Landry Cantrell Reveals His Hopes & Passion Behind "Projections"

DREAM Records newest artist Landry Cantrell is proud to release his album Projections.  Cantrell went into the studio with producer Sean Hill (Jamie Grace) at Uphill Studios in Atlanta, GA to record 12 tracks that has been best described as an freshly energetic and ecletic sounding album with an irresistibly contagious vocal.  The Californian pop artist's first single, "Before You" got quick attention at Hot AC / CHR radio with half of the format adding it to their playlists within a few weeks and entering the top 40 on the Christian National Audience chart in the first week of release.  

Q:  Landry, thank you for doing this interview with us.  Congratulations on the release of your new album "Projections." Why did you call it projections?

 Think about a projector and the way that it displays images. The simplest explanation is that "Projections" just means the images or ideas that come from my mind. In other words, this is the message that I am projecting to the world. The word "Projections" can also deal with our goals and dreams for the future. Seeing as a lot of this album talks about my own dreams, I thought that it was only fitting.

Q:  Being your first album for DREAM Records, did you approach this new record any differently relative to your previous one?

Truthfully I didn't approach this record any differently than I have previous albums. I had actually already completely finished the record before I signed a deal. After we wrapped up the album, we pitched the tunes out to a few people. Dream was really liking the direction we were headed so we opened up a dialogue, and ultimately signed the deal. So the album came first, then the label.

Q:  What was it like working with Sean Hill who has had worked with Jamie Grace?  What did Sean bring to the album that you appreciate? 

Where do I even begin with this one! Sean Hill is an exceptional human being, and a complete joy to work with. From the first moment we met, he made me feel so welcomed and comfortable. Sean does an amazing job at taking someone's artistic vision and enhancing it into something better than they could have imagined. The actual process was a lot of fun, but a lot of work... long hours and late nights!

Q:  Let's talk about your new single "Before You."  What was the story and inspiration behind this song? 

As a songwriter, there are a lot of times that I like to channel other people's situations and try to get inside of their mind and emotions. This song wasn't born from a particular individual necessarily, but from the point of view of a lot of people that I have come in contact with... of course, inevitably, some of my own insecurities and vulnerabilities bleed through in the verses.  The goal was that people would relate to the pain projected in the verses and find comfort in the hope that the chorus proclaims.

Q:  "Indian Summer" must be a very special song since it is sung with your fiance Kelsey Hick. Tell us more about this song.

"Indian Summer" is such a special song for me because not only is it with my fiance Kelsey, but it's a song about our love story! In the pre chorus of the song we say "one empty seat on a crowded bus..." and that's literally how we began our relationship. I sat next to her on a bus and we began talking and just hit it off instantly.

Q:  Now tell us more about Kelsey. 

Kelsey is an amazing human being, and everyone who knows her is a better person simply because she is in their life. I have honestly never met a more thoughtful person. She is an elementary school teacher and a worship leader and is amazing at both! We share the same passion for music, yet it's never competitive, only supportive. We are completely independent and completely integrated... it's a paradox I know, but we wouldn't have it any other way. The hope is that one-day we'll be able to do music together full-time. I could honestly go on all day about this woman because I am so amazed by her every day, but I think I'll stop there... I can already sense the mushy meter starting to overload. Haha.

Q:  Having a Master's Certificate in Music Technology and Production, how does that help you in the making of this record? 

When I am writing the songs for the record, part of the creative process for me is creating the demo. Being able to understand the way that certain programs work when I'm creating, allows me to focus more on the creative side of things rather than spending all day trying to figure out how a program works. It allows me to be able to create the exact sound that I am looking for instead of just settling for something close.

Q:  What are your hopes for this album?  How do you wish this record could impact the lives of your listeners?

My hope is that every single listener will be able to find themselves somewhere in the lyrics on this album. I wanted to be as transparent as possible with these songs and share with the listener all sides of myself... including some that weren't so comfortable to divulge. In songs like "Fade Out" and "Underneath" I really put some of my deepest fears and biggest insecurities on display, in the hope that someone listening would be able to relate and realize that they are not alone. 

 

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