Cassius, Barney and Kavana were interviewed on Classic FM radio in the UK. Thank you to Michael for posting it on YouTube! To listen to or download the Podcast, click here.
In this interview we find out Cassius is amazed at how much he's done for only a 10-year-old. Barney finds their faces on the cover of the album to be quite amazing - "looking good as usual." lol It was weird to record a Christmas album in the heat of summer, but they put up Christmas decorations to get into a Christmasy spirit. They never went to a snowy forest to take the album cover picture. Barney is going to his grandma's for Christmas to have turkey by the fire. He and Kavana don't like brussel sprouts, but Cassius does! lol And when they filmed the video of "Still, Still, Still" for Songs of Praise, they also filmed "How Shall I Sing That Majesty!" Yaaaaay!!!!!!!!!
If you'd like to translate the interview, it is typed below. :D
Lucy Coward (Interviewer): Today at Classic FM I'm delighted to welcome Kavana, Barney and Cassius from Libera. Thanks so much, guys, for popping in to have a chat with us about your new album and what is a particularly busy time of year for you. We'll come on to the album in just a second, but first of all, I know that you've already done a performance in conjunction with the release of the album. Why do you guys like performing at Christmas time particularly first of all.
Barney: Well, it's really exciting being in these huge cathedrals singing songs that go extremely high, and the harmonies are amazing, so it gives you that kind of classic Christmasy feeling.
Lucy: And what about you? I mean the repertoire that you've included in the concert, it's not all Christmas music, is it?
Kavana: I know some of them are um classical pieces but like 'Sanctus" which is the um, what's it, what's it...
Cassius: What we're mostly known for, like what we became famous for. Then we have like our sort of theme tune which is well, called "Libera."
Kavana: I mean, in our concert we have like alot of like Christmas carols like "White Christmas" we do at the end which is quite a nice thing cause we get to hear all the harmonies. I think what we enjoy most about performing at Christmastime is you get to see the other side of music. I mean, it's a happy time of year, and there's no sad, depressing songs. It's just a great way to sing joyfully.
Barney: Cause you're not in the audience thinking, "Wow, they're amazing. You're up there doing something that you love with your family watching and loads of people supporting you.
Cassius: And you're only like, like I'm only 10, and I'm doing all this amazing stuff. And I started when I was 7, so I've been doing it for 3 years, but I've gotten lots of exciting experiences.
Lucy: And so it's a real time of celebration regardless, I suppose, of it being Christmas or not. So let's talk a bit about the album, The Christmas Album. What kind of stuff is included on it? What could people look forward to?
Barney: Well, our amazing faces are on the front. Yep, looking good as usual.
Cassius: Hopefully.
Barney: Also, we have our favorite songs which we've decided my one is "The First Noel."
Kavana: My one is "O Holy Night" which we did a promo shoot earlier.
Cassius: Mine's "Carol of the Bells" cause it's bouncy.
Lucy: So there's lots of typical tunes that people will recognize?
Barney: Yeah, like very famous pieces.
Kavana: Yeah, there's the "Coventry Carol," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." I mean, cause it's our first Christmas album.
Barney: And "White Christmas."
Kavana: And "White Christmas." And so it's just a great thing you can play in the background on Christmas Day.
Lucy: But you didn't record it recently. You recorded it in the Summertime.
Kavana: Actually that's funny because we recorded it while the sun was still shining. There was no snow, and after we'd have breaks and run around in the sun while we were performing Christmas songs.
Cassius: I like on the album it's got like a forest of snow, and we're in the middle of Summer.
Barney: We didn't go to any forests.
Kavana: No, that would've been fun, though.
Cassius: And I don't get when we took the photo there was massive bright lights behind us, and I thought it was sun, Summer, and like all that.
Barney: It's got, it made an atmosphere.
Cassius: And then you see the picture of you with all Christmas stuff, and you think, "What the...?"
Barney: Where'd that come from?
Lucy: But you understand now, and it really works, and it's brilliant.
Kavana: It was a good atmosphere in the studio as well. We tried putting up little Christmas decorations to get into the mood. Well like some of the instruments, when we were listening over them, like the little bells and stuff, it like puts you in a Christmasy mood.
Lucy: So you're well-prepared. What are you guys looking forward to most about Christmas this year? Are you spending it with your families?
Barney: Well I'm having a real family Christmas. I'm going up to see my grandma, so we'll be like by the fire, turkey...turkey. That's good stuff.
Kavana: No brussel sprouts.
Barney: No brussel sprouts.
Cassius: I like brussel sprouts.
Barney: Yeah, so it'll be a really kind of classic, family Christmas round the fire.
Lucy: And is that important to you guys as well?
Cassius: Well mostly I hope it snows.
Barney: Yep, snowball fights, sledging.
Cassius: Snowball forts.
Kavana: Igloos. Well, sort of igloos.
Cassius: Snowballs with holes in them.
Barney: Yes, driving to my grandma's. Should be fun.
Lucy: And looking ahead post-Christmas, what have you got planned? What's coming up for you in the new year?
Barney: Um, we always have a party in the new year. As peers we meet up and we boogie.
Kavana: We jam. But I guess we've got all these little things, like today we're doing this now. It's just so unexpected, but we get so many brilliant opportunities to participate in, at such this age, it's just wonderful.
Cassius: Especially as it's Christmas.
Barney: We recently recorded "How Shall I Sing That Majesty" and "Still, Still, Still." "Still, Still, Still" is quite a new one, and um so that's going on Songs of Praise quite soon, so hopefully that will help promote our album.
Lucy: Brilliant. Well come in and talk to me again next year. And I wish you a very merry Christmas in the mean time.
Boys: Thank you! You, too!
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