Collaboration, What’s New, What’s Next
Collaboration has creeped into my process more and more over the years. The value becomes apparent quickly as different influences interact. My first collaboration beyond my bandmates took shape with a string quartet in 2011, then expanded to more band members, kids choirs, dance troupes, orchestras, and lately it’s evolved into cowriting and partnering with producers or other songwriters on a specific song or project.
A big part of collaboration for me has been leaving my ego at the door. I like to be in control, so it's not that easy, but giving up some of the control, I’ve noticed I learn something from the other person in the process and most importantly have the possibility of finding something new and unique, something I may not have done myself.
After releasing the album “Believer” in spring of 2014 I feel like I’m closing the chapter on that project a little bit today with two collaborations:
1. Seattle DJ and friend AiNSLEE has created an indie-house remix of “Believer” that is easy to listen to. Check him out, he is taking over Seattle’s club world.
2. We’ve just released a live performance that our friends at Wild Honey Pie in Williamsburg last summer during our tour with Jamestown Revival in the summer of 2014. While this doesn’t seem like your typical music collaboration, working with their sound and video production team to create a high quality live performance definitely took a lot team work, time and energy. Plus we had to wake up at 5am to get their on time, so that counts for something.
It's been an interesting hearing different versions and vantages of a song. A lot has happened since then, especially with music as my main focus now.
At the moment I’m working on four different musical collaborations/project, with one coming out soon, another one being the band’s next full length album (and two others that I’m not talking about yet ;). Very excited to share with you!
Thanks for continuing to support me, excited to share more new music with you soon.
-Kris