Band Interview: Chellcy Reitsma

Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging life are pleased to bring you an interview with the musically eclectic rock band, Chellcy Reitsma.

1. How did you get started as a band?

I started off as a solo artist with my first single release in 2016. So when I started the band in February 2019, we kept my name because it’s too expensive to start over with re-branding and I already had a decent sized and committed fan base started. So we are quite new. I placed a post in a local Facebook page for auditions for those interested in joining a new band. Our bass player has been with me since the beginning but all the other members changed a few times before we got this committed, solid group formed about 2 years ago. So it was a rocky start but now the members all get along well and we have great music writing chemistry together. Alan Degabriele is the bass player who’s been with me the longest and also plays for the popular local band Skarlett with his talented sister Sandrina. Simon Cutajar is lead guitarist also studying graphic arts and marketing. Edward Mifsud is the rhythm guitarist and a science teacher at Junio College. He has been in a number of bands and duos since the 90’s. Adam Cutajar is the drummer studying to be a doctor and obsessed with polyrhythms.

2. How would you describe your sound?

From sad lullabies to feminist anthems with smooth stanzas, galloping mid-tempo sonic escapades and an evolving energy that creeps up from behind. Our style is a bit eclectic because we write the music to fit the song without concern for genres. Our fusion style is a bit poetic with a warm vintage sound, smooth and mellow, but still fresh, a sound reminiscent of the late ‘70s. From alternative rock to blues rock, from Americana to adult contemporary. The vocals are delivered with an elegist-like cadence, amalgamated harmonies, and empowering lyricism.

3. What bands/artists would you say have influenced your style of music?

I love well rounded artists that do more than just music and have very unique voices. My biggest influences are Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen and Patti Smith because they are also accomplished writers and have such a unique and authenic music style that incorporates their poetry as well. I also am currently obsessed with Asaf Avidan and LP for the same reasons. Lastly, Kovacs because she is also a visual artist and her music and videos incorporate her visual art background. She even designs and screen prints her own merch by hand. I really identify with these artists and respect them because I also am a poet and visual artist so I admire other artists that utilize all their talents in their work.

4. Has the rise of YouTube & music streaming helped or hindered you as a band?

Both. It has helped because we are able to get our music out there more internationally than we would have without them. However, it’s hindered us also because there are millions of artists all utilizing these same digital tools so now there is much more music being produced and put out there on the internet than ever before. For example, statistically most listeners are choosing older music rather than listening to new music. So the tiny bit of listeners checking out new music will hear new music by famous people most likely before listening to a new or unknown band. Not to mention the joke of minuscule royalties being paid to the artists by these mega giant billion dollar corporations. So we pay oodles to produce material and get so little in royalties that it doesn’t even cover the cost of one song unless we can get millions of streams.

So we get a chance a this massive world wide audience, but the audience is so inundated with old and new music choices that your actual chances of being heard are quite slim.

5. What do you enjoy doing when you’re not making music?

I am a visual artist and poet. I graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Art has been a passion of mine since childhood so I would definitely be perusing a career in art. I love to blend my visual art and poetry too by creating short stop motion animations or simply illustrating my poetry with painting and drawings. You can see some examples here on my poetry page.

I love incorporating my visual art background with my music when possible. A perfect example of this, is my 2020 project titled ‘Desolate Days’.

It hit the Top 20 Music Video Charts in Malta. It combines both my music and visual art practices in my first stop motion animation lyric video drawn in charcoal and digital art. ‘Desolate Days’ was part of the InnovAiR: Artist at Home program for the Valletta Cultural Agency.

You can see my other music videos on YouTube here.

6. What are your future plans musically? Tours?

Coming up next on March 4th we’ll be releasing a new alternative rock single called ‘Fleshbot Prison’. An angry rock song with an artistic theory about human existence. We are also writing and producing our first full LP. It will include some poetry as my Black Water EP did. My 4 track concept EP ‘Black Water’ is a narrative of my life, my anger, loss and my love from 1990’s to 2010. It ends with a poem that sums it all up.

Regarding touring, we are hoping to get some bookings started up again for Spring and Summer 2022 as soon as the pandemic situation calms down and restrictions ease. Last year we did quite well despite the pandemic and managed to land 2 festivals and headlined a decent sized local concert. We had our last performance in November because all our December and January bookings were cancelled due to covid. We do have some TV and radio appearances scheduled for March 2022 for both local and USA stations already, which we are really excited about.

Thank you so much for the feature and a the chance to share my music with your readers.

Links

Website | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube