Singer-songwriter Courtney Cole just recently released a new 4-track EP called Earthquake and it’s a big change of pace from her previous work.
Originally from New Orleans, Cole went to college in Nashville and found herself beginning to dive into the music industry quickly.
After getting the attention of Rolling Stone and Huffington Post, touring opportunities with artists like Miranda Lambert and Kenny Chesney began to materialize.
A few years ago, Courtney moved to California and that location switch is evident in the music.
Inspired by her new surroundings, Earthquake is more pop oriented than her past material and I think that just speaks to her ability to grow and adapt as an artist.
As if she wasn’t busy enough, Cole has also started a podcast called The Love Freq.
In honor of her new EP, Courtney gave us a quick run down of her songwriting process:
Step 1: Go out in nature
“Walk, hike, run, sit, ride… I usually love to take a good hike, or ride my bike down the beach to be near the waves.”
Step 2: Stay open to inspiration
“Nature makes me feel connected, and usually when I am in that state there is a lot that flows through me!”
Step 3: Write the first thing that comes out
“Without thinking too much about what I need to say or how I need to write it, I just let whatever is there come out. Usually it comes out in the form of a poem. Sometimes it’s a melody that comes first but a lot of the time it’s lyrics. I run with whatever idea is flowing and craft it like I would a poem within rhyme and rhythm. Some days the idea is awesome and some days the ideas aren’t so awesome… but my goal is to always follow the path of least resistance.”
Step 4: Add the music
“If I have lyrics already then it’s a rule for me to sit down and start my voice recorder immediately because more often than not, the first melody that comes to mind is the right one. It gets tricky because if I don’t do that because then I’ll end up trying to work and force a melody and it ends up not working quite right. Usually the first melody I sing without overthinking is the best one.”
Step 5: Live with it
“After I am done with the words and the music, I live with it for a few days to see what needs to be tweaked. Sometimes there is a lot that needs to be reworked, and sometimes there is nothing at all!”
*Thumbnail Photo by Michael Brewster
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