Brooklyn based singer-songwriter and musician Camille Schmidt has quickly racked up both critical and commercial acclaim for her genre-defying raw and honest musical moments. The artist has just debuted her debut album Nude #9, and it is a 10 track captivating sonic journey that is filled with revealing portraits of her own life and those around her. Leading single "XOXO" is a punk-fueled synth pop banger all about saying goodbye to a past self. Camille plays with a vocal effect and electronic elements, embarking on a new versatile side for the artist. Then there is "Stanley", a driving indie rock tune featuring an enthralling electric guitar riff. The track takes listeners on the daily life of a lost woman who feels as if her existence is going nowhere. The song is not only poignant but humorous and witty, an important trait that Camille's writing often includes. Camille gets back to her folk roots with "Cult in Denver", an honest look at having difficulties embracing true intimacy. Camille's sweet vocals are hallmarks of this single whose hook lingers long after the song concludes.
Nude #9 is a strong debut from this quickly rising artist. Fans of Adrianne Lenker and Phoebe Bridgers will find much to enjoy from this phenomenal album. Earmilk chats with Camille Schmidt about her album, creative process, unique music visuals, what's next and more!
Congratulations Camille on your new album Nude #9! Can you tell our readers more about some of the themes found in the album?
Blowjobs. Dying your hair blond. Writing a novel. Taking SSRIs. Going to healers. Not eating enough. Feeling gay feelings. Trying to be grateful. Dad getting cancer. Reading texts over people’s shoulders. Drinking beer. Having a crush. Eating enough. Remembering. Going crazy. Going to London. Emergency surgery. Lying. Trying to fall in love. Being silly. Being honest.
Can you tell us about the creative and recording process behind the new album and what it means to you?
Making Nude #9 with the producer Ben Zaidi has been one of my favorite creative experiences. The initial stage involved an intense Ben-imposed songwriting period. Writing 3-4 songs a week, sending them to him, we’d talk about them. I showed up at his LA home studio with 45 demos and Ben and I listened to all of them and narrowed them down to 14 or so. A lot of the process from there was figuring out what world each song wanted to sit in, and deciding which musician we wanted to help create that soundscape. The whole process was very intentional but with a lot of room for play and spontaneity.
Sonically, how does Nude #9 differ from your past EP Good Person?
One of the biggest differences is that Good Person was recorded almost completely live and Nude #9 was not. So in that sense it isn't as acoustic. It dips more into punk, into rock, into synth-pop. Into whatever. I’d also say that I go a lot deeper into my past on Nude #9 than I do on Good Person. I wrote these new songs with just as much fear but I guess I didn’t listen to the fear as much. I was just honest in a new way.
Do you have a favorite song or moment on the new album and if so why?
I love yelling in “Daddy Long Legs.” I love the textural almost ASMR-esque soundscape of “Proton Electron Photon” where it feels like you’re entering this world inhabited by clicking alien insects. Both of these moments are freeing to me. They offer an untethering of sorts.
Your music is resonating with people all around the globe and you have landed quite a bit of critical acclaim. What do you hope listeners take away from your music?
I hope listeners can find a space in my music to feel fully human. It can be hard to do that in this world because so much of what keeps the economy moving forward and so much of what keeps systems of oppression in place requires us to push down our humanness. I hope these songs can be containers to feel the full depth of emotion in. Emotions that are hard to feel around other people. And sometimes even hard to feel when alone.
With Nude #9, you have released some amazing visuals and music videos for singles "Stanley", "Cult in Denver" and "XOXO". Can you tell our readers more about the symbolism in these videos?
Many of the visuals come from dreams I have. When creating videos or photos I try to fully follow instinct and I’m lucky to work with friends who are down to get weird with me, who are down to try things out, get in a state of play and just see what we come up with when we let our minds go wild together. I’ll never make anything that I don’t feel excited about, that I don’t have fun doing. But I’m also very purposeful about what images we’re using and how they relate to each of the songs. The foxes, for instance, come from recurring nightmares I had as a child. The single silver being in “Cult in Denver” came to me during a walk in Brooklyn.
Any upcoming tours or shows coming up?
We’re celebrating the album release with a show at The Sultan Room in Brooklyn on Feb 7th! I’ll be joined by two of my favorite Brooklyn bands Claire Ozmun and Hank Heaven. I’ll also be doing a release show in LA a bit later in the month.
What is your favorite part about playing live?
There is no better feeling than the physical vibrations of musical instruments. It’s really like magic, when you’re playing with a band, you’re synced up, and everyone’s feeling it, everyone in the band, everyone in the crowd. So much of our lives are spent in isolation, and it’s relieving to enter a community of sound with other people. It’s some version of church, I’m sure of it.
What is in store for Camille Schmidt in 2025?
I’m going to finish reading the letters sent between Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf (I’ve been going through them before bed each night). I’m going to start the Art of Cruelty by Maggie Nelson. My friend just lent it to me. Lots of shows. More walks. Keeping my room clean(er). And making another album…
Connect with Camille Schmidt: INSTAGRAM
