Chelsea Warner How Come You Don't Pick Up Your Phone Interview

How Come You Don't Pick Up Your Phone

Multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer, Chelsea Warner has been writing and playing music almost her entire life. Today she emerges as a frontrunner in the neo-soul/R&B genre's next generation with her debut single 'How Come You Don't Pick Up Your Phone'.

The song blends contemporary neo-soul, R&B and pop hooks with defiant lyrics that evoke a sense of confidence and wisdom beyond her teenage years. "At the time, I was really obsessed with Erykah Badu and 90s hip-hop, and I think that influenced my writing and production. I loved the moog/synth bass on De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest tracks, and I thought it would be interesting to draw inspiration from these old school sounds for a track with fairly modern subject matter", says Chelsea on the song's inspiration.

Chelsea wrote the lyrics to 'How Come You Don't Pick Up Your Phone' while on a trip to Melbourne and when she got home to Sydney, put chords to it, wrote the verses and produced the track. It was just under a year ago, when she was only 17 years old.

Citing artists such as Ariana Grande as inspirations, Chelsea says, "I feel like I grew up with her. Her vocal style and arranging as well as some elements of her song writing still influence me". Chelsea also sees artists such as Amy Winehouse and Ella Fitzgerald as heavily influencing what she wants to do vocally and harmonically. It's no surprise that this young talent's music carries such a mature and refined sound.

Chelsea was offered a coveted Universal Music Publishing contract after been 'discovered' by Universal Publishing's VP Creative/ A&R at her University – the prestigious Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Chelsea is currently focusing on honing her technical skills with her voice and instruments at the Conservatorium, while also writing and producing any spare moment for either herself or other artists. This year, her goal is to play shows across Australia and to release her debut EP. Chelsea says "I feel like I've found my stride lately and am so blessed by the people and opportunities around me, so I want to keep creating as much as possible."

Interview with Chelsea Warner

Question: How would you describe your music?

Chelsea Warner: My music is neo-soul, alternative R&B. It definitely has hip hop influences, particularly in how I like to narrate and make beats, but I also love a good pop hook.


Question: Can you tell us about How Come You Don't Pick Up Your Phone?

Chelsea Warner: I was absolutely obsessed with Erykah Badu and 90s hip-hop when I wrote this song, particularly 'Baduizm', and I think that influenced the style the song took on. I love her musicality and storytelling prowess, as well as goddess-level confidence. I wanted to draw from the musicality of acts like Thundercat and De La Soul with the storytelling of artists such as Amy Winehouse and Noname. Once I decided I wanted to release the song, at least 6 months later, I touched up the production, taking influence from hip hop production like Tyler, The Creator and Mac Miller. Finessing the beat and adding the 808 moment in the second verse, as well as recording extra vocals and trumpet, was the final touch for the song.


Question: What inspired the track, How Come You Don't Pick Up Your Phone?

Chelsea Warner: I wrote it while driving myself insane overthinking not hearing back from someone. It turned out to be super trivial, but the experience (which I'm sure everyone is constantly having) really inspired me into introspection, as I felt like it so perfectly represented my lack of emotional self-sufficiency. So it ended up not about one particular person, but rather a collection of experiences and the angry desperation of external reliance as opposed to self-reliance and love. I wrote the hook first, and when I wrote the verses, I related the situation I was in (staring at my phone pathetically), to ones I had found myself in before, and the fact that it becomes so normal to derive meaning and purpose from other people's perceptions and attention towards you. I realised that the only reason I felt so frustrated at the hands of other people was because I allowed them to have that power over me. So I started to acknowledge my own part in my unhappiness, and mused on that in the second half of the song.


Question: Is there a particular message you hope listeners take from your music?

Chelsea Warner: That it's completely normal and human to find yourself in pathetic scenarios of external dependence, but it's also extremely important to acknowledge your own role in your bad experiences. Then, these experiences become empowering, only after the acceptance of them! Also, a song can be sassy and extremely vulnerable at the same time.


Question: Do you prefer performing live or recording?

Chelsea Warner: They are completely different beasts to me! I performed live way before I had ever touched audio software or been in a studio, because I started out busking in shops and markets around town! Playing live original music (whether it's my own or not) is extremely invigorating for me and I think great for the soul of whoever plays or witnesses it. But I have to say I feel like I've found my own in the studio recently. I think it ebbs and flows as an artist, and right now I'm in my "coop yourself up in the studio all day and create" phase.


Question: Which is your favourite song to perform live and why?

Chelsea Warner: I have an unreleased song called 'All That', which always ends up being people's favourite song from the set. I've been told it's super relatable and it's quite close to my heart, and when I played with a live horn section, the energy was awesome. So probably that one!


Question: If you could have anyone, in the world, attend a show, who would it be?

Chelsea Warner: Ariana Grande, because I've looked up to her since I was a kid! She's an incredible performer and although I could never dance onstage (too lanky), I would love her two cents on what makes a good vocal performance.

Question: What motivates you most when writing music?

Chelsea Warner: Getting out whatever the feeling is that I have in that moment, in a concise way. It sometimes comes out like word vomit, but I love organising my thoughts, so a well structured song makes me very happy. That's the writing part, when it comes to the musicality of a track, I think that's quite intuitive too. Whenever I get all caught up in making something 'cool', it never actually ends up being that cool. So definitely an intangible expression thing. Oh, and a good groove. That motivates me.


Question: Which music/artists are you currently listening to?

Chelsea Warner: I'm still digesting the mew Thundercat album. He's one of my biggest influences, everything about his virtuosity and humour is so endearing to me. I also love Aussie artists 18YOMAN and Vetta Borne, who have really inspired my production recently.


Question: What or who was your inspiration to go into the music industry?

Chelsea Warner: I always sung and played piano, but once I got older and started picking up guitar and listening to music more intently, I started focusing on writing songs and learning how to produce. I wrote my first real (albeit incoherent) song when I was two, about a feather. I'd like to say my writing has gotten better, but who can be sure. Like most musicians, I always felt music as an intrinsic part of me. I don't remember ever not taking it seriously and wanting to pursue it.


Question: If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?

Chelsea Warner: In Australia, definitely Milan Ring. A lot of the artists I'm inspired by are all self-sufficient wizards, and she is no exception. Her recent releases have been super special for me, and I feel like I could learn a lot from seeing how she works!


Question: What's next, for you?
Chelsea Warner: I'm focusing on honing my voice and instruments at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music as much as I can, while also writing and producing for my project and other artists. I'm sitting on heaps of demos at the moment, so 2020 will se more releases from me. This year I'll be releasing music for the first time, and it's all going to have to feel very true to me. I'm a music nerd so I'm also working on music theory, getting better at mixing tracks and studying the voice. I feel like I've found my stride lately and am so blessed by the people and opportunities around me, so I want to keep creating as much as possible.


Question: Can you share your socials? (links please)

Chelsea Warner: Facebook: www.facebook/chelseawarnermusic

Instagram: www.instagram.com/chelseawarnermusic/


Interview by Brooke Hunter