Amsterdam based singer-songwriter VanWyck (irl Christine Oele) dropped her album, An Average Woman, in January of 2018. The LP features not only the insane talent of VanWyck, but the accompanying vocals of Marjolein van der Klauw and bass player/arranger Reyer Zwart. Having a widespread musical background ranging from classical piano to jazz-dance to rap and hip hop, VanWyck released An Average Woman as an answer to her own longings to share an authentic and creative thoughts on women today through a musical canvas. Her songs bring on chills as the listener delves into the all-encompassing soundscape of the album.
We were lucky enough to catch up with VanWyck to discuss her latest album, thoughts, and message.
The title of your album, An Average Woman, instantly caught my attention. How’d you come up with the name?
I wrote the song – that is the title track – a while back. It was during my one song a week project, where I tried to write and record one song every week for a year. I instantly knew it was a strong song, but also a difficult one to record properly, so I kept it for myself until the recording of the album. In a way it is a response to the way our media celebrates success in terms of uniqueness and individualism. I was so tired from the bombardment of perfect superwoman everyday, all the time. Sometimes it feels like only perfect women are allowed to be visible and to have a voice. There is so much pressure on women to be a certain kind of way and it so hard to rid yourself of that pressure, to find your own voice and your own values. It’s almost impossible. But in a way that was my assignment for this album.
What do you want to be the biggest takeaway from your music for your female listeners?
Maybe I hope for two things – one is that they feel supported in allowing themselves to be who they are – to free themselves from the pressures of having to be every woman, or to live up to certain ideals. That they find the strength to seek out their own ideals.
Next to that I hope they enjoy the magic and enchantment that I felt when I wrote these songs. After a lot of struggle and hard work I’ve come to the conclusion that there is this pool of infinite joy and creativity inside all of us – that we can always tap into that, but that we are often sidetracked by all the humdrum of modern life and obligations. I really think that inside each of us there is this river of knowledge and strength – we just need to find ways to tap into it.
Listening to tracks like “Red River Girl” gives me chills – how do you pack so much emotion into a few minutes of song?
Well “Red River Girl” was a very special writing process for me too. It really felt like someone else was writing the song. That I just had to let it wander through me. I think the subconscious really plays a big role in songwriting and the better you become at surrendering yourself to it – the stronger the songs will be that you find there. I think for this song I surrendered myself completely and maybe that is what you feel as well.
What’s your favorite view or landscape?
Anything wild and free will do. But I live in The Netherlands and we have hardly any wild and free left. It’s mostly cities and cultured grounds here – so sometimes I really have to free myself from that. Luckily we do have an amazing sea here with beautiful beaches and dunes and I try to travel to mountainous areas whenever I can.
The music video for “An Average Woman” is so beautiful! Where did the inspiration for it come from?
Thank you! I was very lucky to have met the artist and photographer Koen Hauser who directed the video. He was so moved by a song on my first EP that we got in touch. I was also very moved by his work and I guess there was this instinctive feeling between us that our work is connected in some ways. Like it deals with the same sort of themes. He also had strong opinions about how social media makes so many people feel like they are not good enough. So we decided to make a video with as many normal everyday woman we could find and to just let them be.
Where’s the best place to create music?
I can do it almost anywhere! As long as I have a guitar – but getting away from other people and noises is always good. I sometimes need some sort of silence and calm to be able to better hear all the voices in my head. But then again sometimes it’s the excitement of new experiences and new people that bring on new ideas.
If you could describe your music in a single word to someone who’s never listened to you, what would that word be?
Toronto-bred pop/rock duo Darcys – comprised of Jason Couse & Wes Marskell – has certainly been making its mark on the world with its own unique style of energetic tracks. While the guys were busy prepping to release the new music video for their track “Virtual Reality” – which will take you back in time with fun effects that trigger your nostalgic heartstrings – we got a few minutes to chat with them about their process. (Hint: Coffee is key, but you’ll be witness to their infectious energy that may or may not actually require a shot of caffeine.)
What is the first song you remember hearing? What song prompted your love for music?
Steely Dan’s “Aja“, Prince’s “1999“, Michael Jackson’s “Dangerous“, there’s just so many. Music feels good to listen to and even better to play. That kinda love doesn’t need much prompting.
