Come on, DJ, Play that Song

I borrowed a little snippet from one of my favorite J.Lo songs for the title of this blog because:

1. Who doesn't love J.Lo and all of her glittery wonder? 
2. Who remembers the days before digital media when you actually had to wait for the DJ to play your song alllll dayyyyy loooong? You'd find yourself screaming at the speakers as if the DJ could actually hear you.
3. It's totally fitting for what I'm about to discuss in this blog: my very first live, on-air, in-studio radio experience. 

Hearing my songs on the radio is a total thrill. I know in past blogs I've said singing my songs on stage is a high like no other, but I gotta say for reals - Airwave High > Performance High. Switching to my favorite radio station and hearing my song pulsing through the car speakers (my fave place to listen to music), knowing other people are hearing the same thing totally electrifies my bones. Now what would happen if you took Airwave High and Performance High and mushed them together? I can't. I just...I can't. It's too mind-blowing to fathom.

But fathom, I did. And, mind? Blown. (Not literally.)

When radio show host Sandy Streid told me she'd like to feature me on her show "Twilight Showcase" on 95.9FM WATD I thought she meant that she wanted to play one or two of my songs, say a few words about me and I was all "Supes awesome!" What I didn't fully realize until we spoke on the phone was that she literally wanted to feature me. In the studio. Live. Singing my songs over the airwaves.

Sandy and I were put in touch through Lauribeth Quinlivan, a talented artist whom I met on the set of Community Auditions a few years ago. Fellow contestants on the show, Lauribeth and I have been supporting and following each other's careers ever since and I so appreciate her thinking of me. Shout out to you, Lauribeth - Thank you!

Sandy and her husband Keith not only host "Twilight Showcase," but they are the house band as well. Talented singer/songwriters themselves, they have done and continue to do so many wonderful things for the music community here on the South Shore of Massachusetts. Their show recognizes musicians, performers and entertainers of all ages every Sunday from 8-9pm. When I spoke with Sandy over the phone for the first time, she so kindly expressed her thoughts on my songwriting, explaining how she loves that my songs tell a story; an important one. I always hope that what I'm writing speaks to someone in some way so I was overjoyed that Sandy "heard" me. I knew immediately that I was meant to meet her and sing my little heart out, not just for the experience, but for Sandy and Keith - my new fans.

Sandy and I discussed the location of the studio and how it might be a bit on the stair-y side.  Although WATD has their official studio in Marshfield, Sandy and Keith have set up shop in their beautiful home studio in Plymouth which, unfortunately, isn't wheelchair accessible. Little did she know (don't worry, I filled her in) that my Dad is MacGyver. He can get me and my chunky wheels in and out of a submarine, if and when that time comes. He's got tools and paraphernalia for even the toughest jobs 😬. So Angus (a.k.a. Lindy, a.k.a. my Dad), Chrissy (my puppy) and I took a ride to Sandy and Keith's one day to scope out the location. We also had the opportunity to meet Sandy who is even sweeter in person than she is on the phone, if that's even possible! My Dad walked around the house, checking out all entrances, carefully mapping out his plan of action. "This one is going to be a challenge," he said, (rare), "but we'll get 'er in! It'll just take a couple of eight-footers, a plank or two..." #concreteformjibberjabber

In the coming months I thought long and hard about my plan of action. Sandy informed me that the feature would be the entire hour of the show with time for five of my songs and conversation in between. She requested that one of the five songs be the original version of "Euphoria," as she felt the production shouldn't be missed by listeners. I agreed. The production is preeeeetty killer. For the remaining songs I took into consideration my own vocal ability. I'm not the featured singer on most of my songs and I didn't want to change them to the point that they would be unrecognizable. I don't usually appreciate when an artist does that so I didn't want to be guilty of doing it, either. In the end, I decided to sing three songs that do, in fact, feature my vocals. "100," because it was my first sorta-kinda popular release (plus it was another of Sandy's requests as she felt a connection to the lyrics and who am I to argue with that!?), "Played," because it is one of my favorites and "Sometimes," because of the message. For the fourth song I looked to my trusty and talented friends Cory Paza (acoustic guitar) and Benny Goodman (piano) for their advice. They felt that since "Solitaire" was my most recent release it should definitely take the final slot. Although I agreed, I knew it was going to take a bit of work in order to slow it down enough to give me breathing room.

In the weeks leading up to the show, whenever I had a moment alone, I exercised these dusty ol' pipes of mine. I hadn't seriously sung these songs for anyone in quite a while and I wanted to figure out the best versions of each to sing on the show. Because Cory and Benny were coming over for a practice session I knew that my pipes weren't the only things that needed dusting: my piano needed one, too. There are lots of little kiddos in my life who like to not-so-delicately "play" my precious piano when they're here and, don't get me wrong, it's cute and all, but it does a number (ha!) to the tuning. Who ya gonna call? Mr. Erik Wuotila (my piano's lifelong tuner)! He's a perfectionist, so professional, has tons of experience plus I swear he has some kind of supersonic hearing. He always gives Everett (if you're following, you already know this is my piano's name) back his sparkle. Okay, now I was ready to do a little practice session with the fellahs. About a week before the show Cory, Benny and I sat around my living room (Chrissy on Cory's guitar case, chiming in with her little barks and coughs), working through each song. The guys came prepared (not that I doubted it for a second) and knew my songs forward and backward. I gave them my thoughts on each, they threw in their creative ideas and in just two hours we had our set down. On to the show...

MacGy--ahem--my Dad got a head start in his truck to Keith and Sandy's Plymouth studio with all of the necessary ramp-building materials. My Mom and I met him there a little while later so as to give him a chance to set up. Upon my arrival Sandy and Keith welcomed me with open arms. One of the very best parts of this journey is getting the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people that I can call friends; Keith and Sandy were/are no exception. As I sat on a chair inside the studio, my Dad worked on getting my chair up and in. As usual, he wanted no help whatsoever. I didn't see any signs of struggle, hear any loud bangs or see any fires so I would say it went smoothly. I was back in my chair in no time (it was still in one piece!) and on to a tour of the show-ready studio.

