Electro-pop darling CAPPA is serving up an infectious new single, “There With You Baby.” The new single is the second tease of a forthcoming EP, following on the heels of her 2020 debut, “Change My Mind (ft. Yuppycult),” a collaborative effort with Timeflies member Rob ‘Rez’ Resnick.
At its core, “There With You Baby” is a delightful, feel-good pop track. Explaining the concept behind the track, CAPPA writes, “I wanted the song to capture that beginning feeling in a relationship when you feel like anything could happen and maybe love isn’t all that bad.” Combining a dance floor ready beat with superbly catchy lyricism and CAPPA’s signature hypnotic vocals, “There With You Baby” perfectly captures the giddy feeling of falling in love.
CAPPA, aka Carla Cappa, has a knack for crafting carefree yet clever electro-pop tracks. Since her 2015 breakout, “Hush,” which premiered on SPIN and was later featured in a Victoria Secret ad, CAPPA has continued to pump out a bevy of delightful pop singles. Her music has been championed by key tastemakers like NYLON, Glamour, Entertainment Weekly and Billboard, and has also been featured in hit TV shows like Riverdale, Alone Together, Girlfriend’s Guide To Divorce, and The Bold Type, just to name a few.
Originally hailing from Philadelphia, CAPPA first landed in Nashville and quickly became synonymous with the pop music scene there. After moving to Los Angeles a few years back, CAPPA has established herself as a go-to songwriter and has featured on tracks for major electronic artists like SNBRN, TELYKast, and Justin Caruso. In 2019 her sought-after vocals led her to create an exclusive vocal pack for SPLICE. After taking the past year to arm herself with an arsenal of new original pop gems, CAPPA is now gearing up to release a new EP in early Summer 2020.
Listen to “There With You Baby” on Spotify & Apple Music.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ‘CAPPA’ by DUSTIN HOLLYWOOD
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your story. How did your background and culture shape you and what creative expression means to you and why?
I grew up in a small town outside of Philly and my mom did a lot of singing and songwriting when she was younger. She gave me her old guitar when I was 9 and I immediately started writing songs. My brother was a pretty big druggy when I was growing up, so there was a lot of drama in my household and writing music in my room with my door locked was how I learned to cope. I give it credit for saving me and making me know who I am today. I can’t say enough good things about what music can do.
2. Artistic expression is beauty in humanity, a way of releasing one’s self from within – was music something that called to you over time more than other artistic avenues or did you just know at some point?
I always knew I loved it. I was 16 when I really started wanting to pursue it as a career and I’ve really never had another focus since — I am literally bad at every other “job.”
3. How has living in and around where you are pushed you and your career/life? How has that shaped your found talent musically? Do you think your surroundings have influenced your style/music?
I think my surroundings 100% influence my music. When I was growing up I was told by a lot of people that I wasn’t good and could never make music work as a career — to be fair, I was pretty terrible at signing when I was younger. But, the way I am, if you tell me I can’t do something, I’m going to try even harder to do it. I practiced singing for an hour and a half every day for 3 years.
4. How has your music process and writing changed from when you started, and what things do you focus on most with respect to your brand or image and music that make up you as a music artist?
I came from a rock background so my sound definitely started a little bit more alternative leaning before transitioning to more of a pop sound, but I’m not mad about that! I tried to make it more alt-pop again but it never worked quite right, so I’m just like fuck it, pop it is!
At this point, making my image as authentic as possible is my biggest goal. In the past I spent time trying to be this image I dreamed up, but now I just want what I write, how I look, and who I am to all align. If people like that, that’s awesome. If not, I’m fine with that too.
5. What do you want people to hear and take away from your writing/music?
I just want my music to make people happy, like when I listen to pop songs I love. Currently I can’t stop listening to Dua Lipa’s new record, Future Nostalgia, and the other day I danced in my underwear in my old room in my parents house for like an hour, just jumping up and down. It made me feel like I wasn’t stuck in a house for 2 months in the midst of a pandemic. That’s the kind of music I want to make for people.
6. How has COVID-19 affected you & your family personally and your community during this period of lockdown?
It’s been hard, as I think it has for most people, but thankfully art and creativity is not something that needs to be stopped. The music world is more than half shut down, but I’m glad that all my family and friends have been able to be physically safe.
7. What have you been doing during the lockdown to stay sane?
I’m trying to be as creative as possible. I’m still doing some online writing sessions and I’ve been painting too. I’m also reading more books than I ever have — I’m like 8 self help books deep!
8. If you had to take one person, alive or dead, into quarantine lockdown with you for 30 days and you only got one object to take with you what would it be and who would you pick?
Man, I don’t know. That is a good question. I feel like I’d definitely take a piano with me and maybe, like, Julia Michaels. I am obsessed with her songwriting. I’d be so curious to see what would come out of a 30 day writing session with Julia.
9. What’s the first thing you want to do or go to when the lockdown ends, what do you miss most?
I joined a rock climbing gym a couple of months ago and it was my favorite thing to do. I can’t wait until it’s open again.
10. What new music do you have on the horizon?
I love this question because I have A LOT of new music on the way. I’m in the midst of releasing an EP right now, with “Change My Mind” being the first single. I’m in love with some of the songs on the EP, so I’m excited for people to hear.
11. What’s your spirit animal?
My dog is my spirit animal. I’m obsessed with her. She is the weirdest thing. You can follow her @damnitbeans. I think we have 50 followers right now, so she is on the COME UP!
12. What’s your favorite thing about making music and playing music live?
Writing is definitely my favorite part of the music making process. Performing live is just a whole different beast, but I think that’s why it also feels like the greatest reward.
13. What’s one thing that was a challenge you had to overcome choosing this music path and how did it affect you and your writing
I mentioned it in another answer, but I wasn’t very good at signing when I was younger. I used to get made fun of a lot in school and I had to practice much more than other people just to get to a good place with it. However, I think it definitely made my work ethic stronger.
14. How do you think the DIY movement through social media and internet in general has changed the industry and changed the way musical artists like yourself get discovered and reach new fans? What’s that kind of personal ability to directly connect to your fans meant to you as an artist and during this time? How do you think this event in history will change the internet and how we interact socially whether it be music or art or just in general?
It’s been amazing and I think it’s a big reason as to why I’ve been able to build any sort of career. It has it’s pitfalls in that everyone can be an artist now and there is just SO much new music. BUT, it’s also provided me way more opportunities. I’ve never been signed to a label, so being able to be creative with the internet has helped immensely.
I think after COVID, online music festivals and live streams may become more of a thing — at least for a while as I’m not sure the festival and concert scene will be able to come back quite yet.
15. What advice do you have for aspiring artists trying to make it in the music industry as well as those out there having a hard time during this lockdown?
The music industry is way different now than ever before. My biggest suggestion would be to learn how to make your own demos. Get Logic or Pro Tools or another DAW and a cheap microphone and start playing round. Splice is a great added tool to get pre-made sounds to write from as well. You don’t need to know how to play piano or guitar amazingly to make an awesome song.
As for advice for the lockdown… I keep reminding myself that it’s hard for everyone. I think FaceTiming your friends is helpful and getting out in nature and cycling or hiking, if you can, is great to keep up morale. Also, make sure to check in on your friends, especially those who live alone!!
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