Criibaby - Clementine (Single) + 10 Questions
“Clementine” is a song about wanting to fall in love again, but giving in to self sabotage and expecting the failures of your last relationship to come back and ruin the next one. The chorus is inspired by one of Criibaby’s favourite movies of all time called Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in which two people fall in love and then undergo a futuristic surgery in order to delete all memories of each other, only to meet and fall in love once again. By the end, they agree that the honeymoon period of infatuation with each other will eventually end, and they will inevitably start to discover things about each other that they don’t like- but that’s just a natural part of human relationships, and it’s worth navigating that in order to find and hold on to deep connections with people we care about. Criibaby say’s: I wrote this song from the perspective of one of the main characters, Clementine, because I struggle with that same concept in new relationships, and worry that eventually I will end up ruining any connections I make once I expose my messy truths, opinions, or life experiences. I have always related to her character as a really emotional, curious, independent, and sometimes erratic person- always searching for connection but afraid of it once I find it.
Criibaby sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:
1. Tell us about your newest release.
My new single called “clementine” drops on 4/8. If you’re into neo soul-influenced vocal melodies, jazz chords, and wide open choruses, I think you might dig this. I’d been listening to a lot of Arlo Parks and Moonchild around the time I wrote this, and also quite a bit of lofi jazz. It’s my first release on Friends of Friends records and I’m stoked to be collaborating with a new producer by the name of Surfer Dave on a series of projects. Our first EP together will be called “Crii,” and it’s set for release on June 3rd. I don’t wanna give away too much, but I will say this: if you appreciate intimate songwriting, interesting chord changes, and lofi-influenced production you might like the new direction we’re headed. I honestly think it’s some of the best music I have ever created and we’re super proud of it. I know it’s been a long wait since my last project, but trust me when I say we’ve been dying to release this stuff.
2. What is “clementine” about?
“Clementine” is a song about wanting to fall in love again, but giving in to self sabotage and expecting the failures of your last relationship to come back and ruin the next one.
I’m a huge fan of this genre of trippy, thought provoking storytelling where you become aware of the fact that you don’t know what’s real or imaginary because you can’t necessarily trust the narrator and you’re not sure when certain plot elements are happening in the wider timeline of the story because it becomes clear that your reference point of the beginning is actually not the beginning at all, but just somewhere in the process of someone’s life. I think this style of storytelling appeals to me because there’s so much truth in it- you never meet someone truly at their beginning or at their end, they’re just somewhere, wherever they’re at. Processing and working through trauma and the baggage and perceptions of self that we bring into new relationships as we continue digging into our deeper truths doesn’t happen in a predictable or organised way- progress is not linear. In a sense my entire upcoming EP is inspired by that way of thinking and storytelling: crii is an exploration of love and human relationships in a nonlinear form that asks, is it better to have loved and lost, or never love at all?
3. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?
I’ve been singing and writing songs since I was a toddler. Just ask my mom- she’s got the VHS home video tapes to prove it.
4. Some songs seem to stick with us in a really special way, even years after their release. What’s a song or album you keep coming back to?
Anything off of Thom Yorke’s The Eraser- it came out when I was in like sixth grade and I’ve loved it ever since. I showed it to my producer Surfer Dave for the first time this year and it was sort of an “aha” moment- he was like oh, yep. This makes a lot of sense. And he’s right- Thom’s brand of delicate songwriting sunk in deep, not only do I still love listening to this project but he remains a big influence of mine.
5. How would you describe your songwriting process?
I’ve been writing songs as a way to process my emotions for as long as I can remember. I have fought with anxiety and depression for years, and sometimes I spiral pretty hard. When the familiar voices of self doubt and distrust start to get loud in my head, I release those thoughts through my stream of consciousness style of songwriting. When I think about these emotions, I strip away everything that ties them to my personal experience- there are no names, no genders, no descriptors, only the feelings, only the bare truths. It’s like a kind of introspective escapism. It feels pretty intimate listening back, but also distant at the same time- I really lose myself in it. Sometimes I don’t even know that I’m having a hard time with something until I’m listening back to a song I’ve just written. Songwriting is my way to look deeper within myself and work through things- music enables me to find strength in my vulnerability. And it's crazy fulfilling: sometimes I get so lost in creating, hours and hours will have gone by and I'll realise I haven't eaten anything all day or taken a break to check my phone. Most days, I'll go to the studio when it's light out and leave when it's pitch black. I can’t always get there in a session, but when I allow myself to relax and access that space, it’s where my most intimate lyrics come from.
6. What's your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?
By writing intentionally inclusive, gender neutral lyrics, my music reaches beyond the confines of gender and sexual orientation to show LGBTQ+ people that they are valid- and they have the right to live their truth. One fan’s letter to me tells this story better than I ever could… As a queer woman with unaccepting parents, she had developed pretty severe depression and anxiety, and when her therapist suggested she try to make playlists she said it helped her so much- in her words, the music kept her alive. Knowing how impactful my art was on her life is unbelievably meaningful to me.
7. Are there any artists on your radar at the moment that we should check out?
My producer’s friend called Somni put me on to a Canadian group I’m really digging right now called Afternoon Bike Ride- their stuff is so dreamy. They’ve got this perfect blend of really pretty vocal melodies and lofi production. I feel like there’s a nice parallel with what we’re both doing, especially when I think about my upcoming project. We’re both kind of reimagining the lofi aesthetic, and I would love to write something with them or do a show together at some point.
8. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different sounds. Try new things. Remix old things. You are allowed to (and should!) evolve over time. Ask questions. Ask for help. Everyone has impostor syndrome. Don’t let that stop you from doing the thing. Last year, a group of my artist friends came together to build a makers space out of a converted warehouse in Berkeley, CA. Through a lot of hard work and collective dreaming, the 10 of us turned a gutted construction supply warehouse into two music studios, a photography studio, an outdoor performance area, and a retail storefront. Finding this kind of freely malleable artist-friendly space is pretty hard to come by when you’re renting on a budget in the Bay Area, so it showed me that anything is possible if there are enough people collectively determined to make art happen. Being part of a community of creatives making interesting art really helps me recharge my batteries when I’m feeling stuck on something. Constantly hearing innovative new ideas and getting immersed in other people’s creative process keeps my ears open and fresh as I work toward creating my first fully structured LP.
9. What albums are on heavy rotation on your Spotify playlist currently?
A producer I really dig called Kiefer released a new album a few months ago. And yes, there is a song called crybaby, but I think my favourite tracks are actually “with you where you are,” “when there’s love around” and “curly.” The vocal harmonies in “with you where you are” remind me of some of the vocal jazz arrangements I learned years ago when I was performing at competitive jazz festivals, and it’s a really lush, gorgeous track. Shout out to Erin Bentlage who wrote and performed these harmonies- it’s insane how it came together. But I also have to mention the new Mndsgn album that came out last summer. Thanks to producer Gregory David for putting me on to this record- and stay tuned for some collabs from Greg and I!
10. Name Three things you can't live without when in the studio?
Number one: a solid mic- I typically use a Warm Audio WA-251 or Audio-Technica 4050, and sometimes a Slate Digital VMS ML-1. Number two: Audio-Technica ATH-M50x headphones (in black, but I’m DYING for the purple ones, please sponsor me Audio Technica!) Third: Ricola lemon cough drops and Throat Coat tea are tied for number 3 on my must-have list!