You’ve created a variety of music from road trip anthems to happy holiday tunes. What is your favorite song that you’ve recorded so far? Why?
Black Diamonds. Every time I hear that song I congratulate myself for bringing it into this world. I don’t know what it is, but I really really love it.
What does a typical day look like for The Darcys?
Smoothie, coffee, Abelton, sandwich, coffee, Abelton. It’s pretty simple. Every day we’re in the studio trying to get inspired and create something that’s going to last. Something better the the record before, something we think will challenge our audience and something that will bring our band to a new place.
What is the creative process like for you when creating a new song/album?
It’s different every time. It’s about getting inspired and wanting to do something you love and care about. Our current workflow is much quicker than it’s been in the past and the new sounds reflects that. Still not sure where it’s going, but I’m digging it so far.
Do you have any pre-show rituals?
I do 40 push-ups, drink a double vodka soda and kiss Jason on the mouth.
What do you hope listeners take away from your music? Any certain feeling?
I try not to think too much about how the listener is going to interpret what we do because that makes creating more difficult. Centerfold, to me, was the ultimate escapism record. If you can listen to some of the songs and forget about some your bad for just a few minutes, I’m happy.
How would you describe your music using a GIF or video?
What are you currently working on? What do you think fans will be excited about in the future?
We’ve been deep in production and song-writing for a number of different artists. Lots of cuts are coming out this year and I think our core fans will be able to hear a few Darcys easter eggs.
Los Angeles based two-piece The Palms, composed of Johnny Zambetti and Ben Rothbard, are making big strides in the alt-pop world, now more than ever with the release of their 14-track album, Mulholland Dr. After feeling somewhat creatively restricted in their previous band, The Palms was formed as a way for Zambetti and Rothbard to forge their own path and create authentic music. Exploding onto the Californian music scene, The Palms look to expand their horizons and reach many other places. With tracks that can uplift, amp up, and chill out, The Palms tick all the boxes that an alt-pop band seeks to fulfill. Get ready to groove when you put on a record from The Palms.
The Palms answered a few of our questions, and we discovered that pretty much everyone hates the Snapchat update.
As an L.A. based band, did the band’s name inspiration come from the locale, or elsewhere?
100% from the locale. I was living in Venice at the time as Johnny and I were starting our new project and desperately trying to come up with a name. During one of our early Studio sessions, most likely as we were writing Push Off, I took a bike ride to grab some stuff from the local market and passed Palms Blvd. It hit me like a lightning bolt and i texted Johnny. He agreed immediately and that was that.
What is the biggest inspiration for your music?
Our music has to feel fresh and classic at the same time.. We’re influenced by The Beatles and Beach Boys as much as we are OutKast or Kanye West.
If your band was a color, what would it be?
Purple
Describe each other in a word.
Ben to JZ – Talent
JZ to Ben – Vocal
Favorite live show played to date?
Playing The Troubadour is always a trip being that we’re both born and raised in LA and the history of that place is intertwined in the identity of the LA music scene. Hometown shows are always special too.
Snapchat or Instagram?
Instagram 100%. Snapchat update might’ve been in the fork in that one.
Dream collaboration?
Kanye West or Kevin Parker. That should give you an idea of what we’re going for with this project.
Thirteen years ago, Gibby Paul and Kix Mead, as University of Kansas students in Lawrence, formed the dream pop group Mammoth Life. They eventually relocated to San Francisco where they continued to play and record for several years. Now Gibby Paul has his own gig, expanding his vocal chops while still shredding on the guitar. The four-piece is already playing sets in the Bay area, shaking shit off the walls to warm folks up to their debut album, So Savage, set to drop this spring, with a big grin, on 4/20.
Two singles, with videos, from the LP have already dropped. The fun and raucous “Rock N Roll” was shot on location in the Pill Hill area of Oakland with a good dose of world-class air guitar. “Not the Only One” is a wonderfully trippy take on heartbreak, complete with vintage pop imagery.
Ideally, what would be the role of social media for Gibby Paul?
