Carly Paradis on Life, Tour, and Composing Beyond the Studio
Photograph / Megan Cullen
Carly Paradis, the composer behind Line of Duty, swaps studio solitude for global stages with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, proving that variety across stage and screen sharpens her sound even more.
When you meet Carly Paradis, you immediately feel it: her energy, her wit, and her refusal to be neatly compartmentalised. As a composer, you may have heard her scores featured in series such as Line of Duty, The Innocents, and Get Millie Black, with a new projects set to release in 2026. The Canadian-born, London-based musician thrives outside expected boundaries. But it’s her willingness to diversify, stepping away from the studio and onto the world’s biggest stages alongside Nick Cave, Warren Ellis, and the legendary Bad Seeds, that shapes the richness of her journey.
“It’s almost the complete opposite of the solitude of being a composer in the studio alone,” Carly tells me. “For me, it’s getting to stretch other muscles. And something like stage fright, that I’ve always had! It’s a great opportunity to face my fears and just do it.” What followed became a deliberate unravelling. She and her partner, who is also in the creative industry, have never collaborated musically; both found themselves in similar positions. “We both just picked one synthesiser and set them up, and then for months we were only using these two synths, an improvisation kind of situation. We nurtured our personal connection to creativity and music, and it was actually really beautiful and amazing.”
“Being around loads of creative people wakes you up. It’s sensory overload, in the best way. Something’s always unlocked, even subconsciously.”
Her entrance into the Bad Seeds universe wasn’t mapped out on any mood board or bucket list. In November 2019, at a music awards event in London, Carly found herself seated beside a music manager. Their conversation flowed easily, as they discussed indie bands, crowd energy, and even cottages! The next day, he mentioned that Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds were looking for a keyboard player to replace the late Conway Savage.
Despite her primary identity as a film and TV composer, Carly sent her resume. “I just thought, there’s no way I’ll get this job,” she recalls. A Zoom call followed while Nick and Warren were in LA working on a film score. They talked about everything from musical influences and playing stadiums to film scoring. At the end, they looked at each other and simply said, “Cool.” Carly had no idea what was to come.
Photograph / Megan Cullen
The next day, she got the call. Nick, it turned out, was already a fan and knew of her work from Line of Duty. “I was really, really blown away,” she says. “There aren’t many bands in the world that would have been able to stay together that long and evolve and still keep their incredible sound and vision. I feel really grateful to be a part of that. The experience is just, yeah, you can’t really put a price on it.”
“There aren’t many bands in the world that would have been able to stay together that long and evolve and still keep their incredible sound and vision. I feel really grateful to be a part of that.”
However, COVID delayed everything. The planned world tour for Ghosteen was postponed, then cancelled. The first time Carly played with the band was on a 2022 festival tour. Since then, she’s crossed continents with them, the UK, Europe, and North America, with more shows on the horizon.
With eleven musicians on stage, including four backing vocalists, each night is a tightly run ship but also a complete masterclass and working as a whole to support Nick. Carly always feels as though she’s learning. “I feel like I’m picking little bits from everyone, all the time when we play,” she says. Jim’s incredible with percussion; he’s constantly inventing new ideas even throughout the tour. And when I go to watch it back, I’m amazed all over again.”
“And Warren’s right in front of me. I’m a huge fan of his scores, and being able to see his cool gear and how he sets things up and is both zoned in and wild at the same time. It opens up my mind to how I could do it; the next project I work on, I might not just use everything in my room. I might try setting something up differently, or maybe bring in a new instrument I’ve never tried before.” I am in awe of everyone on stage, a band of talented misfits.
For Carly, who also toured with composer Clint Mansell, the cross-pollination is invaluable. Even technical lessons translate: learning to navigate frequencies live, staying out of bass player Martyn Casey’s range, or later Colin Greenwood’s from Radiohead when he stepped in during Martyn’s illness, has changed how she approaches her own work. “When you’re stagnant, just being around loads of creative people wakes you up,” she says. “It’s sensory overload, in the best way. Something’s always unlocked, even subconsciously.
The misconception, Carly shares, is that touring and composing must somehow compete with each other. “Look at Warren and Nick, they’re on tour, writing film and TV scores at the same time. You can do both.” For Carly, the travel itself is the work. Every city’s energy, museum visit, or spontaneous swim in weaves into her own music, especially the personal album material she’s eager to return to.
“Those life experiences on the road, seeing new places, soaking up different cultures, that directly influence my work,” she explains. “Life and art, it all comes back and trickles down into my music. So I’m soaking up the culture, and to me, that is work.”
On show days, Carly’s process is equal parts headspace and flexibility, rolling into a new city, jumping around sound checks and being ready in case the set list changes. “You really need to watch your energy and manage it so you’re giving all you can at the show,” she says. Her pre-show rituals vary: a hot and cold plunge if there’s a possibility, meditation, or grabbing a bite to eat. After each show, the band’s debriefs have become a ritual, a chance to process the evening together. “It’s such an exchange of joy and love with the audience and band members.”
When asked about her essential kit for tour, it’s filled with vitamins, earbuds, hydration powders and her phone. But the real secret is camaraderie. “Just being around the band and socialising with them gives me so much energy,” she says.
Places matter too; of the recent North American run, Portland stands out. “I went to this Japanese garden in Washington Park, and the weather was stunning,: she says, her tone softening at the memory. “At the hotel, when I had the chance to swim, I was alone, and it felt like I was flying high up in the mountains. These green, lush, forested mountains were everywhere I looked, and the sun was setting. It was one of the most beautiful moments.” She laughs. “The people were lovely too, it almost felt a bit like being in Canada! Growing up there, people say hi on the street. Portland was very friendly, very walkable. I loved it.”
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds / Photograph / Ian Allen
Turning our conversation back to being in the studio, and having that feeling of being glued to your desk, Carly offers encouragement. “Just get together with some other composers and set up a small gig,” she urges. “We don’t perform our hard work live enough. A lot of stuff we do has a life outside of the screen. Even if it’s with a cellist, or violinist or a solo singer, start small. It’s an absolutely amazing experience to share your music live.”
When asked to sum up what touring means to her, Carly shares a heartfelt note: “The combination of travel and performing emotional music live with creative musicians is one of my favourite things in life. The joy it brings is something I cherish, and in those moments, I truly lose track of time. Tour life is the greatest therapy of all.” She adds one more thing, “On stage with Nick, Warren and the Bad Seeds, there are no click tracks. It’s all completely live. We might alter a song in the moment, and we all have to be on our toes; it’s pretty incredible.” “Nick can make 22,000 people feel like an intimate church. It’s really beautiful to watch every night.”
Carly Paradis stands as proof that for today's composers, it's all possible: the stage, the road, the studio. Her story is a testament to venturing beyond routine and pushing your own creative boundaries. Sometimes, you just have to do it…
The Live God Album is out now.
Follow Carly on Instagram here.
