An Interview With Beth Waters
Singer, songwriter and pianist Beth Waters was kind enough to sit down and answer some questions about her life, her inspirations and her new album, This Little Piggy - following her successful sophomore album, Beth Waters. The single "Blue and White" from her sophomore, self-titled album, has been played on ABC's "One Life to Live" as well as on the CW's "One Tree Hill."
Check it out!
THE BASICS
Q: Where did you grow up?
A: I grew up in Utah and later after 12 yrs, Oregon, Washington and California.
Q: What’s your favorite color?
A: My favorite color is yellow, that’s kind of a recent thing in the last few years. I’m not sure why I settled on this one.
Q: Favorite film?
A: I love “The Color Purple”. I like movies that deal with personal struggle, like Cinderella type movies.
Q: Who’s on constant replay on your iPod or CD player right now?
A: I’m back to listening to Buena Vista Social Club whenever I’m cleaning or doing housework. It makes it fun to cook and shake your bootie.
And now, onto the music…
Q: How would you describe your music?
A: I used to describe it at “intelligent pop”, because at the time, it seemed that bubblegum pop was only what folks recognized as pop. Now it’s classified as Modern Folk. The simplest answer is deep lyrics with a lot of imagery and story set against classic songwriting and hooky choruses. It’s about half/half piano and guitar based right now.
Q: What inspires you to write?
A: Usually, I would get inspired to write if I was in a ‘mood’. I’ve always been one of those people who enjoys dark moods, using them to express myself artistically.
Q: Who are some of your childhood influences?
A: Crosby, Stills and Nash; Sting; Seal; The Indigo Girls, Peter Gabriel. My family was very musical. We always sang together and played music together. My brothers all played a little guitar, and my older brother was a keyboardist in a band, and he inspired me to play piano.
Q: Who are some of your newer influences?
A: In high school and college I started listening to Tori Amos and Joni Mitchell. I also was into Nina Simone, The Cranberries. I really like Sarah Harmer’s work.
Q: You’re new album, This Little Piggy, was just released on iTunes this last September. How do you feel like your music has evolved from your sophomore, self-titled album that you released in 2004?
A: This Little Piggy was done with a different mind-set. It was such a struggle to put out “Beth Waters” in 2004, (a strain on us financially) I didn’t really want to make “This Little Piggy”. I was against it, because I knew how much work it would be and how much it would cost. I was talked into it because “Beth Waters” started to make it’s money back, and my husband and label partner felt that it would be a good idea to follow up. With that in mind, I didn’t really make the record for anyone but myself. My producer and I were free to explore new areas we hadn’t with “Beth Waters”. Half the songs were written on my new instrument; guitar. It opened the door to production that was different and more unique to each song. For instance, we went full throttle in exploring a “Burt Bacharach” version of “Afraid of Love”. It was goofy and almost brash, but worked. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have entertained such a version.
Q: What instruments do you play on this album? and how long have you played them?
A: I play piano which I’ve been playing since I was 3 yrs old, and guitar which I started to play 4 years ago.
Q: You’re vocal range is amazing and your voice is so unique. Did you ever take lessons or did it just sort of come to you?
A: Thank you for the range compliment. I actually have a break in my voice that I try to hide. I was in choirs since I was 8 yrs old, and have always loved to sing. At 12, I really started to sing every day and while playing the piano. I tried to involve myself in choirs and musicals in school and later on had a few months of voice lessons, which was really helpful. Mostly, I’ve worked on it myself, identifying problems and trying to fix them. My voice matured at 25, so the last little bit has been really great.
Q: What was it like hearing yourself on the radio for the first time? And then on TV?
A: Oh, it was a blast. I taped it and listened to it over and over. The TV was the same way. It was just my song playing in the background on some cable TV show, but it was quite exhilarating.
Q: If you could do a duet with anyone, who would you choose and why?
A: I would LOVE to do a duet with Harry Connick Jr. I’d do a jazz standard with him, that would be a dream come true!
Q: What kinds of things do you like to do outside of making music?
A: I used to Nanny as a day job until recently. My husband and I are having a baby of our own in April. So right now I’m doing mostly music business work at home, taking care of my adorable 14 month old black and white Springer Spaniel named D.J. and trying this housewife thing out for a change.
Q: Any advice for aspiring singer/songwriters out there?
A: Yeah, lots of advice. Mostly about following your own heart, and definitely NOT writing music for others, or producing your tunes based on what you thing others want to hear (even A&R guys). You’ll find out that none of that is important. What’s important is what you think about your stuff and your own development as a musician.
Be sure to catch Beth's new album, This Little Piggy (available now) on iTunes and on physical CD in January. There will be a release party in San Francisco on January 13. Also, check out her past albums Beth Waters, and Over the Tide.
Beth Waters' Official Website
Beth Waters on MySpace.com
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U P C O M I N G
S H O W S:
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