Q&A: Christabel

If you haven’t already seen Auckland-based artist & rising star Christabel being crowned the winner of TVNZ’s “Popstars”, then we can guarantee you’ll definitely be seeing & hearing a lot more of her now! Known for her strikingly mature sound and vulnerably raw lyrics, she’s had massive success with her single “If You Ain't Looking” which hit #1 on the Hot NZ Singles Charts and she’s just released her latest staggering beautiful song “Ankle Deep”.

We’d love to know a little bit about your musical journey so far from when you first started singing and making music!

Since day dot I’ve always enjoyed writing; books, poems, letters - my Mum used to say I should be a journalist, but my true passion was singing. As I got older I put two and two together, and started writing songs! I wrote my first song at age six, my Dad kept it in a folder and still has it! I realised how much I loved performing when I joined in a talent show in year six camp, it was the first time I ever performed in front of people, and I’d told nobody I was going to do it. I guess it’s the first thing I ever felt independent with, which was a huge turning point for me. 

I started writing songs regularly when I hit intermediate, when feelings and emotions became more profound, I guess. I got so into it, and with school being personal hell, I knew I wanted to leave and pursue my music career to its full capacity.

I left school at age sixteen and went in and out of hospitality jobs (I was not a great waitress okay! ha!) and eventually found myself in Mangawhai where I met two funky dudes who were keen on starting a band. I moved up there into a caravan at seventeen to be with them and make music. Sad to say the band broke up a year into it because, well, all three of us were front men, and you might guess how that would go! We’re still mates to this day though!

I stayed in Mangawhai for about two years, experienced lots of adventure, relationships and friendships which have inspired lots of my music. I moved back down to Auckland when COVID-19 hit, released a very experimental EP, and then next thing I know, I’m on a television show! 

HUGE congrats on winning TVNZ's “Popstars” - such an incredible accomplishment! What was it like being on the show, and what was your most memorable experience from it?

Thank you so much! It was a ride, that’s for sure! I honestly didn’t think much about what I was getting myself into when I signed up, but it was totally worth every moment, high or low. Popstars educated me well; the mentorship, the peers around me, there was always so much to learn from our experiences! 

My most memorable moment would have to be the crowd singing “If You Ain’t Looking”, back to me on the night of the finale. It was like, a reassurance, that this is totally what I’m supposed to be doing!

We’re obsessed with “If You Ain’t Looking” - such a high energy song showcasing your powerfully stunning vocals! Can you tell us a bit about the concept of this track?

I wanted my final song to be about the part of my story that people didn’t know much about, and the fact that it was like, this craaazy full circle moment even being in that position. When I came back to Auckland during COVID-19, there was only one thing on my mind. 

I’d just spent most of my lockdown in my Mangawhai home with my flatmate “Uncle Rich” and his lovely friend Gail who had come over from the UK and been stuck here in the first Level 4 lockdown. (they’re both in their 50’s but honestly the most fun I’ve ever had!). I chatted to her a lot about how much I wanted to go over to the UK; half of my family lives over there and I wanted to chase my musical dreams in a bigger setting. She offered me her place to stay and so I spent the whole year saving up to go over to the UK. 

I’d bought my one way ticket, had my British passport all ready, set a date, but then in September, I made the difficult decision not to go. I was so upset, and to be honest I didn’t really know why I didn’t do it - call it intuition I guess, and some worry of catching COVID-19. But now, I’m so glad I listened to my gut feeling! I wouldn’t have been able to go through Popstars, or meet certain people in my life. Butterfly effect? I’d think so. There is lots of travel plans ahead for LA and UK, Europe, everywhere! I want to see the world!

Plus, we absolutely love your latest single “Ankle Deep”! Can you tell us about what inspired you to write this track and the meaning behind it?

I am so glad you’re enjoying it! It was so odd to me seeing so many comments about people really wanting the song to be released. I wrote it mid last year about previously not being able to leave an abusive relationship. I sang it so much it became so normal to me, so it was really weird to see all this hype about it, to be completely honest! Like, sometimes I would ask myself, is it really that good? 

But I guess this is one of the many reasons why I love my job. I’m living my true passion, and it feels like real freedom. Being able to relate to others and touch their lives with music, just as others have touched mine is such an incredible feeling. I’m so grateful!

What was your favourite part about working on “Ankle Deep”?

You know, I would definitely say that working on the instrumental backing to it was so much fun. I had my guitarist Sabastian in the room with Nic Manders and I, and we were layering in sounds and riffs and cool little licks. I was in my zone! But I felt like it needed some sort of symphonic feel to it. I told Nic, STRINGS!  It just so happened that Claire Cowan - who is an incredible composer and composer of BENEE’s orchestra show - was in the room right next to us. She kindly popped in and played some beautiful cello on top of the track. The part where I sing down, down down, down down… with lots of downs, there’s a bit that we named “The Sea Shanty”. It emphasised the ship sinking. Fun fact, when I first wrote it, before it was called “Ankle Deep”, it was called “Titanic”!

Incredible! Do you have more new music on the way soon?  👀

I dooooooooo! So much good stuff. I won’t give tooooo much away, but there’s this one I worked on with Joe Faris (also produced “If You Ain’t Looking” with me) and Ash Wallace from Foley! It’s called “Jealouz”. Such a funky bop! And another one called “Someone Else” which I will work with Nic Manders again. There’s so many more, but I’ll leave it at that for now...

That’s so exciting! Who are your biggest inspirations in music?

Honestly I always struggle to answer this because there are so many!  It always comes down to the ones I listened to as a kid, though. Dad had this one playlist which he would play all the time, and it was all different kinds of music. Bob Dylan, Eva Cassidy, Neil Diamond, Eric Clapton, Bill Withers, Pink Floyd, ah the list goes on.

Lady Gaga’s “Joanne” album was huge for me, all of The 1975, and John Mayer are my more recent influences. You also can’t forget Duffy’s “Warwick Avenue” album and just about anything by Amy Winehouse!

Who are some of your favourite NZ artists right now and are there any songs in particular that you love or connect with?

I’ve been loving 0800 lately! Their song “Coupe” is an absolute chuuuune, and I’m an avid Molly Payton fan. Everything by her is the bee’s knees! “Honey” is my go-to cry song. 

Also, since getting in touch with this queen on Popstars, Kimbra! That woman can truly command the room. I can’t wait for her new album to be out!

What do you love most about living in New Zealand? Do you have any favourite places to travel to or local spots to visit?

I will always have a true love for Opononi! It’s my family’s favourite camping spot. I have been going there since I was a lil one! On God, the best sunsets I have ever laid my eyes on. 

What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learnt in your career so far?

That you gotta trust the damn process! I used to (and can still sometimes) stress so much about things. But honestly as long as you’re doing what you love doing, that’s all that matters. You’re as good as you feel. Keeping a level head was hard with the stress of TV cameras everywhere and the fear of going home, but I apply how I learned to deal with that to my everyday life now. You don’t have to worry about people’s opinions because we all have them. You can’t stop opinions, you can only curate your own. I think that knowing that your life will unfold how it’s supposed to, helps me. 

Lastly, if you could say one thing to every person in the world, what would it be?

I think it would still be, trust the process! I can’t stress it enough. Macklemore once said “Whatever God you believe in, we come from the same one” and it stuck with me. You don’t have to be religious or whatever, but everything happens for a reason. So, don’t question why, just ask; what’s next? xx

Thanks so much Christabel! Make sure you keep up with her on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify or Apple Music.