HMTV Canada Tina Interviews Carmen Chiles SOULution
www.myspace.com/carmenchilesbandmusic
www.isound.com/carmen_chiles
www.myspace.com/ninkninktheproducer
HMTV Canada Tina: 1. Hi Carmen How are you? How is your east coast tour working out for you currently?
Carmen: I’m doing really well thanks. It’s been a great time. I started the tour by doing a lot of solo acoustic club dates in intimate settings. I really enjoy the smaller venues because I like looking people in the eye and talking to them. It makes me feel like I can see what they’re thinking. As the tour progressed I had the opportunity to player in larger venues and open for a lot of cool acts such as Gym Class Heroes, Brian Wilson, Foreigner and Kansas. One good memory I have is of Brian Wilson coming up to the side of the stage and watching my entire set. He was just chillin’ and gave me positive feedback after the show.
HMTV Canada Tina: 2. Can you tell us more info about your east coast tour bases on your current release SOULution such as the dates and places?
Carmen: The plan now is to do more festivals, reach more people and play with my full band. We recently performed at the Urban Jam Fest in Fort Knox, KY at the army base. I opened up for Keith Sweat, Omarion, Bone Crusher and Silk. That was my first time being flown to a show so it’s a special memory for me. August 30th I’ll be in Charlotte, NC at the Summer Soul Festival opening up for Morris Day & The Time. Also I just got a call to perform in Florida at another festival opening up for India Arie and Musiq Soulchild, so I’m looking to confirm that show soon.
HMTV Canada Tina: 3 Having read your wonderful biography can you explain one of your favorite quotes" Life is love and love is life and nothing else matters"?
Carmen: That quote is something I came up with. I started telling myself that and believing in it when I was in college. I began to realize that most things in this life just come and go and it’s really the concept/idea of love that is the foundation for much of what we experience. It’s also a good way for me to remind myself of the things that are most important to me and appreciate them more.
HMTV Canada Tina: 4. Do you have any spiritual influences for inspiration, daily life, family, friends when it comes to writing lyrics?
Carmen: I feel like spirituality is such a personal thing and is different for everyone. Inspiration definitely comes from different sources for me. My family and friends have definitely left their mark on the album through my experiences with them. I try to pay attention to the little things now more than ever and I don’t believe in coincidences, so I really feel that everything that happens really does matter. Also, I’m a preacher’s daughter and that has definitely had a huge impact on my life and how I perceive the world. I feel the title of my album reflects this as well.
HMTV Canada Tina: 5. Carmen who are your unsung heroes?
Carmen: My unsung heroes are made up of a wide range of people. They are the people all around the world working the daily grind with little rest but are still pursuing their dreams. They are the people who don’t necessarily have a voice or outlet to express themselves, yet take the time to thank me for saying what they’ve always wanted to say. They are the people who are experiencing my journey with me. They are the people in my life who deserve so much credit for where I’m at in my music career. They are the people who help me on a daily basis to be the best person I can be.
www.myspace.com/carmenchilesbandmusic
www.isound.com/carmen_chiles
www.myspace.com/ninkninktheproducer
HMTV Canada Tina: 6. Carmen How is the piano your alibi for all your songwriting process?
Carmen: My parents gave my sister and I piano lessons when we were kids. I was in the 4th grade and I remember having to go to the lessons, rehearse, etc while my friends were outside playing and I didn’t really appreciate it then but I’m so glad my parents made me learn because now it’s such a big part of my songwriting process. I’ve been able to reach back to the skills I studied and learned as a child and take it to the next level, so it has become a good starting point for creating my songs. The song “Love Is” is a good example of this.
HMTV Canada Tina: 7. Can you elaborate on how you maintain your lush when it comes to producing your music?
Carmen: Well, like anything worth having, it takes a lot of hard work. I try hard to play music everyday and so it really has become an extension of who I am-almost like an extremity. I physically crave it. I take vocal lessons not only to maintain but also to improve my vocal abilities. Studying the greats (listening to their music and watching their live performances) has really heightened my awareness of what it takes to set oneself apart from the pack.
HMTV Canada Tina: 8. Do you have a constant changing approach to recording and mixing your music?
Carmen: There are definitely different things I did in the studio in order to get a specific sound for a song and SOULution is my first album so it definitely took some trial and error to figure out what worked best for me as well as the individuals that worked with me in the studio. Preparation is key when dealing with engineers but a certain level of improvisation is healthy and fun. I take the recording process just a serious as a live performance. Maintaining professionalism is key.
