Paris-based singer-songwriter Clara Quilichini enters a significant new chapter with “Off,” a deeply reflective song released on World Peace Day, September 21. Written after witnessing the devastating realities of war abroad and returning home with questions she could not easily put aside, the song confronts the uncomfortable distance between everyday life and the suffering unfolding elsewhere.
Rather than attempting to provide simple answers, “Off” sits with the contradictions. It explores guilt, grief, helplessness and the fear of becoming desensitized to suffering, while still making room for hope. At the heart of the song is a question that refuses easy resolution: “How do you rise when little ones are falling?”
That emotional tension also shapes the music. Quilichini brings together a children’s choir and, later, a larger choir of men and women, transforming what begins as an individual reflection into a collective expression of compassion. The voices become central to the song’s meaning, representing both those caught in conflict and the people whose kindness can restore a sense of hope.
Known for her work across music, film, television and voice acting, Quilichini approaches songwriting through emotional storytelling and vulnerability. “Off” also arrives as she moves toward her debut full-length album, offering a glimpse into an artist increasingly interested in turning difficult human experiences into songs that invite connection rather than easy resolution.
In this exclusive interview, Clara Quilichini discusses the experience that inspired “Off,” the emotional responsibility of writing about war, the significance of the choirs, the songwriting process, and why creating music can still matter when words and actions sometimes feel insufficient.
AVOLA: “Off” was born from the difficulty of returning to ordinary life after witnessing the realities of war. What was the first moment when you realized that experience had become a song rather than simply something you were carrying emotionally?
Clara Quilichini: I don’t remember a specific moment when that happened, because writing songs is often something I do to unload emotionally. What was different this time, though, was that it was the first time I experienced pain that wasn’t fully mine; I was aching for a civilization. Later on, when I was choosing the songs I wanted to include on the album, ‘Off‘ was an immediate choice because it raises questions that go beyond the usual personal relationships and growing pains I usually talk about in my music.
AVOLA: The song asks, “How do you rise when little ones are falling?” What does that question mean to you now that “Off” is finished and you can hear it from a distance?
Clara Quilichini: It’s now been three years since I wrote this song, and my point of view has shifted for the better since then. I now feel it is my duty to keep on living and stand for what I believe in, because I am lucky to have the opportunity to do so. What was once paralyzing has turned into fuel.
AVOLA: There is a striking tension in “Off” between helplessness and hope. Did you begin writing the song believing hope was possible, or did that feeling emerge through the songwriting process?
Clara Quilchini: At the time I wrote the song, I was struggling to find hope. That’s why the lyrics are mostly about the powerlessness I felt. But a few weeks later, I worked for a concert with more than three hundred musicians and singers. Seeing everyone come together to celebrate music sparked hope in me again. It felt like, in a short period of time, I had witnessed both the worst and the best of humanity. Later on, I added a choir to the song, which represents this newfound hope.
AVOLA: You chose to bring in a children’s choir and later a larger adult choir. What did you want those voices to communicate that your own voice could not?
Clara Quilichini: It was crucial for me to have kids in the choir, because what struck me the most when I witnessed war was how unfair it was to the children who inherit conflicts they sometimes don’t even understand. The kids in the song’s choir are some of the same kids from the concert I mentioned in the previous answer. Their voices represent the children in countries at war, but also children from around the world, all coming together in one peaceful voice. It’s a reminder that a child, no matter what country they’re from or what government they live under, is still a child, and that their life matters just as much as the lives of our own children. In the final section of the song, the children are joined by a larger choir of men and women, showing how powerful we can be when we stand together, and symbolizing the enduring beauty of humanity, even in the world’s darkest moments.
AVOLA: “Off” deals with the danger of becoming numb to suffering, particularly when tragedy is constantly present through news and social media. Did writing the song change the way you personally process that constant exposure?
Clara Quilichini: Definitely. On social media, we get flooded with shocking images and political claims – which can be important for staying informed, but can also be anxiety-inducing and overwhelming. Writing this song helped me bring everything back to a more human level, focus on what is actually happening in the lives of people in countries at war, and think about the questions it raises for us as a global community.
AVOLA: You describe the song as your indie folk version of “We Are the World.” Beyond the obvious difference in scale, what did you want to retain from that tradition of collective music making, and what did you want to do differently?
Clara Quilichini: Hahaha, there is a tiny difference in scale indeed. What I love about ‘We are the World’ is how all of these incredible artists came together, despite their busy schedules, and gathered in one room for something meaningful. I think art and storytelling are the best ways to raise awareness and move people. I was really inspired by the choir part of the song, and felt like ‘Off” could also use multiple voices to carry its message. As for what I would have wanted to do differently, nothing. I think ‘We are the World’ is an incomparable masterpiece!
AVOLA: Your songwriting often begins with guitar or piano before expanding through collaboration with arrangers and musicians. How did the original, intimate version of “Off” differ from the finished recording?
Clara Quilichini: When I wrote ‘Off’, it was just me and my guitar. Then, when I made the demo for the song, I decided I wanted to start with a cappella voices inspired by the sound of war sirens, transforming something that was a source of anxiety into something soothing. When I took the song to my arranger, Stéphane Corbin, we immediately agreed on putting the song’s message at the core of the track, with the instruments and choir supporting it.
AVOLA: The song moves from an individual perspective toward a collective voice. Was that musical progression planned from the beginning, or did the arrangement reveal the song’s larger meaning as it developed?
Clara Quilichin: I think I had that progression in mind when I took the song to Stéphane, but he helped me shape it through production choices. We decided to start the song sonically the way it was written in my living room, keeping the intimacy of the guitar, and then gradually build it with strings, drums, piano and voices, making it more collective and about more than just my own emotions.
AVOLA: You are approaching your debut full-length album after working across music, film, television and voice acting. Has writing “Off” changed what you believe a song can accomplish within a larger body of work?
Clara Quilichini: For sure. To me, it’s always easier to write about something that I feel, and hope listeners will relate. I have yet to unlock the kind of third-person writing that Taylor Swift, amongst others, does so well. Also, as an actress, I’m always saying words that somebody else wrote, so I think with music I need to speak my truth. That being said, I feel like “Off”is the only song on the album that truly expands beyond my personal experience, and whose message speaks not for me but for humanity. I hope to explore more of that in the future.
AVOLA: “Off” asks difficult questions without offering easy answers. What question do you hope the listener continues asking themselves after the song ends?
Clara Quilichini: What I hope for with this song is, on one hand, to raise awareness about realities that exist alongside ours, in which people don’t have the chance to live free and safe. I hope to shed light on the injustice of war and redirect listeners towards organizations that help civilians in countries at war. On the other hand, I hope this song encourages listeners to create, connect, care about one another, to put their daily struggles into perspective and be grateful for every peaceful moment life offers.
Featured Image: Artist Supplied
