American-born Avant-Pop flautist, vocalist, and performance artist Angela Chambers divides her time between the US and Berlin, Germany. As an artist, she has been able to adapt to a variety of situations thanks to her gift for improvisation. She thrives on chaos and making something out of nothing. She did not always have access to certain worldly pleasures growing up in a small rural town in Eastern North Carolina. But as she quickly realized her voice was powerful enough to be heard, her curiosity, desire for information, and need for creative inspiration propelled her down the path of her dream career as a musician.
The stunning cinematic single “Jumping The Gun” by Angela Chambers featuring Casper Clausen, out on March 16th, is proudly presented by Duchess Box Records. Duchess Box Records decided to release the track because they thought it would fit perfectly on their label.
Since moving to Berlin in 2013, flautist, singer, performance artist, and song writer Angela Chambers, who was born in the United States, has established a reputation among those in the music industry as a soulful avant-pop artist. She first met Casper Clausen in Berlin, better known as the lead singer of the Danish indie rock band Efterklang. The two clicked immediately and went into a studio jam where they co-wrote the new single “Jumping The Gun,” which was then recorded at Berlin’s Kaiku Studios with both of them contributing music and vocals. Check out the single and the exclusive interview below:
1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how you got started?
ANGELA CHAMBERS: I am coming from a small town near the coast of North Carolina, called Elizabeth City. Not too much going on there, other than it is beautiful. I guess it all started from an early age, as a kid, I would listen to my Dad’s vinyl collection and sit on the floor and bang my head to the beat.
2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?
ANGELA CHAMBERS: I had flute lessons in middle school along with guitar and voice lessons in college, but other than that, I was just obsessed with listening to the radio and watching MTV videos, so I guess it was kinda already engraved in my brain as a child. I was like a sponge, and I could sing any song that came on the radio. Lol 🙂
3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘ANGELA CHAMBERS’?
ANGELA CHAMBERS: Angela Chambers is my birth name, so it also fits perfectly with my solo music. Some of my biggest musical influences I would say are: Fleetwood Mac, Rolling Stones, Kate Bush, The Beatles, Future Islands, Annie Lennox, Lady Gaga, and Lana Del Rey.
4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
ANGELA CHAMBERS: I feel the strongest elements of my music would be my voice and my melodies, which is what keeps the consistency in my songs. I have crossed over into diferent genres as an artist, but I guess I would describe my music as a blend of soulful bliss nostalgic for the future to come with pop and rock influences.
ANGELA CHAMBERS:
To be an original artist, is not an easy task these days and by going your own true path, you realize that the world might be cruel and might not respond in the ways you think. I have always somehow been in the shadows as an artist, a little touch of the underground, but I realized that’s not where I wanted to stay forever, and Im willing to push myself to next levels. I really have an aching pressure on myself to be great, and I can’t let up on the gas until I’ve driven the distance. I really like seeing a project through, and driving all the way. I have had to take steps back in the mirror, but always telling myself that I’m strong enough to handle the changing tides.
6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative and entertainment?
ANGELA CHAMBERS:
Music plays an integral part in all aspects of society. My single “The Illusion” that I released in 2021, was a bit more political since we had just made it through the US 2020 elections and the tensions were quite high in the US at that time. For the most part though, I am interested in how all of these themes efect me personally, and I prefer to use them as poetry in my own personal narrative and voice of expression.
7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfilment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more, or diferent in the future?
ANGELA CHAMBERS:
At the moment, I am in a bit of a tricky phase with my music. It is important for me to have output, although without compromising quality. I go through phases where I think it is giving me back something, but Im only feeding the machine. My passion and persistence shines through and is the catalyst behind it all, and without that, there is no possible way to make it in today’s industry. Once my album is ready, anything is possible.
8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?
ANGELA CHAMBERS:
I usually start with a simple guitar or piano sketch, and I always have text available to morph around the music. Sometimes a text will just come to me, while I’m improvising, and then it forms a song. I have also collaborated with other musicians, artists and producers in this process. I really enjoy it, because it’s the part of the process of making music, where you actually get to dream:)
9. What has been the most difcult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
ANGELA CHAMBERS: I would say that the most difcult thing I have had to endure in my career so far would be learning to face the amount of rejection I have received in my lifetime as an artist. At times it can be debilitating. So much of it also depends on luck in your career, or knowing the right people. At this point in my career, I feel under-rated and over-qualified.
10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
ANGELA CHAMBERS: I would say that the turning point in my career would be when I started to do things my way. Not waiting for other people to make things happen, and learning to avoid toxic relationships in the industry. This has truly been liberating and eyeopening, when you decide to not let people in, and learning that it’s OK to say “NO”. My latest single, “Jumping The Gun” felt monumental working together with Casper Clausen and also working with director Axl Jansen on making the video in Lanzarote.
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