The space itself was gorgeous with a stone fireplace reaching up to the vaulted ceiling (the backdrop for our little trio), shiny wood floor and tons of light filtering in through the windows and doors. We were so close to the ocean that you could smell the sand and surf in the air and, as it was a warm and sunny spring evening, it brought out all the happy inside of me. Could there be a more perfect way to spend a Sunday evening but at a studio by the beach, creating music with incredibly talented, warm-hearted people? I think not. Sandy had so thoughtfully set up a table full of delicious snacks with offers of endless hot teas and water. She and Keith also made up a great promo poster for the show as well as a huge sign that every "Twilight" performer signed - and we were next!

Cory and Benny arrived shortly thereafter and Sandy gave us printouts of how the show would go, minute by minute. Everything was so organized, effortless and fun. The casual atmosphere with the adorable, friendly studio cats milling about made any jitters I may have had fly right out the window. I was as calm as a palm tree sipping on a piña colada. (Bet you've never heard that one before. Neither have I.) We did some last minute run-throughs of the songs for our audience (my Mom, Dad, Cory's girlfriend Domitila and the cats) as a soundcheck. A few minutes before 8:00, it was time for Sandy and Keith to connect to the studio in Marshfield and we waited the last few minutes for our turn to go live.

Showtime! For the next hour, if you listened, you heard Sandy's soft, soothing, radio-perfect voice over the airwaves saying lovely things about me, Cory, Benny and our music. We laughed, we talked, we sang, we jammed. We even got a handful of callers saying even more lovely things to us. Cory's guitar and Benny's piano-playing made my songs sound so pretty. That's really the perfect word for me to use - pretty. And I was happy because that is exactly the sound I was hoping for for this performance. The entire show was recorded (on camera) which usually makes me a touch self-conscious but that night I didn't feel self-conscious. I felt....well...lovely. I was truly moved by the entire experience. The only bummer was that I wasn't able to hear it on the radio myself but, thanks to all of my listeners that night, I was able to "hear" it through all of your generous feedback.

I always try to explain just how thankful I am to each and every person who has helped me along this journey. Those who have made it possible for me to make music, who have spent time listening to and sharing my music, have joined me (and given me confidence) on stage, who have been and continue to be my audience, who become part of my projects and who give me incredible opportunities like this one - I'm so, so grateful to all of you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Sandy and Keith, for making my first, in-studio radio experience unforgettable and for writing another important chapter in my story.

Next time you're listening to the radio make sure to yell "C'mon, DJ, play that song!" and maybe, just maybe, it will be one of mine... 😉 (Or one of J.Lo's, because she is the coolest. And the glow-iest.)

dreamBIG,
Arlanna

PS - Don't miss Sandy and Keith Streid's show "Twilight Showcase" every Sunday night at 8pm on 95.9FM WATD.

"Solitaire" (acoustic) on air 95.9 WATD with Benny, me! and Cory

Twilight Showcase - April 2, 2017

Solitaire - The Power of One

I learned to play Solitaire when I was just a wee tot at my grandparents' summer cottage in the '80s. I remember sitting in my little red wheelchair at the coffee table, looking for direction from my Papa who sat across from me on the couch, puffing away on his pipe as he laid out the cards in front of me. "Lana-Bana, black on red, red on black, work your way down from King." Like any other game you eventually reach that win/lose moment. UNlike any other game, however, in Solitaire you are the one who decides whether or not you keep going. Maybe you missed something that would ensure the rest of your cards made their way to the coveted four decks, aces on parade. Win! Keep going. Maybe you're left flipping three cards at a time, over and over to no avail. Lose. Either way, it's all you. You can switch up the rules, reshuffle and start again or just stop altogether, go drink some eggnog and play again later. Whatever. It doesn't matter because your only opponent is YOU.

At the risk of sounding like a self-help book on the shelves at Barnes & Noble, you are in charge of you. You've got the power. You (I) need to remind your(my)self of that time and time again, especially when falling for someone new for all of the wrong reasons. It's almost like you can foresee the heartbreak. Wouldn't it be nice to opt out of the game, mostly because you've played before and it wasn't pretty? Just turn off the feel switch and move on? If it were that easy, I bet Solitaire would be the broken-hearted population's game of choice in order to preserve and protect themselves from future breaks. Please don't mistake the message, though. "Solitaire" (the song) is not about building walls or letting fear win. It's about finding independence, confidence and inner-strength when you need it most.

I showed "Solitaire" to my producer, Steve, almost three years ago, at the same time that I showed him "I Wasn't Crazy." His eyes lit up for "Crazy" and he was less than thrilled over "Solitaire." It was okay, though, because at the time it made sense for me to work on "Crazy" as the feelings were fresh and it was the newest chapter in my story. (It's all about timing.) I tucked "Solitaire" away with the thought that it might never see the light of day again. I was writing a ton and putting so much of my energy into perfecting my new material that I didn't think "Solitaire" would care--but it did. It kept knocking on my door and I kept bopping my head and tapping my feet to it. Listening to my messy, unorganized demo, I craved to recreate it. I was a bit addicted to the hook and I thought, this song is by no means a masterpiece, it isn't going to break any musical molds but it makes me smile and it makes me feel good. For that reason alone I felt it was important to get it out there as it may give someone else all of the same feels.

As Steve and I began to build production, I had already decided on a vocalist and was very excited to work with her. She was someone Steve gave me the name of a few years ago that I absolutely loved but needed the perfect song for. Well, over the past few years she found much indie success as the lead singer of a Boston-based band and was unable to join my project when I reached out to her. She was sorry but she was relocating to New York City, going on tour and recording her band's next album. I was truly excited for her but very sad for me. I stupidly assumed that because no singer had turned me down yet she would be no exception. I was crushed. I began looking for other singers but my heart just wasn't in it. Everyone sounded the same to me, I heard nothing special, I felt no sparks.  I was ready to throw in the towel and put "Solitaire" in my Demo's 4-Evah catalog. I was feeling pretty defeated.

