and two puppets depicting Amy Winehouse and Janis Joplin. I had the puppets made specifically for this music video. I think the highlight of the video shoot was interacting with the puppets and puppeteers and getting a bit weird. I think getting weird might be one of my favourite things to do.
Can we expect a music video for your latest single, “Big Mistake”?
When can you expect a video for Big Mistake? Hmmm…. Whenever I have time and resources to film it. This industry is expensive! I don’t think I’m playing by the rules by saying this, but I might release a video for this song a month from now or a year from now. So stay tuned. Forever.
If you could collaborate with any Canadian artist, who would you choose, and why?
I would love to collaborate with Feist. I think she can do anything. I’ve been a fan for a long time, and I have really loved listening to her push the boundaries of her sound. Her live show is also incredible. If you ever have a chance to see her, do it. I think she and I could come up with something unique but still accessible. I’d love to have her take lead vocals, and I would hauntingly echo her with vocal stacks. I would support her percussive lead guitar style with steady organ tones. Also, fun fact, Feist is also from Calgary!
While the Pandemic was taking over our lives, how did you stay up to date with your fans?
Oh no. I don’t think I did, to be honest. I performed a couple of live stream shows, but other than those, I think I ghosted the world. That was a tough time to be a performing artist. I did write a lot and worked on producing different sounds. But I don’t think I really engaged as much as I should have.
What is your favourite thing about the music scene in Calgary, AB?
My favourite aspect of the Calgary music scene is that I find everyone very friendly and supportive. Even people who have been in bands that aren’t active anymore are still an integral part of the scene. There is also a lot of local support through radio stations CKUA and CJSW, as well as the Calgary Folk Festival and Block Heater. I really do feel lucky to be a part of the warm music community that exists in Calgary. There are some very special and beautiful people there.
What is your go-to karaoke song?
Total Eclipse of the Heart, with as many F-words as I can fit in.
What can we expect from you for the remainder of 2022?
The remainder of 2022? I feel like there are only a few minutes left this year. I’d like to put out a few more self-produced short social media teaser videos. I am also in the process of writing two more records, as well as being in school full-time. So we will see!
Connect with Elle Celeste:
Website
Bandcamp
Facebook
Instagram
TikTok