Introducing Malade, the gloss-pop project of Montreal-based singer, songwriter and producer Camille Brown. RnB groove meets crafty pop in this playful, maximalist endeavor.
“Give Up” (2023), produced by her longtime friend and engineer Damien Muller, is Malade’s latest single and most earnest girlpop attempt. A hot pink earful, the track exudes post-breakup acrimony, which Malade’s vocals express almost as a mockery. Countermelodies shimmer atop a gloating bass and textured drums. “I’m on the other side of a time where I had to let go of some relationships that weren’t serving me,” she reminisces. “The hyperfeminine pop persona that emerged from that pain was almost like a guardian angel, or a shield to me. The next few releases from this project really reflect that sugar coated, lacquered coping.” It follows the single “My Energy” (2023), a bouncy, boastful summer release that explores the aplomb of knowing one’s worth.
After a short time in the Vancouver music scene, Malade released her debut EP, Blindfolder (2020). She and artist/producer Sam Tudor recorded the songs at Monarch studios, along with the late engineer Olivia Quan, pulling from a myriad of influences – from early ‘90s Francophone balladeers (Lara Fabian) to electronic artists (James Blake, Tirzah). The recording features players from both jazz and classical backgrounds (Mar Emanuel, Jennifer Charters, Wallgrin) adding dimension to this fierce and unpredictable pop offering. “There’s a wide range of emotional transparency in these songs,” Malade confesses. “Some moments are unabashedly huge, others are like quiet promises. They’re the most candid, dry performances I’ve ever dared to record.”
