Indie pop artist Chloé Caroline is bringing the warmth of her new Southern California sound to Toronto next week. The American-Canadian singer-songwriter will be performing on May 9 at Departure Festival, a reimagination of the iconic Canadian Music Week. You can catch Chloé’s set at stackt market’s Blue Moon Brewery, alongside performances from Beach Season, Frank Mighty, and clay pigeon. 

Chloé’s refreshingly honest songwriting has caught the attention of thousands of listeners worldwide. This vulnerability is on display in her most recent EP, The Awakening Vol. 2 (The Prequel). From the sultry confessions on Manifest to the heartbreaking honesty on Another Best Friend, Chloé’s affinity for storytelling shines through in all of her work, elevating her dreamy and uplifting sound. 

We caught up with Chloé ahead of her Toronto performance to hear more about her path into music, honing her California-inspired sound, and why she begins all of her shows with an affirmation.

You started writing songs from such a young age—how did your music journey begin?

I’ve been writing songs since I was six years old. I started playing piano when I was really young, and then I taught myself guitar when I was 11. I was really, really sick at that time, and for me, music became my therapy, my way to heal. I’d always been surrounded by it. My dad was in bands growing up, and my grandpa was a singer. It became my safety. Long story short, I ended up moving to Nashville right out of high school. I had never been there before. That’s where I honed my craft of songwriting, kicked off my journey, and started building my fan base. Then I ended up moving back here [L.A.] in 2019.

How much do you think growing up in California has influenced your music?

Hugely. I think it always has. What I love about Southern California specifically is that there is a little bit of everything. Geographically, you have the desert, the beach, the city. For me, I love to be a storyteller. I love that side of my music, but I also love having a really strong melody. I love playing with electronic sounds, not just organic— having this combination of everything. To grow up somewhere where there is that sunshine and that dreamer mentality—that’s why people move to California. I try my best to put that into my music so people can feel either uplifted or understood, and they can find something that brings them some sort of light.

So much of your songwriting is emotionally raw and vulnerable — is it ever a challenge to tap into these feelings when you’re performing?

Absolutely. Whether it’s a really sad song that you’ve already worked through, just revisiting that can be difficult. Or maybe it’s something that’s a little bit more vulnerable. I have a song called Manifest, which is kind of a sexy song. I never thought I’d be singing that type of song with my mom in the audience! It was an honest thing for me to write. 

It’s really fun to see people’s reactions. There’s people in the front row older than my parents who are singing every word. For some reason, it sparks something in them. People really relate to that blatant honesty. I try to share the stories behind all of my songs. That’s my favourite part of performing live, because I think it really draws people in to your lyrics. I also start every one of my shows doing affirmations with my audience, just to get them warmed up for the night. 

We love that! What are your go-to affirmations?

I have a ton, but there are three that I do specifically at my shows. One of them is “I am freaking amazing”, and that’s just to make people feel good about themselves. The other one is, “Everything is working out for me”, which I say every single day as a reminder. And then the third one is, “I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.” That one for me is solidifying being in the present moment. It’s so easy for us to get pulled out and distracted. It reminds me that at all times, no matter what I’m going through, no matter what I’m dealing with, I’m supposed to be in this moment.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Can you share what you have in store for your performance at Departure Festival in Toronto?

It’s a stripped-down set, which is always really fun because it allows you to have that intimacy with the audience. I don’t play there often, so it’s a really cool opportunity to meet some new people and introduce them to me and my stories and my art. So yeah, I’m really excited! Last year was the first time that I had ever played a show in Canada. We have a cottage up there, so I’d go there every summer for months. It was always my safe haven. It was never really somewhere that I had the opportunity to perform until recently.

Who are some artists that inspire you?

I mean, I’m an oldies girl. Stevie Nicks is my hero. Carole King. Present day—Harry Styles, oh my god. I’m just obsessed with his last few records. I think he’s a genius. Miley, The 1975. I have such a wide range of music that I love. As a completely passive listener, I’m listening to either really folky songwriting, or bands. I love bands. Honestly, in another life, I was in an alt boy band.

What is some advice you would pass on to younger women getting started in their music career?

Don’t be afraid to, of course, step out of your comfort zone, which is easier said than done. But the cold DM, the cold email. Reaching out to people who are different than you. I became a much better writer when I started diversifying who I was working with, especially at the beginning. Some of my favourite songs I’ve written with people that I never necessarily would have expected to work well with. There’s something that they bring to the table that maybe I don’t have, and it’s a really cool thing. 

Chloé Caroline will perform at Departure Festival in Toronto on May 9. See the full schedule of concerts, comedy shows and more at the festival, running from May 6-11.