I bet you feel a "But then..." coming on. Am I right?

But then (yes!) one day I was listening to covers of Hailee Steinfeld's "Starving." I love watching other singers' takes on popular songs. This wasn't research anymore, it was just me obsessing over a new song and wanting to hear every imaginable version of it. In my jam session for one I came across Brazilian artist Anny Dias. I listened to her over and over. Talk about a voice that totally catches you off-guard. My ear drums were tingling - her voice was unbelievably cool. So cool that I listened to her entire YouTube channel (more than a few times), her SoundCloud page and found her on Facebook. I recognized this feeling. I had a bad case of Vocalist Obsession (stalker!) and I was determined to add Anny Dias to my growing list of featured artists. 

You'd think the odds would've been stacked against me when I realized Anny lived in Brazil. I wavered ever so slightly--I did--but I wasn't giving up. I had nothing to lose and decided to send her a message. As I began writing I remembered that it was 2016 and FaceTime/Skype sessions existed. Hopes? UP. Way, way up. We could do this! Anny responded quickly to my message and she was excited. I had to read her response a few times to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. They were not! She really wanted to record my song! But who was I? Just a stranger from a few thousand miles away. (That sounds like a song lyric...filing that one away for later.) Seriously, though, I could be a total scam artist pretending to be a songwriter. How would she know? For some reason, however, Anny decided to trust me. I was pretty psyched and didn't even totally pause to think about obstacles, I only forged ahead. 

English is Anny's second language and even though she can sing it beautifully, Skyping/FaceTiming wasn't ideal. We settled on emailing. Not only is Anny a singer but she is also a songwriter, producer, guitarist, pianist, videographer and recording artist. She has bucket-loads of talent, to say the least. She is also sweet, open-minded, creative and willing to do whatever I asked for the song. Although working with Anny was relatively easy, considering our only communication was through email and Facebook messenger, it showed me that working this way required much patience. It's a completely different experience for me not having live recording sessions with the singer of my song. Instead of giving her notes in real time (i.e. "sing it higher here," "throw a harmony in there," "let's try some ad-libbing") and receiving instant results/gratification, I spent hours alone listening over and over to each and every vocal file she sent, making notes and sending those notes back to her. It's not easy to get your tone, point and meaning across in emails. Not only that, but I missed the working relationship and personal connection I developed with other artists when working face-to-face in the studio. Regardless, Anny proved to be a total professional, understood each and every note I gave her and delivered an incredible vocal performance. Her voice is so unique, her accent adding a huge dose of special to "Solitaire." Although Steve loved Anny's voice, he wasn't convinced that her accent was going to work with the wordiness of the song lyrics, making things tricky with timing and clarity. We tried cutting some words and rephrasing but I was too married to my lyrics at that point. In the end, Steve worked it out (no surprise there) with only some minor nagging and whining on my part. I have loads of faith in Steve and his talent so he doesn't mind. Right, Steve?

Since we weren't working with Anny in person, our sessions didn't always require a recording studio. While we started out in the studio, Steve also worked at his home studio in Newport as well as traveled to my house on the south shore a few times. It was a different way of working for us and, for this particular project, worked out okay. That being said, I definitely prefer the energy, hi-tech gear and sound-quality of a recording studio. Let's just say the Altec Lansing computer speakers I received as part of my high school graduation gift don't really do much for the ears. Then again, how many people can say they've kept their subwoofer and speakers for 20 years and still party like it's...1997?

Recording guitar was one session we definitely needed to book studio time for. It wasn't until Anny's vocals were in place that I became convinced guitar was the missing component of the song; what would give "Solitaire" it's "love handles," so to speak. Although Steve had a guitarist he planned to  record with at his home studio, I felt strongly that it had to be a guitarist whose talent and passion for playing and recording knew no bounds...no offense to the guy Steve had in mind. For this particular project I wanted a musician that I trusted and was already familiar with my music, so I asked my friend and insanely talented musician, Cory Paza. If you've kept up with my blog you already know Cory played bass at my Hard Rock show a few years back. He also directed, shot and put together my first music video for "Euphoria." Cory killllssss at bass and also plays drums and guitar, is a member of about twelve different bands, produces, teaches, directs, photo and video-graphs and, well, is pretty much the jack of all trades in the music business. Our session was a total success with Cory's melodic ideas, professionalism, comfort in the studio and, most importantly, super smooth playing. "Solitaire" finally sounded like the song I heard in my head but couldn't quite make happen all by myself. Excitement ensues.

After a LOT more of Steve's magical production dust, my notes, his tweaks, my patience and our time, "Solitaire" was complete. Rough mix one, two, three. Final mix one, two, three, four, five, fiveA, fiveA2...Master. MASTER!!!

I made a promise to myself that I would be an open blog about my journey, discussing not only the ups of music-making but the downs, too, as is life. Writing "Solitaire" was exceptionally easy, as I'm alone with my own thoughts, ideas and creativity. If I want to change something, I change it. If I love something, I leave it. Recording "Solitaire," on the other hand, was one of my most challenging projects to date. When it became time to add others to the mix (punning!) I began to get a bit, er, annoyed, to put it mildly. Not only do opinions and ideas oftentimes clash, thus causing me to question my own ears, but it is also very trying to work around others' lives; to fit into each others schedules all while making sure the music remains a priority. Patience quickly runs dangerously low--or out altogether. It can get incredibly frustrating, especially when you become too convenient. That's one thing I've learned over the years: Don't become the "okay, no problem!" girl. I still matter and so does my music.

