At first nobody knew who or what collective stood behind „The Child Of Lov“ – some people even assumed Outkast in a reunion project. Only recently Cole Williams from The Netherlands posed for photographers revealing his true identity. It was the manager of Gnarls Barkley Trey Reames that discovered Cole’s talent and helped him to get a feature with MF Doom, followed by a deal at Domino Records. Influenced by musicians like Stevie Wonder, J Dilla and Prince, The Child Of Lov presented his self titled debut album in May, which combines elements of HipHop, Neo Soul, R’n’B and Blues in a very skilled and laid back manner. An unusal detail by the way: In an open letter The Child Of Lov explained that he won’t play live concerts any more. „Please remember that to me, this thing is about the music, not the person“, he published on his website. In the interview with The Message the artist explains why Jai Paul fascinates him so much, why we shouldn’t laugh about Justin Bieber’s lapses and he also talks about the superficiality of white Blues singer.
Interview: Julia Gschmeidler
Support: Daniel Shaked
TM: The part „LOV“ of your artist name is an abbreviation of Light, Oxygen and Voltage. That has something in common with phototropism. Are you responding to or away from a directional light source?
The Child Of Lov: I try to do that. We all have phases in our lives where we do what is good for us, yet we find times when we do the opposite. I try to to the first as much as possible.
Why did you decided to reveal your face and betray your identity?
Well, because I felt like that in basically. It was never intended as something to last forever, it was just a way of focusing on the music for the first few months. After a while I was like lets get over this.
Can you understand why some artists hide their identity during their whole music career?
I guess. It’s not something I would do but if it works for them… I agree with the sort of going against the wind from this culture that wants to know everything about you, what kind of drink you like, all the smallest details. It’s good that there are boundaries among some artists.
Jai Paul is also hiding his identity and nobody knows about the apparently leak of his album. You said that he is the truth. How can that go together?
I’m gonna hold on to my laptop for the upcoming months, so that it not got stolen! He’s a great artist I think and everything I heard so far is just incredible. Some artists sound really boring. To me a lot of music is boring. But Jai Paul is one of the few people that doesn‘t make boring music.
Do you know any other artist that is not so famous at the moment but you like?
I really like this guy who did a remix for me, Two Inch Punch is a great producer. There’s not a lot of music I get that excited to be honest. These two are the musicians I like best nowadays.
And what’s about Mr mask himself – Doom – how much inspiration did you get by working with him?
Not that much actually. I was there when he did the verse in the studio. It was great meeting him, he’s a very cool dude with a warm personality. It was a great experience, great meeting him as a fan of his work that I am.
You are also a designer and responsible for your album artwork. How important is it for you to be a part of the whole creative process?
Very important. I think the artwork is also a way of sending a message, just as music can work in peoples‘ minds. Visuals can as well I think. When I think about the great albums that I love, they have also great covers as well. I wanna see something too, that is the same with my music.
But it isn’t the common way that the artist is also responsible for the artwork of the cover…
It‘s just a way of having things under control, I just don’t wanna go back and forth with a graphic designer when I have an image in my head that I really want.
And why do you have such an enormous preference for Versace?
Well, because it’s outrageous. I just very love the way they make their clothes and the combinations of stuff. It’s visually very inspirationally I think. For me also as well, as graphic designer there’s a lot of inspiration.
You said that you play enough instruments to produce your own record. How many instruments do you need for doing this?
Well it depends. I mean I basically try to play everything I can get my hands on. I think that you need only one instrument for an acoustic record but if you wanna make the music that I make, there’s a lot going on in the music. You know, so there are a lot of instruments as well.
When creating music: Are you controlling the process or are you more controlled by the process?
I think the latter. I just start making a beat basically when I feel like making music. The moment I lay down the drums I just try to follow the music. Just go where I think it sounds best. But the music usually leads the way itself.
Your musical roots in Blues from the South are very obvious. Once you told that white people often have a superficial understanding of music and that Janis Joplin doesn’t sing the blues. What makes this superficial version of Blues?
The lack of subtlety. I think that a lot of people think that singing the blues is just about singing really loud and making your voice real reedy and singing really loud into a microphone. Like Tom Waits or something. But to me the Blues is more about the tender moment as well and it’s more about the build up and subtle moments where you can feel the actual pain than about shouting out loud and thinking you are a musician.
