Folk-rock singer-songwriter, Evelyn Cools, will release the new EP, Misfit Paradise, on August 14, 2020. Inspired by songwriters such as Stevie Nicks, Simon & Garfunkel, Lana Del Rey, and Angus & Julia Stone, Cools is recognized for her powerful lyrics and her storytelling abilities through music.
“Inspired by times of restlessness, elation, heartbreak, and wonder, Misfit Paradiseexplores the complex relationships we have with ourselves, others, and our environment, and how we find peace and meaning within it all,” Cools says. “It is about life’s greatest joys – love, acceptance, nature, adventure – but also its greatest sorrows. It aims to capture little specs of magic against a world of unknowns.”
Coming from a multi-cultural background, Cools is originally from Belgium but has spent her whole life moving between different corners of the world including Hong Kong, Budapest, London, and now, the US. This sense of wandering is a driving force behind her songs, as well as the connectivity between people and the natural world. Though she began studying music as a child (piano, flute, choir, musical theater), it wasn’t until college that she first picked up the guitar and began dabbling in songwriting. While attending a university in London, the vibrancy of the local music scene combined with a musical group of friends laid the groundwork for her to find her own voice and focus on creating original music.
In 2018, Cools moved to Los Angeles to delve deeper into her music and challenge herself both personally and creatively. During her time on the West Coast, she found inspiration in California nature, crossed paths with incredibly talented people who eventually became her creative team, and experienced love like she never had before. The product of this transformative time is Misfit Paradise: a captivating collection of songs to be released in the summer of 2020.
In collaboration with producer Enrique Lara, Cools took a very DIY approach to the recording of Misfit Paradise. Most of the tracks were recorded in Lara’s living room with blankets covering the walls and doorways for better acoustics. The string section for the title track was recorded and co-produced by Michah Garrido in a tiny bedroom in Silver Lake, CA., with just one cellist and one violinist. To create the effect of a string ensemble, the players moved after each take, to the point where they were using the bed and all corners of the room.
Misfit Paradise will be out everywhere on August 14, 2020, and Evelyn Cools will be releasing several singles and videos surrounding the EP.
