Hey CHIANNE! We are so excited to be premiering your new single “Flames”. How excited are you that this song is finally out into the world?
I am SO very excited, I can hardly contain myself!!! At the same time I must admit that I’m experiencing some resistance and fear, as it’s not always so easy to be vulnerable and authentic and reveal my heart to the world, but I am committed to do it anyway. It’s a vulnerable process, an artist’s dilemma, having this innate desire to express myself, to be seen and heard for who I am and yet wanting to hide at the same time 🙂
Also, in this project I’m sharing and expressing a part of me that I’ve never shared before publicly: a more passionate, sensual side of me that I’ve been told to cover up and hide, especially in public. I feel a little stuck in between two cultures, and part of me is afraid of the judgements that I might possibly receive from the culture I was born in. But as an artist, I have a platform to help break the already-eclipsing patriarchal system, so it takes some courage to get over myself and stay focused and dedicated to my art and purpose instead.
Where did the inspiration for the song come from?
Well, I guess the song speaks for itself regarding the inspiration 🙂 Past loves inspired me when I wrote it.
Any fun moments while creating/recording the song?
It was the first song I ever wrote, so witnessing the process of my journal pieces turning into a fully produced song was quite magical and so exciting! I loved to see my friends feel an instant connection with the song when they heard it. It was almost an affirmation from above that I was on the right path. That’s why this song is so dear to my heart. It was born even before my song “Return To Love” was born. I expressed my vision about the song to Katsuya Sezaki, who produced this track, and he masterfully executed and exceeded my expectations. I wanted it to sound orchestral, symphonic, ethereal, cinematic, romantic, passionate, and sensual; and I am extremely satisfied with the results he’s pulled off! I was involved in the production process, as well, and it was just so much fun. After we finished that song, I started working on my EP with Kevin Anyaeji, and he also added some of his spark with drums to give it a more pop, contemporary feel.
What do you hope your supporters will think of the new song?
I hope that they can be teleported into loveland. 🙂
I hope that song will touch and open their hearts, help them connect to their innermost passion, ignite the fire in them that might be dormant, and just have them experience some good yummy feelings 🙂
What’s the process of writing one of your songs?
It depends on the song. Sometimes I first hear a melody in me and start building from there; sometimes words fall off my pen, and the melody follows. I love journaling, and I wrote “Flames” during a time when I was committed to journaling every day. For me, it’s an amazing tool for organizing my thoughts, getting clear and centered, and releasing my feelings. In fact, many of my song lyrics came through my habit of journaling.
That was the case for “Flames”; I wrote at least double the lyrics of “Flames” one day, as they just poured through my heart in a matter of minutes. It was too long to be a song, but I knew it wanted to be turned into a song. So after I chopped it down and structured the lyrics a little, my good friend Joe Gonzalez gave me a possible chord progression with his guitar, and I stepped right in front of a studio mic with no idea how the melody might go. I was in such a flow state that the entire song just came through start to finish, in only one take. It flowed in minutes, almost like downloading. I was also holding my dog Sydney in my arms, and she must have opened my heart more and brought her little magic 🙂
Where did your love of music come from?
I’ve always been in love with music, and it’s been my savior and healer in this life. I guess it’s also in my genes, since I come from a family where almost everyone (especially on my mother’s side) is musically inclined — some are even famous in their field.
You also released the music video for “Flames” today!! Can you tell us how the idea for the music video came about?
I always believe that when you are operating on your highest wavelength and following your heart with no expectations of the outcome, the synchronicity of life will start to work for you, and the right people will appear at the right time to support your vision. It was one of those moments where I had the intention and desire of creating a visually compelling, aesthetically artful video with cinematic feels. I didn’t know anyone who could help me with that vision, so I created a Craigslist ad to look for videographers. I think either right after or before the ad went up, I received an unexpected message from an Instagram follower asking if I was at Starbucks in West Hollywood, as he might have seen me there earlier. So I checked his profile, and to my surprise, I found out he is an amazingly artistic videographer making videos with the exact vision I had for “Flames”! He found me through the same spiritual teacher we both were into, so it was also a good sign for me that he shared a similar message and understanding of life through his art. He and his partners couldn’t have been a better fit to execute my vision. Later we all became good friends, and it was just a beautiful teamwork effort that I cherished every moment.
I shared with him that I wanted to shoot a video where I’m dancing in the desert; I was heavily involved in the creative direction for the video, which was super fun. Since we had a really tight budget, we had to get creative and execute as much as we could within the lines of what we had. I also should have thought to wear better shoes for dancing on that hard desert soil — it was extremely painful to dance on it with only socks! My feet were bleeding at the end. Plus, the strong wind was making the process much more difficult. I’d say we shot that video under some extraordinary circumstances!
Having a fashion design background, I had a vision for the costume, but I couldn’t find it anywhere. So I decided to design my own costume! I got all the pieces and fabrics together and took it to Valerie Wright, who produced my design beautifully.
Any other fun projects in the works you can tell us about?
I am working on releasing more singles and an EP by next year. I’d also like to continue doing shows around the city and perhaps start touring internationally!
Do you have any last things you want to tell your supporters?
Believe in yourself and your dreams! Have faith and go after your heart with no expectations on the outcome! And remember to breathe and be present!
Thanks for taking the time to do this interview 🙂
It was my pleasure! 🙂
FOLLOW CHIANNE: Instagram // Facebook // YouTube // Spotify