In the spirit of the Circuit Breaker, i.e. Stay-In-Place measures, this entire production (as with most of the works here, years before) was done without meeting up with anyone.
This 3-song album took about a week to put together. It started with a text message from my friend Carrie, along with a link to an article: "Compose, sing and you may win $1,000".
"I've done a little verse and chorus. Would you like to hear and if you think we can collaborate?"
Carrie sent me a video demo of her song: one verse with her singing and playing a folk guitar. The chords were a straight-forward GDC combo. The words were your everyday variety. Yet simple as they were, it had a lot of 'feels'. Maybe the poignancy of the words and melody, with the Covid-19 lockdown/ Circuit Break period.
We read the contest rules more carefully. The main criteria was to record/edit actual performances on video. I texted back Carrie: "You interested in joining the contest or just want to do an awesome song?"
"Do an awesome song".
Additional verses, three different musical treatments, several combined hours collaborating online -- and here we are :)
"Awesome"might be highly subjective. But for sure, the songs are made possible with awesome friends like Carrie, Lynn and Minwen. I roped in Lynn and Minwen, who readily agreed to work on the album idea after hearing Carrie's video demo.
It's about a week left into the Circuit Breaker period, but life wouldn't be back to normal for a long, long time. Or as some people say, this is the "new normal". Life still has to go on, as best as we can.
We hope you enjoy these three songs.
p.s. Carrie did submit her video performance in time for the contest deadline. She got another of her friend involved, who created animation for it. Check it out here:
www.facebook.com/carrie.chan.1272/videos/10157298177946313/