Social media for GP is to be a glimpse into my rock n’ roll reality. You know, like me getting loaded on speed, or pissing off the porch, or like ripping a Telecaster guitar and making it scream. Bong rips, chef boyar-D, passed out in a pile of Pabst Blue Ribbon cans…Taco Bell, cigarettes, LP records and teenage rebellion.
What elements of instrumentation have been essential to you throughout your career?
I love rock n’ roll. At this point in my career, I let the venues we play dictate the instrumentation that is essential to me with as few people as possible on stage playing. I like guitars, bass and drums. I like tube watts, and sub tones. Fuzz rock and dark rooms. I wanna bring it back to its roots.
Your video for “Rock N Roll” was filmed in the heart of Oakland, California. What do you like about the music culture there?
Oakland is the last of the old wild west. Grime and stickiness and sex and drugs all are prevalent and easily accessible here and are granted free flow. I call West Oakland and Pill Hill our rock n’ roll playground. ‘Cause you can have an awful lot of fun and a gorgeous stage to let the rock n’ roll commence and unfold upon. It is a beautiful and inspiring backdrop to score music to.
When will you be going on the road with your music? Any plans for a return to Lawrence, Kansas?
We will be touring on and off throughout all of 2018. I wanna say we will be back in LFK and KC, MO this summer.
What would you pay $1,000 to see?
If I had a thousand bones floating around, I’d buy another guitar.
Recently we had the particularly amazing opportunity to interview Raju and Chai about their creative process and where they see themselves going forward in the music community! This is what they had to say….
What was it that inspired you to start writing music?
Chai: I think my exposure to music outside the radio scene showed me how multidimensional music. My brother also opened me to both many genres and types of music, and both of these, paired with finding artists such as Frank Ocean and Coldplay, helped me develop my writing style.
Raju: I’m assuming it’d be a surprise to everyone, but its my little sister who inspired me to write music. She started both singing and writing before me, and seeing that kind of talent from someone who was 10 years old at the time brought both singing and songwriting out of me.
In a hundred years, how do you want people to remember you and your music?
Chai: i want people to remember my music as something that matters to them, helps them learn about themselves, and reminds them about certain times. Thats the type of music i consider the most powerful.
Raju: I definitely want to be remembered as an artist who provided meaning in his lyrics and used his platform to give people something they could hold close to their heart and relate to during all the moods an individual can go through. I want my music to be remembered as a force that brought people together and helped when people needed to hear the right words.
When you are having a mental writer’s block, is there something that you do to get those creative juices flowing?
Chai: i like to watch documentaries or interviews on my favorite artists to get more insight on their creative process. It really helps me push past the mental barrier and try new things that keep me going.
Raju: I like taking a shower, because mentally i can keep coming up with endless melodies and lyrics that rhyme and maintain a flow when im in there. The only difficult part is remembering what was particularly relevant to what i was working on after i get out.
Being an up and coming artist also means a flood of new fans and social media contacts from people who appreciate your music–has there been an experience that has stuck out to you with your fans?
Chai: not particularly, because It all still feels new to me. However, this makes any form of support i receive, whether in person or social media, so incredibly important and vital in terms of what it does for me. It gives me a reason to give back in the form of music.
Raju: The support i received from my classmates really struck me. People who i saw everyday but never talked to made me believe that they were numb to my existence, but seeing how they were responding with such pride and faith in me after hearing my stuff gave me more faith in my ability and in other people.
Out of all of your songs, which one is your favorite to perform or the one that gets the band pumped?
Chai: Probably “Diamonds.” It really sets the tone and puts everyone in a good mood, including myself. It follows a universal concept of having fun with people you care about, and its simple, which makes it enjoyable to everyone.
Raju: Definitely “Ambition.” Everyone ive showed it to loves it the most out of all my songs, and i think its a good expository of how i can bring a very intricate flow without compromising lyrics or melody. Its definitely something that reflects my true self in terms of music, and the beat goes hard too.
What is your current guilty pleasure song or album?
Chai: flower boy by tyler the creator is definitely my guilty pleasures because i hopped on the bandwagon for that album, having never listened to tyler before. Nonetheless he’s now a huge inspiration.