HMTV Canada Tina: 9. How did you meet executive producer Nink and what is his role in SOULution?
Carmen: I met Nink when I moved to New York City. Nink is the executive producer of the album and he also played guitar and bass on several songs. He gave me crucial feedback on song and vocal arrangements. I learned a lot about producing my own music from watching him work in the studio.
HMTV Canada Tina: 10. Carmen what is your criteria for a well mixed or engineered song?
Carmen: This question makes me laugh because I’m such a perfectionist in the studio and so there’s a number of funny memories that come to mind when working with Nink to finish songs. I’m pretty sure I made him loose some hair over my “criteria” :) Without getting too technical I would have to say that before I record the song and hear it finished, I can already hear the finished product in my head. So by the time the song is finished being recorded, it’s not too hard for me to know if I’m happy with it or not. Also, I work very closely with the engineers and vice versa so we all try to make it as painless as possible.
HMTV Canada Tina: 11. What are the highlights of your current release SOULution anything from messages, inspirations, your biggest challenge to produce the music and new skills learned?
Carmen: Signing a licensing and distribution deal with Amplitude Records International only 4 months after releasing SOULution has been the biggest tangible highlight for me, but emotionally there have been so many more highlights. There were a lot of obstacles and sacrifices that came with the recording process, so knowing that I was able to overcome and maintain brings about a huge sense of satisfaction. Setting the goal and reaching it felt great. I’ve also really appreciated the emails I’ve received from all over the world. You never know how a certain song will affect or even change someone’s life and when someone actually takes the time to let you know about it then it just makes it all worth it in ways I can’t really explain. It’s all fuel for round 2-the sophomore album :)
The biggest challenge for me when producing music is being able to be patient with the process. Like I mentioned before, I can hear the finished product in my head and so it’s sometimes difficult for me to remain patient and take the necessary steps to get to the end result. You can’t skip any steps. It just won’t come out right if you do.
As far as new skills learned, right away I have to say that I’ve learned about being a producer. I also played bass on this album so I’m trying to get better at that and also playing piano on the album has increased my confidence in that area. The harmonica is another instrument I played on the album and I’d like to get better at that as well. It’s all a learning process-everyday.
HMTV Canada Tina: 12. Are you a member of or affiliated with any underground music organizations and have you won any honorary awards for SOULution?
Carmen: I definitely support underground music and underground music organizations. There’s so much good underground music out there and there’s definitely a growing fan base for it. I haven’t won any honorary awards but I feel I’ve gained many emotional rewards from SOULution.
HMTV Canada Tina: 13. How is the internet working out for as a marketing tool for your music, collaborating with Promotional Representatives - media relations? Do you feel that there is a closer networking relationship with your fan base through the internet?
Carmen: The internet has been a key tool to my success. I’m definitely able to reach an audience that I wouldn’t otherwise be able to reach. It’s changed the way the music industry works. The same thing can be said for with regard to media relations- this interview is a great example of that :) Yes, I feel that I have a closer networking relationship with my fans and I’m glad that I’m able to communicate with people all over the world. I certainly don’t take it for granted.
HMTV Canada Tina: 14. Carmen what is your opinion on the music industry today? What are your hopes and goals for your music career?
Carmen: I think the music industry is trying to figure itself out right now. The internet is a big reason for this. Record labels and record stores are going out of business but the music is still alive and it’s still getting into people’s headphones and speakers so there’s definitely still an industry out there-it’s just changing. My hope is that I can reach a point in my career where my sole income comes from the music that I make. I always want to maintain my creative freedom.
HMTV Canada Tina: 15. What advice do you have for bands and solo artists starting out in the music scene?
Carmen: Practice, practice, practice. Follow your gut and learn from your mistakes. Surround yourself with positive and encouraging people. Admit when you’re wrong and say thank you a lot!
HMTV Canada Tina: 16. Before we close our interview do you have any shout outs or any last words?
Carmen: Sure, First thank you Tina and HMTV for this interview! Thank you for supporting me and my music. I really appreciate it! I’d like to give a shout out to my family, my management-Power Entertainment Group, my distribution label Amplitude Records International and to all my faithful fans- I love you guys!!!!
HMTV Canada Tina: Thank you Carmen for taking the time to complete HMTV Canada's Online Ezine Interview Questions. You Rock and we hope to see Carmen Chiles SOULution tour in Canada soon?
Hollywood Music TV Canada – Tina
www.hollywoodmusic.tv/tina
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