Célia Wa and Acerola Agency tell the story behind the "Adan on Dòt Soléy" music video
Célia Wa’s music takes us into a sunny inner journey. The groovy style of her first songs is even more defined since she started exploring electronic sounds, especially through her collaborations with beatmaker Ka(ra)mi or composer/DJ David Walters. " Adan On Dót Soléy " is the title track and the name of her EP album released in 2018. The music video was uploaded in March 2020 and was produced by Acerola agency. Their collaboration is an opportunity to discover a little more about the audiovisual creation in Guadeloupe from a woman’s point of view.
Before we talk about "Adan On Dot Soléy", I’d like to know a little more about you, Cindy Pradel, and the Acerola agency. This is the first time I meet a Guadeloupean music director who is a woman.
Cindy Pradel: It’s true that it’s a men’s world. The fact that we’re women has surprised our customers several times. Afterward, some clients recognize the "feminine touch" in our editing. I don't know many video directors in Guadeloupe who are women, but I appreciate the work of Coralie Minuty and Lucie Gabrielle.
So how did you end up creating your own agency?
Cindy Pradel: I've always wanted to run my own business and more precisely to work as a project manager in the audiovisual world. After getting my diploma in Information and Communication at Paris X University, I decided to return to my island to work. Unfortunately, after spending a year actively looking for a job, I never had enough experience in the field from the recruiters’ perspective. That's when we decided to set up a company to represent us, hence the name Acerola, which is a reference to the local cherry. When I say "we", I mean my two partners: Jennifer and Emerick. Audiovisual production is above all a field that we’re passionate about, but I had to adapt to all these things that were new to me and that today make me versatile and independent.
How did you two meet?
Célia Wa: I met Cindy and Jennifer through a friend during the ERITAJ Festival in Guadeloupe in May 2018. We didn't talk much. They had just launched their business. Me being in Paris and her in Guadeloupe, we exchanged a few messages because I wanted a short video of my visit.
Cindy Pradel: Indeed. The team sometimes goes to the coworking spot to work and make nice encounters, and while we were there, we met a colleague who told us about Célia's music video project. So he recommended us to her manager who then contacted us.
Célia Wa: We met on the night of the performance and they made it happen. I didn't have to explain anything because we had the same vision. They released a teaser that I loved! So I said to myself, "I'm going to work with them again, for sure", because, with so little time and preparation, everything was perfect. Maybe I’m biased, but I think their sensitivity, as well as their vision, is different because they are women. Anyway, what they do works very well with my work style.
Cindy Pradel: And this is how this amazing collaboration between Célia Wa and Acerola Agency began. We’ve already worked on two videos and we’re hoping that there will be more.
Speaking of music videos. It’s time to talk about the « Adan On Dót Soléy » music video. I was already intrigued by the KARIBFUTURSOUND concept in « Woulé Soléy ». Can you tell us what Karibfutursound means to you?
Célia Wa: The concept started from the fact that I’ve been making music for years and there’s no “category” for my music to fit in. I’ve been already put in the jazz category, in hip-hop, and even in the "world music" category which is an all-embracing term for artists that people don’t know how to categorize, who knows why… So I thought about it, met people, talked about it and I decided to go with this Karibfutursound concept because I’ve always been fascinated by this deformed temporality idea and I’ve always felt like I was from another time, like an “ancient futur” vibe. In order to bring this vision to life, I collaborated with beatmaker Ka(ra)mi. She’s also a pianist and produces her own projects. We were on the same wavelength and we got along quickly when I made her listen to my demos. The project was done in 3 days. There were even more than 3 tracks but I chose to focus on tracks with the highest level of completion. As for the rest, it will be a surprise!
The music video was released in March 2020 early in the first lockdown in France. Why the delay compared to the release of the audio track?
