The French don't say goodbye, they say 'au revoir' – until we meet again. Having made her Australian live debut earlier this year, French electronic musician CloZee prepares for her 2020 return.
Specialising in her own brand of EDM dubbed 'world bass', CloZee (Chloé Herry) played her first-ever Australian live shows as part of the 2019 Earth Frequency Festival (EFF). In 2020, she's coming back to EFF with all-new music and a brand-new live experience.
We first spoke to CloZee at the end of 2018 when she had just released her debut album 'Evasion' and she was yet to walk on our shores. Now, we catch up with CloZee to talk about her first Australian sojourn, what she's hoping for the next and all that's happened in-between.
When we last spoke at the end of last year, you were about to make your Australian live debut at Earth Frequency Festival. How did you enjoy that experience?
I had an awesome time. I love the family, intimate and positive atmosphere of Earth Frequency Festival. The production and line-up were also topnotch. I’m super stoked to be back.
What were some of your most powerful impressions of Australian dance crowds from that performance?
I loved the fact it was an all-ages crowd.
Having played EFF once already, what are you expecting this time around? Another epic dance party. Do you have any special plans for your upcoming EFF set?
Definitely a lot of new tunes, by the time it’s gonna happen, as it’s in six months. I haven’t really dived into the set list and show yet though.
How have you changed/ developed as a person and musician since you were here?
2019 is a big transition year, on a personal and artist level. Only for the good. But I’ve been pretty preoccupied, and I’m looking forward to being focussed on music only again. Lots of good things happened for the project since EFF, after I played some major festivals (Coachella, Lollapalooza, Dour etc.) and the CloZee team is growing. It’s exciting.
What's been keeping you busy in 2019?
Touring, mostly, and working on my new album, forthcoming in 2020.
This year also saw the release of the fourth EP from CloZinger, your collab with Scarfinger; how does your work in CloZinger differ to what you produce as CloZee?
Making music with your best friend is awesome. He’s more from the hip hop culture, and the heavy bass music, and that’s what gives the CloZinger tunes those electro, hip hop vibes, and I’m bringing the storytelling aspect, melodic and organic twist.
I love the dynamic of both our worlds, when we're in the same room sharing ideas. We have so much fun. We usually make a song in one night, we’re very much in sync.
Recently, you were the first woman to headline Washington's Summer Meltdown festival since 2000; what does that say to you about how women in EDM are treated and perceived?
That doesn’t really surprise me. I don't think it has to do with how women are treated. There is maybe five per cent of female music producers in this industry. A lot of them are really successful and are having a great career.
I wish there were more women, but music has nothing to do with gender. It’s OK to admit that women are less interested in being geeks behind computers than men, and that’s why there aren't so many EDM female producers. Electronic music is A LOT of geeking, sometimes more programming than actual music.
You're said to be working on a new album, hopefully for release in 2020; what can we expect from this record, and how may it compare/ contrast to your 'Evasion' record?
I’m currently still working on it, around 40 per cent done. It’s a bit early to talk about it, but every album I write is the soundtrack of a part of my life, so this is how it will contrast to ‘Evasion’ and all the other ones.
