SA born singer-songwriter, Cindy-Louise based in the Netherlands recently released her debut album in South Africa.
“Humanity”, an album close to her heart, focuses on human nature and the emotions people experience: love, sadness, happiness, rebellion, stress, disappointment and change – it offers an intriguing blend of genres, including indie rock, pop, jazz, classical and electro pop.
The inspiration behind "Humanity“ was to put her feelings into one playlist and to portray what she was feeling through her songs.
“I use music to speak my truth, and with this album I want to let people know that they are not alone. The title was specifically inspired by my desire for people to find their humanity within my music, to really relate to and discover the true meaning of the word,” said the songstress.
All the songs on the album were written by Cindy-Louise herself.
“I wrote about 15 songs, 10 of which I decided to include in the album. The writing process took around six months, and we recorded the songs in three sessions,” she said.
Her favourite track currently is “The Mask” - however it always changes, based on how she is feeling.
“I’m really enjoying ”The Mask“, it’s a jazzy vibe. I also like ”Loving Me In Everyway“, which is a great ballad. Every song has merit, but who listens to it, and when, will determine how popular each song is. After all, as human beings our moods are constantly changing,” she said.
Deciding which songs to include in the album was challenging, but followed a formula to make it easier.
“When I create a song, I already have the whole vision in mind – what I feel, what instruments I hear, what vibe I want to create and hear.
“This gives me direction in terms of melody and lyrics.
“When it comes to the track listing, I try to make sure there is diversity, both in theme and sound. In addition to choosing my favourites, I also seek advice from the producer,” said Cindy-Louise.
As with most creative endeavours, the project was not without its challenges.
“Doing 10 songs at once was very difficult. My head was spinning all the time. There was so much going on at once. Of course, I also wanted to stay true to my vision.
“Luckily, I had an amazing team who supported my every step,” she said.
While her future plans are not set in stone, she plans to continue experimenting with, and releasing new music and is curious to learn what her voice is capable of.