That being said, I would never choose to make music alone. Yes, I'd like to better understand production software, know my way around an orchestra and even dream of building my own recording studio someday, but only to become a better musician. So while Solitaire may be the game of choice when it comes to protecting my heart, when it's time to make music -- GREAT music -- I want all hands on (the) deck. 😉

Click on image to listen.

Please, if you're a fan of smiling (who isn't?!), check out the Official Video for "Solitaire" featuring all of my little loves. My niece, nephews, cousins, and babes of my closest friends are not only the stars in my sky, but they are the stars in my video. Pretty darn special if I do say so myself. Every time I watch this video I laugh, I cry and I am reminded of how fortunate I am to be on this musical journey, for every mile seems to get ever more beautiful the farther I go.

"Solitaire" has also had some presence on the air waves thus far. Not only did it premiere on 95.9 FM WATD on New Year's Day but it has been played on Boston's #1 Hit Music station Mix 104.1FM and has been picked up for regular rotation on over 60 radio stations in Europe via Deuce Music Radio show. Whaaaaat!? One little idea turned into one bigger song which turned into one heck of a ride. The power of one.

Thanks for keeping up with me and my music and for your continued support and love. I'm living my dream right now, people. Completely.

DreamBig,
Arlanna

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From Jersey to Boston - Snow & Rain Collaborate

Who can forget New England's Snowmageddon 2015? Not me, that's for sure. Not only did we break the record for snow amount totals in New England (over 110 inches, Harvey Leonard recently reminded me), but it appropriately marked the beginning craziness of "I Wasn't Crazy." 

About a year ago my Dad and I took a ninety-minute (normally forty-five minute) ride into our snow globe of a city. We were greeted with absolutely no parking on Newbury Street and no snow removal from the sidewalk ramps. Dad and two very kind strangers picked me and my 300-pound wheelchair up and over the snow piles all for a thirty-five minute listening session with Steve Catizone, producer on this and other songs of mine, at Cybersound's Studio B. Then it was ninety-plus minutes back home. "Lana," Dad said, "maybe you could make it a video chat next snowstorm?" He didn't really mind all that much. My Dad secretly loves our adventures, not to mention it gave him something to complain about for the next few weeks. "...then, we turn on to Newbury and wouldn't you know, they plowed ALL of the snow to one side of the street! Not ONE parking spot. Not one!" You're welcome, Dad.

That frigid February day I played three song demos for Steve. The first was a definite no, "not feeling it." Second song sparked a bit more interest and a "mmhmm...okay, we could definitely do something cool with this." Neither one of us was sold on it, though. Finally, after much trepidation, I hit play on the third and final demo I had with me. "I Wasn't Crazy," originally titled "Air U Breathe," was a song I wasn't sure I was ready to dive into quite yet as it tells about a hurt that I know I will never get over. Even though I had listened to my demo more than a thousand times, it felt like I was listening to it for the first. Hearing notes I forgot I played, listening to words I forgot I chose; the song was both risky and bold coming from me. When it was over I looked up at Steve who was wearing that familiar, wide-open, light-behind-his-eyes look. "This is the one," he said. I knew he was right. It was time.

Beginning work on this song wasn't easy, to say the least. While my main concern was how soon we could schedule our next session, Steve's was making the big move back east. After years of producing artists in L.A. he was returning to his roots, as well as closing up shop at his Boston studio, Sanctum Sound - my favorite place on earth. If you follow my blog, you know how much I loved that underground haven. If you know me, you know that I absolutely abhor change, especially when it prevents me from making music. Put those two things together, add in my "straight-jacket" song and I was truly a joy to be around for the next few months.

Deciding where to go from that point -- Should I work with someone new? Could I handle the difficult feelings that came with working on this song? Would I have time to take on another project while I waited? -- was a challenge. Fortunately, other music projects did fit perfectly inside this time slot and made the days pass quickly. Before I knew it, June had arrived and Steve was back. We were finally able to have our first recording session for "I Wasn't Crazy." With Sanctum Sound now gutted and filled with cubicles (ouch, it hurts to even think about), we tried somewhere new. It wasn't pretty. I'll say this, the ride wasn't...bad. Exact location and name will remain undisclosed, however. If you'd stepped foot into Sanctum Sound for thirty seconds then followed it up with this place? You would cry, too. Sanctum Sound has ruined me as far as recording studios go. #Truth. We did get back on track, no pun intended. 

The work we managed in that first session, despite having only one horribly static-filled speaker available, was enough to help me put aside my four-months of pent-up frustration and get very excited about finding the perfect vocalist. "Crazy" was heading down an R&B avenue and, because I was so close to the song, we felt a male singer with a killer falsetto would be ideal.

Usually we spend a lot more time building the production before we are ready for a vocalist. This time was different. This song actually needed the vocalist to even find the rest of it's layers. I was settling in for what I thought would be a long few days (weeks?) of listening to and looking for singers, (one of my most favorite parts of this process) and then, well, this happened:

• 12:00 p.m. - Ear buds in, clicked on YouTube app, searched "male R&B vocalist."
• 12:01 p.m. - A gazillion search results appeared. Started at the top with plans of working my way down, one by one.
• 12:02 p.m. - Clicked on the first video; somebody named Yuni Rain singing a cover of Nick Jonas's song "Push." 
• 12:04 p.m. (-ish) - Search over.

Four minutes. It's rare, I know, but there's this feeling you get when, after a few hurdles, the stars decide they're going to align for you. That's what happened when I heard Yuni Rain for the first time. I went into my usual stalker mode following Yuni on all of his social media pages. Not only did Yuni have the voice (holy shhhh did he have the voice!), but he had this incredible way of connecting with every lyric he sang whether they were his or someone else's. His levels of emotion transfixed me. That's how I knew. At this point if I wasn't able to get this guy to sing my song, I wasn't doing the song, period. The scariest moment for me was when I saw where Yuni lived. New Jersey. Not quite the hop, skip and jump I was hoping for. And here I am complaining about my ninety-minute ride into Boston, tsk, tsk. My Mom has always said to me since I was a wee tot "Please don't get your hopes up, Lana. I hate to see you disappointed!" Too late, Mom. I was either going to Jersey, or Jersey was coming to me.

