Ciao Ciao Marigold (CCM) invites you into a world of vibrant soundscapes and colorful storytelling, and their latest album, Satsuma, is no exception. With each track named after a type of orange, the music offers a juicy mix of nostalgia, whimsy, and chill virtuosity. In this exclusive interview, CCM takes us behind the scenes of their creative process, sharing tales of secret codes, stoner subtexts, and their technicolor inspirations. From late-night drives to lazy afternoons, Satsuma, is a sensory journey, blending the quirky warmth of Studio Ghibli with the breezy grooves of Khruangbin. Get ready to peel back the layers of Ciao Ciao Marigold’s artistry—one zest-filled story at a time.
If Ciao Ciao Marigold had a signature scent, what would it smell like?
That one’s up to each listener.
The new album is called ‘Satsuma’, and each track is named after a type of orange. What’s the juiciest orange-inspired story behind one of the songs?
I’ll tell you the full lore, buckle up. In the second half of high school, I smoked so much weed. I was truly so high all the time, it was crazy. I somewhat regret that habit, even though it was very fun at the time. But I would even leave campus in the middle of the day to smoke, it was my whole personality (which, to emphasize, is kind of regrettable and a bit sad).
So because of my habit, I had a problem. I wanted to smoke all the time, but I didn’t want to get caught by teachers or even fellow students who disapproved of my behavior. After thinking it through, I realized that the main issue would always be the smell on my hands and on my breath. So I landed on a post-smoke snack that would be easy to get a hold of, and would cover up the scent on my hands and breath: oranges. Peeling the orange covered me in the zest and eating it masked my breath.
It got to the point where the orange was like a code on campus. If a friend saw me walking by, peeling an orange, they would know what had just happened before that, and we would give each a smiling nod.
So oranges kind of have a stoner subtext to them, for me personally. And that’s one of the reasons I decided to go with oranges for this new album. But you don’t need to know that in order to enjoy the music. I tried to structure it so that you can just enjoy it on its own merits.
Khruangbin, Studio Ghibli, and THC gummies are in the CCM DNA. If they had a jam session together, what do you imagine it would sound like?
Ciao Ciao Marigold.
You’ve described your music as “saturating life with technicolour chillness.” What’s a totally mundane moment that you’d love to soundtrack with CCM?
I think Ciao Ciao pairs really well with a brief commute or maybe its on the speakers while you wait for your friend to meet you for coffee. It’s a little companion on your daily journeys.
This is your live performance debut! What’s one thing you’re most excited about—and one thing you’re low-key terrified of?
I’m excited to learn more about my own art by performing it in real time. I love performing live. I’m not low-key terrified of anything, but I am HIGH-KEY terrified that no one will come to the show. It’s one thing to get traction online, but we see again and again that online traction does not always translate to IRL community. It might take more than one show, one event, for me to gain the trust of my community. We shall see. I remain very very humble on this matter.
The visuals for CCM are as much a part of the experience as the music. If you could live inside one of Hannah van der Weide’s animations for a day, what would you do there?
Hannah is amazing. I wish there was a way to interview them from inside one of their CCM animations. That’s what I’d do.
You played nearly every instrument on ‘satsuma’. If you had to pick just one to jam on for eternity, which would it be—and why?
Mmm, I wouldn’t. For eternity? No, I’ll take listening over jamming. Listening carefully is the most fun.
Which song on ‘Satsuma’ is the ultimate vibe for a late-night drive, and which one is best enjoyed with a lazy afternoon and a bag of satsumas?
I love this question. I’m more interested to hear what the fans think for this one. For a late-night drive, if it’s a highway, I’ll go with “byeonggyul”… if it’s just cruising local roads, I’ll say “koji”. For the bag, you know the answer to that one 🙂
CCM has been called “stoned virtuosity.” What’s the wildest fan story or comment you’ve gotten that totally fits that description?
Well, “stoned virtuosity” aside, the wildest DM I ever got was “I dyed my hair green because of [the animations]” which was a jaw-dropping and beautiful note to receive.
Let’s get hypothetical: If Ciao Ciao Marigold had a guest slot in a Studio Ghibli movie, which film would it be—and what would the scene look like?
Kiki reunites with Jiji for an evening, they each take a tab of acid and go to a concert. The concert is just on the outskirts of town, in a small elliptical amphitheater. There I am, playing in the center already, as they walk in. The stage rotates slowly so that we face every part of the audience. The stage lights glisten off Jiji’s wide-eyed visage.
