INTRODUCING: CD
Known in the Australian scene as one of the exciting voices and minds reinvigorating Australia’s R&B/soul scene, CD is well respected amongst her peers, an artist’s artist, and for good reason. She’s collaborated with some of the most forward-thinking musicians in the country; think SON RAY, MAMMOTH., Nikodimos, and Pania. Off the back of recent release ‘Love Language’, an energetic yet sultry look at intention and compatibility in dating, we caught up with CD to find out what she’s been up to, where she’s at now, and what’s next.
Interview - Portia Brajkovic
Hey CD, how are you?
CD: Hi, I’m good! Back home from a long holiday, feeling refreshed and straight back into the chaos of being an artist.
First up, when did you realise you had to pursue music?
CD: Honestly, when I was just a kid. I started singing, dancing, and piano lessons at a really young age and even when I stopped for a while, I’d find my way back to them eventually. I always knew I wanted to pursue music and there was no other option for me, and that was my answer if anyone asked. But it became more real when, in my last years of high school, I refused to pick up books and study because I knew that those final exam results would serve me no purpose. My school made it compulsory for students to have meetings with the careers counsellor, who literally forced me to apply for universities even after I said I had no interest in studying. That’s when I was like “yep, I’m really gonna do this.” I had no idea how I was actually going to do it, I just knew that I was going to.
What inspires you?
CD: Inspiration isn’t something I can look for, it just comes in waves. I think the biggest source for me would be music itself. Stumbling across an artist or a song that blows me away makes me feel more inclined to explore and elevate my sound. Or, seeing an artist live who has a really impactful show, even watching Coachella sets for example, is an immediate spark of inspiration and motivation for me. Situations and conversations inspire me too. Conversations with people who align with me or who are older and wiser than me, and their stories, experiences, lessons and advice. I love learning from other people and am always grateful for those moments of pure connection that I can transmute into art.
What would we find on your Spotify playlist?
CD: Okay, I’m really lazy with playlists. I’m more of an album or ‘Liked Songs’ person, but if we’re talking about right now, my listening history would show Qendresa, Erika De Casier, Don Toliver, Mk.gee, ones, Maxwell, plus anything that Crybaby sends me or trusted people share on their stories (I really love the people who do this and I should probably do it more myself). My ‘Liked Songs’ is not bound to any genre or type of artist. You’d find the most random selection of songs in there, as long as it resonates with me and my many moods. Each song in there has probably had a week where I became obsessive and completely rinsed it.
What do you do for peace?
CD: Put pen to paper, move my body, deep breaths, get in the sun, read, watch Wes Anderson films with my <3, limit time on electronics and socials, eat a delicious meal, play with my cats, and look inwards and connect with my people and nature.
Can you describe the CD universe and sound in three words?
Atmospheric, nostalgic, and dreamy!
Atmospheric, nostalgic, and dreamy!
Take a minute to write an introduction that is short, sweet, and to the point.
What does your creative process usually look like?
CD: I recently spent a few days in a new, unfamiliar music-making environment and learnt so much about myself and my creative process, including that it’s really loose. There’s no set routine for me, but I do love to explore melodies first. I want to build a world within each song and as long as I achieve that, I don’t really care what the process is like. Most of the time, I end up having multiple producers or musicians touch a track. I have so many ideas, sometimes too many, and I need more brains present to execute them. I also just think it’s a nice way to work with more people, and it contributes to having a more unique sound, so I’ll probably keep working this way until I’m able to lay all my ideas down myself.
While things are slowly improving, Australian audiences haven’t always been particularly welcoming of homegrown soul and R&B. What is the state of the scene right now, and what do you think needs to change?
CD: What I’m seeing now is that people are starting to care less about homegrown talent and live music in general, and people are more interested in events with line-ups that consist of just DJs. Festival cancellations, such as Splendour in the Grass, are only a glimpse of this. They’re obviously being cancelled due to a range of factors, but I strongly believe that this is a big one. Artists are struggling to sell tickets to shows, resorting to having free entry, whereas DJs are selling out venues in the blink of an eye. In terms of R&B specifically, Australia is still a baby. I don’t think R&B fully exists here yet and people still don’t understand it. We don’t have R&B artists who’ve paved the way, or who’ve left a blueprint to follow, so everyone’s just guessing what will work next. I think artists, musicians, producers, event organisers, agents, labels, etc. need to be more willing to learn about R&B as a genre—the greats, the musicianship, and the culture—in order to nurture it properly in Australia. In saying that, over the last few years we’ve definitely seen a huge improvement in support from radio, media, music fans, and events, and we’ve got a surprising amount of dope R&B artists emerging and making quality music.
“Tell us about the creation of ‘Love Language’ ?
CD: ‘Love Language’ took a lot of minds and a lot of time. It started in November 2021 when I drove over an hour across the city to get to a session with Sam, Arad and Kuda, who were a producer trio at the time. I had randomly written some of the chorus lyrics in my notes prior and they ended up fitting really well over the beat, so it was just a matter of honing in and expanding. We made a rough demo that night, I sat on it for maybe a year before working on it again, but when I’d listen to it, it’d give me the same feeling that ‘Catcha Grip’ gave me. I go based on this feeling when deciding to release a song. So, I decided I’d release it and Sam and I got to work. We got Sam Cox to breathe some more life into it with his guitar, but the drums weren’t hitting. We decided to strip the drums and send it to Jay Cooper who was in Canada at the time. He reimagined the song and sent it back with that infectious groove and more sprinkles. I then had this idea to get the homie BLIPSKII on it doing those pitched down ad libs, so I messaged him while he was on a holiday in Africa and he sent back voice memos that same night. It was a collision of different worlds; many cooks in the kitchen and a long process, but I love her and I’m so happy she made it out.
Which of your tracks, is the most important to you?
CD: Right now, it’d be ‘Love Language’ or this one unreleased track. It’s timeless, warm, honest, nostalgic, embodies so many of my musical influences and feels really authentic to me. When I need a hug I put this song on. It sounds like CD but it’s different from everything I’ve released or plan to. Out of all the music that I have coming out, I’m easily most excited to share this song.
Being an artist demands a level of honesty; some very easily pour their intimate thoughts into their work, whilst others will maintain a bit of distance. Does vulnerability come easily to you, and how do you find the balance between privacy and transparency?
CD: Intimate thoughts and transparency are the foundations of my music, but vulnerability only comes easily to me in a solitary space. I thrive when I make music alone because I’m a private person and I’m shy, so writing a song is still very precious and sacred to me. I’m still not okay with people being there for that process as much as I want to be. I feel like this is how I maintain privacy, along with not saying or doing too much on socials which can be hard to navigate when people want artists to be an open book. But everything I want to say, I say in my music because that’s the only way I know how to, and that’s where it balances out for me.
What’s next for you?
CD: I’m releasing my first project, and IF I can really get my shit together, another one before the year ends. So, more music (way more than I’m used to dropping) and other lil surprises too.