What are your names?
My name is Callen

What is the band’s name?
My band consists of me, myself, and I for now… and my dog, Ruby every now and then.

How did you come up with the band’s name?
Callen, it is quite deep when you don’t think about it actually… My middle name is Allen and my first name is Conner. I didn’t want to think too hard about having some epic band name when it was just going to be me for the time being. I felt like creating this name because it’s my own making, but still close to home. When I started using it, it was kind of like starting with a clean palette.

What is your genre of music?
I would describe my music as singer songwriter & edm. I personally feel like it goes through a lot of different aspects of these types of music. I think you’ll notice that in the way I produce my songs.Kick and bass is always a very important part of production for me, but I also really like folk sounds.

Give us a little bio about you as a band.
I started releasing music as Callen in 2019. Before that I was a little bit all over the place with music and not quite sure what I was doing. Not too say I don’t still feel a little bit lost every now and then, but once I released my first song on spotify under Callen I felt a new sense of purpose start to bloom. I had been playing in bands, producing, and making music videos for other artists for a few years and was constantly feeling inspired yet overworked. However, after releasing Silver & gold I started to have a perspective shift. In a way I accepted myself for not really living up to the rock n’ roll dream I had when I was a kid, and accepted change I realized what I constantly thought about and wanted to write about, my life, my friends, and my experiences. The hook in Silver & gold, “I’m ready to let go, if you’re ready to let go to” represents a sense of moving on in personal relationships, but also my relationship with myself. I’m self taught with mostly everything when it comes to making the music, so I am still constantly going into songs with an element of ambiguity and excitement. I have been releasing remixes on soundcloud for a while and have a few up on spotify. With my original music I have a way more drawn out vision. I love creating the visual experience and even extensions of these songs. “​Warm​” by Erin Jarvis, and I was just the beginning of a lot of videos I’ll be sharing inthe next year. The one I’m releasing today (May 18th, 2020) for this single, “Talking to myself &imagining” is even more personal. I wrote the song with a theme of anxiety and the video takes on amore general, but connected version of that. Here is the link to the new music video

What made you go into music?
I played hockey growing up and one of my coaches happened to be a drummer in a local cover band. I started taking private lessons, and that was the beginning.

Are you a signed?
I am not signed to a record label at the moment.

You have released your new single ‘Talking To Myself & Imagining’ , tell us more about the single. What is the meaning behind the single?
“Talking to myself & imagining” is such a personal song for me on a few levels. I wrote it with my friend Nicole Beaubien here in Nashville. Honestly, this song is quite literal for the most part. It’s sortof a commentary on making assumptions in my personal relationships.

Describe the track in two words.
fast and blue

What was the writing process like?
The writing process was easy. Once Nicole and I knew what we were writing about, the words just started to pour out and we finished the lyrics in a night.

What was the recording process like?
The recording process was me getting lost over and over again, which is ironic. I made about 32 different versions of the song and lost my mind on production and being a perfectionist on all of them. I eventually stepped back from it and after a month made a few more versions, and wasre-inspired. It was a hectic process, but I’m happy with where it ended up. It is exactly what I wantedit to sound and feel like. So the months it took were worth it.

Who did you work with on the single?
In my studio at home.

Will we see an EP or Album and if so what can we expect?
I’ll be releasing two EP’s building up to an album in the next year. It’s going to be pretty dynamic in terms of genre blending and sound, but the lyrical themes are all building on to a story that I’ll betelling with an album. The two EP’s will play bigger roles in that as well. There is going to be a lot ofvideos on top of that. I’m excited. Everything has already been written.

What else can we expect in 2020?
Merchandise, remixes, music videos, a ton of collaboration, hopefully less pandemic

Do you have any collaborations coming up with any up coming artists?
I have a really cool collaboration with an artist named “Dano” called “Dreaming Again.” We workedon this one for a while and now we are just getting the visual side done. I produced his last single“Nothing left to lose” and shot the music video. Check it out!
Spotify

Would you be up for collaborations if other musicians wanted one with you? and who would they have to contact
?If it makes sense! I’m all about collaborating! Hit me up on instagram

Do you play any instruments?
I started on drums and guitar, then learned piano and voice. Still a work in progress!

Do you play any instruments?
I started on drums and guitar, then learned piano and voice. Still a work in progress!

Who are your influences?
My close friends in Nashville are definitely among my current influences. Laurin Hunter, Dano, Townsend, The American indie, and more. I’m totally obsessed with a group called A R I Z O N A right now. Nostalgic is my favourite, if you haven’t heard you should check it out! My first concert was BonJovi and I grew playing in rock and metal bands while listening to a lot of EDM, Folk, Indie, Punk, andpop. I went through a big folk phase… I love Bright eyes, conor oberst, the lumineers, Ben howard,and a ton more. I also went through a big Muse phase. There are too many.

How do you get inspiration to write songs?
I do a few different things to get inspiration. I go on trail runs and try to discover new places without knowing how far I’m going. Usually leads to a unique experience every time. I track them all with a cool app called strava. In that aspect, nature inspires me. I get inspired from unique experiences in general, but also movies and soundscapes.

Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
Probably doing exactly what I’m doing now, but more established, and traveling more. Probably have less of a crappy guitar. We shall see.

When you’re not doing music, what do you do?
Ice Hockey, Running, falling into black holes on the internet, and pondering the mysteries of the universe with my friends.

What was the song you listened to most that influenced you to go more into the music scene?
Starlight by Muse.

What’s the best advice you have ever been given?
Enjoy the struggle. Mixing is subjective.

What advice would you give to aspiring musicians not about the industry and just as an artist?
Music is subjective. Don’t second guess your thoughts, just write them down.

What quote or saying do you always stick by?
sometimes wrong, but never in doubt

here in your hometown is a must go to visit?
Well if you’ve never been to Nashville, then you have to go to Broadway, but other than that, you should go see a concert at Mercy lounge or Cannery Ballroom.

Your coming off tour;
1/ Where do you go first?Home
2/ Who do you see first?Ruby
3/What do you eat first?Jameson or coffee

When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
My guitar, my beanie (if its right now because I can’t get a haircut), my laptop, my friends, my microphone

Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
FollowCallen
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