Before leaving our interview at Noble Studios, where 29-year-old Alessia Cara recorded her sensuous new jazz album Love or Lack Thereof, the Grammy-winner recorded a video for my daughter. “You look just like your father,” she said, “Both beautiful people inside and out.” The gesture reflects the thoughtfulness Cara seems to bring to every facet of her life, as I discovered during our candid conversation about Toronto’s food scene, jazz inflection and her go-to cocktail spot.
This album marks something of a departure from your usual R&B pop. Was the new direction brewing for a while?
We wrote the song “I’m in Trouble” one day before we went into Noble to record, and it changed the direction of the entire project. With jazz, it’s, like, do you go New Orleans swing? Bossa nova? How do we best represent the sound that we love? And with “I’m in Trouble” we found it: bluesy soul, and it solidified the entire record.
How does your diaristic approach to songwriting marry you to your fans?
I feel like that’s the real gift I’ve been given. As I get older, my openness, honesty and ability not to be scared of sharing my feelings has helped me artistically mature and open up. Being vulnerable has always been not only how I write, but how I live. The same goes in my personal life.
You’ve been vocal about your own mental health journey and struggles with insomnia. What do you hear from your fans, especially young women?
Using my actual voice to share real experiences and let people know they’re not alone and dive deeper into feelings, feelings we all share but especially young women like your daughter, is everything. Trying to stretch each one of these feelings into three-minute sketches is the thing about being an artist I most love.
Fast facts
Name: Alessia Cara
Favourite Toronto spots at night: Mamakas and Bar Bowie
Celeb collabs: Nelly Furtado and Norah Jones appear on her new album
Album antics: Recorded her album live off the floor (the band played together in one room)
You blew up quickly on YouTube at 13 and have been recognizable for most of your life. What do we get wrong about the life of child stars?
It’s just not something human beings are accustomed to, and I’m certain it — fame — changes your brain. It does something to your brain chemistry, and just having access to everyone’s opinion of you while you’re forming your own opinion of yourself can be overwhelming. You have to grow up fast and develop a strong sense of self.
It’s cool that you record, write and live in Toronto and haven’t decamped for L.A. What’s your go-to spot?
Shout out: Forno Cultura bakery all day. That’s my comfort spot for a pastry and oat milk latte and you can tell their coffee’s so good because it doesn’t need any sugar or sweetener.
It’s Saturday night and you have [album collaborator] Norah Jones to take around in your city. Where do you go?
Either Ossington or College Street. I’d like to say something else — because this is what everyone says — but what can I tell you? They’re the best spots.
Are you a late-night or early morning performer?
A night owl. I get my best ideas at night.
What advice do you have for people digging your vibe?
Cut people slack — and be nice.
