With their latest offering, it’s very clear that the pair are not just churning out music for the sake of it; instead they openly invite the listener to experience a piece of their artistry and vision. Obsidian Cane introduces a mellow drive of Drum n Bass, In ‘Never Change’ laying the perfect foundation to allow the prospective listeners to be compelled by the vulnerability of Gizella’s 3-octave vocal range.
‘Never Change’ may be an unlikely union on paper, as one may immediately think a vocal range suited in a classical setting has no place in the rave scene. However in reality, the two musical styles create a euphoric experience – a contrasting sound that’s unmistakably and unapologetically theirs.
Never Change merges two seemingly contrasting styles—how did the idea for this collaboration come about, and what was the creative process like?
Gizella: Obsidian Cane sent me the backing track, there was a section that inspired the vocal melody and lyrics, the part where I sing ‘But i keep coming back for more, cause it hurts too much to stay away’ & the rest of the song evolved from there. I sent my idea to Obsidian, which he loved & I wrote the rest of the song from there.
Obsidian Cane: We already had 3 songs completed & wanted a fourth song to be our first release together. My intention producing ‘Never Change’ was to create a track that unmistakably feels like both of us as individual artists. The classical instruments being Gizella, the bassline definitely me & the drums gelling everything together.
Obsidian Cane, you nearly walked away from music before making a return. What inspired you to come back, and how did it feel to reignite your passion for production?
Obsidian Cane: My passion for music never left me. As a hobby I used Sony Acid Pro to create funky house mixes for my iPod! Then Soundcloud blew up for independent artists so I reached out on the platform to singer-songwriters who upload acapella vocals & created alternative mixes for them. Then ReverbNation came along & I could see a future were music artists no longer need major label support so made the decision to start producing professionally again reaching out with collaboration offers to creative, unique artists who inspired me.
Gizella, your vocal range is often associated with classical music, yet it blends seamlessly with Drum n Bass in this track. What was it like adapting your voice to this genre?
Gizella: Yes true, I began by singing in a church choir some years ago which covered classical pieces. It was easy to be honest. I love many genres of music. Vocally I find my voice adapts to whatever music I have a feeling for. The bottom line is if I emotionally connect with the music…..that’s my jumping board ….it’s as simple as that.
The story of how you two connected—through a friend who heard Gizella singing on her bike—feels almost serendipitous. What were your first impressions of each other musically?
Gizella: I loved the quality and authenticity of Obsidian Cane’s production, clean and right, versatile with sounds and colours that inspire me. He also has a wealth of experience across the board with an in depth knowledge of ‘sound’ itself, besides excelling in a wide variety of music genres.
I remember raving back in the day to his garage track ‘I Need A Rhythm’ around the same time I released my first ever track on vinyl which was also in UK garage. His track was ‘on fire’ a classy underground UK Garage club floor filler and one of my all time favourites so the musical respect was there from the start.
Obsidian Cane: When I first heard Gizella sing I was like WoW! Her voice was so compelling & stunning that she moved my spirit. My second reaction was panic, as I now had to make productions to match ha!
Never Change defies traditional genre boundaries. Was there ever a moment where you questioned if this fusion would work, or did it feel natural from the start?
Gizella: No never, it felt natural from the start, as soon as I got the first bit of the vocal melody and lyric I got excited…
Obsidian Cane: Nope. I never doubted for a moment we’d make this fusion work as we are both musically eclectic & creative artists. Honestly for me, the hardest decision I had was deciding the tempo!
Both of you have had diverse musical journeys, from UK Garage and Drum n Bass to Hip Hop and EDM. How have your past experiences shaped the sound of Never Change?
Gizella: You never stop learning and growing in this industry, however compared to when I first started I am no longer swayed in trying to force my vocal style to anyone else’s and I don’t feel restricted to stick to one genre. With age and experience came the confidence in having my own voice and working on tracks that evoke in me feelings and inspiration. Now I’m just doing my thing and enjoying the creative process along the way.
Obsidian Cane: The most important thing experience has taught me, and I applied this when producing ‘Never Change’ is be un apologetically your authentic self. The number one complaint I hear regularly is most music now days sound the same, so sounding original, to me, is an attribute as a music artist.
Gizella, you’ve been described as a “vocal chameleon” and have worked across multiple genres. Do you approach songwriting and performance differently depending on the style?
Gizella: Not at all, songwriting for me develops very much the same regardless of genre. I don’t produce the music I produce vocal melodies & harmonies. Everything begins with the music, whether it’s some of the sounds that jump out or the beat…that’s my jumping board. I use a lot of visualisation, when I get into the music, colours and emotions stand out to me. I visualise scenes, much like a movie which help a lot when I’m formulating lyrics and working out the vocals. It’s an identical process regardless of style. As for performance it’s very much about getting into a character so that my delivery is emotional and I can convey this feeling to the audience. Genre does’t play a part in these decisions, rather what is the song’s story.
What message or emotion do you hope listeners take away from Never Change?
Gizella: It’s about the push and pull of emotions when you are with someone who repeats toxic behaviour and the realisation that the other party will ‘never change’ – the ‘fooling myself ‘ line is the realisation of the constant ‘merry go round’ and the fact that the other person will never, ever change. Finally, the song is meant to give the character inner strength to walk away once and for all.
Obsidian Cane: That if no one has told lately, you are amazing! Now go do you!
With this track marking the beginning of your collaboration, can we expect more music from you both in the future? Any hints on what’s next?
Gizella: Oh yes definitely. We have three more songs releasing this year. The next release is very apt for what is currently happening globally tilted ‘Crazy World’.
Obsidian Cane: I can’t give away too much, just to expect more Drum & Bass songs from us this year and maybe a couple of surprises!
