Cello/Phn Takes Us “Higher” with New Single

After listening to this song, it’s impossible not to feel like you’ve ascended to a higher place.

Cello/Phn’s music is where transparency meets authenticity. Cello/Phn (CelloPhane) is a Contemporary Alternative R&B/Psychedelic artist from New Orleans. He expresses his personal experiences through moody transcending sounds to draw closer to life’s deeper meanings.

His new single “Higher” truly elevates us to an emotional place, with his soft vocals and heartfelt lyricism that you can feel in your chest.

The song starts off slow, with the instrumental building up the vibes for Cello/Phn’s emotional vocal delivery. His vocal textures in the verses and the hook put us in his headspace, bringing us all the feels from start to finish! The vocal melodies in the chorus are not only fun to sing, but easy to move your body to as well. This song truly makes me want to fall in love. By the end of the track, we’ve truly ascended to an enamored headspace.

I had the privilege of interviewing him about the new song, check it out below!

What inspired you to make this song?

In creating this EP, I’ve noticed that I didn’t have many high-tempo songs. Even with this song, it could be considered not upbeat. But my favorite genre of music is when songs have double meanings, like “I Can’t Feel My Face” by The Weeknd, “Hate CD” by Steve Lacy, and “Semi-Charmed Life” by Third Eye Blind. I wanted to exist in that universe; I wanted Cello/Phn to have his own version. This is how “Higher” was born. It’s fun, and it can be interpreted into anything. It’s my first video and cover art to reveal myself as well.

What was your favorite part about making this song?

This song was re-recorded by the artist Mondaii. He’s my good friend, but he records my music now. The original version didn’t capture the piece in the way it was intended. In the song, the bridge was supposed to have a high note, but I wasn’t confident enough to hit the notes when I recorded the song initially. With Mondaii, it was 2am, and we were hitting Mariah Cary’s whistle notes, and I’m sure my roommate was annoyed haha

What was the most challenging part?

I feel like letting the song go was the most challenging part. I held on to this music for so long, and letting it go was a thing that was an initial struggle. My team said that I should do one more single before we drop the project. We had gone through surveys to figure out which song would fit best, and “Higher” made the pick.

Was this release cathartic?

I wouldn’t say the song was, but shooting the music video for it definitely was. I used to be very self-conscious about my appearance, so to hop in front of the camera and own it for once was a release that I enjoyed.

What keeps you motivated?

Honestly, it’s being able to see people love and appreciate any of my creations, mainly because it all comes from me. I embarked on this entire creative journey in 2019 after I retired from the military. I have massive dreams to exist in the creative world, and it doesn’t matter if cello/phn exist in one or two people or 50-1000. To exist is what motivates me; to become a part of everyone’s everyday soundtrack.

What can we expect next from you?

What’s next is my debut project, ”What Happened to Monday,” with ‘Monday’ dropping in late October. It’s been a long time coming! We’re also supposed to be doing a nice listening party in October to celebrate the journey of the artist I met along the way and me. This will be my first full-length project, so I’m excited. I’m a part of a collective now, so creating has been so much easier.

What other artist are you listening to?

So as of now, I’ve been enjoying Rejjie Snow, Toro y Moi, and Aubrey O’Day. O’Day just released a really hot summer song. I’m hoping with the new Coachella that they bring back Frank Ocean and we get a new album. We’re dying out here!