Ahead of her performance at The Roundhouse on 17th April, we interview Cam about her relationship with her UK audience, new music around the corner and the trajectory of The Otherside album.
Hi, how’s it going? You’re coming back to the UK soon and we’re super excited. The last time you were here was for BST Hyde Park, which was such a special evening – can you talk me through what that performance meant to you and then to be returning to the UK at The Roundhouse?
Yes, ok the UK never disappoints, I mean I’ve had unreal experiences every time I’ve gone over there, so the last time I got to fly over with my daughter for the first time – the first time taking her abroad, which was incredible. She got to be backstage and running around where Elton John had been the night before – I mean it was Hyde Park, get out of here! We haven’t been able to play The Otherside album really for you guys, so we got to do it in this really organic and authentic way. I was a little nervous, just because there’s Robert Plant and Alison Krauss and The Eagles and everyone coming on. I’m trusting that people will want to hear this intimate thing. It was just amazing, how it always is, everyone, even in that big of a crowd, were really listening. I could hear my voice flying over across this whole crowd and people were just taking it in.
That must be really strange, because the album was released during the pandemic and then you’re finally being able to see audience’s reactions – it’s almost like the album is having two separate lives.
Oh, it has been so weird. You kind of have to do two things at once at all times, so we planned this Otherside tour, which we got to do some of last year, after Hyde Park, in the US. It was incredible, I put so much thought into this tour and how it would work. It was very small, but with these big emotional moments. I created exactly what I wanted and I’m really proud of that. It was very intentional to sculpt something that has this arc to it – it was very hard and very rewarding. I’m so thrilled to now be coming to The Roundhouse and to bring that show to everyone. It’s so funny though, because I’m here working on the next album. You have to celebrate it, because then you get to enjoy the next one.
Talking about bringing your daughter over, I can imagine now you’re approaching your next project slightly differently to your last, as a mother?
I think at the beginnings of it, you’re just so overwhelmed, because you don’t have any sleep and we were also navigating the pandemic. Any time it’s a very uncertain kind of thing, hiding in a cocoon, but also the world is still moving and you’re navigating ‘who am I?’ There’s so much to parenting that we don’t warn people nearly enough and it’s not really a good set up. At the beginning, it sucked so much of my energy into her that I felt very pragmatic about where I would be spending energy outside of her. I didn’t want to spend energy on things I didn’t want to do. If someone has an idea that’s great, I’m down to go with it, but also I just really want to write what I want to write and I’ve always done that but it’s got a little more cutthroat. I think it evolved, now that she’s grown and I find myself in these moments where I want to leave her things and ideas and questions, maybe some answers will help but also to let her know that I ask the same questions too. It’s wild.
Well I feel even during the pandemic, there was a lot more introspection around who we are as people, so it’s almost doublefold then experiencing motherhood for the first time.
Yeah, I think it landed where it was really relatable at least to go out and think well if I’m going to go on tour, I want it to be exactly what I want, I want people to have the space to feel these things, where when you’re in survival mode – and a lot of parenting is in survival mode – you have the space to drop that and stop being protective and just feel it, cry and laugh and scream and do what you want to do. That resonated, because I think everyone was going through it, and I was going through it as a parent, so yeah 100%. I think also with how it went in the US last year, things are not going back to running smoothly – buses are breaking down, or not available, when you get into places, a lot of the staff are no longer there so it’s harder to run these events. You’re appreciative of when things do go right and when things do go wrong you let it roll off your back and you go into it, knowing you want to do this enough, where when things are going wild, I’m still following my little North Star. Having that extra commitment, I think saved me in some of those moments. I’m happening to life, as much as it is happening to me.
Obviously, we don’t have the details yet, but everyone is excited for whatever we hear next from you. Do you have any idea yet what that is going to look like? How much do you think we can expect change to have happened?
Lots of change. I love change, I think it reminds you of who you really are. I fully embrace it, and I think if what you do after all this that has happened to us – parenting and the pandemic – if you are sounding exactly the same, even dressing the same – it feels weird. It doesn’t make sense, I mean it literally doesn’t fit. You just have to be different. It’s still me, it’s still my voice and still my songs and songwriting, but I was so excited for this show that we’re bringing to The Roundhouse. I’m so proud of what we made and so, I’m making this next album purposely, to make this tour a really incredible thing that I want to do, it’s all tied into a full, real experience. Not to scare anyone, but of course it’s different.
I mean, I’m excited about it – from Untamed to The Otherside, there was a great deal of change, but it was a beautiful, organic thing and then I think that will probably be a thing for the next thing that happens. Finally, what does this continuing relationship with the UK mean to you – it’s been a beautiful, mutual love affair to behold.
I feel that too, it’s so wonderful. I’m always so excited to get back over there. I mean, literally, because we haven’t had a chance to tour the UK. Hyde Park was in London, but it breaks my heart that we can’t do the full tour, because the pandemic threw a wrench in everything. If it were financially possible, and all those things, I would be doing it. The plus side is that this new thing is coming and then the first thing, I’m planning on figuring out how to come back to the UK. I don’t know what it is, but it seems we love the same things and we’re asking the same questions, or something. It feels like we’re all in tune and it’s so wonderful, except I hope that anyone who sees the shows feels it too. I’m always excited to be there, and it feels like I get to give people the show that’s been perfected and laying the groundwork for when we’ll be back soon with this other new gift that we have for everyone. I appreciate that everybody’s gone through something and we’ve remained connected, but it will be so good to see everyone more often.
Well it’s always a pleasure to chat to you, and we can’t wait for the show.
