In the unlikely event that you've missed me saying for the umpteenth time, and most definitely not for the last time, I released new music recently. And I'll say it again, I released new music recently.
All Behind the title single from my forthcoming EP of the same name, is out everywhere now. The full EP comes out everywhere in 3 weeks, so this week I've been inspired to write about a phenomenon that I experience every time I embark on an art project. This will act as a nice little segway into next week’s post, which will be all about the story behind the songs on the All Behind EP.
This week's post is titled snapshots. I considered at least 3 working titles including portraits, photographs, and stills, before deciding on snapshots. Take a moment to think about this word. What comes to mind? I've probably biased you in some way by giving up the previous working titles, but that's okay. Maybe it's even an intentional diversion, or sleight of hand. So, snapshots, when you hear or read that word, what comes to mind? Do you think about a photo, or a painting, or some other kind of art, typically of the visual variety?
This is understandable; the word draws on images, images you're likely to visualise or see in the canvas of your mind. But what if I told you that other types of art, even those given to non-visual mediums are capable of capturing snapshots too? What if I said that music, poetry, short stories, and even novels are capable of the same? Think about it. Every piece of art, irrespective of the medium, goes through some sort of creation process, subsequently followed by some sort of consumption process. Another way to say this is there’s usually some sort of creator and some sort of consumer.
During the creation process, the artist births the art, and this process captures a snapshot of the artist’s life, their environment, their mindset, their feelings and emotions and so much more. The same is true of the consumption process. When art is released into the world, for each consumer that comes across it, there’s a relationship that is formed when they engage with and experience it.
As a creator, artist, and songwriter, the process of writing a song immortalises a time, a place, and an emotion. For each song I’ve written, or at least the ones that I finish (if any work of art is ever considered finished), I remember what I was thinking and feeling, and where I was sitting when that songwriting bug struck me and compelled me to go on its journey. I even remember the place and time of day, and other obscure details like what I had for lunch or dinner or whatever meal was appropriate for that time of day. These are details that I otherwise don’t remember in my day-to-day life, but the process of engaging with the creation process immortalises that time, that place, and that emotion, and leaves them forever etched in my memory.
The same can be said for the consumer. When you listen to a song for the first time, you form an opinion of it. It may leave a mark on you, or it may not. You may end up loving the song so much that you choose to have it as the song for your first dance at your wedding, or you may not. You may choose to play the song on repeat after a break-up, because for whatever reason listening to the song over and over is the only thing that brings you a semblance of solace when you’ve had your heart shattered to bits, or you may not. You may choose to come back to that song on those cold, winter nights when you’ve got chestnuts roasting and mulled wine in hand. Excuse the Christmas cliche, but it’s coming up to that time of year.
In summary, each time you embark on an art project, you begin a journey to immortalise a time, a place, and an emotion. In doing so, you create the opportunity for those who engage with the finished product to capture snapshots in their daily lives. Some of these snapshots are more memorable than others, just like some life events are more memorable than others. Art, in this sense, is the gift that keeps on giving.
PS: Just a reminder that the lead single of the new record is out now, everywhere. You can listen to it on several platforms. Please share it with a friend, share it with your social networks, and consider subscribing to the newsletter (below), my YouTube channel, or wherever else you listen to music.