After e-communicating for a few weeks, Yuni and I decided to "meet" over FaceTime to discuss the song and a possible plan. We ended up talking for hours. I can't explain just how fantastic it is to talk "songwriter" with another person without getting that glazed over, shut-the-hell-up-already look. In between conversation, Yuni serenaded me with my song and many of his own. He has mountains upon mountains of talent - not just singing, but writing and producing, too. We probably could've spent days discussing our songwriting pet peeves and techniques, sharing the meanings behind each other's lyrics and teaching each other Boston/Jersey slang, but we decided to continue it at our upcoming session. That's right -- Yuni and I officially became collaborators on "I Wasn't Crazy." Cray-cray, right?! He was looking forward to spending some time (his first visit!) in Boston (Dad was only a little relieved that he didn't have to trek me to Jersey) and I began counting down the days to his arrival. 

Despite the fact that Cybersound's Studio B, where we ended up recording and completing "I Wasn't Crazy," doesn't hold a candle to Sanctum Sound, Yuni Rain, Steve Catizone and I had a pretty epic session. Making music with these two is an experience like no other. I watched in fascination as the two of them infused my song with their own magical, musical brews. We spent hours creating, talking, singing, laughing and listening to music. We forgot that the outside world even existed, at least I did. I didn't even think about food for a solid eight hours! That's pretty much unheard of for me. The Snow/Rain recording session is one that will go down in history. It will be encased in a lighted glass box in the Songwriting Hall of Fame Museum...in my mind. 

After months of mixing (the most torturous part of this entire process), tweaking and mixing again, we reached the version of "I Wasn't Crazy" that made me stop and say "Okay, now I can hear it on the radio." I set my goals high for my songs, I know, but it's just what I do. 

Away on a Girls Weekend in November, almost nine months since we started this project, we were in bumper-to-bumper traffic in the middle of Providence. My friends felt strongly that there was no better time but the present to listen to my new song. "C'mon, Lana! Let us be the first to hear it!" Peer pressure, girls? Really? I took a deep breath and prepared myself for the very familiar symptoms of F.L.A. (First Listen Anxiety): layer of sweat across my forehead and down my back, heart palpitations, inside cheek-chewing, hair twirling, nervous eyebrow twitching. But guess what? None of that happened this time. Instead, I listened along with them, not through them, to every note, every word Yuni sang and how Steve weaved it so perfectly together and I just smiled. It was different, yes, maybe even one of those songs you have to listen to a few times to decide if it's worthy of your playlist. More importantly, it was a chunk of my life that caused a bitch of a storm inside of my soul for so many years. However, on that unseasonably warm November night, surrounded by my girlfriends inside of my minivan, I felt like I could finally begin to let it all go. 

Over the last few months "I Wasn't Crazy" was officially released by debuting on British radio station The Radio Alternative with DJ Matt Barker, got a lyric video (made by yours truly) and received additional airplay on Boston's Hit Music station: Mix 104.1, thanks to DJ Matthew Reid. It may not be my most "popular" song, but it is a personal success in that it was necessary for healing purposes, a musical success in that I met and was given the chance to work with an extremely rare talent named Yuni Rain. Do yourself a favor and watch his videos on his YouTube Page. There's no doubt in my mind that you will be just as taken with his talent as I was (and continue to be).

"Crazy" Team - Arlanna Snow, Yuni Rain and Steve Catizone

Yuni recording vocals for "I Wasn't Crazy" at Cybersound: Studio B in Boston, MA, 2015.

Stay tuned - 2016 is bringing some changes and always, always more music!

dreamBIG!

~Arlanna

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Appreciation, Support & Acknowledgement

From the second I decided to let someone hear the music I had been secretly writing my entire life up to now (over a decade later, after my latest professionally produced and recorded song release), I have learned a lot about the music industry and the people in it. If you can bear with me, I'd like to share my thoughts regarding one of the most important lessons I have learned in my journey thus far.

If you're a musician working with a team, whether it be just a songwriter/producer team or an entire camp (i.e. engineers, full band, managers, songwriters, so on and so forth), acknowledging and supporting each other is so very important and goes a long way for everyone involved. 

Every song I've released has been written by me; every lyric, every note. The song is brought to life in the studio with the expertise and creativity of a great producer as well as other talented musicians and industry folk: singers, guitarists, drummers, bassists, pianists, engineers, studio techs, assistants, managers, studio owners and more. My song creation process takes a village and I am proud and honored to work with each and every person in that village. Because of this, I show my appreciation. It's just what I do. I don't have to think about it, I don't put it off, I don't need to be asked, I just do it because I believe it's important. I feel so, so strongly about this. These are the people that allow me to do what I love! So whether you're the songwriter or the producer, you're helping each other. You can never underestimate anyone's involvement or talent when it comes to your passion. I know I've said it before, but damn it, I'll say it again: music makes me who I am. It gets me up every single morning, it gets me through every day and it helps me sleep every single night. It continues through my dreams and the whole thing begins again. So, for me, if you're involved in my music, you're a part of my life. It's not meant to sound creepy or stalker-ish, it's just the truth.You're that important to me.

For those of you who have been following my journey, you have probably seen that I have and will always continue to acknowledge and thank everyone involved in my music as well as those who help to promote it after it's release - DJs, VJs, fellow musicians, friends, family, social media followers, etc... because without them -- without YOU -- these songs wouldn't be at the level that they are and I wouldn't be as happy as I am. After releasing a new song it feels like my "team" grows; so many new connections are made between myself and the musicians I have the privilege of collaborating with. I love following their careers and I feel honored that we created something together. Seeing what BJ Knights, Steve Catizone, Sophia Moon, Louie Bello, Natalie Duffy, Darcie Lozeau, Cory Paza, Joshua Carl and Yuni Rain (to name a few) continue to accomplish in this incredible world of music is so exciting to me. I can't help but support and cheer them on every step of their way.

