Ready for the big moment and waiting for the whistle to sound, Chelsea Silva urges us to be super careful of those dark days in her inspiring interview for her upcoming single ready for release on the 31st of January, frontline. After sparking our eyes up to complete revitalisation on Illegal Eyes, we find a hugely mesmerizing creative with so much to teach us.
Hello Chelsea. We appreciate you joining us again. Please let us know where in the world you are and what your favourite meal in the world is.
Chelsea: Thank you so much for having me back! I’m Chelsea Silva and I’m from Sydney, Australia. My favourite meal would have to be a good meat lovers pizza. The only acceptable answer for me is a BBQ base. Tomato just isn’t the same.
How do you stay sane on this rather wild planet?
Chelsea: That’s quite a wild question, wow! Honestly, I try my hardest to take it one day at a time. Focus on what I can control rather than what I can’t and remember what the end goal is. For me, it’s to find happiness where I am and who I am with while trying my best to achieve the music career I have been dreaming of since I was a kid!
After sizzling our ears with Illegal Eyes, please tell us more about frontline? What was the process like and what is the inspiration behind the track?
Chelsea: Thank you! I hope the song didn’t burn your ears too much haha! Well, Frontline was written at a darker point in my life. My depression and anxiety were at an all-time low and I wasn’t getting the help I needed at the time. I can thankfully say that has drastically improved over the years. When I wrote that song, I was writing it from the perspective of someone who was in the middle of a battle within their inner self. The metaphor of being in a war or a battlefield is sung a lot. It showcases the negative thoughts and self-deprecation of a person and how hard it is to get out of a life-long pattern of self-hatred. It’s my way to say that even though you might be at an all-time low, you are not alone and it does get better.
Who inspires you most in the world?
Chelsea: At the moment, it would have to be other musicians like Alec Benjamin and Dodie Clark. They have had their fair share of mental illness issues as well as writing their experiences of it. Seeing how vulnerable other artists can be, especially those you have looked up to for so long can help you feel at ease when opening up about yourself. The more people open up, the fewer people are afraid to do so. That is truly inspiring to me.
When did you first realize you were going to become a musician?
Chelsea: Ever since I was born! My mum knew I was going to be a performer of some kind because when she was pregnant with me, I’d have a little dance near her bladder every time music played. A lot of fun for baby me, a lot less fun for mum! She knew it was something I needed to do as the music never left my side not once since then! My mum always believed in me and that’s why she is one of the main support systems when it comes to my career.
They say music heals the soul from all wounds. What does music mean to you when you close your eyes and imagine each note?
Chelsea: It means a new world much better and bigger than your own. It’s your moment to imagine, create and discover new possibilities, dreams and aspirations. Music has the ability to change one’s emotions and outlook on life just by changing genre and style. You can escape for three to four minutes to a place that is safe for you. That’s what I want to give to my audience. To ship them off to their safe place until they have the courage to continue on with their day-to-day life.
Last, where do you see yourself in ten years?
Chelsea: I see myself touring, selling my music, performing to massive crowds where everyone in the room feels safe together, a loving life partner, maybe a kid (who knows!) Definitely a cat in my own apartment somewhere in that future, haha! And finding true happiness with where I end up. I just realised while answering that I’ll be 32 then… Oh god…
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Follow her music on Spotify. View more on her socials.
Interview by Llewelyn Screen