By Keith Walsh
When things don’t go as planned, and that’s often — we need to improvise, right? When Renee-Louise Carafice released her stunning electronic album “Goners” last November, she planned to have a video for each of the ten songs. Though sometimes life has other plans.
“There were two videos in the making, with the intention of releasing them on or soon after the album release date. Both of them were put in the hands of a talented 3D animator who had some incredible ideas for the videos, and that’s where things get uncomfortable for me. I have always been fiercely independent when it comes to the creative process.”
So in addition to what sounds like some kind of conflict on a collaboration level, due to the animator’s computer crashing, and other personal misfortunes, the videos never materialized. “I have been super frustrated,” “Carafice says,” left now with neither of the videos that were planned. I am still trying to manifest a way to create some spectacular music videos for these songs I am so proud of. Sometimes I just have to trust that things are gonna come out right.”
In the meantime, Carafice has released a video for “You Are A Little Ghost,” an exercise in minimalism that’s somewhat hypnotic, as is the music.
And Carafice says there will be more to come. “I am still absolutely determined that there will be some awesome music videos for this album. But yeah, being a fully independent musician means you’ve got to figure sh#t out yourself.”
Carafice tells me that college radio in her native New Zealand (she now lives in Las Vegas) has supported the new album. “Yes, but college radio. New Zealand radio hates me, lol. It’s amazing, they’ve never even glanced my way. Meanwhile, in people’s bedrooms and beat up cars, there’s an army of word-of-mouth supporters of my music, sharing it with people around them.”
Carafice continues: “I was born and raised in New Zealand, and though I’ve lived in the US now for more than 15 years, the underground New Zealand music scene still claims me as their own. It’s nice to know they’re listening over there.”
So Renee Carafice soldiers on in the face of adversity, including a struggle with narcolepsy, a condition that makes her fall asleep in emotional situations. “So yeah, way too much sleep. Pretty much constant sleep. And sometimes walking with this really sci-fi looking headpiece with dozens of wires coming out of it, that records my brain waves. My friends started calling this contraption a ‘dream machine.’”
As is the way with artists, this piece of technology made it into a song on “Goners.” As Carafice explains, “All my songs are deeply personal. I don’t know how to write songs without being brutally honest, open-hearted, full on. ‘Wearing A Dream Machine’ is about me coming to terms with the scary condition I have, while holding onto the grander scheme of the universe, which I believe is pure love.”
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