Christa Vi is an Australian / German Singer Songwriter, based in East London.
Christa first came to my attention when her lovely song ‘Small way through’ (see below) was voted by you dear FOTN readers/listeners onto Batch 29 of the Fresh Faves.
And put simply,what’s not to like about this gorgeous piece of synth folk? As I put it in the Fresh Faves review-“Great melodic tone of voice and tasty Dr Rhythm vintage-style drum interplay. Acoustic guitars and organ/synth – complementing rather than overtaking – and building to lovely Fleetwood Mac-style walls of backing harmonies. Sounding totally unique yet evoking for me images of The Cardigans going a little dancey”.
She places all the notes,all the emotion,all the words just how I like them(but not always where I expect them to land and I call that a gift).
When Christa sings,I want to join in,I want to harmonise with her and that to me is a sign of something rather special. I get the feeling of travelling when I listen to her music,it allows my imagination to wander to warm places in the now or to good times in my past or to a future with many possibilities.Maybe its that she is well travelled herself and as she says on her Twitter “Been there,done that,now doing this”
With crisp packaging ,great songs, a foot in folk & dance camps(often a great mix a la Beth Orton),a great visual look and a quick witty & engaging online style Christa can write herself a very bright future.I’m glad she came our way on Fresh On The Net and that we can share her music with you just a little bit more.
Find Christa online Website Facebook Bandcamp
1. What are you up to at the moment?
Packing for at trip to Morocco. I really need a break in the sun as have been recording, gigging and promoting my two EPs since the beginning of the year. It’s been nuts so maybe from now on I won’t try to do everything at the same time!
2. Favourite childhood memory?
On a family trip to America when I was eight years old we went to NASA’s Cape Canaveral Space Station and my sister and I got to try on a spacesuit. With all the excitement over the Mars Rover, it’s reminded me how much I loved the planets and space exploration as a child. One day I really want to travel in space.
3. Hero?
Bjork
4. Villain?
Investment Bankers
5. What/who makes you laugh?
My five year old nephew and three year old niece. They live in Switzerland and speak English with the cutest German/Australian accent and with German grammar so everything they say is back to front.
6. Describe what you do?
Write songs while I’m avoiding work. I always write the best songs when I really should be doing something else that actually pays the bills! Maybe if I’m lucky one of my songs might start paying some bills. The rest of the time I’m basically a music nerd who listens to and thinks about music all day.
7. Who’s hair would you like to have for just one day?
Beyonce. I’d spend the day in front of a portable fan just to get that glam video look.
8. Best musical experience to date
Seeing Herbie Hancock and his band play in an old town hall in my home town of Adelaide is definitely up there with my most memorable music experiences. They gave him an out of tune piano so he kept playing the dodgy keys in his solos to show he was pretty pissed off about it. He still put on an amazing show though. I don’t think he ever toured Adelaide (South Aust. ) after that!
9. What artist inspires you?
I keep going back to Au Revoir Simone – a girl band from Brooklyn NYC. Love how the songs and arrangements are so simple but really effective and they manage to draw real emotion out of vintage synthesizers.
Also enjoying Jessie Ware’s album right now.
10. What does Fresh On The Net mean to you?
It’s a great way to get your music heard as a DIY musician and is a gateway to BBC6. The last song of mine that was voted on Fresh on the Net was played on Tom Robinson’s introducing show and I think Small Way Through, that was voted in this week is also going to get some airplay, well so I’ve been told 🙂
Thanks! I’ve enjoyed being pricked and dinged!
