What are you putting all of your energy into right now?
My energy is going into several things right now. I’ve been releasing new songs, both of my own and my 7th & Hope duo project, which is super fun. I’ve also been quite lucky with getting a bunch of songs in TV shows and ads, so that’s been super exciting. And, I’m getting ready to record a bunch of new songs to release later this year.
You have a new release! Can you talk about It's All Good?
“It's All Good” is a fun, feel-good song of individuality, self-love and self-acceptance. I wrote “It’s All Good” with fellow singer-songwriters Lucy Clearwater and Alison Albers, just a few days after we met at a songwriting retreat in Ojai a few years ago.
When the three of us got together to write, we broke the ice talking about various things--LA traffic and how we kind of don’t mind it because it gives us time alone in our cars to sing and to think. And how we get strange looks from people when we’re singing at the top of our lungs and drumming on the dashboard, but we don’t care.
Alison was a little late to the session, and we talked about how she and I are almost always 20 minutes late to everything. She and I both underestimate how long it will take to get places, especially because we tend to chat with people. “A stranger’s just a friend I haven’t met yet,” is a paraphrase of something Alison’s father always says. The only reason I wasn’t late that day, is the session was at my apartment!
We also talked about how there are so many messages women get about how they need to change, but that we’re pretty happy being ourselves, just as we are. I recalled a quote by Caroline Caldwell: “In a society that profits from your self doubt, liking yourself is a rebellious act.” I remembered it as liking yourself is “revolutionary” so that‘s how that revolutionary lyric got in the second verse.
And we summed it all up by saying it’s all good. Let people look. It’s all good. Let them think we’re crazy. It’s all good. Let them think we need to change, and that we’re unrealistic, etc. It’s all good. We don’t need to change. And we won’t stop looking for silver linings.
After the session I added the bridge, which completes the philosophy of the song: ‘I’m not sayin’ that I’m happy all the time. I’ve got my highs; I’ve got my lows. But I’d rather see the glass half full, cuz it makes for a lighter load.’
I love this song. I feel like it’s partly a manifesto and partly aspirational. It’s how I feel when I’m having a good day. And if I’m not having a good day, singing it will always put me in a better mood. I’ve been performing it for a few years now, so it’s great to finally be releasing it to the world.
What is the first thing to get done when making a track like this?
Once a song is written and I’m getting ready to record, the first thing I like to do is get clear on the production approach. Because a well-written song can be successfully produced in a variety of ways. For this song, because it’s upbeat and positive with kind of quirky lyrics, I wanted that to come across in the music. Bobby Holland, my producer on this song, and I spent a fair amount of time experimenting with different sounds to create something that captures the spirit of the song. We created a pop singer-songwriter track with some added notes of Americana, Folk and Country. There’s acoustic instruments as well as synths and electric guitar. And fun background vocals and harmonies. I think we captured the essence of the song perfectly.
You got to work with Grammy Nominated Bobby Holland! How was that experience?
Bobby is a good friend and musical collaborator of mine, so working together was easy. It felt like we were friends hanging out and making music - which we were!
Any good stories you can share about the making of the single?
Bobby and I were recording at his Pentavarit studio in Nashville, and were listening back to vocal takes with the studio door open when one of the other producer/engineers in the building walked by and said, “Is that Patricia Bahia?” I was like, … yes? I had no idea who this person was and had never met him before. I don’t live in Nashville, so there was very little chance he had ever seen or heard me before.
Turns out, he recognized my voice from a mixing course taught by master recording engineer/producer Bobby Owsinski!!! Bobby Owsinski mixed my “Save Your Heart” album, and used his beautiful mixes of my songs to demonstrate the mixing techniques he taught in the course.
That was an amazing small world moment! I am not a celebrity or famous, so I’m not used to having someone recognize my voice - by name - it was an exciting moment for me.
You are so consistent with releasing music - Do you have any tips for artists that want to keep on track with pushing through on consistently putting out music?
I don’t know… Just do it?! Haha (laughs). Seriously though, I think songs are meant to be heard. How will people hear your music if you don’t share it?
How do new fans keep on track with you?
I invite you to check out my music on your favorite music service
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