“When I go into the studio, sometimes I have an idea in mind, like something I recorded into my phone. But most of the time I just plunk myself in front of the piano and start playing, sampling beats, creating drum patterns and fooling around on the mic. It’s an organic experience.”
Reclusive indie singer/songwriter Chris Eberlein talks about music, life as a musical savant on the DL and his career retrospective Wormholes, available everywhere digital music is sold and streamable.
Q: Twenty years. What does Wormholes mean to you?
CE: I started out in 2001 singing everybody else's songs, and singing the way my coaches or people expected me to sound. I was too shy and introverted to do anything else. There's been so much growth and life since I was that 16 year old kid! We put out the Deluxe Edition, which has SO much more music than the standard version, in chronological order to really showcase how much my sound and my music have evolved since those early days. It means the world to me to be able to share what I believe is my "musical legacy" (whatever that means) to whomever listens.
Q: In your opinion, how has your music changed?
CE: It's hard to listen back to the early stuff, kind of like when people look at old yearbook photos. I sound oh so young and oh so inexperienced. Everything had to be so particular, and there's a lot more space and breathing room. I feel like my musical tastes have come a long way. I like my instrumentals to have this complexity now, but when I was young I wanted people to hear how perfectly poised my voice could be. I'm so, so glad I'm making the music I am now.
Q: How did "Clingy" come about?
CE: I'd wanted to collaborate for years, and Akin sent me over the beat track and I was like, hmmm, whoa, I get this, I hear something, I'm feeling something. I literally sang that intro line immediately, the tag "Less woke folk call it clingy," and I just knew that was it. I think we had the basic outline of what the overall track was going to sound like in a day or two. The lyrics were super easy for me because, and I get it, when the pandemic hit people were kind of saying how they couldn't go anywhere, but for me and my spouse it really was a blessing in disguise. I was so fortunate because I got to spend lockdown with my favorite person. And some people got on each other's nerves, but we pretty much enjoyed every second of it. That's what "Clingy" is about.
Q: "Clingy" went viral hit in places around the world. Were you surprised?
CE: I knew it was a total bop because I could still listen to it now; it sounds so fresh and current. It had that vibe that you know is something great from first listen. It was just so effortless, the lyrics came to me so quickly, the bridge was a happy accident, everything just came together on the song. I knew that if we got it to the right people, the ones who love summery pop songs, they'd appreciate it.
Q: You’re a confessional songwriter, but more often you refrain from being specific. Is that something you're aware you do?
CE: A lot of my songs are personal, but they can fit lots of other people’s situations too, which is very, very intentional. I get where songwriters who are extremely personal are coming from, and I’ve definitely written songs that can only apply to me, but I think going too deep really limits your potential audience. I love Imogen Heap, but her lyrics can be so out there that, even though it's flowery, pretty poetry, most of it isn't digestible by the general population. Not that I have tens of thousands of fans or anything like that, of course, but being too hard to get into can be a tough nut to crack sometimes.
Q: Speaking of, what does it feel like to be this artist on the down low not many people know about?
CE: It’s kind of funny, because I'm not someone who pushes myself out there anymore and I shy away from that stuff now. People eventually discover I have this whole other persona and they're shocked. I'm actually a diehard introvert, and I don't take compliments very well, so I put this separation up between Chris the Person and Chris the Artist. They're both Chris, but they're different facets of Chris. It can also be really embarrassing, like when people see when I was put out to be this sexy pop person early in my career. I was really going there so much because I really enjoyed pushing the boundaries of what people had wanted me to be when I was just starting out. People just can't believe that was me, which I guess is kind of offensive? Just kidding.
Q: Your music is such an amalgamation of genres and styles. Is that intentional or a natural extension of your artistry?
CE: Absolutely. I used to try for so long to be like other artists I admired, which usually just came off really half-assed since I wasn't being authentic and true to myself. As a music fan, I love to listen to all sorts of songs and genres, and I think that's really important as a musician to be inspired by it all. Naturally, elements of what inspires me trickle down into my own music. That’s why there are so many quirky instruments and sounds on so much of what I do—because it’s just me, holed up in my studio, just being weird and 100% authentically me, just trying to make music with all these sounds in my brain.
Q: What's something you need to have with you at all times in the studio?
CE: Caffeine. And lots of it.
Q: Are you a singer who writes songs or a songwriter who sings?
CE: Both. Do I have to choose? I don't think so. I started being known first as a singer, but I've been writing songs since I was 12 years old.
Q: You’ve made a name for yourself as quite the do-it-yourselfer. Do you like to work alone or collaborate?
CE: It comes down to money. I don’t have major label backing. I am fortunate to have funds that I can put toward purchasing gear and thing for my music and my craft, but I’m not rolling in dough. I can’t afford to outsource violins to a professional violinist whenever I feel like it. There’s also this percentage of me that's a control freak because I know exactly what I want something to sound like and sometimes, as I’ve seen from past experiences, relying on others doesn’t always mean you achieve the vision you’ve set out to achieve with a song.
Q: Do you enjoy being an independent artist?
CE: Right now it’s probably the best thing to be if you want to create and be an artist without feeling beholden to The Man. When I started out in 2001, I think you really didn't have many options because your goal was to sign with a major because of all the things they could do for you. But nowadays you have the instantaneous nature of being able to go viral, and you're all over the place all at once. I probably wouldn’t even advise anyone to sign a major label deal; it’s just not really necessary anymore. I would look at major label distribution, but the old model of the label essentially owning you and your own music is done, thankfully.
Q: As an artist who started in the early 2000s, do you have any advice for the next generation?
CE: Life is about the journey, not the ending. Always have a destination in sight, but the moments are what matter most. Learn to work hard and believe in yourself. It won’t be easy, but if you have a solid foundation you’ll be harder to be pushed over. Value your time, don’t waste it. Practice your craft and never stop moving forward. Trust your instincts. One day at a time, baby.