A fusion of identities, 20-year-old Karma Catena (C’est Karma) was raised in Luxembourg by a Italian father and Portuguese mother and now lives in Amsterdam. We spoke to the artist about her most recent EP Amuse-Bouche.

Can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and where you grew up?

I’m Karma a 20 year old musician born in Luxembourg, raised by a Portuguese mother and an Italian dad, based in Amsterdam.

What encouraged you to write your own music?

Mainly curiosity, I wanted to see if I was able to write my own songs so I started experimenting

Could you tell us a bit about the background of your artist name?

I don’t really have a fun story behind my artist name, someone suggested it at a party and I rolled with it ever since.

If you were to describe your sound to someone who’d never heard you before, what would you say?

I like to call it audacious pop. It’s pop music with a punk attitude.

Can you tell us more about how you produce your music?

I like to prepare some demos at home in my bedroom but then move on and take them to a studio to continue properly producing them with other producers.

What advice would you give for anyone trying to achieve a similar sound to your music?

It’s basic but I think the best advice I could give is: Just do it! Dare to make mistakes and learn that sometimes failing is part of the game.

What was your favourite & least favourite part of making the EP “Amuse-Bouche”?

My favourite part was the experimental process during the production period and the video shoots. My least favourite part was probably waiting for it to be released. There is always a lot of time between the end of the production and the release of the full EP but once the recording and producing process is over I’m eager to release it but still have to stay patient.

If you had to pick a personal favourite track from the EP, what track would that be?

I don’t think I can pick a favourite, it also keeps changing but I think at the moment Bubblegum is my favourite song to perform.

What music styles do you listen to?

I listen to a lot of different music genres from Hyperpop to Hip-hop over Punk.

Name an album you’re still listening to from when you were younger and why it’s important to you?

Homogenic by Björk is an album that has stuck with me since my youth. It’s also the album that made me get into experimental music and it still has a huge influence on me today

What do you love right now?

I love the new Black Country, New Road album Ants from Up There

What do you hate right now?

I hate how Tiktok influences the music industry at the moment

Are you writing new music at the moment?

Yes!

Is there any new music from 2022 you have been enjoying?

Absolutely! I have been listening to Motomami (Rosalia) on repeat since it came out. I’ve also been listening to Black Country, New Road a lot as well as Charli XCX’s newest album.

Where do you see your band one year from now?

I hope that a year from now I’ll have a busy schedule filled with shows and exciting experiences.

What was the best gig you guys ever played and why?

I really enjoyed playing the Prince Albert pub in Brighton for the Great Escape festival. I was really nervous for this one, as I knew it would be an important showcase show. During the soundcheck all my gear started suddenly failing, I became super anxious. Miraculously shortly before the show started all the issues disappeared and I played the best show I’ve played to this date. The feeling of overcoming this challenge was very overwhelming and this experience is for sure one I’ll never forget.

Do you prefer playing smaller or bigger gigs and why?

I like the anonymity with bigger gigs. I get very shy when performing. On the other hand I also really like the proximity of smaller shows where you can feel everyone’s appreciation for your work. So I think I like a good mix of both.

How do you deal with other people’s expectations of you?

I try and ignore them as much as I can since I find it very hard to work under pressure.

Where do you find comfort?

I find comfort in food and friends and most of all when having food with friends.

Start Listening To: C’est Karma