Montreal’s Motel Raphaël is a band that’s reaching for the stars at the speed of light.
Playing together for just over a year, this indie folk-pop band has already launched with a debut video for the catchy single “Ghosts” and played several festivals, including the Montreal Fringe Festival. They’ve also recently garnered strong support via CBC’s Searchlight. It’s likely because their sound — a blend of the old school sensibility artists like Adele have brought back to the spotlight and the best of Montreal’s music scene — connects with the appetites of music afficionados.
OTM invited three of the band’s talented women to crowd onto the virtual couch (now with more fluffy cushions) to chat in the lead-up to their Canadian Music Week set about their childhood (don’t mess with it!), shopping carts on stage and their goals for 2013.
OTM recently was able to scratch Roger Waters from the“Bucket List of bands/artists to see before I die”. Who’s on top of your musical Bucket List?
Clara Legault (Vocals, Electric Guitar): Kings Of Leon
Emily Skahan (Vocals, Acoustic Guitar): Alicia Keys
Maya Malkin (Vocals, Electric Guitar): Rebecca Black
If you could recruit anyone to direct a music video for you, who would you choose and what song would you want them to tackle?
Tim Burton directing “Pretty Distractions”.
What was the last great book you read?
Emily: Slouching Toward Nirvana – Charles Bukowski
Maya: Flowers for Algernon – Daniel Keyes
Clara: Ensemble C’est Tout – Anna Galvada
Your favourite guilty pleasure?
Emily: Instagram
Maya: One Direction
Clara: 90210
Share with us something that fans would find intriguing, but no music writer has managed to draw out of you yet.
Two of our band members used to date. Guess who? Also collectively, there are approximately 14 nipples in our band.
Spice World: terrible movie that should have never been made, or five clever, self-deprecating women taking the piss?
NEVER INSULT OUR CHILDHOODS AGAIN. It still haunts us as the greatest Oscar nomination injustice of all time.
Alan Cumming alone — total oversight! Bastardizing a Metric lyric: who’d you rather be, The Tragically Hip or Rush?
Rushically Hip. Anyone except Bon Jovi.
Your first concert: who was it, and how old were you? More importantly, how was it?
Emily: Les Cowboys Fringants, age 17. How was it? Really sweaty and french.
Clara: Barenaked Ladies, age 14. At one point they had shopping carts on stage. I thought that was cool.
Maya: Britney Spears, approximately age 13. I can’t remember.
The world is ending in ten minutes. You can listen to one and only one song before the world ends. What song do you go out on?
Emily: “Mmmbop” — Hanson
Clara: “To Be Young” – Ryan Adams
Maya: Vitamin C’s “Graduation Song”
What can we look forward to from you in 2013?
Probably an album, but hopefully a world tour and a really nice pink car.
Thanks so much, ladies! I’d love to hear a Spice Girls cover in your set, if you’re taking requests…
Motel Raphaël is a band on the rise and definitely worth adding to your festival itinerary. You can catch Motel Raphaël at CMW March 23rd at 9pm (The Garrison).
Care to score some sweet music swag? Head here for details on our ever-growing CMW Giveaway!
Open 'Til Midnight 