Exclusive Interview with Ian Crowley
Richmond, Virginia native Ian Crowley is a musician to look out for. Influenced by Van Morrison and Dave Matthews, the talented performer’s soulful lyrics are capturing the hearts of listeners.
I recently talked to Crowley who is currently hard at work on his new EP about his writing process, if he will finally tour and more!
You can find Ian via twitter at @IanGCrowley and find his music via his Soundcloud page and catch his You Tube page .
Where do you find inspiration for your songs?
“A lot of it comes from relationships that I’ve had in the past (some good, some bad). I think the people that you surround yourself with have a tremendous impact on your life and the way you live it. When I write, it feels natural to convey a sense of raw emotion so you’ll notice some of my songs are very personal. Another source of my inspiration comes from different situations I find myself thrown into, mistakes I’ve made and things that I’ve struggled with in my life. Music is the creative outlet that lets me express those things.”
Did you always want to be a singer/songwriter?
“I always had a passion for singing, and I was introduced to a lot of fine music at a very young age by my parents. Around age 10 or so I picked up an old guitar that my sister had never really used, and I couldn’t put it down. Ever since, there have been very few things that I have been more passionate about. When I started I was only writing for myself, but I eventually realized that I wanted people to be able to relate to my music.”
Are you working on anything currently?
“Absolutely. I am currently working on recording about 5-6 songs with a producer buddy of mine so I can get an EP out there for people to hear. The short term plan is to get my name out and start playing around the bar scene in Washington DC.”
Do you write on the road?
“I haven’t toured up to this point. Most of my free time is spent on music, but I haven’t yet taken the step to fully devote myself to that lifestyle. I guess you could say I’m at a bit of a crossroads. It’s something I am very passionate about, and I hope in the near future to make a career out of it. Unfortunately at this moment I am a singer/songwriter with a side of 40 hour work weeks!”
What’s your writing process like?
“Typically I like to get a general idea of a song outline, and then I’ll pick up the guitar and try to write while I play – you know, experiment with different rhythms and notes until I find something that fits the feeling I’m looking for. Then I usually let the lyrics come naturally from that. Other times, I’ll sit down and write an entire song without touching an instrument and sort out that part later. I certainly don’t have a set process, and it can be chaotic and frustrating – I think I prefer it that way…such is the life of a struggling artist right?”
Can you tell me about Meet Me Halfway? It’s a beautiful song.
“Thank you. It’s a tune I wrote very early on in my writing career (so to speak). It’s really about wanting more from someone than they may be willing to give you, wearing your heart on your sleeve and taking a big risk that could end up biting you in the ass.”
Another one I like is Precious Little Lives.
“That’s another one I wrote early on. Obviously a bit of a break up song, which naturally was probably my fault ha – it’s weird how you get so close to someone and your whole world really shrinks and becomes so focused on the two of you. Nobody else understands the intricacies of your relationship and to them it’s meaningless, but to you, it’s precious. If you like those two songs I recommend listening to Not One Word – I think you’ll like it. You can keep up with all my latest stuff on YouTube and Facebook. I’ll also be updating SoundCloud on a more regular basis now.”
Who would be your dream performer to work with?
“Collaborating with Ed Sheeran would be awesome. Guy is a hell of a musician, and he is able to dive into so many different genres. I also have a bit of an alternative country side to me, and Jason Isbell is a big inspiration of mine, so I think it would be cool to work with him too.”
What are you listening to now?
“If you were to steal my phone and check out my Spotify, you’d probably see a a lot of Ryan Adams, Vance Joy, Joe Pug, Johnny Flynn, Jason Isbell – guys like that.”