Review Fix chats with singer/songwriter Peter Hollens, who discusses his recent Christmas album, the rise of a cappella music and his goals for 2017.
Review Fix: Why do a Christmas album?
Peter Hollens: I chose to do a Christmas album, first of all, because my fans have been requesting it for a long time. Also, importantly, because I adore the holiday season and the message that it embodies. It’s all about being kind to one another, serving those around you, and spending time with loved ones. My hope is that we can carry the message of peace on Earth all year round, rather than just focusing on it during one month of the year.
Review Fix: How important are your fans to you?
Hollens: My supporters are the reason why I’m able to continue doing what I love for a living. My patrons and the people who listen to my music provide me with the means to support my family and I could not be more grateful for that. I constantly listen to their feedback and try to make music that I know they would enjoy. They really mean the world to me, and I consider them family!
Review Fix: Where do you think you’d be without YouTube helping you get your career started?
Hollens: YouTube was pivotal in the process of getting my career started and is still crucial to my brand today. It’s an awesome platform that allows me to share my music with virtually anyone in the world and was the best way to do so when I started this journey. Without YouTube giving me an outlet for my content, I’m not sure what I would be doing with my life – maybe still singing on cruise ships or working in the music recording industry!
Review Fix: Why does a cappella still matter?
Hollens: The a cappella genre is growing at a rapid pace, and I might even argue that it’s more relevant today than it ever has been. Don’t get me wrong, I love pop music! But the current music industry is saturated with electronic music that sort of diminishes the raw sound of the natural human voice. I think that’s why people are opening their ears up to a cappella; it’s music in the simplest, most human form. It’s refreshing to listeners who have gotten used to the synth-y, bass heavy tunes that they hear on the radio.
Review Fix: How did your time on The Sing-Off help you?
Hollens: The Sing-Off gave me experience and networking opportunities. Other than that, not much else. I met some great industry professionals and talented singers and also had the chance to perform on a national stage. But, it didn’t really help my social media or online presence at all, which are things that I rely on for the success of my brand.
Review Fix: What are your goals for 2017?
Hollens: My goals are to really start focusing on teaching and educating and inspiring the next class of creators and musicians now… I really want to start giving back to this amazing creator community. I am going to start creating educational tools to allow others to follow in my footsteps. The world needs SOOO much more music and art out there.
Review Fix: What’s next?
Hollens: Next I want to start a second part to my company, one that focuses on educating and inspiring the next class of musicians… fighting the idea that you need a label, a publisher, a manager an agent…. and focusing on empowering people to do it on their own… from concept to execution of the final product.
Can’t wait to show the world what I’m going to create.
I will, of course continue to release multiple music videos a month, and I will begin to focus more on original material as well!
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