INTERVIEW: Brooke Candy Talks Debut EP, 'Opulence' and Working with Sia!
Female rappers are hot again. First it was
Nicki and now it's Iggy. Who will be next? Brooky Candy, obviously. The fierce
and extravagant 24-year-old femcee from Oxnard, California is RCA's latest
addition to its rap roster, and will soon be taking over the charts, just give
her time. RCA Records CEO Peter Edge has total confidence on Brooke's future
rise to stardom "When I met Brooke for the first time I was blown away
with her captivating charismatic presence”, and that’s very important, to have
your boss' support.
Brooke Candy; she raps about sex, money, and
other amazing things, she has her own swag, she is fierce, she dresses like no
other chick in the game, and she is just a superstar in the making, you just
can tell!
She released last May 6th her debut EP ‘Opulence’ with RCA. The EP is made of 5 songs, and Sia Furler (yes, the
‘Chandelier’ singer and ‘Diamonds’ songwriter) acts as executive producer.
Lead single from the EP is the title track 'Opulence’ in which Brooke raps
about her bling-blings and loving to watch lesser girls die of envy. The music video for ‘Opulence’ is a must-watch (The Devil would approve), and its first
live performance at a Diesel Fashion Show is phenomenal too.
DirectLyrics recently caught up with Brooke Candy for an exclusive Q&A. We talked the EP, ‘Opulence', its diabolic video, her work relationship with Sia or her sudden craving for human flesh. Oh, and she also confirmed to us the estimated release date of her full-length debut album. She is coming, y'all!
THE INTERVIEW
1. Let me start this Q&A by saying how dope your ‘Opulence’ music video is! Probably the dopest video released thus far this year. How proud are you of the final result?
I am so incredibly proud of the 'Opulence' video. I couldn't have asked for more visionary collaborators. I've learned in the video-making process that it's important that each person involved is inspired and excited by one another, and this definitely was the case with Steven Klein and Nicola Formichetti and the entire team of true artists involved. It turned out even better than I ever envisioned, so I couldn't be more pleased.
2. ‘Opulence’ is the lead single and title track from your debut EP with RCA Records. What exactly do you want to convey in this song?
Like all of my art, it's up for interpretation. The interpretation which may appeal to the casual listener is the obvious overtone of excess and glamour set to a dance-floor ready track by Diplo, which serves it's purpose beautifully. There's also a dichotomy, which I'm glad to hear wasn't lost on all listeners, that conspicuous spending and superficiality is a sick black hole that consumes people and disconnects them from the real world. The hook references the drag-ball-documentary 'Paris Is Burning' which is an excellent film about outcasts finding a safe haven and creating a world for themselves in which they're not only accepted but celebrated and rewarded.
3. Your EP is made of five tracks. Sia Furler acts as executive producer. What is your relationship like with Sia?
We have an amazing relationship. She sees a bit of herself in me, which I find flattering. She's been so supportive and played a mentor role to me, which is awesome in this ass-backwards industry.
4. Sia recently said in an interview that she had just finished writing a new song titled ‘Living Out Loud’ and that it would end up most likely for you. Has she told you anything about it yet?
I have recorded it! I can't wait for everyone to hear it ;)
5. In the same interview, Sia described you as a ‘feminista glam alien'? Are you happy with that title?
I have been called so many things, but I love that one. I think it's awesome and says something about me that people want to label me, but end up often referring to me as something they don't quite understand, like "future" and "alien". It's exciting that I seem mysterious to most, it leaves the door open for me to slowly explain who I am, instead of being immediately figured out.
6. I know you just released your EP. But how long will your fans have to wait to get your full-length debut album? Have you imagined how would it sound yet? Similar to the EP?
It's scheduled for a January release right now. It will have elements of the EP but spans a much more broad territory than the 5 songs allow. I have recorded alot of the album, still adding more every day. It's better for me to have too much material to choose from than not enough.
7. You recently signed with RCA. The CEO of the label Peter Edge said about you; "When I met Brooke for the first time I was blown away with her captivating charismatic presence”. “We look forward to working with her and bringing her artistic vision to the forefront of the music industry”. What does signing to a major label mean to Brooke Candy?
Major labels have the capacity to afford you a much more broad platform. I partnered with RCA because they adored my vision, which was important to me. It's difficult to start a revolution unless you have exhausted all potential partnerships to support and expand your voice. I always thought much grander than reaching solely the "underground", Peter gets it and he has been nothing but supportive of my global vision.
8. What would you say to those who don’t understand your style and persona?
Get into it because you're going to see alot more.
9. We want to finish the Q&A by clarifying one of your latest tweets. 'I want to taste human flesh. Anyone know where I can find it?’. What was that about?
That tweet speaks for itself, I think. I was curious, and hungry.