Lindsay Broughton Interview

by Christian Lamitschka for Country Music News International Magazine & Radio Show

Lamitschka: Music has many new fans throughout Europe who may be hearing about you for the first time. How would you describe yourself and the music you play to someone  who has never seen or heard you?

Lindsay Broughton: I‘d describe myself as a multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter and a nerd a heart haha! My music is a blend of pop/country/rock influences that I‘ve  transformed and shaped into one unique style all my own. I think my self-titled, debut EP reflects that.

Lamitschka: How was the last year for you? What were your highlights?

Lindsay Broughton: The last year has been a whirlwind for me. So much has happened in such a short amount of time and the year is far from over. Over the course of the past  even months it‘s hard to believe how many career highlights I‘ve had. To name a few, my first single Restless As The Rain was released to radio which was exciting for me because  ‘m finally reaching and achieving career goals I‘ve set for myself. Not to mention it‘s so satisfying to see my hard work coming to life and paying off. It‘s such a surreal feeling  urning on the radio and  hearing myself singing. If it was socially expectable to roll my car windows and shout at the top of my lungs every time I heard my song on the radio I  ouldn‘t hesitate haha- it‘s that exciting for me! In addition to the single, I went on my first ever radio promotions tour where I traveled all around Ontario and Alberta and met  with people at radio stations to chat about my single. In two weeks, I traveled 6050 km and I‘d do it again in a heartbeat. I was just so thrilled to be on the road there wasn‘t a dull  moment and the scenery in Canada is absolutely breathtaking.

Lamitschka: Do you write the songs yourself? If not, how do you go about finding the songs for your CD?

Lindsay Broughton:
I like to put a piece of myself in every song that I perform so I either write or co-write all of my songs. I feel like as an artist it‘s important to have a personal connection or  elationship to my songs because I‘m able to offer my listeners and audience a bit more of a personal connection to myself and my emotions while differentiating me from a lot of  he other female singers who don‘t write their own music.

Lamitschka:
Please tell us about the songs on your EP (influences, etc).

Lindsay Broughton: The EP is full of mixed emotions and it was written over a two-year period . During that time, I was in a rollercoaster of a relationship meaning some songs  are very happy go-lucky while others are very emotional and reveal the more vulnerable side of myself. All of the songs on my debut EP are written from a passionate standpoint   and all of them are about myself and the struggles or positive emotions I was experiencing at the time. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it when it releases on August 14!

Lamitschka: Your current single is being played by radio. What do you feel is special about this song that makes people want to hear it?

Lindsay Broughton: I feel like Restless As The Rain talks about the relationship that everyone has experienced one time or another in their lives. It‘s really about a young hot love that slowly gets lost and drifts apart. Restless is a song about a special memorable person or love in life that didn‘t work out for whatever reason and every now and again you reminisce about the good times you may have had with that person and ask yourself, ‘‘I wonder what they‘re doing now“ . In a nut shell, I think it‘s a bitter sweet love song that a  lot of people can relate to.

Lamitschka: What kind of songs do you like to record the most?

Lindsay Broughton: I love recording songs that I can get into while I‘m in the studio. Upbeat, fun and vivacious is what I enjoy most. Sometimes, when I‘m recording the sad, slow, emotional ones, I can get lost in them and it‘s almost like I‘m feeling the hurt and the rush of emotions all over again, which isn‘t always an enjoyable experience, but an
inspired one, for sure.

Lamitschka: What is your favorite song among all the songs on the Lindsay and what’s the story behind it?

Lindsay Broughton:
I like them all the same! It‘s hard to say I like one song on the
EP more than the next because they all mean something different to me
and are about a point in time that has helped me grow and that has
taken me to where I am now.

Lamitschka:
How much creative control do you have over your music?

Lindsay Broughton:
I‘m extremely lucky to have so much creative freedom and musical
control. I have a great team of people surrounding me that allow me
to ‘‘do my thing“ when it comes to writing and creating songs.
Part of being an artist and enjoying the journey is about loving what
you‘re doing and being yourself. It wouldn‘t be enjoyable for me
to make a record and sing if I was being coached through every step
of the creative process and having stylistic restrictions.

Lamitschka:
Who inspires you musically and how deep do your musical roots run?

Lindsay Broughton:
I grew up with a parent in a country cover band and, all throughout
my life, I‘ve been a member of countless choirs, instrumental bands
and basically any extra curricular activity, club or event that
involved music.  Music has always played a dynamic role in my
life and it has always felt so comforting, serving as a great outlet
for me. I find inspiration from many different artists and my muse
changes as much as the wind but, growing up, the country music duo
The Judds influenced me most prominently. They‘re a mother daughter
powerhouse duo who write their own songs, play instruments, handle
their business and put on fantastic shows. They encompass everything
that I‘ve ever wanted to be as an artist and have served as
incredible inspiration to me throughout the years.

Lamitschka:
What inspired you to become an artist and songwriter?

Lindsay Broughton:
I‘ve written poems since I was small, played numerous instruments
growing up and always knew I belonged in the music industry but I
never really put the wheels in motion and started writing seriously
until I was 16. I joined a songwriting club in highschool, taught
myself to play the guitar and started playing recitals and gigs
anyplace that would have me. That‘s how I caught the performing bug
and discovered the path that I felt like I belonged on. I‘ve been
passionate about writing and performing ever since.

Lamitschka:
What’s unique about you that will differentiate you from other
artists?

Lindsay Broughton:
As I mentioned before, I write all of my own songs which ultimately
offers my listeners and audience a personal connection to myself and
my emotions, allowing them to get to know me on a different level
than they would if I sang other peoples’ songs. I feel like my
writing ability sets me apart from other artists because I‘ve been
fortunate enough to have had some success at it before I even
developed into an artist – writing songs for other country artists,
receiving play in CBC television’s hit series Heartland and being
featured and accredited in Canadian songwriting magazines.

Lamitschka: Is there any place you haven’t played that you would like to?

Lindsay Broughton:
It‘s my dream to play the televised portion of the Canadian Country
Music Association (CCMA) Awards in front of thousands of people! As
a country artist, I don‘t think there is be any more gratifying
place to be.
My dream almost came true two years ago at the CCMAs
in Edmonton when I was fortunate enough to have played the new artist
showcase. Hopefully that opportunity and experience was only
foreshadowing what‘s to come!

Lamitschka: What can your fans expect to see when they see you in concert?

Lindsay Broughton:
They can expect to come out, kick back and see a good show. There
won‘t be any fancy backup dancers or tricks (haha!) but when people
come out to see my show they‘ll see a real, raw performance. I
throw in a couple funky covers for good measure and I‘m constantly
changing up the set so no two shows are ever the same.

Lamitschka:
Many music fans today get their information about artists online. Do
you have your own website and what will fans find there?

Lindsay Broughton:
www.LindsayBroughton.com
is my website and it‘s full of little goodies that are always being
updated. They‘ll find everything from contests, live-video‘s,
photo‘s and my social networking links to blogs, show dates and
contact information. There‘s something for everyone on the website
and I really wanted to keep it easy to maneuver around while still
fun an interactive and I think we‘ve done a good job at it.
Speaking of engaging my fans, you can also catch me on Twitter
@LindsBroughton