Interview of Susan Calloway (English version)

Last friday, few hours before the comeback of Distant Worlds in Paris, we were kindly invited by Wild Faery to interview the singer of the concert, Susan Calloway.

This artist, unfortunately a little unknown from the French community, cheerfully answers our questions about her career and her vision of the Final Fantasy saga.

The French community didn't know your name before Distant Worlds, or before Answers, so could you sum up your career? What are your inspirations, your models?

Before singing I started playing piano and guitar and I was writing music since I was very young in America. I've played all over the place but not ever in other countries, just maybe in Canada but not in Europe so I've been doing that for many years and I sung another songs for TV show or movies, things like that and I have fans in the US but definitely not here. Final Fantasy has brought to my fanbase fans from all over the world and it's very exciting. It's a great opportunity to just reach more people. Working for Final Fantasy increased my fanbase allowed me also to introduce them to my music too, it was very exciting to do andI love working on the Final Fantasy music as well, it's beautiful music you know.

Most of our community knows your name through your different performances in Distant Worlds and also with Answers, the main theme of Final Fantasy XIV. Singing the anthem of a game which internationally unites the whole Final Fantasy community must be impressive, doesn't it?

Yes I was really honored to be asked to sing Answers because it is a really important song and I've never been on the game, even though I've sung other songs so this is a way for me to really be more a part of Final Fantasy. I'm very happy to be part of the game and it's a beautiful song so it was really exciting, I was really honored to be asked to do it, it was great working on it and I'm so glad the fans like it too !

This Monday, you will give an intimate concert on the Improvist peniche in Paris, for the first time in France. What can we expect for this premiere?

When I play by myself  I do have a band that sometimes perform with me. Cause what I do is more pop-rock’s kind of stuff, but for this performance, because I'll be playing just by myself, it's going to be very intimate. I really like the fans to just feel like they were just in my living room and I'm playing music and sharing my music with them. I think it's a good environment just to get to know me better as a performer and as an artist. I talk, I tell stories you know, a lot of my music is kind of storyish, this kind of stuff so I think fans will enjoy that part of it because that's what I like, I always try to make it something more, so people feel very special, that's something that is harder to do at a big venue when there's so many people, it's like nice to have a small intimate place you know.

I'll be playing piano and guitar, I brought two guitars, I have so much stuff, you should have seen me in the airport I had a big cart, but you need it you know.

So on Monday you'll be alone on stage?

Yes

You feel more at ease or less than in Distant Worlds ?

It's just different, I still get a little nervous every time I play but it's comfortable because this is really my true artist self, it's always more comfortable to do your music. It's me in my natural state.

Final fantasy has many beautiful songs. For Distant Worlds you sing Eyes on me, Melodies of Life, Suteki da ne, Kiss me good bye, Distant Worlds and Answers. Do you have a favorite?

You know they all are so different. My favorite is probably Kiss me good bye because it's the more similar to my own music, it's more pop so it's just easier. I don't have to think has much, it's easier and I can enjoy it more when I'm performing. They all are beautiful and I really like performing Answers too, Answers is a really powerfull song you know. They're all beautiful, that one is probably just the easiest for me. It's hard not to like what's easier to do but they're all beautiful songs.

Have you played Final Fantasy XIV? Do you have time to play?

I have the game, Square enix sent me a copy and I still haven't...  no I haven't. I'd love to learn. It's one of those think that, anything that's new, sometimes you don't start because you know it's going to take a lot of time and my schedule is so crazy, because i'm working on a new CD right now and I'm doing these shows and I'm performing in the States, it's so crazy but I would love to learn, I think that would be a fun thing to do, what I should do is probably do like a live hangout on google or something like that with the fans so they could laugh at me. I would probably get killed right away.

What kind of character would you like to create?

Well it would probably be a girl, that is a Warrior, and really strong. I think it's a good thing, I like to see woman be in power, be fighters and fight for good things, something like that.

Do you have plans after Distant Worlds, will you be releasing a new album?

I have a new single that just came out friday (NDLR : 28 fevrier - Paper Thin Heart) so I released that and I have several more songs that are ready to go, to be released probably every 6 weeks or so, this year, I'll just keep putting them out so it's kind of the time of the singles versus the cd but I might be releasing a CD too by the end of the year because I'd like to give the fans the whole bunch of songs, so yes.

Susan Calloway thank you very much.

Thank you for coming.