Songwriter's Monthly Feb. '11, #133 - Kristen Cothron

8/7/2019 Songwriter's Monthly Feb. '11, #133 - Kristen Cothron

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ashville-born Kristen Cothron is sweet.he speaks with a delicate tone and isolite and gracious. In fact, she mightven be a little on the shy side. Butheres another woman just behind theurtain waiting to step into thepotlight. When this other woman takes

he stage, all of her sins and secretsome out to play. Kristen performsith a primal come-hither force, rawnd sensual, confident and edgy, shean let loose while remaining inbsolute control.

othrons latest release is a drop-to-our-knees sultry, soul-stealing 3-songelf-titled vinyl EP [digital downloadvailable with purchase]. You cannshroud yourself in the thick, soft furf her sound and relish the darkomfort it offers.

risten started this project severalmonths ago and the three songs are aurposefully limited release meant tohet your appetite for the LP comingut later this year. The concept andesign of the physical packaging arebsolutely stunning. Cothron wentbove and beyond to immerse yourenses fully in her enticing world.

urrently, Kristen is gearing up for hernyl release party [March 3rd] andreparing for her solo tour [which takeser from Nashville to the SXSW and

back]. She was kind enough to ttime out from her hectic scheduletalk about her music and the powerartist has to take her audience pladuring a performance.

Songwriters Monthly: This EPgreat! The tracks are very origsounding.

Kristen Cothron: I like to hthat . . . a lot. I worked with Strano, he produced it he produmy last project, too we had a lofun making it.

SM: There doesnt seem to be a sinaspect of this project that washandled with care and nurtured.

KC: Thank you!

Music is definitelymy outlet to

showcase my otherside.


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S M : T h e f i r s t t r aAnthem . . . its like when put on your favorite song anempowers you.

KC: Absolutely. Thats definthe energy thats coming outhat song.

SM: Where did you get the for that song?

KC: You know, I probably wit when I was 19. It was something that I thought pretty simple. I doctored lyrics up and its turned intcompletely different songended up meaning somethtotally different.

SM: Anything in specific ylike to cite?

KC: Power. Having control being in control.

SM: When you sing that sell your soul for a taste obut Ill write the last check, last check . . . Wow!

KC: Thank you.

SM: How did you come up that line?

KC: Honestly, a lot of tiwhen Im writing, its just so

Power. Havingcontrol and being

control.


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ree-form poetry and it just sort ofomes out. Im not really sure wherehat one came from, but I liked it so Ised it twice [laughing].

M: I am very impressed by your wordhoice, you always seem to have theerfect word . . . and its not usually aypical songwriting word. You dontse a word that fits the meter and kindf means what you want to say, youse the absolute right word. Would yougree with that?

KC: Absolutely. Im really inspired writers like Elvis Costello, he uwords so well. I really respect that.

SM: And at the same time, you seemreally enjoy playing with words. The

a line in Maybe Its You tgoes youre reeling me in you got the wheel spinning. structure and cadence of

internal rhymes lock that together beautifully. It flowsnicely.

KC: Words are a lot of funlove piecing them togeththeres an art to it.

SM: Darkside is a cool tr

about letting a different, maggressive, sensual persotake control. Did you write tabout yourself?

KC: Yeah, a little bit. All writing is pretty self-reflectivwas in a car wreck a coupleyears ago and I had a lot of t

to think about where I wasmy career. The song is abbeing a performer, taking odifferent persona and allowyourself to experience thdifferent emotions. You can them into a song and its okay

SM: But which is the r

I was in a carwreck a couple of

years ago . . .
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risten, the girl watching from behind the curtain orhe girl who is center stage?

C: The real Kristen definitely has a dark side beinghe self-reflective artist who can go to that place, butheres definitely light in it and I guess thats what Imrying to say. Exploring that stuff can be exciting andositive.

M: I noticed that theres a darker, edgier personahat has been developing in your music over theears.

C: Yeah, its definitely an evolution. I likeollowing that line.

M: Will the rest of the album have thisxciting darkness?

C: Theres some fun stuff on it, too, but the

tles going to be SHOW ME WHERE THE EDGES, so yeah, Ill be looking for the edge andtill feeding into the darker side.

M: Theres a line in Darkside about howasy it is to seduce and manipulate people toet what you want. Do you do that?

C: You kind of get to do that on stage a little

it with your audience . . . in a fun way. Youan take them places. I think thats kind ofhy I go to writing and art and music, Im

more of an observer. I was really shyrowing up and music is definitely my outleto showcase my other side.

M: Are you still shy? Do you need thetage?

I had a lot of time tothink about where I was

in my career.
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C: Oh no, I think through music andhrough getting to share myself ontage, Im definitely more open andomfortable.

M: My current favorite song is Maybets You. Its got a great groove, niceohn Barry-esque horns, and theres aonderful hypnotic atmosphere to thehole track.

C: I loooove working with Ben Strano.his song really set the whole album in

motion. He played all the horn partsnd had a great band involved. Ictually co-wrote this one with Meganabir who is a great Nashville artist, asell.

SM: Did you write that one guitar?

KC: Usually songs start wlyrics for mbut this os tar ted wt h a t i n tprogression the melody t h e n t

verses. It really took off andseemed like there were wothat were meant for it, yknow? They just came.

SM: Again, you came up wsome incredibly vivid lyrics this track. The song is abfalling hard for someone jfrom that first impression not really knowing where it go, but feeling helpless to craving and being more twilling to throw yourself in take a chance. Was this writ

about a real person?

KC: Yeah, a little bit, absolutely.

SM: Is this person still in your life?

KC: Indeed, yes [laughing]. Thisactually one of the first real lovesongs Ive written.

SM: Does this person know this sonabout them?

KC: Uhm . . . probably [shyly].

SM: Before we wrap up, I just haveask about the packaging. The vinyl, artwork, the whole look is so edgy

The real Kristendefinitely has a

dark side.
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tunning, have you had much feedbackn it yet?

C: Ive used the picture for someromotions, but I havent debuted the

bum art yet. The vinyl release is onarch 3rd so Ive been kinda keeping itnder wraps, but Im hoping folks willke it. I actually did the art design

myself and Carie Thompson was thehotographer and she was great.

SM: What happens next?

KC: Im following up the release witsolo tour in March, heading out to SXSW.

SM: Is there anything we might hmissed?

KC: No, youve covered some regreat things and Ive enjoyed talkingyou. Youve asked me some questithat I havent thought about before.

For more information on Kristen, visi

www.KristenCothron.comwww.myspace.com/KristenCothronwww.sonicbids.com/KristenCothro

http://click.linksynergy.com/id=hyTjEIK1pMo&offerid=146261id=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1%252F%252Fitunes.apple.co%252F a r t i s t%252F k r i s t e% 2 5 2 F i d 1 5 9 0 0 4 4 1 %%253D4%2526partnerId%253D3

Exploring that

stuff can beexciting andpositive.
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Songwriter's Monthly Feb. '11, #133 - Kristen Cothron

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