I don't have a photographic memory by any means, but when it comes to music I remember every kind word, positive comment, like, share, heart, tag, re-gram, re-post, re-pin, re-vine, re-snap, re-blog (and all the rest of the "re"s out there) that I have ever received from the people I have created music with. I don't need to tell the musicians I know that it's a pretty amazing feeling to be appreciated, supported and acknowledged by each other. It shows that you've surrounded yourself with not only the best people in the industry, but the best people. Period.

I'm dropping the mic now.

dreamBIG,
Arlanna

Making Euphoria (The Video)

As I sat leaning on the nose of an airplane, sipping away on my steamy cup of Dunkin' Donuts tea, I watched as a small crew worked their asses off to build a set that would turn my song, Euphoria, into the visual, ethereal, magical dance party that I had created in the deepest levels of my subconscious mind and I thought, How did I get here?

::::Schwerpentfitalghijbvwpl::: (That is an onomatopoeia for a rewinding tape, not the lyrics to Missy Elliott's "Work It.")

After my Dad forced me to do a music video for Euphoria (ugh, thanks for that, Dad. It was only one of the coolest things I've ever done, you big jerk), I had to imagine what my version of Euphoria would look like. The challenge in doing so was showing that the meaning was hidden inside the music, not so much the lyrics. How does one capture the emotion in the notes? This was a job for Super Cory (Paza) and the Speak EZ Studios crew.

You probably remember Cory rocking the bass and singing backup at my Hard Rock Boston show last year. This guy does it all - he's one hell of a musician (because, let's face it, I only hang with those kind), director, editor, videographer and visionary genius. Seriously.

Being the over-thinker that I am (I can almost feel the breeze of my sister's violently nodding head at this fact), I wrote an elaborate story to tell in the video, totally tackling that Plot Pyramid thing we learned about in the fourth grade (or whenever). I'm talkin' intros and conclusions, building and falling elements, twists and climaxes; I had a cast of characters. Really, I did. I sent a "summary" of my story to Cory along with the moral/point/bottom line, letting him know that I was very much aware that a major simplification was necessary--but how? Well, Cory knew. He understood exactly where I was coming from and knew exactly how to get there in 4 mins and 42 seconds. I was quickly learning not only the meaning behind the word "director" but also that it is absolutely necessary to get a good one. Done.

Next up - I had to confirm my first (and really, my only) choice to star in this video. Darcie Lozeau (the voice of Euphoria) had a lot of her own music projects going on, not to mention she didn't live close, but, per usual, my heart set itself on doing this video exactly the way I had so carefully crafted it in my mind and Darcie was the major part of it. Other than being the vocalist, Darcie knew the emotion that built this song, she was already a seasoned music video co-star and was used to being photographed, and, I think you can all agree with me here, she has the camera presence of a true starlet. I knew that if Darcie was unable to do this, I would be so disappointed. However, before I even had the chance to picture life inside that sad little cloud, Darcie was a go. Onwards and upwards!

I had been wracking my brain from the beginning of all of this, trying to figure out where in the world we could make this video. What, or should I say where, would be the perfect backdrop for Euphoria? I pictured industrial space and tons of it. I didn't want to create an atmosphere in any old room, it had to be authentic. As I described this to my Dad one day, he had another idea of astonishingly great proportions. "What about an airplane hangar?" #MindBlown

When I contacted Peter Oakley, owner of local Cranland Airport, I crossed my fingers until I received his response. Luckily, I didn't wait long - he said to come on over and take a look around, make sure it's what I had in mind.  Off to the airport my Dad and I went. Peter showed us a couple of hangars, was more than willing to let us use either and said he'd have it ready for us whenever we needed it, for as long as we needed it. So far, everything was going brilliantly, just brilliantly.

Cory, Domitila Bonato (Director of Photography and Videographer for Speak EZ) and I met in early January to discuss details, choose possible shoot dates and answer any questions I had (a few...). Although I'd never done a music video and therefore had nothing to compare this meeting to, I knew it was a good one right away. I could tell that Cory and Domitila were truly invested in my project already. Hearing their positive feedback for the song itself was more than appreciated and their genuine excitement for this shoot was infectious. I left feeling confident that my (Dad's) idea to do a music video for Euphoria could quite possibly have been one of the best decisions I (my Dad) had ever made. Okay, give me a LITTLE credit. My Dad may have had the idea but I ran with it, people. We scheduled the shoot for February 15th. We also agreed that making Euphoria a video release (rather than song first, video later), would make the biggest splash.

Over the next month, Cory, Darcie and I traded emails to firm up our plans for the shoot. Cory sent an in-depth outline of the video, pairing up each song section with a list of shots he wanted, the gear necessary, the lighting he wanted for each scene, so on and so forth. I didn't speak "camera" but it sounded and looked pret-ty impressive. Darcie and I discussed wardrobe, although that part was easy - Darcie's style was pretty much dead-on with what I wanted anyway. I was looking to begin with feminine/casual which would then morph into feminine/edgy. She asked me for some style examples (what would we do without Pinterest?) and she pretty much nailed it.

The shoot was getting close and I was getting very nervous and a bit depressed. Why? Because I couldn't see outside the windows of my house. Why? Because it hadn't stopped snowing for weeks. Apparently we now lived in New Iceland, not New England. The airport was buried under what seemed like fifty feet of snow; the snow drifts looked like small mountains. If we attempted to shoot on the day we planned to, I would've needed to invest in a snowmobile, some skates and a bunch of snowsuits. Instead of an EDM dance party we would have been shooting "Euphoria: On Ice," for goodness sakes. Okay, okay, I'll stop with the winter jokes. It's just that I'm still bitter about our horrific winter and I haven't defrosted yet. (Last one, promise.) As much as I hated to do it, we rescheduled for March 8th. Surely by then we'd be blessed with an abundance of spring flowers and warm sunshine.

