Artist Spotlight on... Vanessa Carlton
Vanessa Carlton Gets Harmonious
By: Nicole Roberge
Vanessa Carlton, the now-24 year
old who burst into the music industry with her hit “A Thousand Miles,” has
followed up her debut album Be Not Nobody with a graceful album filled
with organic and melodious piano-driven songs, and even more intense lyrics.
Harmonium gave birth to the coming-of-age first single “White Houses,”
showing her maturity since we were first introduced to her music. The album
goes on to stun with the peppy “Private Radio,” the sultry “C’Est La Vie” and
the candid “Who’s To Say.”
Carlton transcends the stereotypical “sophomore slump” judgments, instead providing listeners with a charming album and one that she tells us she was excited to make in order o take that next step in her songwriting. It is obvious that Carlton has a clear vision of her music and where she wants to be in the demanding industry she is placed in. And with a little bit of guidance from a couple of esteemed songwriters, she has found that her main goal is to make music that can be appreciated for what it is, not just what she thinks will be a hit. Her genuine approach to songwriting only indicates further that Ms. Carlton will be sharing her music with us for a long time to come.
Tuned In Music: The songs on Harmonium really delve into a lot of different issues. Do you usually have a specific topic that you want to write about, or does it come to you through the music and evolve throughout the writing process?
Vanessa Carlton: I’m usually inspired by the feelings of the music. Sometimes you might come up with ideas for a song…wouldn’t it be neat to write about this…it all stems from the pace and the chord changes of the music. So I’m pretty much inspired always by what my hands are doing.
TI: There are a lot of songs that have little meaning and are just something for people to sing along to, whereas with your music there is a lot of meaning. What do you want people to take away from your music?
VC: Well I just think music in general can be really transcending and very powerful, good music at least, and I would hope that I could contribute to that. Just allow people to get lost in the story or swept away in the body of work of the record. I love when I can do that with an album and just basically try transcending the reality of that moment and you’re just kind of lost in that album. That’s why I like to make records, because I can do that.
TI: Is it ever difficult for you to try to convey the things you want through your songs?
VC: There’s a number of different roadblocks when writing songs, you just try kind of get through them all.
TI: How do you think that you’ve evolved as a
songwriter since you began writing and pursuing music?
VC: I think when you’re a creative person or an artist, I think your art reflects where you’re at emotionally and maturity-wise, curiosity, it just reflects all these parts of you. And then you grow up, you change and I actually found that I’ve become more open and more curious to things around me, obviously a wider perspective and just interested in pushing myself and being really provocative. I think that’s influenced the way I write songs and the subject matter and my goal is to always create music or art that is true to where I’m at at that moment.
TI: You are in an admirable position as a female singer-songwriter because in recent years the title of “singer-songwriter” has been very male-dominated. Have you noticed an expanding and more open audience to female musicians since you started out?
VC: I think people always want to see singer-songwriters, they’re always part of the landscape, it’s just a matter how big a part they are of the landscape. Then it changes all the time and we’re in this cyclical world and things come around and then fade away and no matter what I’ll be doing this. I’ll be playing and writing and singing. I think there’s always a desire for really genuine writing and authentic feelings to a show or to an artist and I think that’s what people latch on to and makes them feel comfortable.
TI: The live performance is a very important aspect of an artist. What is the most important thing for you when performing live and what do you try and convey through your performances?
VC: I try and enjoy it just as much as the crowd. To get lost in what I’m doing and just really be able to connect to the material again and again. I think that’s something you really owe your audience, to really stay inspired and connected, and it’s hard sometimes. You’re playing every day the same sets, but I really enjoy it and I love being able to control everything that everyone’s hearing because it’s just my voice and my hands. I feel like it’s a very true representation of what I am. The show kind of embodies me very well. I think people tend to be surprised sometimes that I can just go out there and do it on my own, and I like that I can shatter any pre-conceived notions that people might have of me.
TI: Is there a song of yours that you really like to perform or that you think you can connect to the audience well with?
VC: I like singing, “Who’s To Say.” I think people really get into that song. And “Half a Week Before the Winter.” “Twilight” I think is a crowd favorite.
TI: What
is the most exhilarating thing then for you as an artist? Would it be the live
performance or recording or just the writing process?
VC: I think right after you write a song that you love, I think that’s really exciting. That’s where it all stems from. I think that’s really very invigorating and inspiring, and then all the rest comes out of that. I like being in the studio. There’s a rhythm to the day and you get up and sleep in the same bed every night and your life isn’t too crazy. You’re just working…more of a 9-5 job. And then you go out on the road and things get a little nutty. But I’ve grown to really like touring, especially when it’s just me. I’m figuring out how to stay comfortable and take care of myself more.
TI: When recording Harmonium, did you have really specific things that you wanted to put on the album…things that you wanted to get out there in your music, or did it just come together when you were writing?
VC: No, I wanted it to be much more stripped down. A lot of nuance, a record that brings people in and want to listen to it again and every time you hear it you learn something new. Not like one-two punch songs, which I’m sure my label would have been much more happy to get. But those are the kind of albums I love and that I’ll listen to for years and I’ll want to listen to every single song on it. That’s the kind of record that I want to make.
TI: You have a real honesty in your songwriting, and it seems as if you’re not afraid to bring up some pretty serious and sensitive issues. Especially on Harmonium, where you sing about topics ranging from death to insomnia to suicide to sex. Do you ever feel pressure to maintain that sincerity in your songs?
VC: If anything, I think it’s easier to disguise songs and not necessarily share something that’s too intimate. There’s an intimacy there but it’s not obvious. I feel like if I want to say something, I’ll say it or be honest. Not be afraid. When I’m writing songs, I’m not thinking about how it’s going to make the fans feel. In that moment, it’s a very self-indulgent thing. What do I want to hear? What am I going to say?
TI: Throughout your path you have met a lot of interesting people, songwriters and beyond. Who has been the most inspiration to you to keep up with your songwriting and evolving as a writer and musician?
VC: Well, you know, I have to say I’m lucky enough to know both Stevie Nicks and Carole King and they have both given me so much encouragement and are so positive. They just encourage me to just keep to my beliefs and my aesthetics and my career will just unfold as it should and don’t worry. It’s a different time. I almost feel I should have been coming out in the 70’s. It would have been a totally different musical landscape. I might have fit a little better. That’s what’s exciting now, I’m kind of an alternative to what’s super popular, and you can be just as successful and not be the typical average pop star. You can actually be a writer and more homegrown and organic and still be successful.
Vanessa Carlton is certainly well on her way to reaching those goals, and the music world is lucky to have such a bright young songwriter in it. Harmonium is in stores now, and Carlton is currently on a solo tour in support of the album. Visit www.vanessacarlton.com for details.