Kansas City-based queer Harp player, singer and multi-instrumentalist Calvin Arsenia has just released his new album, “Cantaloupe”. It fuses the genres of jazz, soul, classical, folk and pop, giving the listener a deep dive into Calvin’s psyche and sound. The album was produced and co-written with Jametatone’s J Ashley Miller and Quixotic’s Simon Huntley, and was mastered by Grammy Award-winning engineer Dave Kutch.
Calvin grew up in in Kansas City and as an African-American man standing at over 6’6′, it led him to often feel alienated within his small suburban neighborhood. Refusing to accept this experience, he turned to music as an outlet. He gravitated towards piano and guitar, before finding his niche’ with the Celtic harp as an outlet for his creativity.
His first single “Headlights” taken from the new album ‘Cataloupe’, not only caught our attention, but also other high profile media outlets like Pride.com and Atwood Magazine. Laced with an alternative folk instrumental, Calvin takes the song to another level with his soulful vocals. It’s a vulnerable and intimate song, that Calvin manages to deliver with glowing warmth. The second single from the album was his rendition of the hit Britney Spears song “Toxic”, it premiered exclusively with Popdust.
“Cantaloupe” is an album that full of soul, energy, colour and artistry, and with this in mind I decided to reach out to Calvin to talk about his brand new album that was causing quite a buzz in the music world.
1.) For all our followers, tell me a bit about yourself?
Salut! My name is Calvin Arsenia (three syllables, “ee”, and an ñ in the middle). I’m a singer and harpist seeking transcendence one pluck at a time.
2.) When did you first discover your passion for music? Was there anyone who inspired you?
lol I have had people believing in my musical abilities since I was a young person. So many people. But I keep doing it because it keeps helping people.
3.) I love your song “Headlights”, it gained you attention from some high profile media outlets. How did this song come about, and was it written about any personal experience?
Thank you for telling me you love it. I truly appreciate it. The song came out of a live music experience curated by my friend and producer J Ashley Miller. Ryan J. Lee is a prolific musician who also calls Kansas City home. He wrote the bass lick that the whole song is bass-ed on. 😉 Lyrically, the song deals with getting over the destructive habits that codependence has had in my life. I want to break the habit of being tossed to and fro by the whims that I interpret are directed at me when the truth is nothing is personal. (See the Four Agreements).
4.) You’ve just released your album “Cantaloupe”, what can people expect from it?
Drama. Love. Self-Love. Curiosity. Homage. Energy. Savage elegance. Damaged beauty. A sexy bassoon solo. Some mermaids. You know the drill!
5.) Who did you work with on the record?
Producers and best friends J Ashley Miller and Simon Huntley worked in front, beside, and behind me on this record. It was absolutely a team effort. It would have been different and definitely not as interesting without them. I am so grateful for how much of their souls added to the color palette of my dictation of things that have happened in my life – to transform the imaginary world into the real one. The musicians who played on it are listed in the liner notes but I would like to talk about them here: Simon Huntley was the co producer as well as percussionist. He designed some of the elaborate soundscapes on the album. Ryan J. Lee, bass and co writer for Headlights – this album would be so much less without that contribution. Robert Castillo played bass on the record as well. Ezgi Karakus on cell. Rachel Lovelace on Bassoon. Coleen Dieker on violin. Fritz Hutchison on electric guitar. Carl Herlitz played keys on Poseidon as well as a track we used quite differently on Back To You. The album was produced in 4 different studios in Kansas City and a couple tracks were flown in from Sweden and Florida. Ashley Rippeto sang some beautiful background vocals. And Dave Kutch, from the Mastering Palace mastered the album when we were done. I played the other stuff. Acoustic harp, electric harp, synths, banjo, ukulele, acoustic guitar, piano, a cheeky violin part that somehow made it on the final mix (the marching army of zombie violinists)…. I think that’s it.
6.) What song on the album means most to you and why?
I think Palaces is the most significant to me. Though there are obvious runner ups all over the rest of them. I believe we captured something beautiful in that song and it was scary to write, produce, to sing, and now to perform it, but I so believe in the message which is the question of if there was ever a time that the muses choose to abandon me, what will I do then?
7.) Is there any plans for a tour?
I’m in a constant state of travel. Where would you like to see me next? I bet you know just the spot.
8.) I did read you had come to Australia on tour? Where about’s did you go and how was your Australian experience?
I loved Australia! I was there to see my friend Gingzilla at the Fringe in Adelaide and catch up with some other friends I had made in Scotland. I got to go on a delicious wine tour! And then I played with another harpist while I was in Sydney for an evening.
9.) If you could choose any artist to work with right now, who would it be and why?
I can think of so many people who’s music I love but I don’t think I could narrow it down to just one.
10.) Which artists/songs/albums are you currently listening to?
I’ve been re-discovering Arca. What a human! Erykah Badu. Love. Disclosure. Sufjan Stevens, always.
11.) What’s next on the agenda for you?
Coming back to Australia?
neillfrazer@hotmail.com