Well, March 8th arrived and I got the "abundance" and "sunshine" parts correct. Yay me! But warm? Spring flowers? Not so much. Did I mention that the hangar wasn't heated? No? Oh. The hangar wasn't heated. We tried to rent some industrial-sized heaters but that was a no-go for a lot of reasons. We ended up bringing a few small space heaters instead. *FYI* Space heaters really only go as far as heating the tips of your toes, and only when you actually smoosh your toes up against it. They should really think about putting that on the box. I began seriously questioning the shoot as the clock inched closer to start time. I had come down with a cold the day before to top it all off so of course I had thoughts of pneumonia setting in when all was said and done. As we pulled into the airport, Speak EZ crew and lighting techs not far behind, the hangar came into view. The bright afternoon sun glinted off of the open door, the planes inside looked as if they were greeting me hello with open arms, "Welcome to your first video shoot, Arlanna," they seemed to be saying. And, even though the snow remained as stubborn as ever, all of MY worries melted away. I was ready for anything.

Now, where were we back when I first started this post? It seems so long ago. Oh yes. So there I was, leaning on the nose of an airplane, in total awe of what was happening around me. Could I really be sitting on the set of my very own music video? It's not a crazy question, I have had dreams that aren't this good. During the entire process, Speak EZ crew member and videographer Benny Goodman would pop out of nowhere with a video camera, capturing all of the best behind-the-scenes footage and outtakes, asking all of the best questions for the BTS video that would later be put together by Cory. Benny was everywhere at once - setting up, shooting scenes, making jokes, keeping us laughing despite the frigid temperatures. Frank Lewis and Jason Thomas, lighting techs, were masters at creating the dance floor in my imagination - perfect for Darcie to let loose and let the music take her over. Thank goodness for Speak EZ's Joshua Scott who was able to keep the entire day going smoothly. If not for him, we may have been there for a week! His help with shooting scenes, body-doubling for Darcie for setup purposes, providing nourishment and phone chargers, assisting with videography and so much more wasn't just helpful, it was a necessity.

Once everything was ready to go, Darcie arrived. She left the warmth of her car to spend the next four-plus hours in the airplane freezer with the rest of us. The difference was that she couldn't wear a jacket and had to dance around in sleeveless shirts and shorts all while singing Euphoria in fast-forward, slow-mo and everything in between, like, 200 times (or more). Regardless of the fact that her face was numb, her feet were frozen and she seemed to be shivering all over, she never complained and she made every moment look natural. I watched her singing the words that came from my heart and I believed everything she said as if she were telling ME a story. Despite feeling like a human popsicle, Darcie's purest emotions were poured into every note and every facial expression. And Cory and Domitila were right there to capture it.

I looked around at one point during shot #4,567 and noticed every one of us dancing to the music that I created. Maybe part of it was to keep warm, maybe, but still I couldn't stop smiling. The energy in that ice box could've fueled every plane in there. After the final take, when Cory called out "That's a wrap!" I'm sure every single person in that hangar felt a huge sense of relief. I can't deny I was looking forward to thawing out, either, but I may have been the only person that felt a little sad. That's just the way I've always been - never wanting the fun to end. It was a day that I could relive over and over again. Luckily, thanks to Speak EZ Studios, I can! Not only is there the "Official Video" for Euphoria, but there's a "Behind-the-Scenes" look, too.  Every time I watch, I feel the energy and excitement that I felt that day all over again.

I know this blog post was a long one, so I thank all of you who made it this far. I know attention spans these days aren't --

 ;-)

From the bottom of my heart, thank you Speak EZ Studios, Cranland Airport/Peter Oakley, and Darcie Lozeau for your time, talent, hard work, dedication and, most of all, for providing me with one of the most amazing and memorable experiences so far in my musical journey. Let's do it again, okay?

dreamBIG,
Arlanna Snow

Euphoria (Official Video)

Euphoria - (BTS Video)

Recording Euphoria

I'm not going to beat around the bush, the recording of Euphoria was a challenge. Most of the songs I write could fall into several musical veins. Usually I bring a demo (and an open mind) into the studio and, together, producer Steve Catizone and I go through a series of brainstorming sessions to find the exact fit. We take into consideration where my mind was when I wrote it, where his mind was when he heard it and also what is current (and soon-to-be popular). Often times we let others listen and see what they're hearing. Not so with this little ditty.

I had concocted such a specific recipe for Euphoria; I only heard it as an EDM track. If you don't know what EDM stands for - and, truth be told, lots of people have asked me - it's Electronic Dance Music. Look, I even highlighted it for you. Spread the word, and, while you're at it, listen to 90% of the music out there today. Jokes. Sarcasm is just my sense of humor, don't you know me by now? ;-)

Seriously, though, there was just no way around the EDM thing for me. I wasn't looking for anyone else's opinions on this one. Well, I wouldn't tell them to shut up if they had an opinion, but I just sort of nodded my head, "mmhmm, mhmm...that's nice. NO."  It's a beautiful melody when played as a candlelight version on guitar or piano but for the official release of the song it had to be electronic. It just had to be. This was a song that needed to sit inside your gut and sprout up through your chest cavity until you felt an explosion - an emotional explosion. (Consult your doctor if anything else occurs. Ew.) Now, to help turn the song I had already written into that explosive, energetic electro style I keep mentioning? That was a producer's job.

Because the music was the main ingredient for this track and a lot of Steve's creativity had to go into it, Euphoria became a co-write. My first! Aside from the boring business stuff that goes into a co-write it was pretty exciting. At Steve's suggestion, I started my own publishing company called SnowZone Music. Not gonna lie, pretty proud moment. Side smile. Fist pump.

