Today I am proud to bring you an exclusive Merry and Bright interview with Christmas recording artist Elizabeth Chan. Very few musicians can lay claim to the very specific title "Christmas recording artist", but Elizabeth has focused her creative energies and passions solely on Christmas music. And for that, we thank her. Elizabeth's first full-length album "Everyday Holidays" is available from Amazon, iTunes, and other outlets, and her first single "Fa La La" is getting airplay on Christmas music stations around the country. Without further ado, here is my conversation with Elizabeth Chan.
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Merry and Bright:
Hello Elizabeth. Welcome to Merry and Bright!
Elizabeth Chan: Hello! I'm so happy to be here! :)
MB: Elizabeth, you’re one of
the most Christmassy artists out there. Where did your passion for
Christmas, and especially Christmas music, come from?
EC: When I was a little girl and throughout my entire life, I loved
Christmas. Growing up, my sister and I would listen to Christmas music 24/7 in
our house. Listening to Christmas music can instantly transport you to a warm
happy place, which is a testament of the power of music. It has been a life
dream of mine to write a holiday song that would become a standard that would
become part of people's happy holiday memories. Christmas is the only time
throughout the year that my family is reunited.
MB: You’ve
written, literally, hundreds of Christmas songs. Tell us a little bit
about your process – where do your ideas for Christmas songs come from?
And how do you develop the ideas into the final, polished songs?
EC: In
life, I always knew I wanted to be a musician. For some reason I had ignored
this early on - and had lived a non-musical life, which I was pretty successful
at, but spent many days lamenting and daydreaming about songwriting. When days
would be really bad I would turn to my friends and family and ask them what
they thought if I just dedicated my life to writing a Christmas song. Most
people would just chuckle - and I would go into the motions of my regular life.
By the grace of incredible
luck, I had the opportunity to embark on my dream to write a Christmas song and
an amazing thing happened. Despite not knowing how to play an instrument,
despite having never written a Christmas song... the songs just started to pour
out. They flooded out so fast. It's almost like I go into a trance. All it
takes is for me to pinpoint a few key chords I like and then to build an idea,
it will make me think of a story and I'll start to scribble down phrases. When
I'm in this moment, I can sometimes envision how I hear the song in my mind and
try best to capture the song to share with others. I become rather transfixed
when I'm in this zone. I don't stop until the song stops. This can take
minutes, hours or days. I went from having no instruments in my home to having
two guitars, two keyboards, a ukulele, a voice harmonizer, 3 recorders and a
pro tools setup - all to help me catch the songs I hear in my head.
The
inspiration for my Christmas music is mostly my family. I really do not see my
entire family in one place except for Christmas. Sometimes life isn't the way
you planned, and the ones you love the most are the farthest away from you -
even if they are not so far away. For me presents are secondary to presence as
true Christmas gifts. This is the core motivating message I try to evoke in my
songs. How to bring people together with my music is key, because it’s the
story of my Christmas life and it’s this idea that I've dedicated my life to.
Eventually the way I live my life will probably become a song in itself. More
like a symphony! That isn't over yet! :)
MB: Who
are your main influences as a musician?
EC: When I was 6 years old, my parents used to record me singing to Whitney
Houston. I have my favorite bands, most of which I only knew because of sitting
in the backseat of my parents’ car. I love the Carpenters, Stevie Wonder, The
Beach Boys. I was taught to sing by listening to the radio. I still listen to
the radio EVERY morning. No matter what. I love the radio. For example, this
past record was partially inspired by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis "Can't
Hold Us," and Donny Hathaway's "This Christmas."
My
dad purchased my first keyboard when I was about the same age, but it only had
a few octaves of keys. I would play him what I heard on the radio and turn to
him and say "this key I need - is here [point off the keyboard], but it’s
not here." Before anyone knew it I came home to a big grand piano and had
all the keys. When I was about 7 I took a few ear training and solfège classes,
but I taught myself to play piano. I didn't know the keys by their standard
names (CDEFG) or have any proper piano training. I only knew solfège (Do, Re
Mi). So I really struggled with reading. I took a piece of music and would
write "Do, Mi, So" on the music paper to learn how to play piano. I
remember finally learning a piece of music and playing it at school the way I
learned - and then a classmate saying, "That's not how you play it!"
After that moment, I kind of decided learning piano wasn't my thing. I loved my
piano though. So even though I didn't know what I was playing - I would
continue to play. Match the chords in my head that sounded right and would
compose my own music, instead of trying to read other music. I'm musically
illiterate but I am a prolific songwriter. Apparently I'm in good company, the
one artist i hold in my pocket as an example is Paul McCartney.
Looking back, it was
probably this idea that because I didn't know how to read music that helped me
to stay away from music for so long. Sometimes the music is just in you, and
for me it is truly my calling.
