Q: I absolutely love this track! Not only is the song alone beautiful, but the message behind it is amazing. What do you hope listeners take from listening to “The Nature of Light”?
Celestial North: I guess the song is just about being brave and following your own path. Get away from your computer/work/phone- go outside. As often as you can. Appreciate nature and take a moment to listen to the wisdom she can offer us.
Q: Your daughter Iris Bluebell is featured on this track, what was that like for you? Does she have the music bug in her?
Celestial North: I have three children, Rowan, Elvie and Iris. They are all quite musical, but self-taught, which I find is often the best way for thinking outside the box when it comes to writing or performing music. Iris does sing a lot! She was at home with covid the week I was recording and so we thought ‘let’s turn this horrible situation into something fun and record us both singing my song’. It was good fun, I’d definitely like to do it again. They are my biggest inspiration.
Q: Your voice is beautiful! Do you remember what first got you into music?
Celestial North: Thank you. It’s funny because I definitely don’t feel like I’ve got a good voice compared to all the amazing singers out there. I’ve had to overcome a major shyness to sing in front of people. I wouldn’t even sing to myself as a teenager. I used to play guitar in bands, I would always hide in the shadows. Then when I had kids I felt like well if I can look after 2 toddlers and a baby simultaneously then I can do anything! I felt invincible. I just stopped giving a f*** about what people think. Life’s far too short. My dad lives in Brazil now but I was grateful for his musical influence growing up. He was a big Bowie and Spanish guitar/flamenco fan and would play these songs to me constantly as a very young child. One of my fondest memories is puting on the record of David Bowie narrating ‘Peter and the Wolf’ with the Philadelphia Orchestra. I absolutely loved listening to that.
Q: “The Nature of Light” has such an uplifting feeling that is so captivating! What was your creative process in making, “The Nature of Light”?
Celestial North: A lot of my songs end up sounding really uplifting and euphoric by accident. I think maybe I am trying send myself little messages via my own songs! I kind of flit between extreme optimism and extreme pessimism. But I try to push myself to have an optimistic outlook otherwise what’s the point? I believe you get back what you give. Originally this song had really heavy guitars and drums on it. I was in the process of writing my album and it was all getting very heavy sounding and I didn’t really enjoy the sound that much so I completely reworked a lot of my songs. For the better I think but that’s why recording my album has taken so long. I was gifted lots of lovely instruments during lockdown- bodhrans, a dulcimer, a piano so it’s been fun making music with instruments that I’m new to playing.
Q: If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be?
Celestial North: Einar Selvik or Lindy-Fae Hella from the band Wardruna. They are just so ethereal, otherworldly and really talented musicians/vocalists. Or Björk, just, well just because she is amazing.
Q: Was there a pivotal moment in your life when you decided to follow your path as a musician?
Celestial North: I’m not sure. I’ve always loved music since being little. I’ve always played instruments. I played in bands throughout the years but had kids quite young and so creating and playing music was on the back burner for a number of years. My kids are a bit older now and I could feel a little fire in my belly to start writing again. My husband Woody is the drummer in the rock band Sea Power so I was very lucky to have his help and feel so happy to co-record and co-produce with him as we are similar in our outlook and style musically. Navigating the music industry as an emerging artist with a young family isn’t for the faint hearted though and I’m grateful for his support and encouragement.
Q: I know “The Nature of Light” was inspired by your studies as an herbalist, can you describe your inspiration a little more for me?
Celestial North: Well I am studying to be a Medical Herbalist at the moment, so that’s where I draw a lot of inspiration from -being outdoors, working with the plants, being fed pockets of wisdom daily from other Herbalists in books and videos and lectures. I learned about The Light of Nature from one of my herbal teachers. It was a concept coined by the physician, philosopher and alchemist Paracelsus back in the 1500s. It was a term used to describe innate knowledge imbued within us all and accessed through intimate, synergistic and intuitive relationships within our natural kingdoms. He said the best knowledge was gathered from old wives, gypsies, sorcerers, wandering tribes… I agree! But i am inspired by lots of different things. I am especially interested in our relationship with the world around us, spiritually and physically. Music gives you a vehicle to share your inspiration and influences with other like minded people and that’s a nice feeling.
Q: What’s next for you? Touring? New releases?
Celestial North: I will release another single before my album release in autumn this year. Hopefully I will tour it too. I come from a long line of travelers and I’d love to just get a wagon and travel around towns and cities playing gigs! Watch this space…
Interviewed by Melissa Cusano
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