Project Description

Interview with

CAMILLE TRAIL

Interviewer – Dave Bruce

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Camille Trail is a young woman with the heart of Australian rural life flowing through her veins. Camille began playing the piano at eight years old and was quick to take to writing her own songs, listening to the sounds of Norah Jones, Shane Nicholson and Kacey Chambers. Graduating in April 2019 from JMC Academy in Brisbane with a Bachelor of Music, Camille is released her debut single ‘Humming Chain’ on July 22. The encompassing debut album ‘Devil’s Drink’ is scheduled for release this year and was recorded with Shane Nicholson at Sound Hole Productions.

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How did it all begin? Where did you develop your interest in performing music?
I began playing the piano when I was 8 years old and was always singing around the house, I really loved to sing. I was constantly getting told by my parents to hurry up and get out of the shower because while I was singing, I was using far too much water. I start writing songs when I was 12 just for fun but my passion for performing really developed when I went to high school. I joined all the musical groups and did as many gigs as I could and took every performing opportunity that I was given. I think it definitely began with my weekly piano lessons and really amped up when I went to high school at Rockhampton Girls Grammar School where I was completely surrounded by music and decided I wanted to pursue this as a career.

What kind of music did you grow up on? Which artists inspired you?
I grew up with mostly 50s to 80s music listening to the likes of Creedence Clear Water Revival, Fleetwood Mac, Alan Jackson, Cold Chisel, etc. I also grew up listening to blues artists like Norah Jones. My parents had a really wide range of music that they listened to and appreciated – we even listened to South African music like Lady Blacksmith Mambazo.
Fleetwood Mac is definitely one of the biggest inspirations to me and would have to be my favourite artist! I also grew up listening to a lot of Shane Nicholson and Kasey Chambers and they were both huge influences.

What makes you unique? What is it that you think fans resonate with?
I would like to think I’m a humble and down-to-earth person and I sing country/folk/blues music. I was born and raised on a cattle property and still work on that cattle property, so I can relate and resonate with country music fans because I am actually from the country. I also think by playing in the rural areas that I do, that don’t usually get much live music also makes me unique. 

You just released your debut single and video “Humming Chain”. Can you describe its origin and evolution?
I was studying at JMC Academy in Brisbane when I wrote the song and I had just been listening to Billie Holiday’s song “Strange Fruit” and I was so touched by how confronting it was and I thought to myself – I want to write a song like that, that is actually about something, and something that needs to be talked about. The song just came out really easily – it was one of those songs that just flowed out straight away. I wrote it late at night, which is when I’m most inspired, and I think I wrote the entire song in about an hour.

I really enjoyed the video. Simple but very effective. How did you decide to shoot it that way? 
Thank you so much, I’m so glad you liked the video! I am not a fan of big glitzy showy things, I like the more raw and intimate things because they feel real. The message in ‘Humming Chain’ is very confronting and powerful so I didn’t want the video to take away from that. When Jonathan from Scape Visuals and I were planning the video, we were very much on the same page about making sure the video complimented the song. Jonathan came up with the concept of the chain and hanging it on the tree and I just loved everything that it represented so we focused on the story rather than any of the flashy shiny bits.

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You have done well with your debut Camille. Congratulations. You must feel many emotions, relief that it is finished, concern that it gets accepted well. How was the whole experience for you?
Thank you very much. There has definitely been a huge flood of emotions, it’s been a rollercoaster really. I’ve been trying not to put too much pressure on myself since it is my first release, but I’m so stoked with how it’s been going and how well received it has been. I was so nervous that people wouldn’t like it – but at the same time I am really proud of it and I’m so glad that people are loving it. Obviously with a debut single this is all completely new to me, so I have felt a little overwhelmed at times, but I am loving the journey and learning so much. I’m so grateful as well to everyone who has bought the song and shared it around.

Is there an EP or Album on the drawing board?
There is an album coming later this year that was also produced by Shane Nicholson. It will follow a second single and I’m really excited about releasing the album especially. I guess the album is what I’ve been working up to for 20 years and it’s really a timeline of my life so far and all of my experiences so I’m really excited (slightly terrified) to share that with the world. I hope people like it – but I am so proud of the album and I love it so I am sure other people will too.

What shows, tours, festivals do you have coming up?
I am supporting Sam Buckingham’s “Real Life Tour” on the 4thOctober at The Junk Bar in Brisbane. Last year in 2018 I opened for Sam Buckingham and Timothy James Bowen’s show at the West End Sessions and I fell in love with both of their music and have become friends with Sam since (she is such a beautiful person) and was stoked when she asked me to play at her show in Brissy!

If you could pick absolutely anyone to bring on tour with you, whom would you pick and why? (Dead or Alive)
Ooh this is a very hard question, but I think I would have to go with Bob Dylan. He is one of my favourite songwriters of ALL time and I would just love to hear all of his stories and I actually really love his voice. It’s so unique and the way he can tell a story is incredible so definitely Bob Dylan.

What are your major goals or milestones for the future? 
One of my biggest goals in the future is to play at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville – that would be a dream come true! To get inducted would be even more amazing so I’m aiming very high JMy main goal is to have music be my one and only career and to be able to do it every single day for the rest of my life, because then I will never have to do a day’s work!

Finally, a few questions for some quick answers –
FAVOURITE:
Album –‘Rumours’ by Fleetwood Mac
Artist –Fleetwood Mac
Movie – How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days
Place to visit –Byron Bay
Venue to play –The West End Sessions (held at a Church in West End Brisbane)
Food – Lasagne
Drink –Beer!
Person in History – William Shakespeare
Tattoo – (If you don’t have one, what would you get?) I don’t have a tattoo but if I had to get one, I think I would get a little moon crescent.

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BUY ‘HUMMING CHAIN’ HERE

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Check out CAMILLE TRAIL below
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AMNPLIFY – DB