Self certified ‘Queen of flow’, Crae Wolf sat down for a chat with us at Cactus about her newest track, Dangerous. Cinematic drill with a thrill may be my new favourite genre, as long as Crae Wolf is fronting it. Talking about how anime has inspired her music and fashion, what superhero she'd be and empowerment.
How did you get into music?
I have been in love with music for as long as I can remember. I’m inspired by the greatest performers, Beyoncé and Michael Jackson. I used to love watching them perform and copied their moves when I was growing up. They had this star quality about them that made me want to follow in their footsteps as a musician. Initially, I started off singing and dancing, which I did for a while, then I fell in love with Rap. I used to mess around and freestyle here and there not thinking much of it until people were like, “Woah, you’re actually a sick rapper.” It took off from there.
How did Dangerous come about? How long did it take to create?
I was listening to some beats at home and came across this one and instantly fell in love with the production. It was during Halloween weekend, so it was a “freaky” time. I freestyled over it and the song kind of wrote itself. I finished it off that night along with another track and knew that this would be a hot single. I wanted it to be fun but with a dark edge and once I got in the studio, everything came together nicely.
What do you want your listeners to take from it?
I want everyone to feel confident and empowered. Sometimes you need to listen to a Bad B anthem when you’re getting ready as it vamps the mood. Be fearless and embrace your dark, sexy inner energy. Once you understand and know your power, you will be ‘Dangerous’ and unstoppable.
What was the recording process like?
I love being in the studio. It’s my happy place. It’s always a vibe with my engineer, Moshxn. He gets the vision and is always honest with me, which I appreciate! I just go in there and do my thing. He does his, and it comes out fire!
You talk a lot about how you’re inspired by fantasy and anime, which can be seen in the way you dress too. It’s very cool! What is it about fantasy and anime that inspires you? And how does it inspire your songwriting?
Thank you! Dressing up is so much fun and one of the best ways to express yourself. I love anime because anything is possible in that realm. I’m really into powers and special effects. I consider myself a storyteller, so when I write there’s always an element of dark fantasy included. I often like to think about what the music video would look like in advance. They are the movie to the soundtrack of my universe.
Who is your favourite superhero?
I don’t have an absolute favourite and it changes depending on my mood and power I would like
If you were a superhero, who would you be and what would be your superpower? Why?
Probably Jean Grey from X Men. Although I don’t know if she’s considered a superhero. She’s one of the most powerful mutants and is a boss! Telepathy and telekinesis is crazy power to have. She’s capable of being good but is also misunderstood as she has a dark side, The phoenix, if not controlled, can be dangerous. I think that’s why I like her. Although I consider myself as more of a supervillain if I’m honest. They were good at some point in their life until something happens that changes their course.
Quite a few of your tracks have different languages in them. What language do you want to learn next?
Yeah, I love languages. So right now I’ve got English, French and Spanish patterned. I would really like to learn Korean. I watch a lot of K dramas so I’ve started to pick up a few words and sentences, but I still have a lot of work to do. I’m always open to learning more.
How did it feel to be part of Glastonbury’s Emerging Talent Competition? You also got to play Glasto too!
It was really unexpected! I had submitted my song last minute on a whim and kind of forgot about it since I hadn’t heard anything for a while. Then I got the email to say I had been longlisted and then eventually made the finals where I got to perform. The whole experience was amazing. Everyone is so talented. I’m grateful to have made it that far and to finish as a runner-up was the cherry on top. I would have never imagined Drill at Glastonbury, but here I am, changing the game.
How do you want to see the music industry change for women and gender minorities?
I would like to see more representation and opportunities. There’s a lot of room for everyone to thrive. It’s just about kicking down the doors and making it happen. There’s still a long way to go, but it’s only a matter of time.
What advice would you give to a woman entering the music industry?
I would say be yourself and don’t take rejection personally. You might get a lot of no’s before you get a yes, but keep believing in your dream. Even if you’re the only person who can see the vision for now. It’s yours for a reason. Be consistent, focused and honestly NEVER GIVE UP! No matter how long it takes, you will get there if you put in the work.
What can we expect from Crae Wolf next?
I’ve got a few more singles to drop, then I will be releasing my first project. It’s called “Rogue” and it’s an introduction to my cinematic universe. Kind of like “The first chapter” of the story. I’m very ambitious and have very big dreams and things I want to tick off. So for now all I will say is, expect a lot from me. Expect the unexpected.
Stream Dangerous here: