Montreal-based alt-pop artist Claudia Bouvette bids you a warm welcome to her transfixing sonic world. Stepping into this realm, listeners will discover vibrancy and earnest moments. She now introduces another side of herself in the form of “Don’t Like It,” the second single off her debut EP Cool It.
The new single arrives with an accompanying music video directed by 27-year-old Montreal talent Caraz (L’Oréal, Lady Speed Stick), who’s known for portraying women as powerful, seductive beings, without having them look oversexualized. It was shot in Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, Quebec at a village near the Saint Laurent river by emerging Montreal DOP Derek Branscombe, whose experimental work has been featured at festivals like Cannes and Tribeca. Exposing breathtaking imagery with icy, blue-tinted cinematography, the shaky, on-the-run camera work provides the visual clip with a sense of boundless zest and immersion.
“Don’t Like It” is a mid-tempo, bedroom-pop style track linking Claudia’s saccharine vocals, sophisticated songwriting, and 80’s synth-pop inflections. There’s an examination of love and lust while Claudia’s reclaims self-empowerment in the process. Her self-assured vocals are layered on top of richly, honeyed electro-pop arrangements. “Don’t Like It” is a testament to a former lover as she escapes a tumultuous relationship only to break through to see daylight once again.
Claudia shares this of “Don’t Like It”: “Stemming from a late night Skype jam, we wanted to hit a vibe that blended the grunge UK drum ‘n’ bass rhythms with the 90’s analog synth sounds. I felt the universe constantly giving me signs to stick through the relationship I was in at the time, but I knew it was toxic and wearing me down. ‘Don’t Like It’ is my F%^& OFF song that found me in the exact moment where I built the courage to finally push away from the unhealthy relationship. It’s about self-comfort and that moment where you tell your lover ‘I’m out’.”
“Claudia’s voice is a singular one and especially shines on the EP title track, “Cool It”, also her debut single which has gained praise from COMPLEX UK, The Line of Best Fit, EARMILK, and others, as well as over 275k streams on Spotify. “Cool It” expresses how when difficulties seize your best, take a moment to collect yourself and find your symmetry. The accompanying music video was shot in Quebec and directed by Sebastien Duguay and depicts Claudia alone in her different spaces to convey that taking control of your own narrative is an empowering moment about only you and no one else.
The rest of the Cool It EP flows with poise, confidence, and deep curiosity. Inspired by big synth leads from the likes of James Blake and Future Islands, “Back To Life” exposes Claudia’s aplomb for enthralling rhythmic changes. The song embodies an idea where second chances don’t always prosper fruitfully. “Found Lust In The Dark” is a hypnotic and experimental endeavor arriving somewhere between downcast R&B and synth-pop. It tackles obsession and desire and the things they make you do. “Hush” is a powerfully evocative effort, exploring richer sonic melodies within Claudia’s universe of alt-pop and hip-hop. Lyrically the most aggressive track off the EP, “Hush” is propelled by personal angst and treachery caused by a former lover and that moment when the spark has failed.
“Rough Zone” is an eclectic display of Claudia’s exceptional artistry and her whispery falsetto. A sonic shape-shifter, Claudia is unfiltered in “Rough Zone” as she sings about losing yourself in the earthly pleasures of the world. Claudia is reminded of her explorations of Montreal in the wee hours of the night with her closest friends. She’s greeted by the silence and gentleness of the empty streets, embodying a feeling unlike anything else.
Penultimate track “Searching” delves into profound cathartic moments operating as Claudia’s most lyrically penetrating exertion. “Searching’s” production vibes allude to a drug awakening/epiphany of sorts driven by hazy arrangements and eccentric rhythms. In the beginning of the track, the haunting sound of a clock ticks away. The feeling of how time moves along with or without you will consume absorbed listeners. The final track on Cool It is the nostalgic “lonely/honey”. Claudia channels Lana Del Rey, but holds onto her own distinctive resonance. It’s a tender, fitting closer, letting listeners know that we are not alone only lonely without each other. The final forty seconds displays Claudia uncensored, stripping down the final verse over a fragile acoustic guitar.
Claudia Bouvette’s debut EP Cool It is a translucent effort fueled by Claudia’s lively yet seasoned timbre and multifarious, genre-blending productions. For her debut EP, Claudia has cited influences from an array of eclectic artists — from James Blake’s audacious cadences and Niki & The Dove’s knack for elevating above genres, to how Bon Iver’s music carried her throughout her own youth, these artists have played a significant role in her own creations. Claudia’s collection of songs is the result of a year-long writing process with producers Connor Seidel, best known for his work with fellow Canadian singer Charlotte Cardin, and Beau Diakowicz, producer and guitarist from Portsmouth, UK.