We are so excited to be here today with Alexis Vear. Alexis has just released a gorgeous single for Father’s Day coming up on June 17th. Her single is titled ‘My Father’ and it will give you chills in a good way. Join us today as we let Alexis speak on so much from her new single, advice for today’s dads, live shows in London, and much more!
@skopemag – Where are we talking from today and can you believe it is June already?
AV: I am currently talking to you from Atlanta, GA and I can’t believe it is June. Time is flying by WAY too quickly, so I guess that means I’m having fun. I have a gig in London in June and another in July. I leave next Wednesday but am actually moving today. Life has been a whirlwind this year in the best possible way.
@skopemag – Are you more creative in the cold winter or in the hot summer months?
AV: Fortunately my creativity is not affected by the weather. But, I am definitely a warm weather girl. I love being outside with the sun shining down on me.
@skopemag – I love your artist name, Alexis Vear. Is that your real name?
AV: It is my real name. Thank your for the compliment.
@skopemag – Your bio states you grew up in IN and now reside in GA. How is the music scene where you live and how did you end up in Atlanta?
AV: The music scene is incredible here. I am a voting member of the Grammy Awards and the community here is just full of the sweetest people. One of my friends has been topping the Billboard charts in smooth jazz and it is a blast to see it all happening for her. I met her at an event hosted by a South African Grammy winning artist that plays the flute. A lot of people come to Atlanta to perform so it is such a treat to get invited to those events too. Extremely inspiring to live in a city with such talent.
@skopemag – We are celebrating the release of your new single, ‘My Father.’ Offer us insight into how this song came to be from writing to recording to release?
AV: It was the beginning of February and my father’s 80th birthday was coming up. I wanted to give him a special gift, but I was completely stumped. On February 5th I was thumbing through Instagram and ran across a post from one of my favorite artists named Andy Grammar. He had just released a new album called “The Good Parts” and he had posted a picture and video of he and his dad singing together. He absolutely honored his father in the biggest way. I felt sad that night as I went to sleep because I had no clue how I could do that for my dad.
In the morning I awakened, grabbed a cup of tea, and went straight into my studio. As I held my pen and guitar and wrote the first line of the song, I started bawling. I should say, as the song revealed itself to me, I started bawling. It felt as if someone else was holding my pen and moving my hands on the guitar. The song was about all the good parts of being my father’s daughter. Just pure love. It was miraculous to me to be reminded of all the incredible moments my father and I shared in my childhood that I had forgotten, and even more beautiful that I actually was able to honor him with a song on his birthday.
After I finished writing the song, I had a flashback of a conversation my dad and I had about music production. My dad has always told me he wished I would record my songs like Elton John, with a piano. Fortunately I know an incredibly talented piano player, sound engineer, musical genius, etc… named Trammel Starks. We met at his studio a few days later, recorded the song, and it was just magic!!! It was done in about two hours. After his birthday I knew I had to release it.
@skopemag – What was it about your father that inspired you to write this gorgeous song?
AV: Truly, LOVE!!! As I mentioned, the song kind of wrote itself after reading Andy’s post. My dad and I are super different in many ways. He is a scientist and I am an artist, but at the end of the day none of that matters. I have seen a lot of people pass in the last year and I just want the time I have left with my dad to be memories I will cherish!!!
@skopemag – I am a father to 2 amazing boys. Offer us dads some brief advice on what you think makes a great dad in 2018?
AV: Wow, Believe in your child as they become the person they want to be. So many times parents get a preconceived idea of what their child should do or be and that is all wrong. You may be an athlete and your son would rather be reading a book. Then get him to the library every week. Children have an internal compass and effortlessly know what they are excited about. Passion shows up early. Parents seem to sometimes break the compass, shaking it, trying to turn it in a different direction. Most of all, I think a great dad in 2018 is a father who is not afraid to be vulnerable. Tell your child how much they mean to you. And if you get scared parenting, focus on love, not on your fears because that never, ever works!!! That just makes your child insecure without confidence!!!
@skopemag – You always look and sound so beautiful. How do you keep your vocals and your image always so healthy and on point?
AV: Awwww…That is so sweet of you to say!!! I sing all day everyday. I have been doing this since I could talk. As far as my image, I don’t do anything. I love fruits and vegetables and fish. I LOVE to walk outside. A four mile walk in the sun is a perfect day. Also, recently I fell in love with rose hip oil. It is amazing . It has really made my skin glow.
@skopemag – What kind of setting & mood must you be in to create music and be free?
AV: I write at strange times. Usually when I am trying to relax and not think or write. Often on my four mile hikes I will write a whole song beginning to end in less than a mile. Songs come to me out of the blue as if they are dictated in my ear. It happens a lot when I’m in the shower, or driving down the highway, especially when I am in nature. The worst is when I am at a party, or a social gathering because if a song comes I drop everything and write it. I’ve offended people before doing that. But when a song comes, it is better than anything to me. Nothing holds a candle to the feeling I get when a song arrives completed!!!
@skopemag – When you look at the the music industry today, do you see streaming & social media as a positive for independent artists today?
AV:I think it is both positive and negative. When I released my first LP I sold a ton of CD’s and made a pretty penny. Today it is not like that. Revenue is not created the same way. But as I say that, the streaming allows you to reach a far greater audience. At the end of the day, I write songs to be heard by others and hopefully touch a heart or inspire something positive. Streaming allows this dream of mine to happen. I have faith in it all. Strategy is always changing, so I just keep writing because eventually I will fall upon the perfect equation!!!
@skopemag – What is coming up for Alexis Vear and where you @ online?
AV: I have two shows in London scheduled:
The Catford Bridge Tavern
June 14
The Castle Inn
July 12th
I am on my way to Europe for a month. I have never been so excited in my life!!! I am also an oil painter. I paint a ton of commissions and sell my original art. When I write a song I see a moving picture as if a movie in my head. I often paint my favorite images from the movie in my mind. I just can’t even wait to see what images set in on this trip. I am looking forward to this experience in Europe and can’t even wait to hear the songs and see the paintings it inspires!!!
You can check my work out at http://www.alexisvear.com.
Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me!!! I hope you have the best Father’s Day in the world with your babies!!!
