In her debut experimental LP ‘Nude #9,’ Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Camille Schmidt reveals her innermost self while reminding herself to enjoy the process.
Stream: “Nude #9” – Camille Schmidt
Creating something that resonates can be tough in today's environment. Many brilliant ideas vanish in the sea of oversaturated online content. However, now and then, an artist emerges who is so authentically themselves and so free-spirited that they cut through the noise and connect with us when we need it the most. With her debut album, Nude #9, Camille Schmidt exemplifies this.
Nude #9 – Camille Schmidt
Raised in the heart of the woods in Upstate New York, Camille spent numerous afternoons at her parents’ art studio, observing models pose nude for various painting sessions. After these sessions, she often questioned why such intimate artwork was given detached titles like “Girl with Dogs #3” or “Woman Sleeping #7.” This intriguing contrast has inspired Schmidt's own playful yet heartfelt artistry.
In Nude #9 (scheduled for release on January 10, 2025, via Six Castle Road), Camille Schmidt introduces herself to the world with a refreshing directness, no longer holding back her thoughts. "This is an album where I decided to just express exactly what has happened in my life and how I felt," she explains.
During our Zoom chat, one can glimpse hands carefully passing a steaming glass of tea to a relaxed Schmidt, who silently thanks the individual offscreen. She goes on to clarify, “I’m not in my own place because the heat in my apartment broke last night, and it got really cold. It was quite wild.”
Her soft, seemingly constant smile, even during reflective moments, illustrates how warm and open Camille Schmidt is. It’s no surprise that her music conveys a similar vibe.
Camille Schmidt © Bao Ngo
The tracks on Nude #9 feel as if someone is sharing their diary entries aloud. Each song furthers the narrative, building a time capsule of Schmidt’s experiences as a young queer woman. Schmidt describes the record, saying, “I was focused on having fun and treating both the writing process and the soundscape like finger painting. I aimed to avoid thinking about what I ‘should’ say or what might sound intelligent, simply allowing what needed to be expressed to come forth.”
The album opens with “XOXO,” which showcases how to blend fun with vulnerability. It establishes the album's tone and the humorous approach Schmidt employs to explore her feelings.
“Did you hear I’m a nepo baby?
I am mother nature’s favorite kid
Even then I knew I would make it
Driving 65 in my Sportage”
– “XOXO,” Camille Schmidt
Humor is a vital form of self-expression for Camille Schmidt, both in her music and everyday life. While pursuing a BA in creative writing at Harvard, she experienced a deep depression that left her feeling adrift. In search of an outlet, she took up improv and comedy writing classes. Landing an internship on the set of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt allowed her to work under producers Tina Fey and Robert Carlock. “There were some really tough times I was dealing with then, and it was wonderful to be in an atmosphere filled with laughter and jokes,” she reflects.
Life is a constant balancing act; without darkness, there could be no light, and vice versa. Camille Schmidt deeply understands this concept. “Just as salt enhances the sweetness of chocolate, I believe things are often profoundly more beautiful when they contain a touch of darkness,” she shares.
This topic holds a special significance for her, to the point where her hands become animated as she speaks. “When I reflect on the more challenging experiences I've had, I often find that I can sit with them by recognizing the absurdity in the situations. I think it’s crucial for the human mind to escape for brief moments, which almost feels like an evolutionary trait—our humor and imagination serve as refuges when the world feels overwhelming.”
However, even Schmidt, who can unearth humor in nearly all situations, acknowledges that some issues should be faced directly. In “Nic,” a song about a codependent relationship with an ex-lover, she lays her emotions bare.
“I gave so you would give
I said ‘buy more’
when you wanted to quit
I’ve never been selfless
The heart expands and the heart contracts
The heart expands and the heart contracts
I still needed oxygen”
– “Nic,” Camille Schmidt
With minimal, bass-driven beats layered over a machine rhythm, “Nic” is both gentle and revealing. “It reflects a brief situationship where my partner and I used each other for different things in a way that was devoid of love,” Schmidt explains. “Desiring something from someone who lacks it—and remaining in the relationship with the hope that things would change—is painful for both individuals involved.”
Camille Schmidt © Bao Ngo
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In her experimental debut album 'Nude #9,' Camille Schmidt, a Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter, reveals her inner self and encourages herself to enjoy the process.