Soul music in general basically is about celebration on one hand and fame on the other hand. So I think both things have to be somewhere in the music, that‘s something I want to convey in both, my music and videos. Blues music back in the days also used to bring people together, to walk around and one guy with the guitar was singing a blues song. Both functions are a way for people to get together in a positive way.
You often state D’Angelo as your idol. On “Heal” you ve a cover of “One Mo Gin”. Are you a part of the neo-soul movement?
No, but that was a 2000 thing. The whole thing with D’Angelo and Erykah Badu during the time was just a sort of a reaction to the soul jams and the RnB to that time. And it was more the work taking it back to the roots of soul music. I was trying to make my own version of soul music but it’s 2013 now, it’s a different time.
You cooperated with Erykah Badu but also said that you would like to work with Missy Elliot. Damon Albarn, ,with whom you worked, even called his daughter after her. What’s so fascinating about her?
She’s just a great producer. I really love her productions, she’s also very involved with Timbaland and stuff like that. She’s one of the great female artists in the scene.
Which other female artists would you like to work with?
There are a number of female artists, I love M.I.A., Missy, Erykah Badu, just chicks like that. There are all a sort of tough in a way and sort of straight by. But they are also very feminine in the music they make. And I think that’s a great combination. And there are not a lot of women out who are doing that.
Damon Albarn also composed two operas. Would it be possible for you to do something like that?
I have no intention to. A funk opera would be interesting. I kinda like writing a musical. I really like Jesus Christ Superstar, something like that.
Would you also like to sing and perform in the musical?
Sure, ya.
The Guardian wrote that you are Jamiroquai in a cartoon version of hell. What do you think about this statement?
I hate Jamiroquai, man. Even in a cartoon version of hell I still don’t like him.
Why?
I dont know. It‘s a form of soul music that I just don’t feel.
So you hate Jamiroquai but like Justin Bieber. What’s the particular reason that you mentioned him as one of your esteemed artists?
At this moment the skype connection breaks down. It takes a couple of minutes until we reconnect and continue our conversation.
The Child of Lov: I never thought I‘m gonna say that, but I was talking about Justin Bieber. I think he works a lot harder than Jamiroquai, that’s one reason I like him more.
Did you hear about the occurrence that happened in the Anne Frank house when Justin Bieber was there?
Yes, I don’t get why everyone is so upset. It’s easy to hate a guy like Justin Bieber. To be honest, the comment he made, I think it has to do with that a lot of people don’t know this but Anne Frank actually was a big sort of music fan. She had a lot of posters up in the house where she lived, like the popstars of that age and era. So I think that’s one of the reasons he said that. But it’s easy to take it out of context. Also the fact that he is hanging out with black friends and stuff. People go like: „Justin, are you drinking purple drank now as well? What’s happening with you?“ Like Justin lost his way in life and crashing cars. But he is just a good kid and working hard and hopefully in the future he starts producing his own music.
He also did some HipHop.
Yes, Swag.
You looked very unhappy while getting the NME award (New Musical Express, Anm.). Which feelings did you have?
I wasn’t unhappy. I was just maybe…OK, I was unhappy because I had to pass all those people in their jackets. I did really feel part of the entourage there if you know what I mean. With all the Johnny Marrs and stuff. I didnt even know Johnny Marr before I went there! Anyways, it was still a cool evening.
You said that you are a product of this music and that it influences you. What are the happenings in your social and political environment that have an effect on your musical output?
I don’t know. I guess. I think everything around you that’s close to you influences you in one way or in another. Its hard to say exactly what it is…
Can you remember of a concrete happening in the past that influenced you?
I don’t know, I just think coming from a poor neighbourhood, growing up with a single mam, stuff like that influences you. I never really had any money to buy instruments or to take lessons so the whole music thing is something I figured out with the crappy things that I had. And I think that this really influenced the way that the process worked for me up to this day. Yes, I got some cheap guitars by now. I still try and go back the same way.
The songs of your debut album have titles like “fly”, “heal” or “living in circle”. Is there also a spiritual atmosphere on the LP?
Yes, I hope so.
Is it intended by you or resulted it within the progress?
Music is a very spiritual thing to me and I think the music I listen to most touches me spiritual as well. It’s a thing I look for in other music. So its a logical thing to me that I m trying to get the same level of spirituality in the music I make myself.
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