Changing one’s direction isn’t always easy but it’s necessary to grow. Carlsea had a whole different name and sound when she started out. Over time she’s evolved into the singer-songwriter she is today. With her debut single as Carlsea out now she’s ready to show the world what she is capable of. Which is quite a lot. From her upcoming dates to emo-mindset that goes into songwriting, we talked about it all and then some.
Kendra: When you first started penning music as a kid, all of your songs started with “W” and you’re keeping it going with “Windows.” So if you had to describe your debut single using three words that start with this wonderful letter, what would they be?
Carlsea: “W” is such a hard letter! I would say “whimsical,” “wondrous,” “weird” (in a good way!), and “wildly different” from everything else I’ve done musically.
Kendra: Were there any other songs you were working on that almost became your debut single? If so, what made “Windows” the top pick?
Carlsea: Actually, I had quite a few songs on the table. When I first reached out to my producer, DataChild (Chrissy Tignor), I emailed her a bunch of my demos to get her feedback on what she thought would be the best one to start with. I was secretly hoping for “Windows,” but honestly thought she’d suggest something else. In the end, we were both on the same page with recording and releasing “Windows” first!
We both thought it would fit the genre well, and to me, it’s a very meaningful song. I wrote it after an intense period of writer’s block. That’s actually what it’s about. Ironically, it ended my writer’s block and gave me the creative energy to keep writing more songs and not box myself in anymore. So it’s always represented a turning point for me, making it very appropriate to release as my first single since rebranding myself!
Kendra: As a kid, you felt happy songs were overrated. Is that still the case?
Carlsea: Totally! Just kidding – not EVERY happy song’s overrated. But I do think that a lot of “happy” songs enter into a cheesy and cliché territory. I don’t really like that. That said if you can pull off a happy song that isn’t cheesy and cliché, I’ll probably love it!
Kendra: Do you write better when you’re upset then? I know I do!
Carlsea: I’d definitely say I write better when I’m upset. Or at least when I’m feeling something really strongly, be it sadness, anger, determination, etc. I would include “happiness” on that list too, but let’s face it – writing songs is way easier when you’re in emo-kid mode! I know that in my case when I’m happy, I’m not in the mood to write songs because I’m too busy having a good time!
Kendra: What’s a happy song that you could go the rest of your life without hearing ever again?
Carlsea: Honestly, “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. It’s not your typical happy, party song – but it’s on the radio constantly and it’s a perfect (no pun intended) example of that cheesy territory I was just talking about.
Kendra: You had an album drop some time ago under your real name. How does what you’re releasing as Carlsea differ from the music that came out from Chelsea?
Carlsea: My new music is definitely taking a big turn from what I’ve released in the past. At the core of it, I’m still me and I still stand for the same things as a songwriter – heartfelt lyrics that tell a story and hopefully listeners can connect to – but the production around those lyrics is now very different.
I released very classic rock inspired music before, while “Windows” and my future music are very much modern synth-pop in the vein of Lorde and Halsey. When I write my songs, it’s just me and my guitar or piano. The production comes afterward. And with my new stuff, it just felt like making these songs be “classic rock” would be like shoving a square peg through a circular hole. Sometimes you have to let the music guide you, and these songs definitely guided me more towards a modern, pop-influenced sound.
Kendra: Did you learn anything unexpected at Berklee?
Carlsea: Probably the things I learned outside the classroom. While I got to learn about things like songwriting, recording technology, and music theory in class, I learned some of the most important lessons in marketing, booking gigs, and just learning how to deal with and collaborate with other musicians just by being at the school and trying to make it on my own on the Boston music scene.
Kendra: You’ve done your fair share of playing up and down the east coast. You are also playing in New Jersey in the coming weeks. Are there any covers you toss into your sets?
Carlsea: Currently, I love to play “Ex’s and Oh’s” by Elle King, “She Used to Be Mine,” by Sara Bareilles, and a mashup of “You and I” by Lady Gaga and “Hey Jude” by the Beatles. I usually close my shows with a cover of “Nothing but the Water” by Grace Potter. I recorded that one for my last album.
Kendra: After these shows and the single, what are your plans for the coming months?
Carlsea: Right now, I’m wrapping up a Coffeehouse Tour. I’ve been on that since January, and have some other shows lined up at places like Havana in New Hope, PA, and Crossroads in Garwood, NJ. I’m also hoping to get back to the studio soon to record an EP of my new songs! I am also in the cast of the New Jersey Renaissance Faire in Bordentown, NJ. I’m playing Brielle Grimsley, village bard and storyteller. So I’m rehearsing for that right now and looking forward to the faire’s opening in May. Did I mention, I’m a huge nerd?