Celisse made a return to Pilgrimage Festival after two years, playing the main stage alongside other great acts like Dave Matthews Band, Hozier, Noah Kahan, and NEEDTOBREATHE, among many others. She also took some time to talk with American Songwriter, discussing who she was excited to see at the festival, her favorite George Dickel whiskey cocktail (as well as why brown liquor gets her into trouble), and what she hopes people take away from her 2020 call to action, “Freedom.”
Celisse Discusses Whiskey and Dave Matthews Band’s Cover of “All Along the Watchtower”
Celisse started by shouting out Dave Matthews Band, who she’d met before. She shared that she was excited to see the band perform, as well as see Matthews again. When asked if she had a favorite Dave Matthews song, she replied, “Well, this isn’t really fair to say because it’s not technically his song. But they do a cover of ‘Watchtower’ that’s pretty incredible.”
She continued by explaining what she was doing with George Dickel whiskey, which was an official sponsor of Pilgrimage. “I just finished my show up at the main stage,” she started, “and I went to the Dickel Dive … and just did a little activation and met people and drank a really good [cocktail], I think it was called a Pumpkin Sour … and I normally try to stay away from the brown liquors because they get me into trouble,” she laughed, “but I was like ‘Yeah, I’ll try it,’ and I’m going to get into more trouble than I thought I would with those drinks tonight.”
Overall, for Celisse, the Pumpkin Sour was apparently “very, very good, and not as sugary as you’d think it would be.” That’s a win for the Dickel Dive Bar.
“Freedom” Bursts with Hope for Justice and a Call to Action
Celisse released the song “Freedom” in 2020, even going behind the scenes of the song’s construction for Guitar Center. When asked what she hoped people would get out of the song, as it deals with themes of social justice, she replied, “I think the hope with that song is that people would leave listening to it thinking about one small thing that they might be able to do to affect change in their communities.”
She continued, “Because I think that it can be so easy to get incredibly overwhelmed at how many things can feel challenging in the time that we live in today. I know, if I think about world problems on this scale, I feel so powerless. But if I focus on like, ‘what can I do in my community, what conversation can I have with a family member,’ like do I have a cousin who I can convince to register to vote. These little things actually add up and actually make the big ripple and wave effect in the future.”
On What She’s Learned from Joni Mitchell
Celisse then discussed what she’s taken away from collaborations with artists like Joni Mitchell and Alicia Keys, and if those collabs have influenced the way she performs. She discussed Joni Mitchell specifically, showering her in praise.
“With Joni Mitchell in particular, sitting in the presence of a person like that, who is responsible for some of the most important music we will ever have of our time, I think what really has impacted me in working with her is seeing how she doesn’t have the ability to be anything but herself fully,” Celisse began, heaping high praise on the iconic singer-songwriter.
“The way that she sings, the way that she writes, her perspective on music and art is solely her own,” she continued. “At the beginning, there were plenty of people who didn’t understand it. But she was so committed to her artistry that she sort of pushed past what was happening in popular music at the time and just said ‘this is what I have to say.’
“And now, all these years later,” Celisse elaborated, “we’re able to look at her music and it’s heralded as being so important to the American songbook. But it required her really deeply investing in herself when people weren’t entirely ready to yet and it’s something I think about pretty consistently.”
She added, “I hope to be the kind of artist that’s just deeply committed to whatever feels like the truest thing to say.”
Is Celisse Planning a Tour Soon? Plus Who She’s Listening To
When asked if she was planning to tour after her album drops, Celisse exclaimed, “Yes, absolutely!” She listed some of her favorite stops, like Nashville, where she’s played at multiple venues around the city.
Additionally, when asked who she’s listening to lately and wants people to know about, Celisse didn’t disappoint. “There’s like a million people that I could say,” she began, “but there’s a Danish artist, her name is Tina Dico … she’s massive in Europe and lots of other places. But in the States, she’s usually touring in clubs, which I’m always shocked because she’s just so major everywhere else. She’s somebody I started listening to 15 years ago. I know her records so well.”
She added, “One of the most incredible storytellers, and her records really range from being super singer-songwritery with just her voice and guitar, to fully produced with a full band. And I just love her songs and I love her writing, and if you’re a fan of a place like Pilgrimage where it’s really song-first, Tina Dico would be an incredible person to check out.”
Featured Image by Erika Goldring/Getty Images
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