Interview with Jackie Arredondo
by Christian Lamitschka for Country Music News International Magazine & Radio Show
Christian Lamitschka: Country Music has many new fans in Europe, who may be hearing about you for the first time. How would you describe yourself and the music you play to someone who’se never seen or heard you before.
Jackie Arredondo: A NEW SOUND AND COUNTRY STYLE WHICH I HOPE THEY LIKE
Christian Lamitschka: What’s your latest CD and how’s it doing?
Jackie Arredondo: INSANE, IT’S DOING GREAT! JUST FINISHED ANOTHER RADIO TOUR AND THE FEEDBACK HAS BEEN FABULOUS
Christian Lamitschka: How did you choose the title for the CD, is there a story behind it?
Jackie Arredondo: WE DECIDED TO CALL IT THE SAME AS THE SONG “INSANE“
Christian Lamitschka: Do you write the songs yourself and if not, how do you go about finding the songs for the your CD?
Jackie Arredondo: I DO WRITE BUT I DECIDED TO ALLOW OTHER TALENTS IN ON THIS MATERIAL, MY TEAM USUALLY APPROACHES SONGWRITERS FOR SONGS AND WE SELECT FROM ALL WE RECEIVE WHAT THE BEST MATERIAL IS.
Christian Lamitschka: What do you think is specail about your single that makes people want to hear it?
Jackie Arredondo:Â ITS CATCHY, HAPPY KINDA LOVE SONG
Christian Lamitschka: What will your next single be?
Jackie Arredondo: MY RECORD COMPANY HAS NOT DECIDED YET. I JUST FINISHED RECORDING MY NEXT EP WITH SONGS WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY THAT GREAT SONGWRITER AS IS BRIAN WHITE AND THE SELECTION WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT SINCE ALL THE SONGS ARE EXTRAORDINARY.
Christian Lamitschka: What kind of songs do you like to record the most?
Jackie Arredondo: I LOVE ALL KIND OF TEMPOS, I THINK AN ALBUM SHOULD HAVE A VARIETY OF ENERGIES TO BRAKE THE MONOTONY AND GIVE MORE VERSATILITY TO THE ARTIST AND THAT’S WHAT I TRY TO DO.
Christian Lamitschka: What’s your favorite song among all the songs you’ve recorded and what’s the story behind it?
Jackie Arredondo: I THINK THE FAVORITES ALWAYS REMAIN ON THE LAST SONGS ONE RECORDS SO I HAVE TO SAY SOME OF MY FAVORITES ARE THE LATEST ONES THAT HAVE NOT YET BEEN RELEASED THAT I RECORDED WITH BRIAN WHITE
Christian Lamitschka: Do you have any interesting stories about how fans have been affected by your music?
Jackie Arredondo: “SOMEONE LIKE YOU“ IS A VERY SPECIAL SONG BECAUSE I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS CORRESPONDENCE THROUGH MY WEB SITES ON HOW MUCH IT HAS BEEN DEDICATED ON THE FANS WEDDING DAY OR ANNIVERSARY EVEN A MOTHER DEDICATED IT TO HER NEWBORN. SO I WOULD SAY THIS SONG IMPACTED A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.
Christian Lamitschka: Who do you look up musiccally and how deep do your musical roots run?
Jackie Arredondo: RASCAL FLATTS I WOULD SAY IS MY F AVORITE. BEING A VOCAL COACH MYSELF I CAN APPRECIATE TECHNIQUE, SPECIALLY WHEN ITS SO WELL EXECUTED TOGETHER WITH EMOTION. MY DREAM IS TO COLLABORATE WITH THESE GUYS SOMEDAY.
Christian Lamitschka: What do you think about today’s Country Music versus its roots and where do you see it going in the future?
Jackie Arredondo: COUNTRY MUSIC TO ME WILL NEVER LOSE ITS ESSENCE AND ITS PURITY WHEN IT COMES TO LYRICS AND MELODY CREATING STORIES FULL OF EMOTIONS. THAT WAS THEN AND ITS STILL NOW AND I DO BELIEVE IT WILL REMAIN THAT WAY FOR A LONG LONG TIME TO COME.
Christian Lamitschka: If you had the chance to change something about the music industry, what would it be?
Jackie Arredondo: I WOULD LIKE TO SEE LESS FUSIONS AND MORE ORIGINALITY IN OTHER GENRE’S LIKE POP AND RNB.
