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What do cottages, emos and the movie Bridesmaids have in common? At first glance, there’s no obvious connection. Yet these words came naturally to me as I chatted with singer-songwriter and now album producer Caroline Savoie. It was by taking on all these roles that she confronted her uncertainties and learned to let go, the better to follow her instincts.
Since we don’t go into battle alone or without armor, Caroline Savoie has built up her cavalry: mentors, cheerleaders, friends and colleagues. Surrounded by these long-time accomplices, she drew on this open camaraderie to bring Rom-Com, her fourth album, to life. In this latest opus, she plunges headfirst into what ignites her. She gives herself over to a creative, kitschy and uninhibited fire.
Why give up your guilty pleasures? A good question, especially since Caroline Savoie’s guilty pleasures are also ours, and they sound good too. Carried along by this new wind of courage, she asserts her romanticism, this time without compromise. She loves what she loves, and finally gives herself the sweetness she deserves.
Here lies the moral of every good rom-com! Love of self always comes before love of others. Caroline Savoie understands this. She sings of love in 90s pop, power ballad, bossa, folk-pop, indie-rock and all their hybrids. Rom-Com is a true sonic quilt enriched by a carefully crafted narrative identity.
PAN M 360: How did you strike the right balance between this coherent narrative and the eclectic range of musical genres on the album?
Caroline Savoie: I’d say that the coherent narrative meant that I felt freer to explore different musical genres. Since I had a clear story line, the musical packaging came second. My primary aim was to tell a story, no matter what genre the song was going to be in. After that, it was just a matter of gluing it all together and making it work.
PAN M 360: The album explores a quest for self-acceptance before being able to find love. Is it a reflection of your own journey, or a broader reflection on love stories?
Caroline Savoie: It’s more about me and the people around me. I’m still working on being more confident and loving myself as I am, but one thing’s for sure, I certainly respect and value myself more than I did in my early twenties. And that comes with making better choices for yourself. Loving yourself before being loved is easier said than done, but now I’ve found someone with whom I feel free to be myself and who loves me for who I am, and that’s the foundation for me.
PAN M 360: Through the aesthetics of Rom-Com, you reinterpret love archetypes from cult films that have marked you. What is your nostalgic relationship with these films?
Caroline Savoie: In fact, it’s the kind of film I love to watch because it’s so light-hearted; often, the ending is predictable, and that brings me a certain comfort. At the same time, I’d been trying for some time in my artistic process to get away from the “ketaine” thing, trying to prove I don’t really know what to I don’t really know who. That said, calling the album Rom-Com and turning it into a concept was a way for me to come into my own, as the emo girl I’ve been since Day 1! It was liberating to take a bit more of the self-judgment out of the equation and dive fully into the world of romance.
PAN M 360: For Rom-Com, you were responsible for composition, interpretation and production. Were there any aspects of this process that proved more demanding than you had imagined?
Caroline Savoie: It was my first time as a producer, and I found it quite a challenge! I found it hard to stand back from the project at times – like not knowing when to take a break to listen to the tunes and analyze every detail haha! It was always when it came to deciding on certain artistic decisions that I had the most difficulty, for fear of making the “wrong” decision. Following my instincts wasn’t always my strong suit, so it was definitely a good exercise in confidence. In all this whirlwind, I’m lucky enough to have a manager who’s the best cheerleader around, so it’s made it a bit easier to dive into the void like that.
PAN M 360: Who did you turn to for an outside perspective?
Caroline Savoie: I was lucky enough to benefit from the mentorship of Salomé Leclerc, who gave me excellent advice throughout the process. She’s an artist I really admire, so talking to her about it all answered a lot of my questions. There’s also Benoit Moirier (who did the sound recording and mixing) who I could count on throughout the recording for his input. He even helped me set up a studio at my cottage and showed me how to use the recording software! He was so cool to work with. I also have to say that my boyfriend must have listened to the album 100 times with me to reassure me on the days when I thought everything was rotten. All in all, I was really lucky to be well surrounded, with kindness and love !!!!
PAN M 360: By wearing so many hats, did you feel you were giving yourself away even more with this album than with your previous ones?
Caroline Savoie: I think so! I felt very vulnerable throughout the whole process. I was learning a lot of new things at the same time, and looking my best, even if that wasn’t always the case. The result makes me even prouder because of that, I really feel that I’ve managed to let my personality shine through in this project and that I’ve followed through on my ideas.
PAN M: We hear that this is the first time you’ve created an album exclusively with friends. How has this dynamic influenced the sound of Rom-Com? And how are your former collaborators who thought you were friends?
Caroline Savoie : LOL whew I laughed at that question!!!! I think the difference with former collaborators is that they became friends through the process. It was often new encounters and above all new collaborations. Here, I was with my live musicians and long-time friends for the recording. As a result, the process was much easier, given that everyone involved in the project knows me extremely well and is already familiar with my musical universe and personality. This made it less stressful for me to communicate my needs and ideas. They already understood me without me having to say much. That said, I’ve learned so much from the last 3 directors I’ve worked with (Jay Newland, Philippe Brault and Joe Grass ). They were all unique, and I took all their wisdom with me!
PAN M 360: The album is both a retrospective and an introspective, a look back at your twenties. If this decade were a Rom-Com, which one would you choose?
Caroline Savoie: I don’t think you could necessarily call it a Rom-Com (sort of), but I’d go with Bridesmaids. I think it describes so well the beauty and complexity of friendships between women, while being SO funny. It makes me think of my close friends and all the different stories we’ve been through together. Plus, we’ve all had our fair share of love affairs and disappointments, and we’ve always been there for each other through thick and thin.
