Occasionally an artist comes along whose innate understanding of their sound and aesthetic marks them out as a true original. Caro Emerald is one such artist. With her lyrical tales of romance and deception over a blend of samba, jazz, bossa nova, mambo and crackling vinyl she has seduced fans wherever she has played.
The story of Caro Emerald is one of rare serendipity of singer and song meeting and complementing each other perfectly. In 2007 the then-unknown Dutch singer received a phonecall from producers David Schreurs and Jan van Wieringen who had just written a song for a Japanese pop act with Canadian songwriter Vince Degiorgio. Their demo singer wasn’t available to record the vocals, so they asked Caro to step in to record the demo for 'Back It Up'.
Caro liked the song so much that she added it to her live repertoire and a year later she performed 'Back It Up' on a local TV station in Amsterdam. It caught on right away: viewers just wouldn't stop calling and e-mailing about that lovely girl with her catchy song. A low-budget video on YouTube had a similarly overwhelming response with viewers wanting to know where they could buy the song.
But with only one song David, Vince, Jan and Caro started working on ideas for a full album. Inspired by films and music from the 40's and 50's the result is an exciting and hugely accessible collection of 12 original songs. The album features ballroom jazz, cinematic tangos, groovin' jazz tracks and infectious mambos that sound like they were recorded in 1951 in Hollywood's most famous recording studios. However the smoking beats, catchy songs and inventive production mark Caro out as a present-day phenomenon. Live on stage, Caro performs with an 8 piece band filled with sharp dressed lads who know how to groove.
Such a distinctive style required its own label approach, so Schreurs and van Wieringen set up Grandmono Records to release 'Back It Up', Caro's debut single in The Netherlands. When follow-up single 'A Night Like This' was featured in an online Martini campaign it went on to reach number 1 in the Dutch single charts in January 2010. That same month Grandmono Records released Caro's much anticipated debut album: 'Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor'.
The album is the sound of swapped glances across a crowded dancefloor. It's the sound of a party that begins late and carries on until the sun rises. It's an album full of songs about dancing, flirting and declarations of independence. Caro Emerald’s smouldering vocals update the classic Americano sound with a contemporary sheen and suggestive lyrics over a melting pot of sounds and influences - yet the sound is entirely, inimitably that of an exciting new artist capturing hearts and minds across the continent.
The album entered at #1 in the Dutch album charts (February 2010) and reached platinum status within 6 weeks. Overall the album has spent 30 weeks at number #1, breaking a Dutch record set by Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' and by now is certified 6 times platinum.
Germany was equally successful with Caro selling over 400,000 copies of A Night Like This, and the album being certified platinum. She received one a few of the most important Germany awards such as an Echo Award and a Goldene Kamera and performed on major television shows such as Dancing Stars, TV Total and Germany’s Next Top Model. The UK was conquered soon after Germany with another platinum certified album and performances on Jools Holland’s Hootenanny, Strictly Come Dancing and Children In Need.
So far, more than 1.200.000 copies of the album have been sold throughout Europe which is an incredible achievement for an independent release from Holland. |