Raju: Im gonna have to say everything by Lil Uzi Vert is my guilty pleasure, because some of my friends bag on his lyrics and “repetitive” flows that are found on many trap songs. However, i dont share these views, nor am i really guilty because i actually take pride in listening to a nas song and then going to uzi right after, for example. Both of them inspire me, nas more lyrically, and uzi more melodically.
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As you can see, there is a lot going on in the lives of these two up and coming artists!
The Temptations gave so many generations of music lovers some of the most infectious, intriguing music to enjoy. But that’s not all they’ve bestowed on us, as Temptations member Ali Woodson’s daughter – Aliah (Lia) Ali – is a quadruple threat (singer / actress / songwriter / dancer) and making her mark on the entertainment industry.
What was it that inspired you to start writing music?
Different artists inspire me in different ways, but singing and writing music has always been a passion of mine ever since I was a little. As a little girl, I would always spend hours in my room just singing and coming up with the most random lyrics/music of my own and as I got older, I took it more serious and realized it’s something that I want to do for the rest of my life. Although, my writing skills can improve a lot, it will always be something that I strive to get better at because it’s my passion and my therapy.
In a hundred years, how do you want people to remember you and your music?
In a hundred years, I want people to remember me and my music as a light to the end of their tunnel, something they can listen to and still get that feeling they got when they first listened to it. I want to put smiles on people’s faces eternally and make people feel good about themselves when they listen to my music!
When you are having a mental writer’s block, is there something that you do to get those creative juices flowing?
One of the hardest things about having mental writer’s block sometimes is figuring a way out of it, but my go to remedy for it is taking time to myself to meditate and pray to God to help me get my creating juices flowing again and that always works.
Being an up and coming artist also means a flood of new fans and social media contacts from people who appreciate your music–has there been an experience that has stuck out to you with your fans?
Becoming a new artist can be stressful sometimes, especially introducing yourself and your music to the world and just hoping and praying people will love it as much as you do. So far, I’ve been blessed with amazing people by my side supporting me along with a small fan base, at the moment, but I know eventually it will grow and more people will hear and love my music and that’s just a feeling I long for.
Out of all of your songs, which one is your favorite to perform or the one that gets the band pumped?
I love all of my songs, but the one song that gets me pumped up so far when I perform it is “Work It.” It has such an old school vibe to it that people automatically love and I just love to see people vibe and dance along with me while I’m performing it!
What is your current guilty pleasure song or album?
My current guilty pleasure song at the moment is “Frozen” by Sabrina Claudio. I literally listen to it at least 5x a day. It’s such a soothing song and it gets me in my feelings, good feelings for sure!
Anything else to add?
I would love to tell people who are reading this to follow your dreams no matter what people tell you. Whatever you dream about yourself doing, DO IT and be the BEST at it because the sky is your only limit. Most importantly, believe in yourself. Believe in the passion that you have for your dream and ask yourself this, if you believed in Santa Clause, The tooth fairy, and the Easter bunny as a child then why can’t you believe in yourself? Follow your dreams.
Echo Bloom’s founder and frontman Kyle Evans creates rigorous, detailed and well-thought out music. With the creation of Echo Bloom, Evans took their freshman album Jamboree and honed specific songs to create Blue, Red, and now, their latest album, Green. Accompanied by vocalist/keyboardist Aviva Jaye, Alex Minier playing bass and Cody Rahn on drums, Evans has created a collection of music that covers a variety of soundscapes and genres. Echo Bloom has been based in a variety of places, recently in New York City, and the multitude of locations mirrors the multitude of sounds they put out. Keep an eye out for Echo Bloom’s Green, out March 9th.
We were able to catch up with Echo Bloom recently — here’s what they had to say:
Echo Bloom is an evocative name. How did it come about?
The Baby Boom generation were folks born post WWII, so ~1946-1964. I heard once the phrase “Echo Boom” talking about the generation of kids that the baby boom generation had. My family always gardened a lot – we had this great big vegetable garden in our backyard – so “Echo Boom” became “Echo Bloom”.
Favorite live show played to date?
