Cameron Saul is not someone who can be easily categorized when describing the wide range of projects he has led throughout his career. Hailing from Somerset, this creative individual has devoted his life to international charity work from a young age, undertaking ventures that have taken him around the world and connected him with some of its most remote communities.
He gained recognition for co-founding BOTTLETOP in 2002, a high-end fashion brand that produces items from upcycled materials while offering manufacturing jobs to indigenous people in the Amazon Rainforest and survivors of human trafficking in Kathmandu, Nepal. Additionally, music has been a significant aspect of Saul’s advocacy work. In the early 2000s, BOTTLETOP collaborated with the independent label Mr Bongo from Brighton to produce ‘Sound Affects Africa’ and ‘Sound Affects Brazil’. These initiatives aimed to promote cross-cultural collaboration by commissioning exclusive remixes of popular African and Brazilian songs from UK artists, including Fatboy Slim and Bonobo.
Later, in 2011, this effort evolved into the creation of The Bottletop Band, a supergroup that blended British and Brazilian musical styles, featuring artists from both nations. The project included notable UK musicians such as Matt Helders (Arctic Monkeys), Carl Barat (The Libertines), Tim Burgess (The Charlatans), and ELIZA. They recorded various loops and jams, which were then sent to Rio de Janeiro for Brazilian artists to enhance, ultimately culminating in the group’s 11-track LP ‘Dream Service’. Featured artists included singer-songwriter Moreno Veloso, the son of the iconic Caetano Veloso, and drummer Domenico.
Now, more than a decade since the album's debut, Saul is preparing to release his first solo project. Titled ‘Simeo’, it will be available on October 10th through Tenwest Group and consists of twelve tracks that draw sonic influences from around the world, particularly Bossa nova. Folk artist Fin Greenall, known as Fink, is behind its production; he not only remixed Saul’s latest single ‘Bahia’ but also played a significant role in both BOTTLETOP’s Sound Affects projects and The Bottletop Band.
In a video call from his home in Brighton, Saul discusses his experiences with CLASH. He reflects on his connection to Brazil, its people, and its music. “This year, I will have spent 20 years working there,” he shares. “The people are incredibly warm and open, and I can now speak some Portuguese, which enriches my experiences since I can communicate with anyone. Musically, it also allows me to understand the lyrics.”
Saul expresses his long-standing fascination with Brazilian music, highlighting its poetic nature and how it has influenced his songwriting. He notes, “I spent considerable time over there to prepare and organize various projects. We work on urban initiatives in Sao Paulo and run a program in the Amazon Rainforest, visiting artisan projects and developing partnerships ahead of the COP30 Climate Summit taking place in Brazil this year, while also working on new songs.”
He mentions that his main creative goal, across different areas, focuses on “cross-cultural collaboration.” This is further illustrated by the release of the second remix ‘Bahia’, which features Salvador trap artist Trevo. In this version, Trevo reinterprets parts of the song in Portuguese, sharing his experiences growing up in one of Brazil’s poorest states. He later returned to a studio in Salvador, where he incorporated instrumental samples recorded by local musicians.
When asked about the inspiration behind his vision of integrating diverse cultures, he explains: “My transformative moment came when I lived in the mountains of Southeast Uganda for nine months at the age of 19. I was privileged as a child to travel on family vacations to various places, but that was my first experience in rural Sub-Saharan Africa. We spent nine months forming genuine friendships in a very remote community where daily life was fundamentally about survival and health, during a time heavily impacted by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.”
“It was a deeply impactful moment, shedding light on the challenges faced by the global south daily. It isn't about accumulating wealth; it’s about survival and caring for your family,” he adds. “What I did there involved using creativity to educate. We employed singing, art, and other creative outlets to inspire behavioral changes among young people regarding issues like malaria prevention and domestic violence. The method of engaging in these discussions matters, and witnessing how creativity can inspire healthy choices was both powerful and motivating for me.”
This principle continues to influence the work he has done with BOTTLETOP as well as its sister campaign #TOGETHERBAND—a fashion-related initiative he started in collaboration with the United Nations to support their Global Goals for Sustainable Development. “We have leveraged creative culture—fashion, music, art, and film—to create real impact on the ground through our supply chains and generate genuine economic opportunities for communities in need; while also providing tools
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Cameron Saul is challenging to categorize when it comes to outlining the variety of projects he has led throughout his career. From an early age