Chelsea Carlson

Photo by Jean Fordyce

What got you interested in music?

Chelsea Carlson: I’ve always been into music! My parents are music lovers so I grew up always listening to music and messing around with different instruments. I actually started singing and writing songs when I was only nine years old, and it sort of just evolved from there over the years! I started getting seriously into music when I was in high school, which is when I started playing bass and guitar, and I pretty much knew by the time I was fifteen that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

Which artists or bands have you been influenced by?

I’ve been influenced by a lot of artists because I don’t think it’s good to box yourself into any one genre. I take a lot of influence from classic rock bands like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and the Beatles, as well as modern rock like Grace Potter and the Foo Fighters. But, I also really love singer-songwriters, the original greats like Carole King as well as contemporary ones like Christina Perri. It’s my goal to really mix rock with songwriting and blend the different genres together to make something new and unique.

Is there anything you're hooked on right now?

I teach music lessons, and my students are always introducing me to new music. For a long time, I really didn’t like much of the new music that you hear on the radio, but I do think it’s on an upswing. Generally when I listen to music, I’ll always revert to the bands I already love – usually Grace Potter and Led Zeppelin – but I do like a lot of newer stuff too. For instance, I really like Sia’s music. I do a cover of “Elastic Heart” that is one of my favorites to play. I also love Adele. I haven’t had a chance to completely listen to her new album because I’ve been so preoccupied with preparing for my album (haha) but I’m excited that she’s back on the scene because I love her songs and style so much.

What inspired your single, "Cherry Blossom"?

I wrote “Cherry Blossom” because I wanted to write a song that used a lot of metaphorical imagery in the lyrics – something that has since become a bit of a trademark in my songwriting. “Cherry Blossom” is inspired by a true event, as most of my songs are, about the rise and fall of a friendship I had. I used the idea of the cherry blossom, a beautiful flower which only lasts a brief time before turning into a leaf and falling down, to represent this falling out.

Is that single indicative of what we can expect to hear on your forthcoming album?

Definitely! “Cherry Blossom” really showcases a lot of the different aspects of my album – the acoustic elements mixed with the full rock band vibe, the belting vocals, the awesome guitar solos – it’s just got everything. If you like “Cherry Blossom,” I know you’ll like the rest of the album, as well!

Could you sum up your album, The Broken Road, in one sentence?

One sentence? That’s really hard! To sum it up… “The Broken Road” follows me on my musical path so far, and the songs really tell that story through their different topics, styles, and genres; if you were to line everything up, you could really see how I have evolved as a musician and that this album is really the result of an amazing journey so far.

How would you describe your sound to someone who had never heard it?

I always tell people I’m like Led Zeppelin meets Adele – a mixture of classic rock with modern singer-songwriter. I’m not your typical rocker chick, nor am I your typical singer-songwriter. I’m somewhere in between, and I know that my mixture of lyrics that tell a story with music that is very energetic and exciting is something unique and that you’ll hopefully love!

What do you hope listeners can take from your music?

As a songwriter, it’s my hope that listeners will feel like they can relate to my lyrics and, like, through telling my story, I’ve also told theirs.  I think that the connection between people is one of the most powerful things about music. I also really hope that my songs have transcended genres enough to really bring a new perspective on both rock and singer-songwriter music, and that this blend will be something people really like and can maybe open up listeners to getting into both of those genres even more.

Is there anything you'd like to add?

You can find me online at www.chelseacarlsonmusic.com as well as on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and everywhere else!

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Justin Morelli

What got you interested in music?

Justin Morelli: When I was growing up, my dad was a huge Elvis Presley fan and my mom was a big Stevie Wonder fan, so they would play it around the house when I was a little kid and it gave me the bug, I think. Then, when I started to grow up, I started to listen to them on my own and then started to take it into other music, too.

Which artists or bands have you been influenced by?

There's a bunch, obviously, but I think what's inspired me the most as an artist is probably R. Kelly, Boyz II Men, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Ginuwine; that whole crew.

What's in your playlist now?

There's a lot of stuff. Honestly, I mostly listen to mainstream stuff, so it's The Weeknd, Justin Bieber, Drake, Chris Brown; I'm listening to Chris Brown's new album right now 'cause it just came out, I've been going through that. But, it's also mixed in with a lot of old '90s RnB or stuff earlier than that even, and I like to keep them both mixed in so I can keep up with the new but also always refresh myself and listen to the old stuff, too. 

Do you have a favorite holiday song?

I actually like Bieber's song "Mistletoe" a lot, when he came out with that a few years ago, but my favorite one is probably the Mariah one. I know that's cliché, but the most recent one is probably the Bieber one but the Mariah is probably my favorite.

How would you describe your sound?

I would say it's like a fusion of RnB and pop. It's similar to those artists who kind of mix the flavor of RnB with the drive of pop music and I think it makes it a really good marriage between the two sounds.

What was the inspiration behind your single, "Ain't Easy"?

The producer that I was working with at the time made a couple tracks for me and that was the first one he played and, when we heard the track in the studio, it kind of had that feel good vibe to it. I was with a couple writers that I was working with at the time and we felt it was a very playful record and a very feel good record and "Ain't Easy" just came from that and, honestly, it happened really quickly; it was one of the songs that we probably wrote the fastest.

Is that single indicative of what we can expect to hear on your forthcoming album?

Yes, but there's also a good variety on the album, too. There's obviously the feel good songs and then there's the more reflective kind of record - like "Can't Say Nothing" - but then there's some more RnB leaning stuff too, like "Thing You Do" and "Trippin'" and "Closer" are a couple of songs that are pretty RnB on my record. So, I think there's a nice mix of everything.