Christian Lamitschka: As an artist you have to do so many different things such as recording, touring, doing interviews etc. What do you like best, what’s your favorite activity?
Jackie Arredondo:Â I AM A PEOPLE PERSON, I LOVE RADIO TOURS BUT PERFORMING AND GIVING IT ALL ON THE STAGE MUST BE MY VERY FAVORITE.
Christian Lamitschka: Before you became a star, where your friends and family supportive or was it a struggle?
Jackie Arredondo:Â MY FAMILY WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE.
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Christian Lamitschka.: What inspired you to become an artist?
Jackie Arredondo: MY PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS WHERE ACTORS, SO MY PLAYGROUND WAS ALWAYS A THEATER STAGE. I BEGAN ACTING WHEN I WAS 4 SO MY LOVE FOR PERFORMING WAS BORN THEN.
Christian Lamitschka: What drives you?
Jackie Arredondo:Â GOD
Christian Lamitschka: What’s unique about you that differentiates you from other artists?
Jackie Arredondo:Â Â I GUESS I DONT HAVE YOUR TIPICAL COUNTRY VOICE AND THAT CATCHES THE ATTENTION OF ALOT OF PEOPLE
Christian Lamitschka: What has been your greatest challenge in music business?
Jackie Arredondo:Â MAKING THE TRANSITION FROM REALITY VOCAL INSTRUCTOR TO BECOMING A COUNTRY RECORDING ARTIST
Christian Lamitschka: What moments in your career stand out in your memory as highlights and achievements which you’re proud of?
Jackie Arredondo: WHEN I WAS INSTRUCTING REALITY VOCAL COMPETITIONS IT WAS OVERWHELMING TO KNOW I HAD TAKEN MY WORK OF IN BETWEEN 4 WALLS TO 53 COUNTRIES. RECEIVING CORRESPONDENCE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD ASKING FOR HELP ON THEIR SINGING WAS VERY GRATIFYING FOR ME. ALSO COACHING, CEDELLA MARLEY (BOB MARLEY’S DAUGHTER) AND TOMMY MOTTOLA’S WIFE THALIA, AND OF COURSE WORKING WITH EMILIO ESTEFAN WAS ICING TO THE CAKE.
Christian Lamitschka: Who’s your biggest critic, yourself or others?
Jackie Arredondo: ME
Christian Lamitschka: When you get time off, how do you like to relax?
Jackie Arredondo: I RIDE HORSES
Christian Lamitschka: What can your fans expect to see when they see you in concert?
Jackie Arredondo:Â A LOT OF ENERGY BUT WHEN WE BRING IT DOWN, WELL, A LOT OF EMOTION
Christian Lamitschka: What’s the best compliment a fan has ever given you?
Jackie Arredondo:Â THATÂ I TOUCHED THEIR HEART WITH MY VOICE
Christian Lamitschka: What’s your favorite song that you wish you could have recorded?
Jackie Arredondo:Â HERE COMES GOODBYE FROM RASCAL FLATTS
Christian Lamitschka:Â What message would you like to send your European fans?
Jackie Arredondo:Â I WILL BE COMING TO YOU VERY SOON AND I HOPE THAT I CAN TOUCH YOUR HEARTS MY VOICE AS WELL
Christian Lamitschka: Fans are always hungry for good road stories. Do you have one you can tell?
Jackie Arredondo: WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH THE BACK ROADS OF TENNESSEE, OUR CAR BROKE DOWN AND A FAMILY WITH A HUGE RV SAW US WITH OUR INSTRUMENTS ON THE ROAD. THEY STOPPED AND ASKED IF WE NEEDED HELP SO WE TOLD THEM WE WERE ON A RADIO TOUR AND NEEDED TO GET TO THE NEXT RADIO STATION AND COULD NOT BE LATE SINCE THEY WERE INTERVIEWING ME FOR THE FIRST TIME. WE OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE GAS IF THEY WOULD GIVE US A LIFT BUT THEY SAID I COULD PAY THEM SINGING THE WAY THROUGH INSTEAD, AND SO WE DID.
Christian Lamitschka: Describe what a perfect day is like for you.
Jackie Arredondo:Â HAVING HOT CHOCOLATE ON A SNOWY DAY NEXT TO THE FIREPLACE IN A MOUNTAIN TOP CABIN WITHOUT MEANS OF COMMUNICATION.
Christian Lamitschka ( Ch.Lamitschka@t-online.de )