Q&A: A Conversation On Unflinching Honesty With Jahnah Camille
I TRIED TO FREEZE LIGHT, BUT ONLY REMEMBER A GIRL IS AN PROJECT COLORED BY VULNERABILITY, HEARTACHE, AND OBSCURITY — but it feels light on the soul. Although the themes of loss and heartbreak on Jahnah Camille’s debut EP, are prominent, the project contains soundscape that balances melancholy with an energy and surrealism that is so warm. Camille’s emotive lyrics make her far more than relatable, radiating her security in her vulnerability.
A rising bedroom pop talent from Birmingham, Alabama, Camille burst onto the scene while in high school, captivating audiences with her relatable and introspective songs about teenage angst, self-discovery, and heartbreak. Her music resonated deeply with listeners, earning her the opportunity to open for notable acts such as Clairo, Soccer Mommy, and Wednesday. Since then, Camille has continued to flourish, showcasing her artistic growth and solidifying her position as a promising force in the indie music scene.
I tried to freeze light, but only remember a girl is a hauntingly beautiful project that features simple yet evocative guitar strings, rhythmic and muted drums, and spellbinding melodies. Camille’s lyrics, delivered in her distinctive mellow tone, convey a sense of reckless abandon yet her words cut through the heartbreak and shame, instead embracing the universal struggle with unflinching honesty.
Camille embodies the bedroom pop genre with her introspective lyrics, fuzzy instrumentation, and DIY sound. Her five-track project masterfully encapsulates the genre's key elements, drawing listeners in with its intimate and relatable soundscapes, and fostering a deep connection with listeners. Effortlessly, Camille invites listeners into her world, making her music feel like a warm embrace.
Luna sat down with Camille to discuss her choice in song titles, her place in the bedroom pop scene, and her experience sharing the stage with Clairo, Soccer Mommy, and Wednesday. Read more of our discussion below.
LUNA: How do you believe you have evolved and grown as an artist and person since you started your music career in high school?
CAMILLE: I have had a lot of exposure to different types of music since then. I have just seen so many acts over the years that I have come to know what I want to be doing. I now say no to any ideas that don’t spark my interest or resonate with me.
LUNA: What made you pursue music?
CAMILLE: I have always made music, so when I finally got old enough to start thinking about making it, I just did. When I was choosing a life path, pursuing music was a no-brainer. My dad started taking guitar lessons and I tagged along because I thought it was so cool. I have not looked back since.
LUNA: It’s a rarity to see women of color in the bedroom pop scene, and with such little presentation in the overall indie and pop scene, it’s always exciting for me to discover an artist like you. How do you feel about your place as a person of color in this genre?
CAMILLE: On one end, it feels natural because it is the type of music I have always listened to, so I knew I would belong. On the other hand, I am so happy when younger Black girls DM me, saying that I inspire them and that I am an artist that they can relate to. It is rewarding. If I had that when I was younger, I feel that I would have been more secure in the off-center person I always felt I was at a predominantly white institution in the South. I just love weird Black people.
LUNA: What made you venture into bedroom and indie pop?
CAMILLE: When I started making music, I gathered my songs and influences without thinking of the end product. Debut by Bjork and Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic by The Sundays are albums I pulled my sound from, and this is the result.
LUNA: Who are some of your music influences that inspire you as a musician and/or as an individual?
CAMILLE: My long-term influences have been Broadcast, Stereolab, Bjork; always been SZA. Right now I am really enjoying Nourished by Time. The Sundays will always be the best of the best for me. I think SZA and I have the same lyrical content — we both explore insecurity. She is really brave and is honest in a way that resonates with so many people. Music is the only place where I can be disgustingly honest and be received well. I love being able to do that.
LUNA: Your EP has been in the works for years, and it must be a relief to now release it. Why did you take so long to release this project?
CAMILLE: I just wanted to be strategic with how I release, and I have been releasing my music independently for some years now. I wanted to see the payoff of the work I was doing and pushing out.
LUNA: Your project contains many interesting track titles, but I find the project title especially intriguing. What inspired the name I tried to freeze light, but only remember a girl?
CAMILLE: It is a line from Flush. The whole project is about mindfulness and being present. I was a really unnecessarily anxious kid, and it just comes from me realizing I could not pick and choose which memories I kept. There was a time when I was in music class, and I wanted to remember everything about that moment but I could only remember the girl who was sitting next to me. This line encapsulates the message and that influences the direction I want my sound to go in.
LUNA: What themes are most present on your debut EP?
CAMILLE: Every song, like “elliot,” where I am talking about my experience with my partner, just really leads me back to myself. I am always writing to discover things about myself and to make me feel better. I always approach heartbreak with this knowledge or feeling that I am alone in this world. What is the way forward? If I feel like I am not giving enough of myself then I start over. Vulnerability is at the core of my writing.
LUNA: You were releasing independently for three years, but you’ve recently signed with Winspear. A lot of young artists are always striving to be independent these days. What made you sign with a label and what are your hopes for your partnership?
CAMILLE: I have always known that I wanted to make music my long-term career, and support is necessary for my mental health so I can reach as many people as possible. Everyone is lovely, and there is a lot more control and structure in the way things are done. When I was independent, I recorded, released, played shows, but there is more direction now. I just hope that our partnership helps me connect with more people through my music.
LUNA: Speaking of performances, you have opened up for Clairo, Soccer Mommy, and Wednesday very early in your career — artists you must have really looked up to. How was that experience for you?
CAMILLE: I was still in high school when I opened for both Wednesday and Soccer Mommy. On one hand, I think that was so awesome, but on the other hand, I was so awkward back then so it's a cool, polarizing memory. They’re both musicians I look up to and still listen to, so I still feel so fortunate.
LUNA: You mentioned that your project was supposed to be released two years ago — could you walk us through the production process, from your choice in instrumentation, where you recorded, your writing, and your collaborators?
CAMILLE: All of the writing I do on my own, and it takes a long period of time. When I write I don’t really envision the song to be a part of the project. The writing process can take up to a year before I find the songs I feel belong in a project. I worked with Tom SInclair and John Michael Young, and it was just me going back and forth to the studio just finding the right sound.
We would start off with the drums and then lay down some guitar strings. It was a long haze of putting stuff together until we got to a place where we were satisfied. My arrangement and composition is more to do with the writing. With “roadkill,” I knew it would be a badass “I am angry” sound, and I went with a classic rock sound.
LUNA: How do you hope to grow as an artist following your EP’s release? The sounds you want to explore, the spaces you want to enter, and your overall aspirations.
CAMILLE: I am hoping to produce a much darker, moodier, and more nostalgic sound. I want to make music that is increasingly impactful with each release. I want people to feel changed by the music I make because that is the music that matters the most to me. There are a lot of talented people who are sharing spaces with and mainstream success happens to people. I just want to be able to make music for the rest of my life and live off it.