The EP was released in November 2018. At first, this album was made just for fun! At the same time, we did an experimental visual with my homie Jeebrahil for the song "Woulé solèy". The idea was to create a music video for each track. But I’m my own producer and I didn’t have the means to keep working in the way that I deemed necessary. We had to wait until December 2019 to shoot the music video while I was on a tour in Guadeloupe with Expéka, another collab project I love deeply. I don’t regret waiting, the result is really amazing!
How was the music video filming?
Célia Wa: Once again, we communicated through messages. My friend Rickysoul is a choreographer and he inspired me the idea to start with. And then everything happened fast because they quickly accepted to do it. When December rolled in, we had a meeting to schedule the shooting and we were good to go.
Cindy Pradel: We were on the same wavelength with Célia, we just vibed together right away. We exchanged ideas and there was a great group spirit from start to finish.
Célia Wa: We shot the music video in a few hours! They told me the editing would take about a month but they finished it within a week!
Cindy Pradel: It’s a music video that our team loved filming and I loved the editing process because it represents everything Celia wanted to show about her universe, everything she wanted to create. We managed to do exactly what was planned, so it’s a victory for us!
Célia Wa: Okay, a few changes had to be made because I’m just very annoying like that! (laughs) But the whole process was very fast. Really.
The visual concept reminded me of a desert island or of another planet if you want to take an afrofuturistic approach. Why did you choose this concept?
Célia Wa: I wanted a desert place indeed. In the beginning, I really wanted to go to the desert. Somewhere like the Sahara desert and everything! But due to lack of means and time, it didn't happen! And at the same time why look so far when there is so much in our country! I didn't necessarily want people to figure out the exact location. For me, this song is like an initiation rite. A journey. Acerola came up with the location.
Cindy Pradel: We suggested Tillet beach because Celia really wanted a desert-like universe.
Célia Wa: Yes, it's Tillet Cove in Deshaies. It's a beach that I already knew, it was very wild, like back in the day. To my great surprise, it became a nudist beach! I have no idea how that happened! (laughs) This ain’t really our local customs, I mean, I’m just saying (laughs). In the end, this beach idea was very coherent because all the elements were gathered for this ritual: the earth, the fire (sun), the wind (it was such a windy day) and the water! The purification, the return, or the departure. Depends on where you are. Beaches in Guadeloupe mean many things. Whether we like it or not, they’re also "cemeteries". Often under our feet, there are buried remains of enslaved people who didn’t have the right to burials. They sometimes resurface, as on Raisins Clairs Beach in Saint-François, where there had been a controversy about the fact that we don’t honor our ancestors and that there should be something done for all these bodies and bones scattered vulgarly here and there. And yes, things are much less exotic seen from that angle! But it's true. So, in this piece, I hope to honor all those people who have gone to another sun as well.
Let’s talk about dancing. This isn’t a dance version music video. Dancing is central to the overall visual.
Célia Wa: Dancing is part of my life. I was a professional dancer for a while but came a time when I had to choose between dance and music because I couldn’t do both at the same time. It was very hard to "give up" this part of me. But I decided that it had its place in my world. The body is a magical instrument! It was obvious! I truly believe in synchronicity, in destiny. That day, there were supposed to be more dancers. In the end, for many reasons, there were three. The trinity. And what a winning trio! Each one of them is a soloist with their own personality and artistic background, their own world which they expressed in this music video.
But was it a choreography or were the steps improvised?
Célia Wa: It was pure improvisation and I like that too! We capture the moment, the life of the moment, the energy, the context, and the elements. Their solos (Shanice Galle, Yéléna, Josué Réveillé) were filmed in one take. Magical moments once again.
Cindy Pradel: We salute their performance. The dance was a key element of this music video.
What advice would you give to film a dance sequence?
Cindy Pradel: In order to film a dance sequence properly, it is essential to communicate with the dancers to know what they want to express through their movements and, of course, their passion.
Can you tell us an anecdote about this music video filming?
Célia Wa: (laughs) There are several of them! To stay on the subject of the dance, Yéléna was supposed to just be my makeup artist that day. In the end, she found herself dancing, it wasn’t planned at all. And also, I was desperate at the beginning of filming. The rain paid us a visit! What a stress! We had no place to shelter, just a tarpaulin or a sheet, I don't remember! We had to stop filming twice.
