Hailing from the unassuming town of Cheltenham, CAEZAR is one of our favorite Indie-pop trio’s. Playing alongside giant names such as Hozier, James Bay and Jack Garrett, CAEZAR can really hold their own in the scene and have had the pleasure of playing at the award-winning independent Barn on the Farm Festival as well as being featured on the acclaimed radio platform BBC Music Introducing. Their debut EP ‘HAIL!’ is incredible and we were so excited to get a chance to talk to them on Unheard Gems.
Unheard Gems: So happy to get to talk to you guys on Unheard Gems. Your music is so incredible and the perfect indie pop blend which I love! How are you guys doing?
CAEZAR: We're good! Things have been so busy over the last 6 months with the build up and release of our debut EP - we've not had a moment to stop!
Unheard Gems: Just for our readers to get to know your group, how did you each get started in music and what drove guys together?
CAEZAR: Chris and Rich first met through playing Rugby in the UK. Both of them get injuries so started messing around instead with music, with Chris singing and Rich on guitar. After a few public shows, it became apparent that there was a clear chemistry and we were invited to perform at some amazing festivals, including Barn on The Farm Festival, which featured Hozier and James Bay that year. A few years later and a bit of luck and fortune brought Zoe into the mix - soon as we heard her sing we knew they wanted her in the band, and she's been the heart of the band ever since!
Unheard Gems: I have to ask about how you came up with your band name, CAEZAR, it’s pretty iconic and memorable, what was this origin story and the brainstorming process like?
CAEZAR: It took us a really long time to come up with a band name that was original, not cliché, and that also had relevance to us as a group. We experimented with a lot of names but nothing really felt right for us collectively. It wasn’t until we just jotted down the initials of the band members: C (Chris), Z (Zoe), Rich (Rich), that CZR was formed, and from that – CAEZAR.
Unheard Gems: You recently released an EP in December called “Hail! EP”. What was some of the key inspiration behind this EP and what was your process like?
CAEZAR: The HAIL! EP is the end result of almost 3 years' touring and performing. We've tried to distill the best parts of our live show into these 4 tracks that we feel showcase what CAEZAR is all about. As individuals we have quite eclectic tastes - Chris is a huge fan of OneRepublic, Maroon 5 and Muse, Zoe loves Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, & Queen, whereas Rich grew up on a diet of Pink Floyd, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Ben Howard. However it's this broad range of influences that helps create our own genre crossing sound
Unheard Gems: It was your first collection of work to come out, what has it been like to have this collection of songs out in the world and what has the feedback been like?
CAEZAR: We'd been working on the EP for almost 18 months in the studio - so we have been waiting to share these songs with the world for a while. We were quite nervous before releasing the first few singles as were unsure as to how people would respond - however we couldn't have expected the incredible response we've received - including coverage on CLASH Magazine, the 405 and even a BBC introducing main event for the EP. The most common feedback we get is the strength of Chris and Zoe's vocals - we're lucky to have 2 incredible singers who work so well together. We have had some TV coverage here in the UK as well - we can't believe it!
Unheard Gems: You have some really aesthetic and beautiful lyric videos up on your VEVO and a music video to your song “Take Me There”, any more music video plans for the future?
CAEZAR: We're really pleased with the lyric videos. It was important for us to put the music as the sole focus upon release and not the people in the band - we partnered with an incredible animator, Synktra, who did all our videos. He had an amazing ability to translate the tone and emotion of the track into something that was visually engaging and distinct. For the final release, Take Me There, it was the right time to reveal the band members. The video itself remains quite understated but we feel it fits the tone of the track perfectly. We're currently plotting our ideas for the next video - maybe somewhere hot!
Unheard Gems: What are your plans or goals for your trio in 2019? What can you tell us about what’s next
CAEZAR: Now that the EP is out we are looking to support the release with a UK Tour - we pride ourselves on being a live band first and a studio act 2nd so we're really excited to get back out onto the stage!
Unheard Gems: I love talking to bands about their dynamic, not just music wise, but how are you as friends and where do you find the balance between friends and coworkers. Any funny memories or stories so far that you are willing to share?
CAEZAR: We're quite lucky in that we were friends before we were a band - so it's pretty natural for us to spend so much time together, travelling, writing, recording, performing; even when things get heated (usually when writing new music) our friendship is what keeps us grounded. In terms of funny stories - we had a moment last year when we were asked by a festival if we wanted any soft drinks, beers or snacks in our rider - however when we arrived at the festival, all that was saved for us was a single orange. We had to split it between the 3 of us!
Unheard Gems: This is a kind of mean question to ask but if you could pick one artist right now who you deserves more recognition in the music industry right now who would it be and why (you can each pick one)
Caezar: There are so many amazing acts out there it's hard to pick!
Chris: Rex orange county
Zoe: Nothing but thieves
Rich: Raleigh Ritchie
Unheard Gems: Lastly, for all of our readers, where can they find you and your music and is there anything else you want to leave us with that we didn’t talk about in our interview
CAEZAR: Thank you for the support - we really do appreciate everyone who listens to and enjoys our music. It means everything to us and we're glad it resonates with so many other people. You can stay up-to-date with all CAEZAR news by following us on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hailcaezar/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hailcaezar1
Instagram: http://instagram.com/hailcaezar
Interview by Hannah Schneider