First Up with RBCxMusic Features Black Canadian Talent
Born and raised in Cameroon, now based in Richelieu, QC, Clerel was strongly influenced by his parent’s record collection as a child, the music he makes now is reminiscent of the ’60s and ’70s. Clerel is passionate about giving back to his community and he supports youth that aspire to be musicians.
Care to introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Clerel, and I am a Cameroon-born, Montreal-based Singer and Songwriter.
Tell us a bit about your most recent release.
“Rainbow” is about savouring the joy that you receive from the happy moments in life. Allowing yourself to fully embrace that happiness, fleeting though it may be. I worked on it with my friend Nick Tateishi, with whom I teamed up again for my next song called « Lemon Water » featuring Zach Zoya which is dropping on October 20.
Where do you tend to pull inspiration from when writing?
Insistent thoughts, emotions I can’t seem to get away from, movie scenes, but mostly songs that I love.
Do you have any upcoming shows you’d like to tell us about?
I’ve been on the road supporting Noah Reid on his « Everything’s Fine » Tour. We’re playing in Australia next week (Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth), and have a few dates in the US coming up as well starting October 10 in LA. Closer to home I’ll be opening for Matt Holubowski in Montreal (Oct 20) Quebec City (Oct 21), St Casimir (Dec 15), and Verchères (Dec 16).
Congratulations on being a Featured Artist in the First Up with RBCxMusic program! Can you tell us a little bit about the program?
Thank you. First Up with RBCxMusic provides emerging Canadian music acts with access to tools, resources, and opportunities to grow their careers. There’s more to existing in the music industry than just making music, and this program seeks to help bridge the knowledge and networking gaps many of us encounter on our journey.
What are some benefits you’ve taken advantage of through the program?
In my time in the program, it’s been a privilege to learn from individuals with expertise in domains ranging from entertainment law to PR and beyond. Through various performance opportunities, I’ve also been able to present my work to audiences that may not have otherwise been exposed to it. The most meaningful takeaway, however, is the chance to connect with talented like-minded artists from all over the country.
What’s your goal for 2023?
Make and play beautiful music all over the world to new audiences.