Could you describe that album, I'm Ready?

I would say it's an album that is going to touch many different listeners who like both RnB and pop music. I think there's something for everybody on there and I think that's the cool thing about it, is I kind of meshed it; there's some songs that are more pop like "Ain't Easy" and "I'm Ready", but then I did some songs that are really RnB too, and I did some ones that are kind of a mixture. So, I just think, no matter what you like, you're going to like something on this album.

What do you hope listeners can take away from your music?

I think, in making music, it's storytelling that comes from my life and situations and experiences that I've been in and I know everyone goes through similar things with relationships and love and different stuff like that, so I hope my music can just relate to what someone is feeling at that particular time or at some point in their life, and I just want to make that connection with my fans and the audience. This is stuff that we all go through and I'm fortunate enough that I have a platform to spin that message out and I just hope everyone feels the same way as a I do.

Is there anything you'd like to add?

Well, if you haven't heard anything that's out already, you can find all the songs that I already have done - there's three or four singles that I have out already, including "Ain't Easy" - on Spotify and iTunes and any other streaming service that you have. You can find it under 'Justin Morelli' and I hope that you look forward to more things to come soon.

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The Lipstick Junkies

What brought the band together?

Brian and Greg had been playing music together for a couple years when they asked Jr to join them. That was 7 years ago now and, through a whole bunch of different band and lineup changes, we've stuck together.

Where does your name, The Lipstick Junkies, come from?

We had reached a point where we needed a new name, so we spent a lot of time trying to find something we didn't hate. Eventually, we heard this name in a Red Hot Chili Peppers song and decided to stick with it. A wise man once told us it didn't matter what our band name was, "as long as it isn't The Small Dick Men", the point being that it's the music that defines a name, not the other way around.

Which artists or bands are you influenced by?

Obviously, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are important to all of us, but from there we try to listen to as much music as possible. The fundamentals of music don't really change from genre to genre, so we really try to study anything we enjoy, whether it's Chic, The Dave Matthews Band, Disclosure, Rancid, Luther Vandross or anything else.

Who are you listening to now?

Outside of our throwback playlists we've been checking out some of the new albums that came out in the last year or so. Some Tame Impala, Mother Mother, Alabama Shakes, Erykah Badu; we have some knowledgeable friends who try to keep us in the loop.

What was the inspiration for the video and single, "Boogie Everywhere"?

The song really came from the bass line in the chorus, we just focused on taking it where it wanted to go. It's funky, catchy, borderline obnoxious even, so we balanced it out with simple, driving verses and a more complex bridge. We made the video fun and lighthearted because, for us, that is what the song is really about.

How does your forthcoming EP compare to your earlier release?

At the end of the day it's really a continuation of our previous work. We are always improving every aspect of ourselves and our music, so we're evolving, but we're still coming from the same place.

What words would you use to describe your sound?

Our main focus is to let the music go where it wants to. We try to make the best songs we can, so we never really sat down and decided we wanted to sound a specific way. We always say funk/rock because it's the short answer, but we're really eclectic and it shows. There's some pop, R&B, soul and punk in there too. We've heard indie-funk before, which might connote our sound more eloquently.

What do you hope listeners are able to take away from your music?

We want our music to make people feel good. Sometimes that means we want you to dance, sometimes that means we want you to think or chill out. Listening to music makes us feel good, and it means enough to us that we just want to be able to give that feeling back to people.

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Apollo LTD

For readers who aren't familiar, could you explain a bit more about the essence of this project?

Apollo LTD is a project that was born out of a desire to tread in new water. At its core it's pop music, but we wanted to do something new with it.

Why choose the name 'Apollo LTD'?

Apollo LTD came from NASA initially, of course. My uncle was an astronaut in the '90s so, growing up, I went to shuttle launches every few years… Space was always something pretty close to our family. I think that that led to a certain fascination that still exists to this day. The Apollo program was born out of a sense of ambition to go to the moon. We aren’t going to the moon, obviously, we just write songs and play them for people, but the name always represented something deeper to us.

Are there any artists or bands who've influenced your sound?

As far as influences go… I am not really sure who has influenced us with this project. Sure, we have heard comparisons but, honestly, there hasn’t been any direct influences with this project that we have been aware of. We get influenced by random songs, things, artists all the time and we might write a song from it. But often times they are seemingly random songs or artists that just spark some creativity in us. For instance…. about once a month I always end up listening to the Fugees album, The Score, in the car…. I love it. I couldn’t tell a song in our set that sounds like the Fugees though!  

Do you have a favorite artist or single of the moment?

Favorite artist or single at the moment…. “Genghis Khan” by Miike Snow is my new jam. Ratatat is also interesting to me…. It's more mood music, but I dig it though; it reminds me of LCD Soundsystem and Tame Impala a bit. We love a lot of stuff but I am always stoked to hear dudes (or girls) playing some guitars on a record. 

How would you define your sound?

Alt soul pop/rock music…. from the ether. 

What inspired your single "What Are You Waiting For"?

“What Are You Waiting For” is a pop song about typical existential crisis. Haha. It is a song that captured a period in our lives where we were struggling with what we were doing and where we were going. It's a song about the opposing forces of the universe in our lives…The juxtaposition of emotions and extremes - light and darkness, belief and doubt etc.

Could you sum up your EP in one sentence?

Music for the human condition I suppose. Or for people who hate Donald Trump.

What do you hope listeners are able to take from your music?

Good feelings. :)

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