Joelle Charan
Mit ihrer neuesten Single ‘Forgive Me’, die am 1. September 2023 erschien, verbindet Joelle Charan zeitgenössische Popmusik mit orchestralen Bläsern und indischen Klängen. Der Track erzeugt durch cineastische Harmonien eine märchenhafte Atmosphäre.
Der britische Produzent John Reynolds, der mit Stars wie U2, Brian Eno, Damien Rice und Sinéad O’Connor zusammengearbeitet hat, war für das Remixen und Mastern ihrer neuesten Single und ihres bevorstehenden Albums verantwortlich. Joelle erhielt von Großbritannien bis Brasilien positive Resonanz. Bereits ihre ersten beiden Konzerte in Großbritannien in den Jahren 2022 und 2023 waren ausverkauft. Nachdem sie ihr Studium in Jazzgesang und Klavier am Konservatorium von Amsterdam abgeschlossen hatte, ging Joelle an die New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York, wo sie einen weiteren Schritt in Richtung Perfektion tat.
How did you develop your artistic identity and what kind of influences shaped your music?
My mother is Catholic, my father is Hindu, and I was born and raised in Amsterdam. I was raised in an open-minded home, and I will always admire my parents for that. Neither of them imposed their faith on me. Instead, in our house, the same candle was lit for both beliefs. Mutual respect and empathy existed for each other.
My musical style represents my identity. With it, I strive to contribute to the healing of Indian-Surinamese collective injury. By bringing ancient Indian instruments into a modern context, I hope to introduce more people to my heritage's beautiful sounds, which may be unfamiliar to them. My parents set an incredible example, blending Eastern and Western ideals in our home. By following them, I hope my music can help break the cycle of prejudiced attitudes, which are still too prominent in today's society.
My father is a descendant of indentured labourers from northwest India who worked under Suriname's harsh conditions following the abolition of slavery. They were called 'koelies' by the colonial oppressor: unschooled wage slaves who lived an inhuman existence. Throughout my life, I have been called a 'koelie' by different people I have met. I also faced other forms of discrimination and prejudice. In recent years, I was held in custody at a US airport because I had a “different” surname. I try to respond to these types of discrimination with defiance. I feel empowered by my mixed heritage and religions, and I want to integrate both into my music. It feels very empowering to develop a sound that celebrates who I am, my mixed heritage, and religions. To me, it feels like I'm no longer trapped by the injustices of my family's past. By reclaiming my name and integrating Indian elements into my music, I pay tribute to my roots and feel a sense of freedom to look forward and dream of the future.
The coming album, “Closer”, is a carefully curated collection of songs grounded in a message of forgiveness and empowerment against hate and injustice. With this collection of songs, I want to explore the inner depths of my memories and emotions. Just as I fuse ancient East and modern West in my sound to honour my own truth, I hope to offer a cathartic experience to those who listen to my lyrics, encouraging love and acceptance for yourself and others.
“Forgive me” was arranged, recorded and produced by yourself. What was the hardest part?
The hardest part was the arrangement and orchestration of “Forgive Me”. Finding the sounds that best tell the story and emotions I wanted to express, and interlinking them with the rest of the album to become a fitting part of the whole. “Forgive Me” was co-produced in London with John Reynolds (Sinéad O'Connor, Brian Eno, U2, Damien Dempsey).
I wrote the song in New York under tough circumstances, a long way from home in the aftermath of an argument, seeking forgiveness. The verses have a smooth-jazz feel and the choruses are layered with vocal and instrumental harmonies, leaning towards a new and more experimental direction with an outro provided by French horns.
Forgiveness is the theme of your story. Do you find it easy to forgive others or do you struggle with it?
It depends on how long I’ve known somebody and the issue’s circumstances. Whether I have a deep connection with someone or not. For me, minor incidents are easier to forgive than crimes of the heart.
How do you select the musical elements that best express the mood and atmosphere of each song?
In the last few years, I absorbed many different sounds, from the jazz I heard in New York nightclubs to the classical Indian instruments resonating from my roots, to the magnificent orchestras echoing through European concert halls. I try to blend all these seemingly rigid instruments, these ostensibly scattered colours, depending on which best express the mood and ambience of each song. By doing so, I hope to delight listeners by showing the beauty of unexpected combinations, such as mixing the Eastern tabla with the Western piano.
What are the main steps and challenges of your artistic process when you create a new track?
When realising the vision for my music, I enjoy complete creative control. This gives me total freedom, but doing everything independently is also challenging. I play and experiment with traditional Indian instruments for tracks, arrange the string quartet, write scripts for music videos and photoshoots, and take the lead in the studio. With this control, my music truly feels like my own and something I can be proud of.
When I start songwriting, I envision which instruments I’d like to use in the song, from the string quartet, French horn, and harp to the sitar, bansuri flute and drums. Subsequently, I write vocal and instrumental arrangements. In the last step, I record my parts in the studio: lead and backing vocals, piano and keys.
Also, I lead the session musicians through studio recordings for their parts. I constantly challenge myself by writing something new for every song’s production. In that way, I keep developing my skills. One day, I want to write for a full orchestra, but for now, the sonic images that lift the lyrics on my upcoming album have become my “in-between”.
How do you decide that a song is ready for release?
For me, inspiration comes in sudden bursts: unexpected moments in which a musical or lyrical idea emerges. The most intensive part of songwriting is taking that rough sketch and fine-tuning it until it matures into a song. That can take days, months, or even years. Thus, it takes me a long time to write a new song from start to finish.
Indeed, it took me a couple of years to compose my upcoming album, “Closer”. I aim for the highest quality, so I never rush a song and avoid setting deadlines. I give every bit of my imagination, time and effort to the music and lyrics, hoping each song will become the best version of itself.
Do you have any upcoming live shows that you are looking forward to?
I return to the UK and Europe this autumn for several live performances. Also, I'm organising a 2023/2024 tour, with more dates to be added soon in addition to the ones below.
Tour Dates:
November 5, 2023: Live at Station West, Amsterdam, Netherlands;
April 12, 2024: Live at The Acoustic Lounge, Poynton, United Kingdom;
April 14, 2024: Live at Lincoln Jazz Cafe, Lincoln, United Kingdom.
What are your aspirations and plans for your musical career?
At the moment I’m working on new music. I plan to release the next single in the near future and my debut album, “Closer”, in due time. I love performing and engaging with fans and supporters as much as possible. I look forward to seeing them at my live shows, talking to them and reading their comments online. The greatest thing is to make people happy and touch their lives. That's the reason I make music.
