Music has a way of winding its way into exploring the more personal and intimate aspects of our everyday lives.. This is absolutely true for artist, Clifford, who has joined us to share about his recent single release, ‘Love Is Real’.
Based in Maryland, USA, Clifford is a truly inspiring independent singer/songwriter, influenced by artists such as Marvin Gaye, David Bowie, Ray Charles and Coldplay, just to name a few.
In ‘Love Is Real’, Clifford draws you in with a real rawness and simplicity of guitar and stunning vocals and fills the space with the vulnerability of emotion.
The song is all about love and relationships, in which you can discover more about in the below interview.. As you listen, it’s easy to get swept away into the scene, almost as if it were an intense and emotive movie and you are the main character with Clifford serenading in the background.
This track is truly one to be listened to intently, to really capture the raw feel throughout the song.
You can Listen to ‘Love Is Real’ here:
Would you like to start by telling us a little about yourself?
I’m a US/UK citizen. My father is English (London) and my Mother is American (Maryland).
Although I was born and raised in Maryland, I have taken many trips to England throughout my life and I feel the same sense of belonging in England as I do in America, both feel like home to me.
My language studies began with French, followed by Arabic. I’ve been told we use the same part of the brain to learn languages as we do for music, so I think that’s why both feel natural to me.
I began playing drums at 8, acoustic guitar at 11, first band at 13…and I’ve never stopped adding instruments including piano, and of course vocals, since then.
What was it that first inspired you to begin a career in music?
I’ve always had music in my life but it wasn’t until an odd thing happened to me.
You’ve heard the metaphor Achilles heel, well I actually tore mine and it eventually lead me to music.
I was laid up for 13 months, during which time I began a Twitch channel. Other than playing games I sang covers for people.
Eventually I found all my followers tuning in to the music more than the gaming. I tried creating music while streaming but that was impossible for me. Then I had an amazing epiphany when I realized I needed to focus strictly on my music. That was 3 years ago.
How would you describe the feel of your music?
I genre blend. You’ll hear a mix of all sorts of styles like Indie, Pop, R&B, Synth, Singer/songwriter, Commercial, and Classical.
As each song’s story evolves I choose the genres most suited to tell that story. I studied languages so cultural influences are prevalent in my music as well, especially English, French and Arabic.
Sometimes I write about social issues and other times I write about love. But mostly I write about whatever truths I feel I need to express.
I grew up listening to anything from Mozart to Bowie, then in my teens from Cash to Eminem. I was never one to only listen to what my peers listened to and in adding language studies, my music listening expanded to Fairouz, Stromae, Amr Diab, Yo-Yo Ma and so many others.
These amazing artists have created an explosion of music diversity in my head that I can’t help but include in my music arrangements.
Other influences include The Temptations, Blind Willie Johnson, Drake, Kool & The Gang, Parliament, and xxxTentacion.
You have recently released your single, ‘Love Is Real’.. what was the inspiration behind the creation of this track?
Love is Real began with wanting to write an acoustic song. One that would be intimate and personal, which of course brought me to the topic of love.
The lyrics describe my biggest hopes in a relationship and about the frustrations of dating during a pandemic. But I also wanted this song to be a bit ambiguous so that someone already in a relationship could relate to the song as well.
Your single is about love and your biggest hopes in a relationship.. What would an ideal love in a relationship look like to you?
A loving relationship is a two way street in that you can’t have a strong relationship with someone without having a strong relationship with yourself.
In a love relationship my hopes include being able to dream while accepting reality. Both play an important part because reality is now and dreaming is the future.
“I just want to grow old with you and tell you every day, I love you…” pretty much sums it up for me.
What did the creative process look like for ‘Love Is Real’?
The process was pretty intense. I unexpectedly found myself tearing up during my favourite lines, which are the actual takes I used for the song.
I pretty much closed myself off from everything/everyone so I could pour myself into the song.
Where do you find your inspiration for your songs?
My inspirations come from everywhere.
Life experiences, feelings, current events, social settings, or sometimes just from listening to another artist I really admire.
How has Covid-19 impacted your musical journey?
Covid-19’s impact on my music has been a paradox of opportunity.
I’ve had a lot of opportunity to create while having lost the opportunity to promote my music through live performances.
What would you like to see happen for you in your music from here?
My future plans are to continue growing creatively and to expand publicly.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t include finding a way to monetize my music in a music industry currently undergoing many changes.
In a perfect scenario I see myself working with many different artists and producers to enhance all of our collective creativity.
What is one message you would like to share with your fans?
My one message to my fans is thank you and I’m here to stay.
You can find more of Clifford at:
https://soundcloud.com/cliffordreevesofficial
He is also on all available streaming platforms.
Karen Harding is a Melbourne, Australia based singer/songwriter, founder of Sounds On The Couch, and founder and operator of boutique music PR service for emerging and independent artists, Rise Indie.