Cindy Pradel: The weather was really the biggest issue. Good light is essential for high-quality image. We had to deal with many variations of light. But fortunately, we were equipped with our magic element: the reflector. When filming outdoors, you have to expect weather changes. So filming took longer than expected, but our motivation remained the same.
Célia Wa: The whole team kept a positive mindset. We sang “Souflé van” by Toto Bissainthe and asked the ancestors permission to film and to give us strength. In the end, everything worked out well!
Let's say a 10-year-old kid watches your music video in 2100. Which reaction do you want them to have?
Cindy Pradel: I hope that they’ll feel so many strong emotions when watching the video and that they’ll also understand the story that Célia Wa wanted to convey through this video. I also hope that they’ll be able to identify with the message conveyed.
Célia Wa: Woyyyy! I so want this song to cross the ages! I hope that this child will have access to this environment, I’m not sure that the islands will still exist considering how oceans are rising. But if not, I hope that he/she will find it beautiful and that Creole will be a familiar language for him/her.
The interview is coming to an end. Can you tell us how the pandemic affected your projects?
Cindy Pradel: For a while, it was pretty complicated. We had to put everything on hold because there was no filming, we had to stay home for the good of everyone. But once the lockdown was over, we were able to bounce back and get back on track.
Célia Wa: Ayyyy! It was rough! I was on tour with David Walters. We had started in January 2020 and we were off to a great start, ready to conquer the world! It all stopped suddenly. No more concerts. I had tour dates planned for my own project as well. I had to bounce back, I needed to play. It was important for my balance. I had never posted so many videos on my social media. I did a lot of covers with my own personal touch and it was cool! I really enjoyed the exercise. It allowed me to broaden my repertoire and test a lot of things. With that said, nothing replaces a real concert with an audience. I did very few IG live, but I was able to follow a few of them and it felt good to be able to listen to the artist on stage. It's a small substitute, but for me, it can't replace the real thing, the real live concert, in presence and energy. It's very important for us to vibrate together, to feel together. There is indescribable energy when you play in front of an audience. Likewise, when you’re in the audience, you receive the music directly in your body, it vibrates from everywhere, which is complicated to feel in a virtual live concert!
What are your upcoming projects?
Cindy Pradel: We have a lot of small surprises in store. Especially one that we can't wait to share with you all. Meanwhile, don't hesitate to follow us on social media to stay updated. Instagram & Facebook : @acerola.production
Célia Wa: I have a new EP coming out in May 2021. It's a project I've been working on for a few years now. It changed, it grew, it matured and I'm impatient to share it with you.
Bonus question: can you tell us about a music video that symbolizes Guadeloupe and can you tell us why?
Cindy Pradel: We had the opportunity to shoot an awareness video for the World Sickle Cell Disease Day. It was a very nice project for the association Guadeloupe Espoir Drépanocytose because it conveys a positive message. The video deals with a theme that affects a significant part of the Guadeloupean population. It allows hearing the voice of Guadeloupeans who, regardless of being directly affected by the disease or not, suffer all around the world. It is a video about Guadeloupeans, made by Guadeloupeans and who also deals with a Guadeloupean reality.
Célia Wa: “Rèv an mwen” by Admiral T. Now, this is old school! (laughs) First of all, because this song and his “Mozaïk Kréyol” album helped me pushing through during my first years of exile in Paris. It was on heavy rotation in my CD player! And yes, it was another era, I know! The music video was directed by Slas (Janluk Stanislas). For me, it shows a Guadeloupe that looks like us. Finally. In 2003, this gave us a lot of pride. The music video is beautiful, simple and it shows different sides of this beautiful country called Guadeloupe!
Karukerament thanks Célia Wa and Cindy Pradel from Acerola Agency. You can follow Célia Wa on Instagram @c.lia.wa.