When most effective, music possesses an almost supernatural ability to
take listeners on a vibrant journey. Listen closely to a
well-constructed song, and an artist’s pathway to the present comes
into laser-sharp focus. To that end, if ever one was curious where
JOSIE DUNNE STANDS AT A GIVEN POINT IN HER LIFE, her sophisticated and
ever-soulful songs told the tale. Songwriting then, for the 22-year
old breakout singer, has always been a matter of “deep diving into
who you are as a person,” she offers. Because you have to be super
self-aware to figure out your sound.” Having worked as a
professional songwriter since age 16, and now on the cusp of releasing
Late Teens Early Twenties, her soul-baring second EP for Atlantic
Records, DUNNE SAYS IN SO MANY WAYS WE HAVE BEEN AND ARE CONTINUING TO
PLAY WITNESSES IN REAL TIME TO HER SELF-discovery. --
Willie Shaw
Music instigates introspection and often teaches us a thing or two
about ourselves. Flaunting expansive vocal range, eloquent songcraft,
and endless charisma, California-born and Nashville-based singer,
songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Willie Shaw composes relatable
pop anthems from real stories. Wrapping emotion in rhythm, he makes an
empathetic connection amplified by swaggering falsetto, slick grooves,
and pops of colorful production. Signed to CAA and Career Artist
Management, his 2020 independent debut EP introduces this striking
style.
“My music is meant for listeners to discover or remember things
about themselves,” he explains. “A song can give you a boost or
make you think, but it has an ability to encourage looking
inward—acting almost like a mirror. That happens when the emotion
comes through the instruments and the notes. That’s what I try to
bring.”
Hailing from Orange County, Willie first identified the potential of
music at home. Possessing an impressive voice of her own, mom sang
backups during sessions at the famed Capitol Records studio in Los
Angeles. In high school, Willie found his voice. Focusing on baseball,
football, and basketball at the time, he enrolled in a concert choir
class. In order to salvage his grade from a “B” to an “A,” he
took the stage and sang Stevie Wonder’s “You Are The Sunshine of
My Life.” Not only did he secure the grade, but his teacher invited
him to join honors choir. For the next four years, he split his time
between the baseball diamond and choir practice, running back and
forth to both. “You rarely picture the athlete guy singing,” he
smiles. “It felt like High School Musical!”
Attending William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA, he played baseball at
the college level in addition to writing and performing. Beyond
regular gigs at the student lodge, he busked in colonial Williamsburg,
playing covers for three hours a night outside of a popular restaurant
who appreciated the bump in wine sales! In the process, he developed a
charming presence and considerably honed his chops.
“By busking, I discovered what people like to listen to,” he goes
on. “That’s where I started to learn how to sing different tunes
for certain types of crowds.”
Upon graduation, he picked up and moved to Nashville. By day, he held
down an accounting gig for NASA. At night, he devoted countless hours
to songwriting. Drawing inspiration from Maroon 5, Bruno Mars, Justin
Timberlake, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Armstrong, he worked towards
fashioning a signature sound. As he cut his teeth, a successful 2018
audition for The Voice opened a series of doors. By serendipity, he
met Jeff Gregg at CAA and signed to the world-renowned agency. A
publishing deal with Warehouse West Entertainment followed. During CMA
Fest 2019, he attracted the attention of Career Artist Management
[Maroon 5, Big Boi]. With these pieces in place, he got right to work
on his debut EP.
Now, the first single “Falling In Love” struts forward on
percussive handclaps, shimmering keys, jazz-y guitar, and dreamy talk
box produced by Robopop [Lana Del Rey, Andy Grammer]. Willie’s voice
stretches from a breathy intro towards an ecstatic and engaging chant,
“I can tell that we are falling in love…brush it off girl, I’m
not making it up.”
“It’s very sensual,” he says. “When you listen to it, you
hopefully feel a lot of things. It’s meant to capture the excitement
of the moment when you know you’re head over heels about
somebody.”
Elsewhere on the EP, lightly picked acoustic guitar resounds on
“Sunday Call.” Co-written and produced by Adam Friedman [The Black
Eyed Peas, Mike Posner]. His storytelling takes center stage as he
details a family ritual and directly speaks to his parents in the
lyrics.
“Every Sunday, I have a check-in phone call with my mom and dad,”
he states. “If I missed it, I’m sure my mom would send a S.W.A.T.
team after me. I’m taking inventory of my life and asking them what
it was like when they met and how they knew it was right. It’s a
very personal story.”
On the other end of the spectrum, “Rhythm of a Woman” swings from
finger-snaps and a doo-wop groove towards a hypnotic hook about
“when you realize the person you’re dating is crazy, but you love
it.” Meanwhile, “I Always Knew” paints a vivid picture and
speaks to eternal love above faint guitar as he adopts “the
perspective of a groom on his wedding day.”
In the end, Willie Shaw might just make you realize something about
yourself as he soundtracks his journey (and yours).
“Songwriting shows us things inside we either didn’t know were
there or we forgot,” he leaves. “It’s a wonderful thing. This is
my way to connect and remind you how great life can be.”
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31/05/2020 Last update