PHANTASMA – Interview with Charlotte Wessels on “The Deviant Hearts”
Interview with Charlotte
Talking about Phantasma.
Metal&Highheels (M&H): Hey, nice to meet you. Thank you for your time!
Charlotte Wessels (CW): Hello, yeah, thank you for your interests on PHANTASMA!
M&H: How was it to work together with a lot of new musicians? To build up a new super-group?
CW: It was a great experience! I knew Oliver long time ago, we worked together for DELAIN. And Georg, too. I was really happy and enthusiastic, as they asked me to work together.
M&H: Will you go on Tour with PHANTASMA?
CW: That would be great, but I don’t think that one of us has the time for it. We all have our own bands, so there won’t be any time to tour with PHANTASMA. But I could imagine a theater-tour, because the music is theatric and bombastic. It would be great to play this kind of music on a theater stage!
M&H: Sounds great! What was the main difference between the work processes of DELAIN and PHATASMA?
CW: PHATASMA is a concept-album. I think that’s the main difference. It is such a different work, if you want to tell a whole story through lyrics and music, instead of the individual songs of an album with no coherent story behind it. It started with the beginning of ‘Deviant hearts’. They said: ‘No, no ballad like Incomplete at the beginning! It doesn’t fit!’ But, well, I think it does, because it’s an introduction to the story and to the album. Maybe not in the musical way, but in respect to the content.
M&H: You wrote a novel, specifically for the album. Did you write ever before?
CW: No I hadn’t. I always wanted to, but never managed to do it. Now with PHATASMA I got the chance and the security, the novel will be published. And it was a just-in-time-production! (Laughs) Set the last point in the last moment I could do it! The album was a great possibility and motivation to write my own novel.
Talking about personal stuff.
M&H: It´s December, so it is Christmas time! How do you celebrate?
CW: In Holland, we celebrate St Nicholas’ Day with presents. Although Christmas is a great family celebration, which I enjoy.
M&H: I heard, you are vegan…?
CW: Yes, I try to (laughs). It´s hard, especially on tour. I love cheese, it is hard to do without. My favorite recipe for sweets is banana-bread. Its lovely with dark chocolate and I love to decorate it!
Either… or…?
M&H: Ok, now a few either-or-questions. First one: Cats or dogs?
CW: I love both! Now, I have a cat, in the future I’ve always wished to have dogs. I could call myself a true ‘cat-lady’.
M&H: Next one: coffee or tea?
CW: Coffee! Definitely! At best, it´s black, no sugar or milk.
M&H: Last but not least: Novel or movie?
CW: I prefer the novel. You can build your own world in your mind, imagine something new. That’s not possible by watching movies.
M&H: Thank you Charlotte for your time and answers! It was great to talk with you, have a nice time!
CW: Thank you too. See you. And a good Christmas-time!
You can read the Review of PHANTASMA’s ‘The Diviant Hearts’ here.
