Netherlands-born singer and songwriter Carmen Forbes is making her mark in the realm of R&B with her latest musical venture, the single “Lonely.” Against a soothing backdrop of acoustic guitar, the track offers an intimate, emotive, and laid-back sonic experience, perfectly complementing the lyrical exploration where Forbes vividly portrays someone embarking on a profound and heartfelt emotional journey.

Drawing inspiration from iconic R&B figures such as H.E.R, Alicia Keys, and Daniel Caesar, she skillfully charts her own path in the music world with a versatile voice that effortlessly spans from tender to raw. Here, we had the chance to speak with the singer and songwriter about her musical upbringing, recent career highlights (fresh from her debut performance at a major festival!), and what lies ahead in her artistic journey.

Listen to the single…

Read the full interview…

Hey Carmen! How has 2023 been treating you?
Hey there! 2023 has been treating me pretty great, thanks. I came to Norway in January to work for a label, Capella Records, as a songwriter for 6 months. But, then I fell in love with the country and now, I’m living here indefinitely and releasing my own music… It’s surreal. I got signed to Capella Records which was a huge deal for me, it was like the proper kickstart to my career that I’ve been waiting for. I’m so happy with everything this year has brought so far, new friends, new colleagues, a new atmosphere and most importantly, new music! I’m learning a lot about myself and my artistry, so I guess 2023 gets a 9,5 from me.

Talk us through your upbringing and how it influenced you as an artist.
Well, I was born in the Netherlands but I grew up in Australia and the UK, so English is my first language. Needless to say this helps my songwriting a lot!

When I was a kid I always wanted to copy my big sister in everything, so when she started singing, naturally I wanted to do it too. So, I started singing in choirs when I was 5, and when I was 10 we moved back to the Netherlands and I taught myself to play my grandparents’ piano. My parents split up around this time, so I wrote my first ever song, “Dream Family”… Not a hit. But it did serve as an amazing emotional outlet, and I guess I’ve been doing that ever since. I take my personal experiences and write about them, in the hopes that people can relate and connect. Moving around a lot was difficult and hectic, but music has always been a constant, and it’s a universal language, so no matter where I go, I can always connect through my songs.

How did you find your sense of sound and master it into your own?
That’s a great question. I think it’s a combination of different factors. I started out singing a LOT of Adele, which helped me to find the depth and warmth in my voice, and I also absolutely loved singing Destiny’s Child and Alicia Keys songs which helped me to understand the nuances of RnB and soul music. I brought the techniques I learned from these artists to the Rotterdam Conservatory when I was 19 and spent four years defining my sound with the help of lots of vocal training and songwriting assignments. During my master’s degree at the same university, I started to hone in on what I want to hear around my voice. The more I messed around with production, the stronger the feeling got that I need to keep it simple. So my songs, for the moment, are based on (semi) acoustic instrumentation and focus on the story that I’m telling and how I’m telling it. Now that I’ve tried out a bunch of avenues, I know that emotional RnB, as I call it, is where I belong.

Your latest release “Lonely” is a captivating R&B track. What is the message behind this track and where did the inspiration came from to write it?
I wrote “Lonely” right after my relationship ended. The one silver lining to a break-up… Boatloads of inspiration for songs! During the post-break-up phase, I kept thinking, what’s the use of love when it can leave you feeling so shitty? Of course, it’s very easy after a “failed” relationship to develop resentment towards love. The first line, “You won’t hear me say I’m lonely”, is where loneliness meets stubbornness. I was obviously lonely as hell, and I needed to let out my frustration towards the guy who pretty much broke my heart. So that was the song I guess, a fun mix of resentment, loneliness and self-pity. But, a few years later I was lying in bed, much happier, still slightly lonely but at peace with the feeling, and I decided not to let the song end that way. I thought, if I’m going to bring the listener into the depths of my heartbreak, I should probably bring them back out into the light with me now. So, I started putting words together in my head until the spoken word part at the end was created. The message there is that when relationships end, you may feel lonely, but you’re surrounded by people who will always love you, so you’re never truly alone. Rather than directing resentment outwards, I’m now choosing to direct love and comfort inwards.

“This high never felt so low, you took, Something so beautiful and lovely, made it, something ugly” is a poignant line in “Lonely”. Can you break down the meaning behind it?

I was referring to love being a lot like a drug. It can make you so euphoric and happy but it can also leave you feeling lower than ever. I think I was saying that the guy I loved took me for granted, he took all the love I was giving and let it boost his ego but couldn’t give anything back. At some point, I couldn’t handle being pushed away constantly so I tried to choose myself and end it, but he knew how easy it was to pull me back in so he did, as many times as he could. I believe that’s called a toxic relationship?

You made your debut at the major festival ‘Utopia’ in Norway recently! What was this experience like? What was the biggest learning from it?
I did indeed, and it was amazing! I couldn’t believe that I was being given the opportunity to play at such a well-known festival, in a foreign country no less. Honestly, that experience was so pivotal for me because it helped me realize, that if I can be accepted as a Dutch girl making music in Norway and being allowed to perform it, I can do big things here. The people watching were so supportive and lovely and even laughed at my stupid jokes, I felt so comfortable. After I finished my set at Utopia, all I could think was, I can’t wait to stand on the big stage in a few years.

How do your previous tracks “Closure,” “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” and “Little White Lie” differentiate from your new release?
I think every track represents a different stage in my artistic journey. I wrote “Little White Lie” when I was 19 and still figuring out what my style was. “Can’t Help Falling In Love” was me wanting to pay tribute to one of my all-time favourite songs by creating my own personal version of it that’s slightly more moody and intimate. I was starting to find my voice and what I wanted to convey to the listener. “Closure” was when I had really settled into my role as an R&B artist, my songwriting had matured and so had my voice of course. I think what makes “Lonely” different is first that it has a happy(ish) ending, this is rare for me I must admit! The song encompasses a whole journey rather than one situation that left me feeling one certain way. I also think the emotion of “Lonely” is more raw.

I felt every bit of frustration and desperation in my body while recording, the song really allowed me to take the emotional rollercoaster. I also think the lyrics and melodies are catchy and memorable while still being emotional, which I’m really proud of, since that’s where I want to be as an artist.

Where do you wish to take your artistry in the forthcoming years?
There’s so much that I want to do to take my artistry to new heights the coming years. First off, I’m going to keep developing my sound and style, and I’ll hopefully be exploring many new collaborations and creative avenues in Norway and elsewhere. I want to expand my music’s reach and connect with more and more listeners by bringing my music to more stages, both nationally and internationally. I’m happiest when I’m on stage, after all. Important to mention is that I want to use my music and artistry to raise awareness about some important issues that have taken up a lot of space in my mind over the past few years. I want my music to help start conversations, if I can contribute in any way to that, I’ll be happy.

Any other new projects in the pipeline? What are you most excited for in 2024?
Well, you didn’t hear it from me… but my new song “Mess Of My Kind” is coming out on the 17th of November, and I’m so excited! There are a lot of releases on their way in 2024 as well and I cannot wait to share them with you. Since I started releasing music again in August, all I want to do is write, release, perform, repeat. I can’t really say one thing that I’m excited for in 2024, I’m just excited for it. I can’t wait to see where the next year brings me. 2023 has already given me so many new experiences, so I guess I’ve learned to take it as it comes. So, bring it on, I’d say!