I was sent the latest track ‘Margate’ from Swiss indie-pop artist CORI NORA, I listened to it, loved it and wanted to learn more about the artist behind it. Read on to see how we got on chatting to her about her musical upbringing, influences, artistic freedom and returning to her flat in East London.

Can you describe the musical upbringing that shaped you and whether your parents or home life exposed you to music early on?

My parents and home did expose me to music very early on - my father is a jazz pianist and composer, my mum loves music very much too, so improvisation and inventing theatre shows and dances were a huge part of my upbringing. I loved to play ‘radio hosts’ with my brother, where we performed music and made up the daily news on the go. It was quite entertaining for my parents I suppose. My brother Christoph Huber, who I collaborate with a lot, also became a professional musician, he plays a bunch of instruments and truly masters the saxophone. He’s in my band as well.

Which artists, records, or scenes have been the most important influences on your sound, and how did Kurt Vile specifically inspire “Kurt Vibe”?

Before going to Porto to record this album I had a long talk on the phone with LA musician and producer Luke Temple where we were speaking about the magic of a recorded live performance, especially if the vocals were recorded live in the same room with the other instruments as well. That’s the way a lot of legendary records in the 60’s and 70’s were made - one of my favourite musical eras with artists such as Joni Mitchell, Al Green, Jaco Pastorius, Nina Simone, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Doors, Cat Stevens, Herbie Hancock, The Beatles and many more.

With Kurt Vile it’s a funny story - I tried to impersonate his style when jamming along with my band after a long day of recording, wanting them to guess who I was. No one got it, so I just screamed ‘Kurt Vile of course!’ - which became the working title of that jam, that my brother secretly recorded. Listening to this jam later on it struck me how light and carefree we sounded when we thought we’re not recording, I loved this energy! That’s how I decided that I want to do a live recording, raw and unfiltered, capturing that fleeting beauty of the moment, with everybody playing together in the same room. As for the title I decided to keep it for the love of that silly moment (and the music of Kurt Vile) plus my decision to make a very honest record.

Your latest track “Margate” captures a friendship and shifting seasons—can you walk me through the literal and emotional moments that produced the song?

The song came to me on a walk through Millfield Parks in Clapton, London, on a cold day last January. I went back home and recorded a first draft on guitar and vocals. It all happened very quickly and felt supernatural. I didn’t want to overthink it and just went along, sent it to my band and soon after that we rehearsed the song together. Everything felt fresh and light, exactly the direction I wanted to take with that record. The song is about a friendship that faded, the things that happen in both lives during that time (change of seasons, hair, lovers, cities…) and the chance to reunite again after three years, reflected in the lyrics of the chorus: Hey I want to take a train, to Margate today my friend, it’s been three years since the end. You have to listen to the whole song though if you want to find out if I took that train or not :) I’d say Margate captures that bittersweet in-between spot: what’s gone, what is present, and what still might be possible.

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You recorded Pleasures And Focus live with your band in Porto—what changed for you when you shifted from writing on your own to recording with everyone together in the same room?

It’s like the music fully developed its character and flavour with all of us contributing with their skills and instincts and by just being present in the moment. It became multidimensional, like a living breathing species of its own, that we fed with our presence and music. I love that part of the process - the collaborative side of music in a shared context. It opens up your mind and heart and lets you become one body of sound. Self-awareness quietly slips away at some point and this is the most beautiful thing. It’s really quite spiritual.

How did the band contribute to the arrangements and textures on the album, and which band member surprised you most with an idea that might have helped to re-shape or add something special to a song?

As said, they all contributed a lot to the songs on this album, it wouldn’t be the same without Nick, Christoph and Alvin. I guess my brother surprised me a lot with his secret guitar and bass playing skills (he’s a saxophone player), I feel no matter what he touches, he can make it sound good. I guess it all comes down to trust– I trust them to make the right decisions in the moment, be it in sound, form, harmony or rhythm. We almost always agree. We have played together for a long time now, so there is a very strong foundation we build upon.

You describe your music as blending pop, folk, alternative rock, and jazz—how do you decide which genre impulse to follow when a song first appears?

I don’t, I let the music decide which way it wants to go. Usually it ends up being a blend of some sort. I don’t like to put music into boxes and attach labels to it, I believe in ambiguity and genre fluid expression, as long as it feels honest. Some labels and managers won’t agree with me on this point, they prefer to put a clear label on it which makes it easier to market, I get this. But I value artistic freedom more than this and believe in artistic transformation, there are no fixed boundaries to the process.

Which songs on the new record feel most like a direct diary entry versus those that grew out of jams, and how do you protect intimacy when a song becomes collective?

That’s a very interesting question. I guess ‘Those Are The Days’ and ‘Flavour’ feel more like a diary entry compared to for example ‘Kurt Vibe’ or ‘Margate’. I’m not sure the concept of protection works in a creative environment that lives off the vulnerability and openness of each member of the collective that’s contributing to the recording and songwriting process. I might say that my voice somehow stands for the intimacy of the diary entry? As in every voice is unique and its own story teller.

How did returning to your old East London flat for a solo writing retreat influence the lyrical focus on presence and homecoming found across the album? Had things changed much in London?

It was rather one important element on a chain of multiple experiences that led to the focus on presence and homecoming. I still feel very connected to this place, the people and its surroundings such as Millfield Park, River Lea or the Wetlands and Marshes of Walthamstow. Things always change quickly in London, but luckily it felt as if in that little corner of the universe, things were still not that impacted by gentrification and late stage capitalism - I might be completely wrong though.

How do you approach translating the album’s themes of sisterhood, healing, and creative presence into your live show and visual identity?

I am in the process of figuring this out together with friends and artists outside of the musical domain who are contributing with their experiences, ideas and knowledge. I guess this is maybe the biggest difference between how I used to do things earlier on and now– I’m not alone, I believe that we create better solutions and results if we join our minds and creativity. I find a lot of inspiration in this exchange of art, music, literature and lived experiences. They are creating an invisible but very strong web of different realities, thoughts, ideas and dreams- and it continues to grow and shapeshift.

What are the next steps after the November album release—any touring plans, or creative projects you’re most excited to pursue?

I will be focussing on the set up for our live shows, that’s gonna be a lot of work! And I’m really looking forward to it. We’re going on tour in spring to present the new album.

Please tell me the best place to keep up to date with you on social media?

I’d suggest Instagram and Tik Tok. But I also have an old school website, it’s www.corinora.com

Lastly, would you rather be able to speak every language in the world or have the power to communicate with animals?

Communicate with animals, clearly. Friends say I speak the language of cats. I do feel very close to them.

We’d like to thank Cori Nora for sparing her time to chat to us and we wish her and her band every success for the release of the new album and look forward to seeing them in the South West in Spring 2026 (hint hint).

Interview by Steve Muscutt