3 minute read

Caroline Cecil is Whipped Cream

After a big 2018 that saw a string of impressive releases like “LUV” on Big Beat and “Blood” on Deadbeats, Caroline Cecil (aka Whipped Cream) is off to a rollicking start in ’19. The new year has already seen a pair of bass bombs, like her remix of ZHU’s “Desert Woman” and her original production “You Wanted It,” and the festival season’s just starting.

Originally making serious waves in late 2017 with her Persistence EP, the Canadian talent’s intricate soundscapes and generally darkened style of production have steadily earned a larger audience.

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Just as she prepared to rock the Worldwide Stage at Miami’s Ultra Music Festival this past March, DJ Times caught up with Whipped Cream to discuss her career journey.

DJ Times: You transitioned from competitive figure skater to DJ/producer – when did you realize music was your true passion?

Cecil: Growing up, I always loved music. I would be curating everything, the road-trip playlist, friends’ birthday parties and competition practice at the rink. Then I got into an accident on the ice that made me lose a lot of my jumps and stability. That following summer I went to my first music festival and, for once in my whole life, I had felt truly alive – and when I say that, I mean accepted and whole. When I got home from that festival, I started making music.

DJ Times: What’s the attraction?

Cecil: Creating music and playing curated music for people is the only way I can fully express myself. I do this for more than just expressing myself, however; I do this in hopes of inspiring other people to follow what makes them feel alive. I do this as whole as possible to inspire people to be good people and not have to hurt anyone to make your dreams happen. I want to leave a good example that we all are one. No one is better than anyone else.

DJ Times: It was the festival scene that introduced you to this music. How does it feel to come so far where the roles are reversed, and you are now the one inspiring festival attendees?

Cecil: I feel like the luckiest human in the world. I can’t believe I get to experience this and get to feel so many people’s energy.

DJ Times: When did music-production start to click for you?

Cecil: Probably about two-and-a-half years ago is when I started feeling a bit more stable in myself and my craft.

DJ Times: How has your sound has evolved since then?

Cecil: Now I can take what I’m thinking in my head and put it down, which is the coolest thing. Essentially, I want to be known for music, just music. I think all sorts of genres have always been inside of me, but I’m now just starting to bring them to life. I’m really excited to show more of my work this following year. The evolution of Whipped Cream is just starting.D

J Times: Ableton Live has always been your go-to DAW – why?

Cecil: Ableton is great because essentially you really don’t need any external plug-ins if you don’t want them. It comes with everything I need to make a great foundation of sounds with no external anything, which I personally love as I came up as a sampler. Now that I’m making more of my own sounds, it still is my fave one to work in because it’s what I learned on. I will say whatever works for you is what works for you! I don’t think anyone should do anything just because someone likes it more. If you like it and are making dope records in another DAW… keep ’em rollin’!

DJ Times: DJing or production – which came first?

Cecil: DJing first and production after, but within a very short amount of time I pretty much got Ableton the same day I started learning to mix. DJing just came faster and, essentially, it helped me learn to become a better producer, for sure.

DJ Times: Initially, which producers inspired you?

Cecil: Baauer, RL Grime, Hudson Mohawke, Flume, Skrillex, and Porter Robinson.

DJ Times: What was the inspiration behind your single, “LUV,” and your first official music video?

Cecil: I wanted to make something different, but bring in some old-school vibes to pay respect to the electronic music that got me into this. The music video was so fun to make. We worked with a boss-ass director named Jenna [Marsh] and she crushed a concept of me being a puppet-master – always wanting to be in control – which kind of represents how I live with my art.

DJ Times: What’s been the most lasting moment of your career so far?

Cecil: Being able to impact kids to follow what they love to do is surreal to me. Everything is surreal, man – I could write a novel of how lucky I feel. Just Skrillex and Porter Robinson knowing I exist and liking my music…

DJ Times: Started the year with “You Wanted It” and a remix of ZHU’s “Desert Woman.” what else can we expect from you throughout 2019?

Cecil: The best music is yet to come, and the visual aspect of my project hasn’t even started. We’re making movies!

– Brian Bonavoglia