British born musician and painter/sculptor Cathy Battistessa has shared a love affair with Ibiza for more than three decades.
With studios in rural Devon in the UK and here on the island, she’s perhaps best known for her chart hit ‘A Little Bit of Luck’. But there’s much more to her story…
“Sometimes I’ll wake up at 3 or 4 in the morning, hear the whole song – like a symphony, get up and try to lay it down with my voice,” she says while explaining that music and art has been in her blood since a child: “When I was really young I’d entertain family by singing songs by artists such as Aretha Franklin. Aged 7/8 I started sketching friends of the family, and they would come alive, popping off the page. Believing my way was as an artist, I went off to art school and got my first break at 23 exhibiting with the Northcote Gallery on London’s King’s Road, and featuring in many magazine publications and adverts.
In 1991 I bought a one way ticket to live in Ibiza. Very quickly a family group of about 50 DJs, artists, poets, writers, song writers, and producers formed a chill out movement which bonded us all. Living in Ibiza then was about meditation, retreat and spiritualism.”
The group began recording sessions together at the first studio on the island called ‘OM Sounds’ where they wrote many of the iconic Café Del Mar songs, including ‘More Than Ever People’ which encapsulated the dance era of the early 90s.
Those early songs led to meeting like-minded producers and artists, getting involved with film soundtracks tracks and much more, including being flown to Iceland to work with Bjork’s producer.
“In 2000 I had my first hit record ‘A Little Bit of Luck’ collaboration with DJ Luck & MC Neat, and downed my brushes and tools feeling I had to choose between art and music” explains Cathy. Other collaborations, of which there are too many to mention, include ‘Oh Home’ (Paco Fernandez), ‘Shine’ & ‘Speck Of Gold’ (Afterlife), ‘Depend on Me’ (Danny Howard & Josh Butler), ‘This Love’ (Sam Devine/Defected Records), and ‘Black Water’ with Grant Nelson.
One of Cathy’s standout moments was to be invited to sing for the Dalai Lama’s birthday: “We received a one to one blessing from His Holiness – this was one of the most incredible experiences of my life – to be seen on a soul level and understood is to be home again.”
Cathy has been working on her album – ‘The Ascension Collection’ – and has created a piece of art that is cohesive with every song: “My own sound is super understated and humble. I’m not competitive, it’s all about healing. It’s not about fame or what I look like. When I get a song idea, I will see the orchestration of vocals in swathes of colour, so I’ll be trying to get the vocals down, but thinking I’ve got to paint this or have a bag of clay open, making sculptures. It’s a toss up between which I do first, inevitably all roads lead to the same point which is the story, the message for humanity, the energy and what I’m trying to express. Clay and beach sand sculptures are the same; it’s a profound process for me. It’s such a beautiful connection with the earth which allows me to feel at one with nature.”
“My art is a collection of all sorts of mediums. I decided I needed to find an immersive way of doing them all together, because that is me! So, what is special about Ibiza for Cathy? She says “If you know, you know! When I’m there the consciousness is clearer. You’re really connected to the land, the energy is in the land. That’s what I’m doing with music and art – it’s a buzz. When I dive under the water, I always ask to receive a blessing. When I come out it’s transformative, another level even.” Her favourite places are Cala d’Hort, Es Vedrà, the Morna valley near San Juan and Santa Agnès. “Places that are unspoilt. We’ve got to preserve some of Ibiza; it’s so important for the island. There’s a light in Ibiza that’s all enveloping, I get such a sense of home here”.
So, what’s next for Cathy? She’s planning a big production for a tour next year which will involve an orchestra and choir and launching an online shop which will combine a gallery, lyrics on merchandise, limited edition vinyl, art and prints.