My main musical influence
is a need to get these songs out of my head, I write music and sing songs and
parts every day. I need a release valve for the inspiration!
I had one guitar lesson
that changed my life with Mike Doughty. He was gracious enough to teach me how
to play guitar and taught me how to tune a guitar to open chords. He told me to
just make sounds I like. I took that single lesson and never looked back. Since
then I've written over 300+ songs.
MB: And
who are some of your primary inspirations in the Christmas music genre?
EC: I look up
to Irving Berlin and carry his biography everywhere I go, and leave his
biography on my nightstand. His story is one I love reading. Without a doubt,
my primary musical inspiration in the Christmas music genre is Stevie Wonder. I
listen to all his Christmas records year round. Like everyone I have my
favorite songs "Merry Christmas Darling," "Last Christmas,"
"Happy X'Mas (War is Over)." I cannot name all my favorite songs. I
listen to Christmas music all year round and keep up with people who put out
new Christmas records every year. I spend a lot of time studying the Christmas
music genre that I am somewhat of a historian. I'm also very lucky to live in
New York City, where many of the standards we love were penned. I'm still able
to see the inspiration that has inspired those before me in my day to day
life.
MB: You
reached out to your friends and fans via Kickstarter to help fund the
production of “Everyday Holidays”. Tell us how you felt the day your
funding goal was attained.
EC: I was truly reluctant to start a Kickstarter campaign. I'm not the kind
of person to ask for help, and in a way I'm still learning how to ask for help.
I had written songs that I knew I wanted on my EP and was confronted with the
fact that I could not afford the recording of the record unless I had help.
After letting Steve Lillywhite listen to the initial scratch demos of the songs,
he suggested that I start a Kickstarter campaign, that if people heard the
songs they would help. I ignored that suggestion for a bit, but then realized
that this record would not come out if I didn't have help. When I launched the
Kickstarter I really thought it would never get funded, but was just happy to
see that people did truly support the making of this record. I knew that even
if I didn't fund the Kickstarter I would try to make the record in any way I
could. Then someone named Santa Claus backed the Kickstarter and before I knew
it, as the clock started to close in on the deadline - my entire record was
funded.
This whole experience
taught me a very important lesson. That if I let this fear of asking for help
in my way - I would have never put out "Everyday Holidays" or have
been able to continue on my journey.
MB: Besides
funding, what were some of your challenges in making “Everyday Holidays” a
reality?
EC: The music
business is possibly one of the toughest industries to be in. The funding only
took care of the recording costs of the record. It didn't include making the
design of the album cover, manufacturing, the music video, marketing the
record. There are a lot of things that go into getting music out into the
world. There is such a deluge of holiday music that comes out every year that it’s
very hard to cut through the noise. I would list out all the slammed doors and
failures that I had this year - but that would depress people and demotivate
other aspiring musicians and artists! :) The bad is part of what makes good -
well.. Great ;)
MB: Well,
I think “Everyday Holidays” is fantastic. Although it’s only been
released for a few weeks, is it too soon to ask what we might expect next from
Elizabeth Chan? Do you hope to record and release another Christmas CD?
EC: God
willing, I will continue to make new holiday records every year. I will be as
committed to this as life will let me stay committed to my dream of penning a
Christmas classic. My first single “Fa La La” has already charted on radio
stations across the nation. It is a small step but an important one for
me.
MB: Here’s
a tough question: What’s the one
best thing about Christmas in New York City?
EC: Not that hard! My family! :) My favorite thing in NYC is the Snowflake
on 57th street. My ultimate favorite holiday thing. I saw it the other night, I
was so excited.
MB: Do
you have a favorite Christmas song, or a favorite recording of a song by a
specific artist?
EC: This
question is MUCH tougher than the last one! How can I choose a favorite
Christmas song? It is almost like asking, "What is your favorite Christmas
light?" Can you really only admire just one Christmas light? It's the
string that makes it beautiful. Lucky for me, I have quite a long string
of favorite Christmas records of my own! I do absolutely love "This
Christmas" by Donny Hathaway. I listen to the song in the summer and feel
really Christmassy. I guess to be fair, I love "A Christmas Song," by
Elizabeth Chan ;) Not because I wrote it, but because it is a real reminder and
an artifact of someone who has gone for their dream. I'm sad this song will
probably never be on the radio.
MB: Is
there anything else you’d like to share with your fans, both current and
future?
EC: To my
fans, thank you for taking the time to listen to my records. The words are
autobiographical and sometimes not so easy to share, so I don't take for
granted the moment that you choose to listen to my song. I hope that my songs are
the kind that you'll turn back to every holiday season and share with your
family. I promise to continue sharing my journey through my Christmas songs
with you as life will allow. :)
MB: Thanks
for spending this time here at Merry and Bright! Have a very Merry
Christmas, Elizabeth!
EC: Merry
Christmas and Thank you for having me!!!! :D
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