By: Kat Harlton
Chiara Young is no stranger to success. Her single, “Hello Hello” has been played on Much Music and Canadian college radio airwaves. She’s performed during Canadian Music Week and S.C.E.N.E. Fest in St. Catherines as well as perform alongside other talented musicians such as Chase Coy, Breathe Electric, Stephen Jerzak and more.
Her undeniable talent eventually led her to tour with award-winning Canadian music icon Shawn Desman as a session musician where she played as his keyboardist. Throughout the tour, they performed in major venues across the country, including Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena (formerly known as the Air Canada Centre).
Following the tour, Chiara also performed with Canadian Country artist Jesse Labelle at Mod Club Theatre, which eventually became her last show before deciding to put her efforts into her own solo career full-time.
We had the opportunity to catch up with Chiara and discuss her latest single, her songwriting process and what’s next.
Kat: Could you talk about the inspiration behind your latest single “Fallout”
Chiara: There is quite a lot of inspiration around “Fallout“. Firstly, Fallout 3 is one of my absolute favourite video games of all time and I tend to relate my music to my real life as well as my video game personas if you will. That’s partly what inspired the title as well as taking real life moments from romantic hardships, which brought the lyrics of “Fallout” come to life. It’s a reflection of my struggle with falling out of relationships and not being able to keep someone constant in my life.
Kat: Could you speak about the songwriting process? How does a track normally start for you?
Chiara: It’s funny because I feel like I don’t have one single particular way to write. It’s kind of “do whatever” until it inspires a spark of ideas in my head. Sometimes it could be a loop of instruments, a simple beat or even a arpeggio. Other times it can be a song title I’ve come up with to inspire the lyrics. I often have my voice notes and notes apps out on my phone all the time to record or write down any little thing that pops into my head that I can then stem into songs.
Kat: You’ve had the opportunity to tour and perform with many different artists, have you ever been given any advice career wise that has made an impact, or alternatively do you know have any advice for emerging artists?
Chiara: I’ve been given a lot of good advice and a lot of bad advice over my entire career in the music industry. One piece of advice that I’ve received that will stay with me forever and I hope can do the same for an emerging artist is, “The only one that needs to have faith in you and your music is you. Especially when you’re starting. Only do it because you have fun and you love it, otherwise it ain’t worth it”.
Kat: In a world where everyone is heavily on social media, how do you handle your online presence and potentially being seen as a role model?
Chiara: I love social media. And I say that because I love connecting with people. I love being able to have such an incredible platform to be a role model to so many people right at my finger tips.
For me, my online presence is essentially my most honest self. I’m can’t be anything else BUT me. And to be able to show others online that its okay to be rough around the edges and be a little bit punk-rock, goofy and clumsy – is important. It makes you who you are and it makes me who I am. The thought of being able to portray that to tons of women and young girls around the globe so easily just makes me so happy. I love inspiring people. And if I can do that through social media, that is almost a huge achievement unlocked!
Kat: What on your playlist?
Chiara: Oh that’s a toughie because I’m listening to a ton of really incredible artists right now. I definitely have the new Bazzi album COSMIC on repeat. That’s essential for car rides but I’m also really digging “Sweetener” by Ariana Grande, as well as a few singles like “Smile” by Leven Kali. Apart from that, all my playlists are littered with Dua Lipa, The Weeknd, Lauv, and Banks!
Kat: What’s next?
Chiara: Tons of stuff planned next! I’m releasing another new single with a music video soon, then going straight back into the studio to continue the sound development! Then I’ll be releasing even more music come 2019! Very excited for everyone to hear what I’ve been up too.