Cherri V is back! After a few years of touring with Jessie J, being one half of Dora Martin, the stunning singer-songwriter will release her long awaited new EP Athazagoraphobia tomorrow and I was lucky enough to catch up with Ms Voncelle to discuss a number of different topics including body issues, her new sound, rude celebrities and surprisingly, her new animated series. Enjoy:
Hi Cherri V, first of all thank you so much for featuring on Sam Maffia Online!
How are you?
I’m great! Thank you for having me!
So your new E.P. Athazagoraphobia is due out very soon! Since the preview’s arrived online, it’s already received such an amazing response! After being a few years into the game, is it still a shock when people react so well to tracks you’ve written yourself?
It absolutely is! I’m actually just in my own world creating music from my truth. It’s a blessing to be complimented on song-writing skills when my only training is life experience. Truly grateful.
Whilst listening to some of the preview’s, I found that a lot of the song’s showcase your vulnerability, especially on tracks such as Deadline and Rollercoaster. What or who inspired you to be so honest?
I think we have a lot of ‘Turn Up’ music in today’s climate and I’ve been known in the past for my refix’ and uptempo dance tracks so I really just wanted to strip it all back and give everyone the raw vocals and the songs. Also I’ve grown a lot as a person since my last solo body of work and there are a lot of topics that I’m not scared to talk about and no longer deem them as corny. The older you get, the more comfortable you get in your skin I believe and that feeling alone is very liberating. My journey in life has always been my main source of inspiration.
Girl In The Mirror is heartbreaking to listen to. Lots of young girls and guys have such complex issues when it comes to body image, was the track inspired by a personal battle? If so how did you overcome such a feat?
Girl In The Mirror is definitely a letter to myself. I became so tired of seeing the media dictate the definition of beauty and at times feeling like that was the complete opposite to what I saw in the mirror. I knew deep down inside there were others that felt the same. I know by speaking my truth, I can help someone else on my journey and music is very powerful in that sense. I can’t say it’s something I’ve overcome. I can only say it’s a constant battle that gets easier to fight with time.
We hear a stripped back Cherri V on Athazagoraphobia. Can we expect another E.P later in the year, full of aggressive female empowered anthems?
Haha! Maybe or some refix’s here and there. I’m also getting to release the second Dora Martin EP with Jermaine Riley so you will definitely get some up tempos on there. It’s been nice to switch it up though, but never been a one dimensional tempo specific type of artist anyway so, more to come!
Apart from music, is there anything else that you’re working on?
Yeah I’m working on an animated series. I love clowning about and using 5 different accents in one day so this is right up my street (laughs) Watch this space!
For the rest of the interview, I’m gonna ask you 20 random questions, they don’t require much attention, just quick, sharp, honest answers. Hope your ready!
If you had a book about your life, what would it be titled?
“The cherry don’t fall far from the tree” lol
Describe yourself in three words…
Ambitious, assertive, patient.
Biggest turn off in a man; bad breath or bad attitude?
Erghhhhhhh!!!! Bad breath. First impressions being bad breath wouldn’t allow me to get past the breath to the attitude.
Last film you cried at?
If you stay
Which song in the past 5 years do you wish you had written yourself?
Adele “Someone like you” PAIDDDD! (laughs)
Amber Rose or Kim Kardashian?
Amber Rose
Do you have any party tricks?
Yeah I can make my eyes vibrate (laughs)
Thoughts on Iggy Azalea?
Ahh bless
Favourite TLC track?
Creep
If you could record a cover of Brandy & Monica’s The Boy Is Mine, who would you choose as the other woman?
Hayley Cassidy
Favourite track you’ve written?
Girl In The Mirror
Rudest celebrity you’ve met?
Brian McKnight (Laughs)
Is the glass half full or half empty?
Half full
Sam Maffia is all about Urban Pop Females, name your favourite urban pop female.
Brandy
One word to describe Cherri V when she is woken up unexpectedly?
Upset
Why do we dream?
Our fears are being highlighted or we are receiving a warning.
Thought’s on gay marriage?
Live and let live.
Do you have any OCD’s?
Plug sockets being left on (laughs)
Adele or Emeli Sande as the main co-writer of your next EP?
Emeli Sande!
Sum up Athazagoraphobia in a sentence:
Emotive
Follow Cherri V on Twitter: @cherrivoncelle and Soundcloud.com/cherriv
