INTERVIEW WITH ... INDIE SINGER-SONGWRITER RÄNDI FAY ...
For the Holidays I interviewed Indie Singer-Songwriter Rändi Fay whose new Christmas single may seem a bit out place on my blog but once you hear it and read my interview with her you'll see why I featured it ...THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: I always start out with an easy and quick question. So CD or Vinyl?RÄNDI FAY: Vinyl. I will call myself out that I don’t have a record player anymore, and I rarely listen to CD’s anymore. I am a part of the current musician’s nightmare! I do buy Mp3s still, but I mostly stream. However, if I could re-create and embellish my collection of vinyl that I basically gave away for $5 twenty years ago (I know… right?), I could brush the dust from the tip of my cartridge and then hang out listening to the faint scratch of a record starting and all of that amazing sound that follows… I would LOVE that!THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: What was your biggest inspiration behind the song Joy Whispered? And why?RÄNDI FAY: The inspiration for “Joy Whispered” came in a songwriting challenge where I had to choose five words from a list of ten and write a Christmas song using them. Two words really stuck out to me: “silent” and “light.” I don’t think I had considered those two words together before, giving me a fresh image of the familiar manger scene. There must have been the feeling of “hush” among the people gathered under quiet starlight in awe of the new born baby, whispering excitement - so human and so divine! Picturing the scene, I saw joy crossing cultural, socioeconomic and “earthly” boundaries; hard-working native shepherds, wealthy kings from afar and heavenly angels, all sharing love for an infant and his impoverished family - a magical sight! We are one in this world. We can’t be reminded of that too frequently.TRB: What is your all-time favorite Christmas song?RÄNDI: “White Christmas.” I am soooo nostalgic, and I can’t get enough of the mood that song captures.
TRB: If you could collaborate with any musician who would it and why?RÄNDI: Hmmm… so many!! I have so much to learn! I am going to go with Sir Paul McCartney because of his beautiful and resonant melodies, but also his fearless blending of instrumentation and genre. And his easy style and vocals. I wonder if he is really that charming in person?TRB: Are there any artists that have been “On Repeat” for you lately? What music have you been digging?RÄNDI: I have been listening to some really “off the beaten track” Christmas music and found Hayley Westenra. Wow, does she have a voice! Another cool, less known group is Alique. Wow. Again the vocals are inspiring, and the vibe is just the right mix of haunting and enthralling, with eclectic beats, unexpected harmonies and a classical yet magical approach to their production.
TRB: And what’s next for you Rändi Fay?RÄNDI: 2019 is going to rock!! I start it out by playing “Donna” the lead in “Mamma Mia!” Yikes! That is completely new territory for me! And also, producer/co-writer Aaron Zinsmeister and I already have five tracks finished for our new project “Intuition,” a passionate concept album further exploring "symphonic pop,” in the spirit of Moody Blues meets Evanescence meets Disney, a little Dido, a little Celine…we have 5 (or maybe 6?) more songs to go, and hoping for a late summer/early autumn release!TRB: Anything else you would like to add?RÄNDI: I would love to send a message of peace to all of your readers. No matter what our specific commitment to Christmas is, be it more religious or more retail ;)… or none at all, this is a challenging time of year. Take some time for yourself, but also some time for helping others who need it. There is so much joy in passing on those small favors, with asking nothing in return. Truly - give it a shot! And THANK YOU for inviting me to participate in this blog! Merry Christmas!Stream Joy Whispered here: http://bit.ly/JoyWhisperedSpotifyUntil then,Brittney W.
