Born in Hong Kong with inspirations ranging from names like D’Angelo, Amy Winehouse and Radiohead, 21 year-old Cehryl is fresh like a new shoot on a spring day in terms of her musical journey.
It’s evident however that her young age is not an apt signifier of her talent and any notions of some unseasoned singer pushing out a series of mediocre but promising bits of material would probably not be a true reflection. Her current material already shows a talented artist- her soundcloud showing a depth with degrees of experimentation punctuated by rnb type sounds right through to tracks with more of a folk, down tempo edge.
So, with our evident bias for Cehryl we thought why not get some time to talk with her …it’s like an introducing type piece?
Cehryl and music
I’m very drawn to processes that allow me to reiterate my world and my stories (fictional and non-fictional) through arranging some sort of tangible/visual/artistic piece…in other words, any kind of creative process. In terms of music…….the aspect of making something from nothing, the aspect of communicating something that can be felt with your eyes closed. I just want to put my heart and mind on paper, in song, on a sound recording-it reassures me that I’m existing, that I’m real, that my dramatic romanticism is worth something.
Musical progression
My production skills were minimal initially and I listened to singer-songwriters almost exclusively. For example, Silver Lining (an old song I have up on Youtube). I was very into the folk/indie-pop singer-songwriter “movement” around 5 years ago, and so my songs were very much like that. Genesis and Kaleidoscope Lungs are more electronic-sounding. I slowly got more into R&B, hip-hop and electronic music, which definitely broadened my sonic palette. Naturally my songwriting/arrangements mimicked the sounds and song structures of my monthly playlists. I also got into more beat-based/loop-based songs (for example, Don’t Wake Me, or Just Another) as opposed to straight songs.
Forthcoming musical output
I have taken quite a few top lining projects: a producer would send me a beat and I’d just write a standard verse-chorus song over it. Sometimes I’d discuss the production with the producer but mostly I’d just take care of the writing and the vocals and the vocal arrangement/production. It’s a pretty easy job for me. I don’t really think of these songs as songs under “Cehryl” the artist… I think of myself in these projects as the songwriter mainly. Ultimately, I’ll be releasing collaborative projects and singles for now with no plans for another ep as yet.
If Cehryl was a book it would be………
By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept (1945), by Elizabeth Smart because it’s dramatic (very extra), romantic, passionate, impulsive, obsessive, eloquent.