Interview by Tony Cannella
Hailing from Chile, Caterina Nix is a phenomenal vocalist. All the proof you need is on the debut album from Chaos Magic. The band also features none other then Timo Tolkki. It is the collaboration between Tolkki and Nix which truly makes Chaos Magic ‘magical’. Recently Caterina Nix took some time to answer some questions for Femme Metal. It was a pleasure to give the spotlight to such an amazing up-and-coming talent. Here is what she had to say…
Welcome to Femme Metal Caterina and congratulations on the great debut album with Chaos Magic.
Thank you for having me!
How did you first meet Timo Tolkki and what led you to record an album together?
We met many years ago at a Stratovarius meet and greet here in Chile. I was always knocking on doors with my material and my music so I sent him a few songs and he liked my voice very much. We finally had the opportunity of working together when he presented my material to Frontiers Records, who were looking for a female singer to release a solo album written by Timo. So Frontiers picked me from several other candidates and here we are. It’s been such an amazing ride!
For anyone who hasn’t heard it, how would you describe the music on Chaos Magic?
I think it’s pleasant, enticing with powerful moments and very listenable. I loved the results, and I’m sure many people can relate to the lyrics and to the music delivered in this album. It was a very pleasant experience on so many levels and I think that shines through.
Are you pleased with how it’s been received by the fans and media?
I’ve read really good reviews and my fans have loved every second of the album. Of course, you can never be liked by everyone and I feel like some people refuse to see Timo evolve into other kinds of music that don’t resemble Stratovarius. But hey, I focus on the positive. There are cyber bullies out there and I deal with them the best I can; staying positive and fighting for my dreams.
I love the video for “I’m Alive”. Tell us about the experience of making that video.
Thank you! Well, I wanted to make something very simple and symbolic, as you can see there are two sites, one is filled with rubble and ruins and the other is full of nature and peace. It’s what the song is all about, just trying to succeed in spite of the obstacles in life and trying to find the light at the end of the tunnel. Now, as for the shooting process, it was quite hard, since Murphy was following us closely (hahah), everything that could go wrong went wrong; our generator broke down, we got lost on our way to the sites, and there were some infiltrated people who kept showing up in some shots. But we managed it and I think the result is pretty and feminine and reflects the mood of the song quite well.
Do you have any touring plans? If so, when?
I would love to tour! But for that, you need contacts and resources which I’m trying to get right now. As I was saying before, I knock on doors all the time and some of them open but others slam you in the face. The key is to never give up. I’m very happy about having the opportunity of being Nightwish’s opening act this October 04, here in Santiago. So I’m planning on playing several local shows and finding contacts around the world to plan a tour.
Is Chaos Magic a one/off or do you plan on recording more in the future?
There’s definitely a possibility of making more music with Chaos Magic. I would really like that and would love to include my own songs into the project. We’ll see what happens.
Do you have any songs that are particular favorites of yours?
I love Seraphim and Passionflow, they fit my voice very well and allow me to show different colors of it. But each song is a world and I enjoyed each one of them although some of them were more challenging than the others. “Please Don’t Tell Me” was more of a challenge, since I’m not used to singing with that sweet almost childish whispery voice, and I discovered a new sound I hadn’t tried before.
Who are some singers that have influenced you?
So many! But If I have to pick just a few I’d go with Freddy Mercury and Bruce Dickinson…. singing along with them is like a being in a master class! I learned so much just by playing their records and imitating them. I think any rock singer could have them as cornerstones of what a rock voice should sound like.
Please give us a little history about your career prior to Chaos Magic.
I’ve been singing since my childhood, participating in school music projects, the choir, bands etc. Then I started having singing lessons and formed a few bands of my own. Metal and rock in general have always been my motivation and a reflection of how I felt inside, so I would encourage my bandmates at school to play rock tunes (we were like 12 years old…). Later on I started creating my own music along with my former band Aghonya, releasing our first record called “Oxygen” in 2008. That album (which was released independently) got really good reviews and gave us the chance to open for bands like Within Temptation, Edguy and After Forever.
What are your future plans?
My plan is to keep making my dreams come true one day at a time; I want to play live as much as I can and plan a tour at some point. I also intend to keep on making music, staying creative and helping others musicians to have opportunities out there.
Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. I really love the album and I wish you all the best in the future. In closing, is there anything you would like to add or say to the fans?
Thank you so much. I really want to thank those who have supported me from the bottom of my heart. It’s not easy to get here and it’s not easy to stay here either, but I’ll do my best to bring people beautiful strong music and I’ll keep on screaming that no one should ever give up on their dreams. We all deserve a chance. We all deserve to give ourselves that chance.