Q & A With Colbie Caillat [Video]

A-ight peeps. Hurr it is! Your questions, answered by Kauai’s own, Ms. Colbie Caillat herself.

Boy, what an experience! Having dinner with her and her band in Reno, catching (part of) her show, then driving down to Sacramento to catch her appearance there, THEN jumping aboard her tour bus to get this interview. And on top of all that, she’s like the sweetest person you’ll ever meet. Please go out and buy her music and show some love for our Kauai girl. She soooo deserves it.

K, nuff awwreddy! I know you just want me to shut up and get to the video, so here it is… Check it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLSFKqZqMw

[YN]: when is she coming to singapore to perform?

Singapore. I think we’re going most likely in January or February (2010). As of now, that’s what the schedule is looking like so I hope that still happens.

[bB]: what is her favorite song that she wrote and why?

I think my favorite song that I wrote is “Battle” on my first album CoCo because I wrote the whole thing in a matter of minutes. It was because I was feeling so strongly about a situation. Family members of mine were having this feud and it was going on for years, and I was tired of all the drama and all the sadness that was tied into it, where people couldn’t be in the same place at the same time and I really wanted to write about it and express my feelings that we need to get past this and both people can be sorry and things can get better with the relationship.

[NeedaHobby]: is she able to get back to Kauai very often? What are some of the foods she has to have when she’s back home?

*laughs* The last time I was in Kauai was when I was writing in January ’09. *laughs* Before that, it was the summer before that, so I don’t get to go there enough. I want to go back right this second. When I go back to Hawaii, we always have barbeques at my aunt’s house, and I go to Bubba Burgers, and I get smoothies all the time. And all the local boys, we hang out at the beach. They go fishing and they cook us… I like ono, and my uncle goes out fishing and gets like really good ahi. I love fish, it’s amazing.

[rayboyjr]: Her music has a laid-back feel like music from Hawaii. Does she know of or ever heard the local Hawaii music? Any influences from Hawaii?

Well Justin Young! Who’s in my band… I actually knew of his music because my friends were listening to his music and every time I go to Hawaii and hear his songs. Every time I hear Hawaiian music or the ukulele, it brings back those warm feelings that I get when I go to Hawaii. And the people, how everyone’s so nice, and the weather. I heard… isn’t Pepper from Hawaii? Yeah so I mean just going there and getting to hear all of these artists and bands, I learn from them and I listen to them when I go back home.

[frankie]: I love the harmonies in “Magic.” Does she have any more collaborations planned?

Well, on my new album “Breakthrough”, Jason Reeves and I, we have a collaboration… we have a duet called “Droplets”, and I just did “Lucky” with Jason Mraz, and then after that, I really want to do a collaboration with a hip-hop artist like Common or Pharrell Williams or someone… Timbaland maybe. That’d be cool.

[skycastles]: How has becoming famous changed her life – the good and the bad?

It’s weird to say I’m famous because I don’t… it’s just weird. The good thing about it is that I get to travel the world and I have a nice tour bus and I stay at nice hotels. I get to travel and play my songs for people in different countries and all over the US. You get treated very well, people bring things to you all the time and you get to go to the front of the line, like stuff like that, that’s awesome. The bad part about it is that there’s so much work involved with it that I’m never home enough, I’m never with my family enough or I can’t have a dog out on the road with me, I don’t get to be in Hawaii as much as I want to, I have to miss out on things: weddings, birthdays, and having people… it’s very strange, when you have people taking pictures of you, you feel like you’re in a zoo in one of the cages and you’re like one of the zoo animals, so that’s weird, but it all comes together and you have to look at it in a positive way, so that’s what I try to do.

[mcat]: i’m curious on how much she visits HI & if she’ll ever do a concert here? (again)

I visit Hawaii… I try to go twice a year, and even that, that’s not enough. Right now, I’ve been begging my manager to try and book us a show in Hawaii. I haven’t played there for over a year now so I’d really love to go back. My band wants to go back, Justin Young who’s in my band is from there… we’d be sooooo happy to go back there and play a show, so hopefully soon. Really really soon.

[NEO]: Wow, Colbie Caillat, first off, you’re beautiful… I love your voice… secondly, where do you find most of the inspiration for your songs?

Aww. Well thank you NEO, that’s very sweet. I find inspiration for my songs from my personal experiences in life. Whatever I’m going through, whatever I’m observing with friends or family around me, going through a situation in life, or if I’m falling in love with someone or having to break up with someone. I just write about whatever is going on in here. *points to heart*

[kuya.d]: What “dream venue” does she want to perform at?

The dream venue that I would love to perform at is the Hollywood Bowl. That’s where I saw my first concert, I saw Fleetwood Mac perform there when I was younger and I’m from L.A. I want to perform at the Hollywood Bowl. Hollywood Bowl would just be “Ahhhhh!” *laughs*

[matt]: does she have any aspirations to transition to different media types or does she strictly see herself as a musician?

I pretty much see myself as a musician and eventually as just a song writer for other artists. I could be eventually talked into acting. I have been saying no for a long time, it’s not really my thing, but I’m trying to… that’s like my next goal is to be open to other situations and not be scared of things and acting I was kinda scared of so if a good opportunity comes up, I might try it, but I’m not sure. *smiles*

[MB]: does she have another duet with Mraz planned anytime soon?

Jason and I don’t have another duet planned yet but we’re friends, we see each other all the time, we perform “Lucky” together and I’m sure we will write another song together just by hanging out all the time and loving each other’s music so much.

…

With this interview, I’ve done three fairly high profile “Hawaii celeb” interviews in a row:

• Colbie Caillat
• Shane Victorino
• BJ Penn

Not bad ah? Who you like me shoot fo’ next? I really think I’d enjoy one with Barack Obama, but I realize that that’s next to impossible. Plus, I no like get frisked in places I’ve never been touched before. 😛 I dunno, perhaps the peeps currently in the news might be interesting (e.g. Mark Dacascos or Carrie Ann Inaba from Dancing with the Stars, or the like)? The Rock would be fun too.

Apologies if I skipped your question. Tried to avoid repeating similar questions…

Hope you enjoyed it yo! Lemme know what you think!

In the meantime, check out the full article and interview here:

Colbie Caillat – A Star Is Born

Since these traditionally don’t get a lot of feedback, let’s chat about what y’all have planned this weekend! 🙂 Happy VH07V Friday!

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