A Quick Chat with Clarissa Mei

What can you tell us about ‘Swipe Right’?

Swipe Right is my first release after a pandemic-induced hiatus (haha). The foundations of the lyrics formed around the ideas of finding connection during lockdowns and isolation. We were all pushed to live our lives online and a part of this included dating in the online sphere. If I’m honest, looking back, I found it so difficult to juggle existing vs being creative during 2020 because of the social and political climate of the world.

So “Swipe Right” is an earmark of where I was during that time and a reflection of my internal world.

If you were an instrument, which one would you be and why?

Oh wow, I think I would be a Baritone Saxophone. One, because I've played it before and it was my favorite instrument! Secondly It’s not like the other saxophones, it still has a sexy sultry nature, but it’s normally chilling in the back with the bass lines so it’s calm, cool and collected but still has a groovy vibe to match.

What’s your favourite album of all time?

Okay, now that’s a harder question.. I’m going to take this chance to answer with two haha. I’d say that Alicia Keys' album ‘Songs in A minor’ is one of my favorite albums of all time because it really made me hear music in a different way when I was younger. I felt it in my soul and I knew that I wanted to sing and write music in the same way. Another I would say is Frank Ocean’s ‘Channel Orange’. That album was a huge influence on me and many others in my generation. The lyrics and production work together to form this amazingly visual story, it’s really an amazing album to hear Top to Bottom.

Do you have any weird talents or facts that people might not know about you?Nothing too wild but, I was in a marching band when i was younger and used to play the clarinet if that counts? haha

Who was your first celebrity crush?I feel like I’m going to expose myself so much right now but I’m here for it. The earliest memory I have of crushing on a celebrity would probably be Zac Efron (I loved High School Musical at the time) but also later in life I realised I probably had an even bigger crush on Vanessa Hudgens too.

What has been your favourite part of being in the Conscious program?

I am big on community, it centers in almost everything I do in every way. So, being a member of the Conscious family means so much to me. I’m proud to be in communion with this year's class and alumni artists. Watching others grow and growing together is an experience like no other. We all blossomed under the guidance of L-Fresh and the Village Boy team and the conscious program has been a game changer for Western Sydney Artists. It’s vital that we have programs like this that constantly push and support artists from the West, especially when other programs aren’t as available to us or as relatable to us.

Is there anyone you would like to collaborate with? Why?

My dream collab would have to be with either Kehlani or SZA, I absolutely adore them both and their music and I think it’d be so dope to be on the same song as them!

If you could have any three people over for dinner, dead or alive, who would they be and why?

I can’t limit it to three because I’d want to cook and nourish everyone that was a part of this release to be honest. It feels good to be back in the game making and releasing music and I wouldn’t have been able to do this one without the team.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice I've ever received is from my mum. If I ever failed or did anything badly, she’d always say “Just try again next time” or “You’ll do better next time”. That’s all I ever did, was keep trying and trying again until I got something right. To keep persevering and believing that you’ll do better and be better is so beautiful. At the end of the day we’re all human and failure is normal, but it’s what we do after that matters and how we grow from the struggles we have that count.

What’s next for Clarissa Mei?

I’m hoping you’re going to hear from me a lot next year actually, I got my hands in some tracks right now that I’m finessing for release. I’ve been lucky to be in sessions with some amazing artists lately and I am building my producer catalogue too. So maybe you’ll see some of those artists’ tracks too, fingers crossed!Longterm, I’m writing my next EP (or body of work however you want to say it) that’s shaping up to be a new sound for me. So make sure you follow me along the way xoxo