Champagne and Robots?: Third Thursday Artist Interview

By Kylie Hogg
Music Journalis

I talked to the singer of the Nashville-based band, Champagne, recently about Nashville, concept albums, and robots! Champagne is composed of frontman Nick Seaman, Chris Cabaniss, and Aaron Umberger.

They were based in Austin but recently moved to Nashville Tennessee. Champagne will be playing our next Third Thursday event at The Porch, this Thursday, November 17, 2022!

Kylie Hogg: So you’re in Nashville right now, correct? How is that?

Nick Seamen: Yeah! It’s been awesome! We actually just moved out here a couple months ago so it’s been really cool.

Kylie Hogg: Great! Talk to me about your new record, Brave New World, what was the recording process like?

Nick Seamen: So, we actually came to Nashville to work at this studio called Welcome to 1979; and we did it all through analog tape and gear. That was our goal for this record. Our first EP was very modern and digital, but since we wanted this one to have a more seventies feel, we wanted to do it like they did back then.

Kylie Hogg: Yeah! When I was listening, I couldn’t stop thinking about how funky it sounded!

Nick Seamen: My goal was to have this dirty, porno, swag, to this indie rock vibe, and it worked out!

Kylie Hogg: Do you think you have found more influence moving out to Nashville (from Austin)?

Nick Seamen: It’s very much in the mindset out here. I’ve found that Austin and Nashville are very similar. You know, the people listen to similar music and Broadway is similar to 6th Street. However, I am surrounded by more full-time bigger bands. Being surrounded by that, watching their journeys, and learning has defined living out here most for me.

Kylie Hogg: Do you like to collaborate with other artists?

Nick Seamen: I haven’t collaborated with other artists, except recently, that’s going very well. Mainly, I like to collaborate with songwriters. I like hearing other people’s perspectives. Like we are working on this new album right now and the songwriting process for it has been crazy.

Kylie Hogg: What can you tell us about this new album?

Nick Seamen: It’s kinda a concept album. So, we know that robots can’t fall in love because they aren’t programmed to love themselves. So, the album follows this robot through its journey as it tries to fix itself and find itself. It starts with this very synth-like vocoder-heavy track and ends with a soft piano love song. It’s almost done! It should be out next year.

Kylie Hogg: That’s super cool! What inspired that story?

Nick Seamen: My self-journey. I’ve been in some tough times these past couple years and it kinda came from the realization that I should love myself and the journey it took to get there. And you know, what’s more fun: another tall white guy telling us his self-love journey? Or a robot in the future telling its story?