Kat Harlton
Canadian pop artist Richard recently released his new single “Proud”. An anthemic tribute of appreciation to the strong women who surround him in life. The new single preludes Richard’s upcoming debut album, Richard, a stunning full-length debut which was co-written and recorded between Vancouver and L.A. alongside veteran songwriters Brian Howes, JVP, and Ryan Stewart.
A 2019 recipient of the 25 Under 25 Award from the Surrey Board of Trade as well as a Surrey Arts & Business Award in the music category, Richard’s most recent achievements include, the 2018 Don Weldon Memorial Award at the Calgary Stampede, a Peninsula Arts Foundation Scholarship, plus stateside songwriter’s retreats and vocal camps, high-profile management with K Music Management, and countless competitions, video shoots, writing sessions and event hosting gigs.
We had the opportunity to chat with Richard, and talk about his new single, role models and how he’s staying connected during Covid-19.
Kat: Can you talk about the inspiration behind your new single “Proud”?
Richard: Proud was written to inspire and empower women and individuals in the was they have inspired me.
Kat: Can you talk about your songwriting process?
Richard: I generally compose first, my thought process is that if the music can tell a story of its own It only accentuates the lyrics
Kat: Do you have any role models or music artists that inspire you? and if so, how they may influence your sound in any way?
Richard: Honestly I get asked this question quite a bit and I never know how to answer it. One of the things I take pride in is my appreciation for a wide variety of different genres, artists, and sounds. I think at the end of the day what my infatuation with music has taught me, is that it is forever changing. We can honour our influences by referencing them in many ways, but we can also pay our respects by creating and trying something new.. just as they did.
Kat: Your upcoming debut album, Richard, was co-written and recorded between Vancouver and L.A. alongside veteran songwriters Brian Howes, JVP, and Ryan Stewart. What can we expect from the album?
Richard: You can expect music from the heart, for the soul, and for a good time.
Kat: Obviously things have changed due to COVID-19. In the interim how are you connecting with your fans? What’s next?
Richard: Quarantine has given be more time to perfect my craft, plus a better understanding as to how I would like to present myself and how I engage with my audience. In the meantime it’s back to the books. Time to write some more material, and prepare for what life as a musician might be like after all this.
For more on Richard, visit: https://richardmusicofficial.com