More about: erika de casier

There is an exciting dichotomy in Erika de Casier’s work. On the one hand, it feels comfortingly nostalgic; reminiscent of the silky-smooth flows of noughties RnB and UKG, with bright, zingy harpsichord melodies, breakbeat percussion and deliciously poppy hooks. At the same time her sound is undeniably fresh, forward-facing, and brimming with new ideas. She crafts elaborate and immersive musical backdrops and effortlessly jumps from one genre to another. Early into the first of many national lockdowns, de Casier found some of her freshest ideas coalescing to form her second album; Sensational. It is aptly named.

The past year has been a blessing and a curse for musicians everywhere, decimating the live music industry which is the bread and butter for touring performers, but also giving artists the rare opportunity to sit down and write, uninterrupted by the trappings of modern life. For de Casier, her work at Denmark’s Rhythmic Music Conservatory provided both a distraction and an opportunity; “I used to look at it as two different things; school and my own project [Erika de Casier], but I had to make 40 minutes of music for the final project, and it kick-started a process of making something bigger…and then all of a sudden it felt like I had an album.”

Sensational is de Casier’s glistening debut for industry stalwart 4AD, and she feels like she has big shoes to fill. “It’s a whole new scale, more pro, and I’ve been really amazed at how hard-working everyone is. I’m in good company, I didn’t expect myself to be a part of that, ever. I always looked up to 4AD but thought either I wouldn’t fit in, or that I wouldn’t be good enough.” This sense of impostor syndrome will sound familiar to many young creatives, even fully established artists at the peak of their careers, but de Casier’s take on it is refreshing. “A good way to look at it is like, “well, what else would you say that you are then, if you’re not a musician? What is your line of work?...well, I make songs, so…I guess I am a musician.”

De Casier’s journey to becoming a musician was far from deliberate. Graduating from a somewhat limited selection of CDs in her mum's car (ranging from Vivaldi to The Police), she spent her adolescent years listening to CDs borrowed from the library, watching MTV, and sharing music with her friends. “I was very certain that I was just a listener. I didn’t think I was going to do anything with music, and then when I started high school, I accidentally signed up for a music class.” A mis-placed check on a class selection form turned out to be a very happy accident, leading de Casier to take her tentative first steps into a music career. Singing in a choir, writing music with friends and performing at the school’s Battle of the Bands event, all helped de Casier hone her production and performance skills and build confidence.

Of course, winning Battle of the Bands wasn’t the peak of de Casier’s music career: she’s been on an upwards trajectory ever since, and has learnt a great deal on the way, though feeling confident is something de Casier feels she still needs to work on; we talk about stage-fright and the performance anxiety she felt, most recently, before her hypnotising set for Boiler Room’s Streaming From Isolation series last year. “It was so nerve-wracking. I was living in this flat with some people, and y’know, I can’t sing when I know somebody is in, so I had to be like 'can you go for a walk for the next hour or so, cos, I have this thing…' And I was freaking out about the gear, the camera, the sound, and it was my first time doing something like that.”

This sense of nervousness doesn’t come across in her music at all. Although hushed, de Casier’s vocals are assertive and her lyrics carefully considered and witty - harking back to the empowering female narrative of nineties and noughties RnB. In fact, the whole production value of this new album feels wholly more confident too. It is more adventurous, taking the listener on a journey through an exciting range of sonic landscapes and flirting playfully with the diverse genres that inspire it. It feels almost cinematic at points, as complex melodies evolve and intertwine to create an immersive soundscape. “I definitely think the narrative of movies inspires me. When I make music I have pictures in my head of scenes… for example, in ‘Friendly’, I had this image of rainforests and green fields, which came out in the sonic realm of the song.”

Crafting a captivating live set from such a rich and nuanced album might prove tricky, especially after a year indoors, but de Casier is relishing the opportunity and is excited to play her new work live. I ask who would be her dream artist to support, and after a carefully considered pause, she laughs nervously and suggests Rihanna. “That’s like a big one, I mean, that’s ridiculous.”

Lofty ideals perhaps, but for now de Casier has her eye set on more modest goals: “My biggest dream is to be able to go on stage and be completely comfortable. I’m still trying to find my live voice.” This honesty and authenticity is part of her charm - and testament to her passion for the craft, and it is certainly exciting to witness an artist finding their voice. Who knows what the future may hold. Rihanna, you busy?

Sensational is out now digitally via 4AD, and will be released physically on 23 July.

More about: erika de casier