Kenny Schafer’s Highway Racer is a glimpse into the thoughts of an artist who refuses to be confined by expectation. With a background in classical composition and a deep appreciation for jazz, Schafer builds his songs with the precision of a craftsman and the intuition of a storyteller. On this interview, he touches on the surprising inspiration behind Highway Racer, how his orchestral coaching feeds into his songwriting, and why the music’s reckless, free-spirited protagonist represents extra of himself than he first realised. From layering intricate instrumental interludes to making sure each lyric carries weight, Schafer presents a uncommon look into the thought means of a songwriter who isn’t afraid to let his music take surprising turns.
Kenny Schafer, welcome to A&R Manufacturing facility! Your newest single, Highway Racer, marks a pivotal chapter in your work, and together with your background as a classical pianist and composer, there’s lots to discover about how that shapes your songwriting and lyrical strategy. What was the spark behind this observe, and what story or feeling have been you making an attempt to seize if you wrote it?
On the time I wrote Highway Racer, I used to be engaged on a Latin jazz album referred to as Ocean Breeze. I had been creating a deeper appreciation of Latin music particularly of Horace Silver and Chick Corea. The Latin model fits me effectively as a composer—non-sentimental, non-Romantic, humorous, enjoyable, rhythmically pushed, melodic. I heard in my head a 6/4 bass groove and commenced creating it considering I used to be onto one other jazz combo work. However because it developed, it quickly grew to become evident that I used to be writing a pop music with a feminine lead vocal. The title and lyrics have been urged to me by the music, which appeared to depict a fun-loving, reckless, younger lady. The music of Highway Racer is without delay wild and unpredictable whereas additionally hip and refined very like the character. No particular life expertise instantly influenced this music, however right now I view the highway racer (who I as soon as thought of to be a foil of myself) to be a illustration of my very own character. It’s a facet of me that stays hidden in day-to-day life, however comes out ceaselessly my music. The central traits of this character are ardour, impatience with menial points of life, independence, and risk-taking.
Your background as a classical pianist and composer brings a unique dimension to your songwriting. How does that affect the best way you construction a music in comparison with extra conventional songwriting strategies?
A lot of the songs that I write use conventional music buildings: verse, refrain or ABA. However what’s totally different is the liberty with which they’re used. My background as a classical composer means I can invent my very own types if I need to; I’m not tied to a formulaic groundwork to construction a chunk of music. Typically in my songs you can find variation between the verses, surprising deviations from the music type, prolonged intros, outros, or interludes, and generally new types all collectively. However I solely do these issues if the music requires it; I don’t break the foundations simply to interrupt the foundations. Highway Racer is on the extra typical facet of my songs, however the instrumental interludes in it might solely have been written by somebody with some classical of their background.
Classical composition typically follows a unique algorithm than up to date songwriting. Do you end up deliberately breaking these guidelines, or do they naturally form your strategy to writing?
Initially, it is a misguiding query as a result of there are not any guidelines in both style. We connect style titles to items as a comfort to arrange the listener for the sound world they’ll hear. I might name Highway Racer a pop music as a result of if I referred to as it a classical composition, the piece wouldn’t match the thought put within the listener’s head by that style. Nevertheless, within the case of songwriting there are patterns which can be so generally used within the idiom that they will nearly be thought of “guidelines” (issues like music type, tonal concord and so forth.). Within the classical realm although, each rule has been damaged. There exists atonal classical music, music with out meter, music with out melody, and in a single case even music with out sound (John Cage 4’33). The purpose is people who find themselves deeply acquainted with the world of music we usually name “classical” are open to an unlimited myriad of potentialities {that a} pop music listener might by no means be uncovered to. To reply the query, no I wouldn’t have to deliberately take into consideration breaking guidelines as a result of the best way I write is a pure consequence of the music I’ve listened to and studied.
Some songwriters prioritize storytelling, whereas others give attention to imagery or temper. The place does Highway Racer sit inside that spectrum, and do you see lyrics as a structural factor or one thing extra fluid?
Highway Racer is all about story and to inform a superb story, one should have imagery and temper. The imagery of Highway Racer is without doubt one of the main issues that makes it distinctive. All through the music, the association is continually commenting and depicting components of the textual content. For example, when the highway racer says “shut the door” we hear an emblem crash instantly after imitating a door slam. A perceptive listener also can hear imitations of windshield wipers, countdowns, and engines unfold all through the piece. The lyrics are completely a structural factor on this music. One hears a very totally different association within the second verse than within the first verse and that’s as a result of I’m adjustment the association to depict the 2 totally different story segments.
How do you stability technical composition with uncooked emotion if you’re engaged on a observe like this?
I imagine that method and emotion go hand in hand and to create a really emotional expertise, a superior method is required. The method comes first. Not many composers are in a state of nice pleasure for a observe when imputing the very first notes. We actually don’t know what’s going to occur, if it’s the following large hit, or simply one other failed try. However because the piece builds and distinctive identification takes form our pleasure for that identification grows and if it’s a actually particular work, an awesome state of emotion and artistic vitality can ensue. However to achieve that stage, we should have the method to develop that concept and convey out its interior genius. Early on method is essential, however later within the course of, emotion takes over.
Do you’re feeling that having a classical background offers you a bonus relating to songwriting, or do you ever discover it difficult to translate these abilities into the fashionable music panorama?
I really feel that it does (give me a bonus). Most songwriters in all probability don’t know how restricted the world of music they stay in actually is. Think about in case you might use any chord, any type, any instrument, any meter. I write down each notice in my songs and have full management over each factor. The fashionable music panorama just isn’t vital to me as a result of I write music to please myself not others. Due to what I’ve listened to and my very own pure talents, I’m the one finest ready to jot down the music that I’ve at all times most needed to listen to.
Taking a look at your wider physique of labor, do you’re feeling like Highway Racer is a one-off stylistic enterprise, or does it signify a shift in the best way you need to strategy songwriting transferring ahead?
It was a shift on the time however not anymore. It’s not that writing a pop music was something new for me, however I had by no means written a music fairly like this one. I had written songs about my very own life from my very own perspective. This music was a few made-up character in a made-up story and I had by no means written like that earlier than. I made a decision I needed to jot down extra songs with this non-personal strategy and that led to my 10 music album College Days.
If somebody listening to Highway Racer might take away one factor—whether or not it’s a sense, a message, or an appreciation for a unique strategy to songwriting—what would you need it to be?
What I respect most about Highway Racer is the character. She’s a assured, sassy, naïve, unreserved, unjaded younger lady who needs nothing greater than to make life thrilling for herself and the individuals round her. We musicians might be very snobbish and generally fairly silly in the best way we choose lyrics. All of us need to hear one thing that tells our story, the depicts the particular person we wish to be. There was a time when listening to a lyric reminiscent of “trigger’ I’m the highway racin’ sort of a woman” would have led me to thumb my nostril up. I’m not such an individual and subsequently the music isn’t deep to me. However now I see that this isn’t the purpose of lyrics. I respect Highway Racer as a result of it’s about somebody totally different from me. And in contrast to some who’ve critiqued this music, I don’t assume she is a shallow character. I feel she has a particular trait that many people might study one thing from—the boldness to do what she loves regardless of the foundations and to be who she is regardless of the norms. If there are some who choose her as shallow and naïve, she definitely wouldn’t thoughts . . . and I don’t both.
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Stream Highway Racer on Spotify now.
Interview by Amelia Vandergast