Breminale, in Bremen, Germany, in 2016. We performed under this beautiful circus tent, and it was our bass player Alex’s birthday, so we got about 500 folks to sing to him on stage before we started. It was about 400 degrees out and there a ton of lights, so everyone was *covered* in sweat by the time the show was done. But we got two encores, and ended the night at kind of this hub of Bremen called “Heartbreak Hotel” singing and toasting and laughing. It was the 8th or 9th show of a 60 date tour, and set the tone really nicely.
Recording: disciplined and rigorous or laid back jam sesh style?
More on the disciplined and rigorous side. We went into the recording of a record we put out a few years ago with a note-by-note score of everything, so the actual recording was more a documentation effort. We’ve gotten a little more away from that – we work more as a band to collaboratively arrange everything. But once we get in the studio, we usually have a very good idea of how everything is going to turn out.
Biggest influences for Green?
Ah, that’s tough. Musically – Big Star, Brian Eno, Neutral Milk Hotel, Debussy, and Pink Floyd. Lyrically -Georges Seurat, John Steinbeck, and Carl Sandburg.
Best part of touring?
The family. I am constantly amazed and humbled by the generosity and spirit of giving that we experience on the road. There is an amazing community of people that support art and go to shows – and being on tour allows you to experience that directly.
How did you come up with the idea for the album processes evolving from and following Jamboree?
It was pretty intentional. I finished Jamboree and took stock of what we’d come up with – there were a lot of good songs on there, but stylistically it was too diverse to make for any kind of consistent listening experience. We had a reggae song, a metal song, a country song, a weird French-sounding song. It was a *ton* of fun to make, but listening back to it – I mean, maybe we’re not a metal band? Maybe we’re not a reggae band? So I did an audit, and tried to figure out what the best songs were on the album. I took the three best songs, and wrote albums around each of them. The first was Blue (off of the song ‘The Prostitute’), then last year’s Red (off of the song ‘The Businessman’), and now Green (off of the song ‘The English Teacher’).
If you had one word to describe Echo Bloom to someone who had never heard of you, what would it be?
Ships Have Sailed is an alternative pop-rock duo hailing from Los Angeles. Today, they released a new single titled “Let’s Just Dance”.Ships Have Sailed also plans on working on more music as 2018, so this is their year for creativity, a fact we found out when we got a chance to speak with them briefly. So check out the new track below, and read on for a little Q&A fun!
After releasing your new single “Let’s Just Dance” what are your next plans music-wise?
2018 is going to be a year of creativity! We’ve spent the last couple years pretty much out on the road, and so this year we’re going to be writing a lot and working in the studio…while we don’t have specific plans on whether that will result in an EP, an Album or more Singles, we do know we’re ready to make some more music.
How has your music evolved since your first EP Someday?
Well I think everything is an evolution, that’s just how life, experiences and time work together, so definitely our music has seen evolution. I would say we’ve become more attuned to our sound and creativity, and definitely my production chops get better and better every year, so while ‘Someday’ is near and dear to my heart, I would say it’s a little rough around the edges…which is great – it gives it its own character, but these days I’m much better at accomplishing exactly what I want sound-wise. With that said, I don’t like to hold us back creatively, so definitely we’re excited to continue to evolve as we continue to create!
Your new single “Let’s Just Dance” digs a little deeper when it comes to exploring human emotions. What do you think causes people to act upon their emotions rather than instincts?
That’s an interesting question…honestly I don’t think emotions and instincts are entirely separate from each other…just kinda different flavors of the same inner mechanism. But as far as leaning towards emotions or instincts, I think emotions often take the reigns because you can actually feel them, whereas instincts can be a bit more subtle, so you really have to pay attention to them.
Why do you think often times as humans we want more than what we already have?
This is something I ponder almost constantly! The honest truth is that I couldn’t dream of knowing the answer to why, but I often wonder if it started out as kind of a survival mechanism back in the very early stages of humanity. Think about it…we were not the top of the food chain, we didn’t have fire, tools, art, language, and over the course of time we developed all of those things…why? I think the progression of civilization (both the good and bad aspects) and technology can stem back to this gut feeling of wanting something ‘better’ …call it motivation or curiosity…regardless of whether this is really how or why this feeling originated, it’s a pretty fascinating topic to think about!
What was the influence behind “Let’s Just Dance” and what inspired it?
