At Home With... Carmen Villain

Art & Culture

In this feature we ask an artist to bring us “Through The Keyhole” of their personal living space and let us know what it’s like at ‘Chez Artist’…

The next edition in our series sees us speak with a songwriter come producer with a big future. Carmen Villain is an artist based in Oslo, Norway. She is set to release a new album on Smalltown Supersound next month and has been slowly creeping beneath the surface for many years. Her sound is eclectic and ethereal whilst pensive. Titled "Infinite Avenue" the album is a blissful tour of existential questioning and doubt, all beautifully soundtracked by Carmen's vocals and eerie production.

She takes us on a tour of home…

Share with us your favourite recipe. What is the go to meal/ or perfect romantic fine-dining experience for yourselves? How did this recipe come about and any tips for our readers?

I make a mean roast chicken! I learned this while living in London, where the Sunday Roasts are holy. Shove a pre-cooked, pricked lemon inside it while its cooking. Cover the chicken with some rashers of bacon for the last 20 mins of cooking. Use the cooking juices for the sauce. Roast some veggies. Wine.

What’s your favourite room in your home and why?

Depends on what it's being used for. I love my studio and the living room. And bedroom. When we have guests, the kitchen.

What’s in your fridge right now? How often do you clean it?

It's usually pretty full. I never clean it, my boyfriend does.

How would you describe the decor in your home?

Scandi furniture with a bunch of weird treasures and plants on top. Far too many records and piles of stuff.

Are you handy at DIY or do you get someone in?

I'm ok at the technical stuff, but not patient enough for most of the other things.

What do you eat for breakfast?

Toast with honey and coffee.

Who is your neighbour? What do they do? If you’ve not talked to them… maybe now would be a good opportunity to.

Meet them occasionally, not sure what they do, but I think he plays in a rock'n'roll cover band and they like ACDC. And they are patient, as have never had a complaint from them..

Bath or shower?

Shower in the summer, bath in the winter.

Has your neighbour ever seen you naked, accidentally or on purpose?

Probably! I've seen them… also we saw one of them watch porn while my mum was visiting the other day.

It’s a lazy evening, no time for cooking. What’s your takeaway option? Who do you use? Do they know you and expect the usual order from you?

I usually go for Thai (Pad Thai), Turkish (Hunkar Beyendi) or Vietnamese (number 16)

Do you eat your dinner at the table or on your lap?

Usually at the table as a family. If I'm home alone I eat in front of the TV, one of my fav guilty pleasures.

Do you have a local shop or are you a supermarket whore like the rest of us?

Bit of both. We have a lot of great Turkish shops around here, so usually go there for vegetables and rice etc.

Is there a piece of art or ornament that holds particularly fond memories for you, from childhood or travels perhaps?

My daughter Tindra's handprint from when she was 2 weeks old.

Animals. We love cats here at R$N, but just love people with pets. Is there a special furry/ feathered/ scaly creature in your life, tell us a little about them?

Muttley the dog! She's a mixed terrier from northern England, and she is soo needy and social and manic and bonkers. She becomes everyones friend, even dog haters fall in love with her. My boyfriend had a dog phobia when I met him, and Muttley has cured him, they are best buds and cuddle all the time now. She can also sing!

Are you a messy person? What’s the worst state your home has been left in after a party?

I can be quite messy, but have gotten better with age.. We usually try to tidy before going to bed when we have parties, so we don't have to wake up and meet the mess hungover..

What’s your most annoying habit as a room mate if indeed you do have a room mate?

I have clothes-pile-chairs. One in the bathroom, and one in the bedroom… It inspires everyone else to have one too, so there are too many clothes-pile-chairs here.

Is there a view from your window, balcony, front door, terrace? Can you share that with us? Who do you look for coming along the street.

We live quite high up on the fifth floor, so we get a lot of sky. It makes for happy plants. Here is the view from the kitchen window during sunset.

Pick 6 dinner party guests from history, real or fictional to invite to your home?

Elena Ferrante, Joan Didion, Richard Brautigan, Susan Sontag, Alice Coltrane and David Attenborough. We could talk about the weather, haha. Also would love to hear David's voice-over in real time for Muttley, our dog.

Where do you listen to music in the home and what’s the set up?

In the kitchen and in the living room. In the kitchen we have an internet radio, which sounds ok, but a bit unstable. I like to listen to Dublab, NTS, Red Light Radio, the news etc etc on there. In the living room we have two Technics turntables, a Numark mixer, and Mordaunt-Short speakers.