It would seem like every artist releasing music in 2021 had their work turned upside down by the pandemic. That’s not the case for Quebec singer-songwriter Caracol (real name: Carole Facal), whose fifth solo album, Tout est différent (translation: “everything is different”), already had a broad outline in 2019, after she performed at Montreal’s Francos festival with rapper FouKi. “I’d spent the whole day with him and his beatmaker QuietMike, a guy who loves reggae like me,” Caracol tells Apple Music. “We felt like writing songs together, and right away we really hit it off.” Several other artists came on board during the process, including producer Seb Ruban, one of Caracol’s regular work partners. “While QuietMike brings the freshness of pop and new sounds, Seb made sure that these tracks were in line with my repertoire and stayed true to who I am as a person,” she says. “The many collaborators on the album have helped me progress as a creator. They have each in their own way brought a more positive and luminous touch to my approach, which sometimes tends to be too serious and quite gloomy.” Here she guides us through what makes everything so different, track by track. "Tout est différent" “This song was written during the pandemic. It’s the most melancholic tune on the album. You might think it talks about that period, but it doesn’t. It relates to other events that have happened in my life, real ordeals. It was released when we were still in lockdown. I felt like keeping my happier songs for when it was all over.” "Infini" “This one was done in collaboration with Mike Clay. He’s a guy who doesn’t worry too much about things in life. I’ve known him for ages. He helped me get into summertime mode and be more light-hearted for this super catchy track, which talks about freedom. I always tend to be quite deep with my emotions, and it actually bugs me how I can be so intense!” "Vodka" “It’s one of the songs I wrote with QuietMike and Seb Ruban. Overall, the album casts a wide net when it comes to styles, with reggae, chill beat, indie and lo-fi influences, but this one is the most pop. That’s why I thought of Eli Rose, a very close friend, to sing it with me. It talks of escape, of going on a bender and partying. In other words, the exact opposite of who we are, both of us, and that’s absolute perfectionists!” "1949" “It’s a very short musical interlude created by Seb Ruban to act as a bridge between two songs. It’s something I do during my shows, and I’d been wanting to transpose the process on an album for a long time.” "Non merci" “I’ve never been a socially committed artist who addresses themes that could polarise society, but for this song I decided to talk about the wave of denunciations that swept through Quebec in 2020. I haven’t experienced anything like that personally, but I felt like putting myself in the shoes of people who’ve been the victim of abuse of power and who very often feel guilty. I therefore talk about the refusal to feel remorse or take the blame, and I tell them, ‘No, thank you.'” "Faire le mort" “Like several of the tracks I wrote with QuietMike, this one has lyrics that are charged with deep melancholy, but we offset that with a less gloomy melody and arrangements. It talks about people who choose to distance themselves and disappear, but who are still important in our hearts.” "Eden" “It’s a collaboration with KNLO, one of my favourite Quebec rappers. I was delighted when he agreed to participate on this track, which leans more towards humour and self-mockery. I ask questions as to what we need to do when everything is going badly—I mean really, really badly—and I come to the conclusion that sometimes you simply have to let go, listen to music and dance. In short, when you feel there’s no longer a solution, there’s always something to make you smile and have some fun.” "Soleil d’enfer" “This song’s a bit different from the others. I think it’s the one that has the most depth, in terms of both the lyrics and the music. I think Seb Ruban did an incredible job on the production to emphasise the subject, which is mental health. I’d done a first version for the closing credits of the documentary television series Urgence santé mentale, which was broadcast three years ago. I’d received lots of great feedback and people wanted a full version, so I reworked it for this album.” "Moto" “When I started out in the music industry, it was as a backup singer for reggae bands. With this song, I’ve gone back to my roots. But I didn’t want to do something too traditional, and that’s why I invited the Ragers to take part on the track. They’re a band that combines rap and rock, so it gives it a very modern twist. I recount the story of a girl who’s bored and only interested in one thing: the feeling she gets when she’s riding her motorcycle, when she sets off in search of adventure.” "Meilleur ailleurs" “This is another one on which QuietMike had a big impact. We started with pizzicato strings, which we then sampled. He and I took it in turns working on the song, then Seb brought it all together. As for the theme, we sort of explore the idea of the grass always being greener on the other side of the fence. I tell the story of someone who’s always looking for more and who’s never satisfied.” "Pupille" “For this one, I handled the production myself, and it’s a huge source of personal pride. I’ve added another feather to my cap. This song has a very special place in my heart because I wrote it while a very close friend of mine was in a coma after attempting to commit suicide. The good news is that he survived. But I will never forget that moment when nothing was certain. Plus, nobody could visit him in hospital because of the COVID measures. It felt like the end of the world.”