Well the idea itself just popped into my head at 2am one night and wouldn’t leave me alone until I sketched it out…it was just the main part of the chorus that kept repeating itself and wouldn’t quit, so I sketched it out really quick so I could get some peace and went to bed. The next day, I listened back and thought it was really good…but I didn’t want it just to be a shallow vapid love song, so I thought I would tie in the “Let’s just dance all night” theme into this fascinating topic of always wanting more that you asked about in your previous question. Through several collaborations including with co-writer Robert Gillies, co-producer Wally Gagel and the extremely talented team (Talkboy TV) who helped create the music video, these themes really developed themselves thoroughly, and the music morphed from something that started out to be a very circular, repetitive idea, to something that goes to all sorts of different places, sometimes unexpectedly…it was really amazing to watch it all come together!
How is “Let’s Just Dance” different from previous songs that you have released?
So, every song is different, but specifically I wanted this one to maintain the indie pop vibe that we’ve become known for, but to add a little edginess and also a bit of a classic vibe as well. People have compared the production to Walk the Moon (who I love, so that’s a huge compliment) but if you listen, you’ll hear a lot of classic influences in there as well…they’re just nicely blended, so I feel like there’s a little more depth to this track than some of our other singles.
What message do you hope people get from “Let’s Just Dance”?
Live your life…be happy, don’t be afraid to stay up a little too late, or have that extra glass of wine. Laugh with the people you love and enjoy every moment…I feel like we’re all distracted by the past and the future, regrets and anxiety and we generally don’t spend enough time in the present. It’s definitely something I personally try to do a little better at each day, month, year…and so, yeah, I think that’s the message behind this one. We’re human, imperfect, and beautiful…we were made to enjoy life moment by moment.
Austin, TX rock/pop/r&b/guitar/soul artist Jackie Venson is coming off an an exciting national solo tour for her EP, Transcends, which was released in September of 2017. It was highlighted by shows with Gary Clark Jr. She has also dropped the music video for her song “Mysterious” off of Transcends.
With confidence and phenomenal guitar skills, Jackie brings a mix of genres to the table. After attending Berklee and playing piano for most of her life, Jackie took up guitar in 2011, and has been performing for over five years. She brings authentic, soulful feels to every song, at times with a playful twist. Her latest EP, Transcends, is teeming with talent-filled tracks. Be sure to check out Transcends .
Recently, Venson curated a playlist exclusively for Imperfect Fifth. Check it out – and the inspiration behind it – below!
Folks always ask me ‘what do you listen to Jackie?’ and I can never answer their question. I don’t believe in genres, I believe in great music and I think confining oneself to playing or listening to only one genre is dooming oneself to a life of monotony. Here is my super random playlist of songs I love that I have listened to all throughout my life.
africa – toto
come around – marc broussard
maggot brain – funkadelic
multiply – jamie lidell
soul rebel – bob marley
shade of a shadow – teitur
addicted – amy winehouse
unthinkable – alicia keys
defying gravity – Wicked
young blood – the naked and famous
to zion – lauryn hill
retrograde – james blake
waltz between eva and che – Evita
We wanted to speak with the voice behind this wonderful music, so we caught up with Jackie, who answered a few questions from us about her musical career, fears, and inspirations.
What’s your biggest fear? – Getting pregnant anytime within the next 5 years. It would impede on goals I have for sure which horrifies me because I have worked so hard.
How was your tour with Gary Clark Jr.? – it was really fun, exhilarating, and eye opening. It was cool to see how things work on that level.
Who would you call your favorite biggest musical inspiration? – hmm pretty impossible to narrow it down to 1. It’s a mixture of Stevie Wonder, Lauryn Hill, and Disney.
How much does social media affect your musical journey? – tremendously. It is responsible for about 90% of the opportunities I get as well as the fact that folks even show up to my shows on tour.
Do you prefer to be put in a genre, or make your own type of genre? – I like hybrid genres, I consider myself rock/r&b/soul.
Favorite song on “Transcends”? – gotta be Flying. We were able to capture the groove so well, it feels like how we play it live.
Favorite instrument to play? – definitely the guitar by a long shot. It feels like it’s a part of my body.
