Review Fix Exclusive: Vân Scott Talks ‘Poster Boy’ And More

Review Fix chats with singer/songwriter Vân Scott, who details his origin in music, goals for the future and new single, “Poster Boy.”

Review Fix: How did you get involved in music?

Vân Scott: My parents had me take piano lessons when I was maybe 5 or 6 years old. But my piano teacher was always frustrated with me because I didn’t want to play the “Easy Piano” version of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” from The Lion King soundtrack. I wanted to play what I heard on the Elton John record. So that’s what sort of got me started figuring things out on my own and developing my own musical ear. 

I’ve always loved learning new instruments too. I picked up saxophone in the fourth grade and played that in band, all the way through college. When I was in high school, I finally got my first guitar and learned one chord at a time from the kid who played in the band at church. I even learned how to play the bagpipes in middle school! 

Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?

Scott: I usually begin with a strong musical idea, and then I start singing gibberish over that. I used to think that was weird, but apparently a lot of artists approach songwriting that way. Or, at least, I’m pretty sure I heard John Mayer say once that he also went about it like that. Out of the gibberish, usually a few decipherable words come out that seem to fit the tone of the song. And from there, I start putting together this sort of puzzle, word by word and phrase by phrase. Other times, I’ll start with just a title or premise that really resonates with me. That happens much less frequently, but those tend to be the songs that are the quickest and easiest to write.

Review Fix: What inspires you?

Scott: Wow! So many things. Other artists. A well-made movie or TV show. Nature. Anything done well, with precision or beauty awakens that same sort of thing inside of me. I feel like my own creativity is really just a response to the creativity of everything around me. I just have to keep myself open and exposed to it.

Review Fix: What does music mean to you?

Scott: To me, music is all about expression and connection. There are some days when I’m in a weird mood that I can’t quite put my finger on, but if I sit down at the piano I can play through my feelings instead, to sort them out. What I can’t express verbally is still able to find its way out musically. Take that a step further; if I decided to add words to that music I just created, all of a sudden I’ve given a voice to a feeling that didn’t have one before. If someone else hears that, they might just become more aware of their own feelings. Also, now there’s a bridge of connection between you and the listener for sharing that feeling. That’s the powerful thing about music; somehow it’s able to bring together and unite complete strangers.

Review Fix: How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you?

Scott: Imagine if Coldplay and John Mayer had a baby. And Freddie Mercury was leaning over the crib singing the lullaby.

Review Fix: How are your live shows different from your studio work?

Scott: I definitely like to change it up with my live shows. I try to think outside the box and never do the same thing twice. I’m not a huge fan of artists that get up on stage and sing to a track. It’s too stale for my taste. If I have the budget, I like to bring in some friends and do a full band show, maybe extend certain sections of a song and jam out! Other times, it’s fun to strip stuff back and come up with cool acoustic arrangements. That’s the really great thing about being able to do solo shows and switch from piano to guitar if I like. I just finished a live-stream where I did some live looping on my electric guitar and just sang over that! Really I’m kind of at the mercy of my own creativity in the days leading up to a show. I never know exactly what it’s going to look like until we get there. But it keeps it fun for me and fresh for the fans.

Review Fix: What inspired your latest single?

Scott: I used to have a full-time job overseeing the music for a megachurch in southern California. I enjoyed it a lot and I still help out there occasionally, but there were some aspects of it that weren’t so positive. With that kind of position came a lot of social pressure and expectation, whether real or imagined. I felt like I was constantly being placed on a pedestal, and that made it very hard to be myself. It played into my vanity, and I didn’t like that. I didn’t want to be the perfect “poster boy” for the church. One day the title “Poster Boy” just popped into my head, and, from there, the song basically wrote itself. I already knew the story I wanted to tell.

Review Fix: What are your goals for 2020?

Scott: I have my heart set on releasing a full EP later this year. I’ve been building toward it with these first few single releases, and I think it’s about time that I drop a larger project.

I was initially planning on launching a Kickstarter campaign after the “Poster Boy” release to help fund it. But now is really not the time to be asking people for money, and I want to be sensitive to people’s financial struggles. They can support me in other ways for now. I might attempt it much later this year, but that would help even more of my dreams see reality.

I also really want to get in and record a few Christmas songs too. I think that would be fun!

Review Fix: What’s next?

Scott: Right now, I’m rounding out production on the next handful of songs that will make up the new EP, collaborating with some great producer friends of mine. I actually can’t believe that I can say this, but one of the tracks I’m working on is being produced with Rodney Jerkins aka Darkchild! Getting to work with him is like taking a master class in production. I’m trying to learn as much as I can from him so that I can take even more ownership of my productions.

Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add? 

Scott: Stay home and stay safe! I know it could be a while before life gets back to normal but keep your head up! You’re not alone. We’ll make it through this. Much love!