Sometimes things happen around me and I miss them completely. Then I get blindsided by the existence of said thing. This happened last fall when I was writing for the Rifflandia festival guide and was assigned to write a bio for Kandle. I went in not knowing anything about her and was astonished at her immense musical talents when I put on her first independent release Set The Fire. (What. An. Album.) How had I completely missed nearly a decade of this incredible musician who was from my hometown?! How the fuck did I manage this? And she's the daughter of west coast music legend, 54·40 frontman Neil Osbourne? Truly this was a tremendous blunder by me. Luckily she was easy to track down so I could find out more.
Though she grew up in and around it, music wasn't always the end goal. “My whole life I think I was doomed and destined to be an artist,” Kandle says with a laugh. “I am kind of into everything. I went to school for photography in Victoria. I do a lot of drawing and painting. I started writing poems and then I started playing guitar. I kind of started doing music by accident.” It's a good thing for music lovers that accident occurred because Kandle has been consistently untouchable - delicately balancing modern sounds with big nods to crooners of the past – without ever sounding like a pale imitation of that past. “I've definitely always been a sucker for all of the classic crooners. I learned to sing by copying Billie Holiday when I was teenager. Growing up in the 90s with a rock dad I was really into alternative stuff, every “head” band – Radiohead, Portishead.” Even though you can hear the influences throughout her music, Kandle is most definitely not doing an homage – her music is entirely her own and all of our ears are better for it. I'm so glad I got the opportunity to not only write about this amazing artist for one of my city's biggest festivals, but also that she was so easy to track down and so effervescent when I did! Enjoy this wonderful instalment of 5 Questions with Rags featuring the powerful KANDLE.
1. What is the first album you remember buying with your own money?
It was Our Lady Peace, Clumsy. I was a diehard fan when I was like 6. I may have peed myself when I met them. <laughs> My dad never full got my obsession with them. I think they were opening for him around the time I got obsessed and he was just like, “ooookay.” I was just screaming “Superman's Dead” in my little overalls. It gets me every time.
2. What's the best memory you have of a teacher or mentor growing up?
This is going to be a shoutout to my Oak Bay art teacher. Mr McGulky. (Note: I cannot confirm the spelling on this. Please forgive me if it's wrong!) It was my, I dunno, sixth high school at that point? I'd kind of given up on making friends and fitting in after that many. For the first little while there, even now we're still friends, but he was my only friend there for awhile. I had pretty crippling anxiety about getting bullied, not fitting in, not doing well in school. Everyone knew I was a bad seed. He would lie for me. He would write notes for me to get out of science class. If I was freaking out about something, he would have my back. He would always roll his eyes and complain about it but he looked after me and I always really appreciated him. He's always proud of me.
3. What's your favourite household chore?
Laundry. I love doing laundry. I find it very soothing. I love the whole process. I love folding, making it all perfect. Watching a show while you fold clean clothes. Ugh! The best!
4. If you could spend the day with anyone living or dead...?
The first name that popped into my head is Christopher Walken. I don't know why, but I think I'd just wanna hang out him and have cocktails and shoot the shit all day. He's just so cool and unique. I'd probably draw his portrait. Maybe we'd fall in love. I don't care if he's 100. Whatever.
A cool dude, indeed.
5. When's the last time you did something for the first time?
I almost tried surfing but then I got really sick. I can't think of anything other than getting a cat. I've been scared of cats my whole life and love dogs more than anything. I got a covid kitty rescue for free. I was just so weird and awkward with her at first. But I named her Pussy Galore and we're best friends now. I still don't get cats, but I get her. I'm trying to raise her like a dog though. Dog-cats are the best. You just gotta...raise 'em wrong.
6. The guest question for this round comes from the mighty Kytami – What do you remember about your first live performance?
I would have to remember my first live performance. <laughs> I remember my first live one as Kandle. I'd just moved to Montreal and I was playing with these pretty pro, serious musicians. They were the real deal and I just decided I was gonna fake it 'til I make it and pretend this is something I've been doing my whole life. I was backstage and I was shaking, so anxious, completely full of shit. I kept telling everyone I was good - crying in the bathroom trying to put on my lipstick. I went out on stage and that was when I realized that if you stare right into the lights you can't really see anything else and then it doesn't seem like there's a big crowd watching you. You just blind yourself! I still do that to this day. Everyone's like, “You were looking right at me during that song.” “Oh yeah, totally, for sure.”
Pick up Set the Fire at Kandle’s bandcamp. Or listen wherever you stream your music! It’s a really fantastic album. Rags’ promise.