At 18, Isabel Rommen, artistically known as Cherry Blur, made the decision to move to Newcastle during the height of the pandemic. Since then, her artistry has blossomed in the North East music scene.
Now, with her brand new single ‘Cool About It’, she’s turning heads with her unique sound and compelling storytelling. We were lucky enough to sit down with Cherry Blur to talk about her latest release, how her journey has shaped her as an artist, and her exciting visions for the future as a musician.
Your new single ‘Cool About It’ has such a unique vibe! What was the inspiration behind the track, and how does it reflect your personal journey as an artist?
“Thank you! The song started out as just lyrics and a melody for the verses. It wasn’t until about six months after I had that initial idea that I finally came up with a chorus that I was happy with. As with most of the music I write, the lyrics came first. I always have a journal on me filled with random little ideas and lines that I might one day use. For Cool About It, I was writing about having an obsession with the idea of being with someone. Although in some ways I draw a lot from my personal experiences, I do tend to hyperbolise and dramatise situations. For example, I wouldn’t actually run through highways and train-tracks for anyone. Or run really anywhere for any reason.
Once I get together with my songwriting partner, George Griffith, we work out a vibe and start arranging the instruments. After we finished the demo for Cool About It, we recorded the song at Blank Studios with John Martindale, who produced and mastered the final version. There are a lot of reference tracks we’ll pull up when we’re working on music together. It’s an easy way to communicate how we might want a specific aspect of a song to sound. Some of the artists we referenced include Arlo Parks, Clairo, Kate Bollinger, Hiatus Kiyote, and Wheezer.
Reflecting on my personal journey as an artist, I feel like this song came at such a perfect time in my life. I’ve wanted to be a singer for as long as I can remember, but it’s definitely a daunting career to pursue. Adopting this new persona and rebranding myself as Cherry Blur has been a massive leap of faith, and I can’t wait to see where I can go from here. I don’t know how to explain it other than it’s just felt natural. I guess, when you spend your whole life craving something, you almost don’t even notice it when you’re taking steps towards it.”
Newcastle has such a rich music scene – how has the city influenced your sound and style would you say, and where are the go-to venues?
“I am so grateful for the home that Newcastle has been for me for the past four years. I moved here at 18 during the pandemic, with no idea what to expect. I feel like I’ve grown into myself here, and the city has shaped me into the person I am today. I’ve never lived in one place for very long, and it’s almost strange to me how familiar the city has become.
I also can’t imagine a better place to start a music career. The mutual support and appreciation shared between musicians in the North East is amazing! I met everyone in my band through studying at Newcastle University, and they’ve all become great friends. I also can’t go on without mentioning Generator and the extraordinary work they do, helping artists in the area. Without the First Notes program, I would not have had access to Blank Studios to record Cool About It in the first place.
In terms of go-to venues, Ouseburn is definitely the place to be! I do like a bit of a party and I love electronic museum, so I spend most of my nights in Ernest or Cobalt. But if you’re looking for live music, The Cluny, The Grove, and Little Building are all really cool independent venues, and are also my favourite ones to play.”
The name ‘Cherry Blur’ is fabulous! Can you tell me about the evolution of your persona and what led to this name? In other words, what does ‘Cherry Blur’ mean to you?
“I’m currently working on fabricating some kind of super cool, intriguing backstory for the name Cherry Blur, but the truth is there’s no deep meaning. I just thought it sounded cool, and it felt right for me.
I’m still getting to know her, and I’m sure that what ‘Cherry Blur’ means to me will constantly evolve, but I can say that Cherry Blur is very cool. She’s definitely cooler than Isabel Rommen. She’s glamorous and fun, and she has a complicated love life.”
We’re all excited for the upcoming music video for ‘Cool About It’! Can you give us a sneak peek into what audiences can expect? Any wild stories from the shoot?
“The music video for Cool About It is out now on YouTube! I shot it with Blue Sea Pictures over two days, and it was so much fun to make. There were definitely a lot of nausea inducing moments, which I maybe didn’t anticipate when I was conceptualising it. Eating fistfuls of cake is not as fun as it looks. But it looks really good, and I’m very happy with the outcome.”
Your music has this ability to mix this indie, pop sound with a bit of mystery. How do you channel that vibe when you’re in the studio? Do you have any quirky rituals or must-have items to set the mood?
“Lots and lots and lots of coffee!!!”
Releasing your first single is such a big milestone. What’s been the most surprising part of this journey for you so far?
“I guess if I’m thinking about it from the perspective of my younger self, I would definitely be surprised by just how much goes on behind the scenes. When I was little I thought people created music and then by some kind of magic the world found out about it. As an independent artist, there’s a whole lot of administrative work that goes into being a musician. There’s been a bit of a learning curve for me at every step of the way from creation, to distribution and promotion. Even though it’s a lot to juggle, it’s been super cool to have so much control over this project.”
You’re also part of a band called Last Orders which was previously known as Laverie. First off, what made you decide to change the name? Secondly, how does your musical identity and music in general switch between Last Orders and your solo material?
“We have changed our name several times now, it’s almost become a bit of an inside joke.
Musically, I see a lot of differences between Last orders and Cherry Blur. In Last Orders, the songwriting process can take many different forms. Usually one of us will come with an idea or a fully fledged song. Either way, we almost always each write our own parts. It’s a very supportive environment and we give each other a lot of freedom to bring a unique perspective to the music we make. This has resulted in a more eclectic sound. Kind of pop/rock + jazz + neo soul.
George Griffith (who is also the bassist in Last Orders) is a massive part of Cherry Blur. He helps me arrange and produce my songs, and he adds so much personality and virtuosity to the music. However, I am the primary songwriter and artist for Cherry Blur. This means that I have a lot more control and much more of a say in how I want everything to sound. Cool About It is my debut release, so I don’t want to pigeonhole myself into any one specific genre or sound, but I’ve been having so much fun listening to my instincts and seeing what kind of music comes from within.”
If ‘Cool About It’ were the soundtrack to a movie, what kind of scene or moment would it play in? I’d love to hear your cinematic vision for the song!
“I can see it being used very literally in a scene. A girl at a party who’s not really having any fun, just getting up and trekking across town to go see a toxic situationship that she’s really into, who’s probably never taken her on a date or mentioned her to his friends.”
Looking ahead, what can fans expect next from you? Are there any exciting projects or surprises you’re planning to drop?
“I’m so ready to hit the ground running. I’ve been writing loads of new songs, and I’m getting in the studio ASAP to start recording more. I’m happy to announce that my next single will be coming out before the end of the year, so stay tuned for that! Also follow me on instagram, because I’m starting to plan live shows and listening parties. This next year is going to be a big one for Cherry Blur!”
Check out the iconic music video for ‘Cool About It’ here.
Photography by Aaron Wyld
Comments
There are no comments yet.