A lot goes into creating an EDM track and, as I mentioned in my previous post, Years Ago...Writing Euphoria, it was about the music for me, not the lyrics. It had to have just the right amount of energy and sparkle. Steve had a big job ahead of him and, although I toyed with the idea of working with a different producer on this, one who resided on the East Coast, Steve assured me it was meant to be our track. Well, if you could see the amount of e-mails, phone calls, voicemails, text messages and recording sessions (not to mention months) it took to create this song, your mind would officially be blown and you would completely understand why we have too many versions of Euphoria to even count. It's a good thing I have boatloads of patience, that's all I'm sayin'. Okay, okay. Steve has some patience, too. Especially when dealing with a picky songwriter like myself. We've definitely overcome some hurdles in the last few years and, look, we're still going strong. Yay us!

Steve killed it, though. In the end, the music captured my vision completely. As I've said about my previous songs, I strongly urge you to listen to the instrumental version so you can hear every little detail and magical touch that Steve put on this track. Nobody could have done it better.

When I found Darcie Lozeau (a former member of an all girls Boston pop group) to tell (aka "sing") the story of Euphoria, I hit the jackpot. She wasn't messing around. She doesn't just sing really well, she saaaaaaangs, my friends. The music that comes out of this girl is richer than my favorite Paula Deen's Fudgy Brownie recipe. (Seriously, so good. Talk to my cousin Steph.) Darcie was the absolute perfect person to work with all around. She is over-flowing with talent but so unbelievably humble about it. She's sweet as can be, great at communicating (a biggie in this industry), a good listener, bursting with creativity and so open-minded. She was willing to work with me beyond just putting her heart and soul into this song. Darcie is a true-blue musician, happy to be surrounded by music, just like me. I have learned a lot from her. After we recorded Euphoria, Darcie stuck with me and helped me turn it into a journey all its own. I can't wait for you to hear her original music, which, I am honored to say, she is sharing with me as she records it. Addicted! I can honestly say she has become a friend and not just another business contact and that's the stuff I am mostly thankful for as I continue on this incredible musical adventure.

While Euphoria was in it's final mixing stages, my Dad and I were listening to the latest version on our ride home from the recording studio. As the last note sounded and the car filled with silence, my Dad said "Lana, this deserves a music video."

And so we made one.

Stay tuned for that story and more coming up in The Chronicles of Euphoria.

While you're waiting, take a listen to Euphoria and check out the lyrics below. I look forward to your feedback and thank you for your ears!

Euphoria - featuring Darcie Lozeau

Until then...
dreamBIG,
Arlanna

Me and Darcie in the recording studio

Euphoria

I've never known what its like to touch the bottom of the sea

I've never seen the sky while lying next to you

I've never let go of my heart completely, to never feel again

I've never lived in a world where love is truly blind

I'm going round in circles

Hearing voices in my head telling me to hold on

And take me to Euphoria

I've never been there

I've never been there 

I've never been there

I've never been beautiful in your eyes

I've never felt the wind rush through me as I run through the city streets

I've never been behind the wheel of my own life

I've never held someone who held me back, giving strength to my weaker ways

I've never looked into the eyes of my own child

I'm going round in circles

Hearing voices in my head telling me to hold on

I'm spinning round, and round, in circles

Only catching my breath when it hits me you're fading away

To Euphoria

I've never been there

I've never been there

I've never been there

I've never been beautiful in your eyes

Years ago...Writing Euphoria

Years ago, I wrote a melody. I have no idea where it came from, I didn't spend more than 60 seconds on it. There's no special or magical story that goes along with how I came up with it, I just did. It's like it had been sitting in a little corner, hanging out, waiting for me to notice it. I kept playing it like I was in some kind of a trance.When I wasn't physically playing it, I was hearing it in my mind, noticing my eyes would lose focus and I'd get this incredible rush of excitement and my sister would say "what are you smiling about?" A few things, actually. One, this is kind of obsessive and addictive to the point of obnoxious. Awesome. Two, if I ever write lyrics to this they won't matter because the music is the point, I want it to be the point. Finally, is there anything better than the feeling of writing music that makes my heart beat fast, fills my head with big dreams, and makes my stomach go crazy with butterflies? It's like the next best thing to achieving world peace or something.

Years ago, I wrote a list. A list of all of the things I've (personally) never experienced. I've never... this. I've never... that. I ripped the page out and propped it up on the piano as if it were sheet music. I left it there. Every day I'd glance at it and wonder what the hell I was going to do with a list of all the things I'd never done. It wasn't really a cross-it-off kind of list. "Okay, so...Monday I'm going to touch the bottom of the sea, Tuesday I'll see the sky while lying next to you. Wednesday's tough b/c I have a dentist appointment, but Thursday I will be SURE to completely let go of my heart." How silly was this? It's not like I needed a list to remind me of my short-comings (yeah, yeah, make your jokes). I decided the list was just annoying and depressing so I tore it up and threw it away.

Years ago, I wrote a song. The song was about finding happiness. Was it a place? A person? A thing? (I promise, we're not filling out a mad lib.) I've longed for a lot throughout my life. I've longed for all kinds of love, I've longed for beauty, and I've longed to do simple things like swim alone in the ocean, drive a car or go for a run. (I promise, this is not meant to be a P.P.P. - Pity Party Post.) Since I hadn't experienced any of those things and, to be totally candid, still have not (at least, not in the versions that I originally envisioned), I thought I could never know what it would feel like to be truly happy. Somewhere along the way, growing up as (hopefully) most of us do, I found that happiness is hidden in many other places, shapes and forms, you just have to know where to find it. At the risk of baring my entire soul to all of you, I will say this: happiness for me was, is and probably always will be making music. Make no mistake, I still have moments of longing for those things on "my list," but I know now that those things aren't the only things that will "take me to Euphoria." Look at me, using my own lyrics for preaching purposes. Ha! Honestly, though, music takes me there and "Euphoria" was just my journey of coming to that realization.

Take a listen and pay extra special attention to the part that makes me happiest - the music behind the lyrics. Euphoria - featuring Darcie Lozeau

dreamBIG,
Arlanna