As a part of the 3rd Annual Seattle World Tour, singer/songwriter Claudine Magbag will be performing at Cafe Racer on Friday, June 9. In anticipation for her performance, I wanted to chat with her about the importance of community and how she’s carved out her own spot within the Seattle music, arts, and fashion scenes.
Claudine Magbag on Finding Her Passions
Growing up around the Everett and Marysville area of Washington, Claudine knew opportunity was scarce. She took that time to really discover and nurture the hobbies she truly enjoys. “I used to skip school a lot when I was a kid. School was a really hard time for me, especially in high school, I just didn’t have the social skills. I think part of that is because of my childhood, growing up with my family. Which, when I look back, is kind of a bummer because I feel like I missed out on fostering good childhood relationships because I didn’t have the social skills at the time.”
Claudine continued, “I spent a lot of time by myself, that was when I first started making music. Which is why I think it’s important to make time to sit with yourself to create anything that means something. So, yeah, I used to skip school and look for things like old cameras because I really like analog photography, as well as all forms of art. I spent a lot of time digging for those kinds of things.” That love of analog and vintage has followed Claudine into her life as an adult.
Claudine Magbag sourced from Genius.
Feeling Part of a Community
“For basically three years, I wasn’t really doing a whole lot of writing, I was doing a lot of work; I just started up a business for vintage gear, (@360.Thrift) slinging curated goods at Fremont and [Late Night Vintage Market].” Having found her people in the vintage clothing world, I was curious if Claudine had felt that same sense of community within the music scene.
“I played my first headlining show, literally, just like a year ago. It didn’t sell out, which is okay because there was a lot going on at the time. I actually wanted to push back the date because there was so much that was going on with COVID, I had just played Kraken beforehand, and we just didn’t have enough time and weren’t ready. That was hard. Despite everything going on at that moment in time, the amount of people who were able to show up for me– I don’t like thinking about numbers or like ticket sales or whatever, but to be in a room full of people that are like ‘hey, I see you. I see that you made this thing…” People being intentional and setting aside time to be a part of that is really dope.
A portrait of Claudine sourced from her Instagram (@yourfriendclaudine).
Letting Life Do Its Thing
Back in 2021, Claudine and I had the opportunity to sit down and talk as part of the Seattle World Tour Music with a Message series. Since then, I’ve watched her grow and develop as an artist and I wanted to know some of the biggest takeaways that she had learned over her journey so far.
“Trying different things and not being scared to upset people. Obviously within reason, don’t just upset people for no reason or whatever. But I look at myself back then, being an artist requires taking up space which was something that I had a really hard time doing. I would be like *nondescript vomiting-esque noises* and just strumming my fucking guitar like, ‘uhhhh, what do the people want?’ Or, ‘what does this person that I’m working with want?’”
Claudine went on to say, “Ultimately, not being afraid to try on different shoes. For a while I just wanted to make stuff. Even if it was making some stuff that I didn’t fully resonate with because there was a fear of never being able to make stuff again. So, not being scared to fail; allowing myself to do things so that I can move on to the next thing.”
In a final moment of reflection, Claudine mentioned, “I really cherish opportunities, especially as someone who came from a town where they are so scarce. I would really hold on to shit that probably wasn’t working for me. Letting go and really letting life run its cycle and just being a part of that and embracing it. Endings, beginnings, failures, things that do work, things that don’t, just being open to all of that and not having expected outcomes. It’s good to set a goal and have deadlines, but still letting life do its thing.”
A portrait of Claudine sourced from her Instagram (@yourfriendclaudine).
Claudine Magbag to Perform at Cafe Racer on June 9 for 2023 Seattle World Tour
I think we can all take a note from Claudine’s reflections and let life do its thing. Go with the flow of things and shake up your schedule; get yourself a ticket to night four of the Seattle World Tour taking place at Cafe Racer on Friday, June 9. “There’s a lot of new music planned. I’m definitely going to be rocking with a band. For a while, we were just rocking with show tracks. Now we have a fuller band, I’m bringing Andrew Imanaka on bass, and we’re actually deconstructing a lot of these songs, picking apart different elements, and adding things that could spice up the show. It’s going to be a lot more new things, with, of course, my favorites that are already out there.”
The lineup also includes Breaks and Swells, Blake Anthony and Cherry Ferrari. Proceeds from the event will go to the Seattle World Tour Foundation’s Washington State Musician Relief Fund.
3rd Annual Seattle World Tour night four poster art by Becca Fuhrman
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