What's In Your Fridge: Kaeli

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      What’s In Your Fridge is where the Straight asks interesting Vancouverites about their life-changing concerts, favourite albums, and, most importantly, what’s sitting beside the Heinz ketchup in their custom-made Big Chill Retropolitan 20.6-cubic-foot refrigerators.

      On the grill

      Kaeli.

      Who are you 

      I’m an indie Vancouver singer-songwriter who lives near the edge of the ocean, hugging the steep forest-filled North Shore mountains. You’re likely to find me singing and composing in my bedroom music studio at all hours…unless I’m juggling my day job… or running woodland trails, snowboarding powder, or snowshoeing with friends in the backcountry. My passion for making music and love of being outdoors might seem like an unusual mix, but for me “fusion" is where it all comes together. This is why I especially love co-writing with musicians I’ve met on my journey, exploring new sounds and fusing genres. Playing live gigs is the crucible for testing my music and connecting with my audience. 

      I’m excited to be releasing my pop-electro 5-track EP Secret on November 28.  I love weaving vocal layers with dark-synth beat-driven melodies, as heard in "La La Land", the first single on the EP. "Round 2", comes out October 25 and explores our need for personal freedom and empowerment. This is also echoed in "Freedom" featuring Alex Helton. The other tracks, "Haunt Me" and "Secret" explore the need for deeper connection and honesty, and were written at the end of an emotional journey. For me, being in the forest, by the sea, physical pursuits, and making music are what keep me sane, and Vancouver is the perfect city for that!

      First concert

      The first concert I remember going to was the Spice Girls (I feel like this is the most millennial answer ever!). I dressed up as Sporty Spice, and my friend went as Baby, and our moms took us. It was an incredible night and one I will never forget. I had never been inside an arena before, and the energy was absolutely electrifying. That feeling of being in a crowd, bursting with excitement, with thousands of young girls screaming. I loved it—although I can’t say the same for our moms!

      Life-changing concert

      It’s tied between Eminem and Muse. I’ve been a massive fan of Eminem and seeing one of his concerts was on my bucket list. When I heard he was performing at Squamish Valley Music Festival, I had to go! My friend said I literally was standing in awe the entire time of his performance. I was staring so intensely it felt like I didn’t blink once. I didn’t want to miss a second of his set. This is tied with Muse's Resistance Tour concert. They had sold out, and I had missed getting a ticket. As luck would have it, three hours before the doors opened, a friend had to drop out at the last minute and sold me his ticket. I ended up in the mosh pit, literally a few feet from the stage. I could almost reach out and touch the bass player. Muse was INCREDIBLE that night, to say nothing of their amazing light show!

      Top three records:

      Nat King Cole Nature Boy or Unforgettable This is so tough. As weird as this sounds, if I was stranded on an island and could only listen to one artist, it would be Nat King Cole. His voice is one of the most comforting sounds—he’s like a velvet blanket. Maybe I have a soft spot for him because my grandma introduced him to me, and I associate her with him. Nana and I would listen to Nature Boy and Unforgettable.

      Eminem The Eminem Show In total contrast, next on my list is Eminem’s "Lose Yourself"—although my favourite of his albums is The Eminem Show, even though this song isn’t on it.

      Adele 21 One of my all-time favourites and perfect for navigating emotional terrain. 

      All-time favourite video 

      Any video by OK Go. They are always soooo much fun and outside the box. I know I’m going to be entertained with one imaginative, continuous take. 

      What’s in your fridge

      Frank’s RedHot Sauce. It’s my favourite condiment and is good on almost everything (except salad). I like my food to have a little kick. Eggs without Frank’s seem naked to me. 

      Anchovy paste. I’m a big salad fanatic, and I like to make my own Caesar salad dressing from scratch. Sometimes if I have extra time, I’ll even make my own croutons and grill the romaine lettuce on the BBQ. It’s actually super tasty for a summer salad (and I love to BBQ!!!). First time I made it, my friends thought I was crazy to throw lettuce on the grill—now it’s the summer favourite. 

      Silk Hazelnut Almond for coffee. It's something I’ve recently discovered and now always stock in my fridge. I used to drink my coffee black (I can’t have milk), but my friend introduced me to this addictive beverage when we were camping this summer, and I’m hooked!! I make coffee now just so I can drink this creamer.

      You can check out Kaeli on Bandcamp here

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