Singer songwriter and mom of 4, Shimmer Johnson speaks on releasing her New Album “Pride” offering a Moms perspective on life featuring simple truths inspired by real events in songs like “Don’t Break Me” ,”Getaway”, “LET GO” and the Title track “PRIDE”.
I’m a singer songwriter based out of Canada. I am a mom of 3 amazing boys and 1 amazing daughter. My youngest diagnosed late 2017 with Autism. So it has been a learning curve for me. It also has allowed me to write some amazing songs about how I was feeling.
I also own a production company here in Canada that works with other songwriters that are just learning. We help to get their album complete and help to distribute it to all the online stores. It is a lot of fun. We also do full live production for bands that are touring. It is a great business to be in. Considering I am a singer songwriter and live performer myself.
Song name: PRIDE
Music Genre:: Pop Rock
The reason this song came about is kinda funny.
I NEVER!! do Karaoke competitions often and well this time round I decided to try it. I sang a great Carrie Underwood song which got me into the contest. So I did my song at the competition and sang it amazingly. Then when they were announcing the finalists I wasn’t chosen. Due to the fact that some of the judges I knew personally and I was not one of their favourite people alive. So I should have knew I wasn’t going to be picked. But I was like maybe they will judge fairly. I know when I sing badly and I didn’t. I never usually take contests to heart. But for some reason this one upset me. So I went home and wrote PRIDE. Pride is totally about how I was feeling when I wasn’t chosen to sing in the finals of the karaoke competition. As silly as that sounds, it made for a great concept for a song. This song can relate to so many things. Just a great song. Which is why I made it the total of my album due to be released May 1 2018.
Link to play:: https://open.spotify.com/track/7i9HqnSD8nZSifuvQp9YFb?si=m-M1QJ0MTnardbLoqh2XFg
My music is based off my life. Things I go through. Things I feel. The most influential part of my music is me. My music is my diary that I share with the world. My thoughts and my feelings is how I share myself with the world. Sometimes when I listen back to some of my songs it puts me back in that moment.
For example my song “LET GO” which will be on my Pride album is all about the passing of my mother. She had a massive heart attack September of 2017. I was having a hard time coping with her loss. So I wrote a song that would teach me to let go and to not focus on the negative but to focus on all the good memories of my mother.
I’ve listened to that song over 100 times since I have written it and it is simply an amazing song that is going to help a lot of people out there going through a loss of a loved one. So I am excited to release this album “PRIDE”
Creating…
When I write my music; I tend to start with a single instrument. Usually the piano and sometimes a guitar. I can usually find a melody in my head as soon as I start playing some chords. Melodies come quite quickly to me. Quickly as they leave my head. I am always recording memos on my phone as I am writing so that I don’t forget the melodies that pop in my head. As a songwriter it’s always good to have that handy dandy smart phone that has recording memo features.
Once I have a melody usually one word will come out and I build off that and create entire songs. I need to connect to the song to write something good. There have been times where I write a song and I don’t connect and I can’t write anything good for it. That’s when I put it in the pile of NOT FOR ME songs that I use for the other songwriter who you never know might connect with the song. For me it’s all about connection. And figuring out ways for the people listening to connect as well.
Then once I decide if I am going to do a “Full Production” on the song or if we are going to leave it honest sounding as an acoustic song. If we do full production we add drums, bass, guitar, strings backup vocals you name it gets done. “Pride” is one of my full produced songs with a ton of layers. Every song is different in the studio.
“Don’t break me” is a heartfelt and emotionally driven song expressing a level of emotion tone that could only be possible when experienced.
I live in…
I am currently living in Canada. But I travel a lot to the United States to write with other songwriters. I spend most of my time promoting my music and recording music in the studio.
Favorite quote… :
“ALL OUR DREAMS CAN COME TRUE IF WE HAVE THE COURAGE TO PURSUE THEM ” – WALT DISNEY
This month is all about songwriting….
I am short 3 songs for my album so I planned a trip to LA to write with some songwriters while I am in LA. I am hoping to get 1 or 2 songs out of this. Plus I want to write 1 or 2 more here in Canada and then decide which 3 go on “PRIDE” but so far the album is going to be VERY POWERFUL!!! Full of emotion!
3 things you’ve learned this past year:
1. Song write with EVERYONE! The more your name is out there the better!!
2. Be on top of your social media! You should be spending 1-3 hours a day just advertising and promoting your music
3. Get yourself a entertainment lawyer! They are a very good place to start when you have product!
My New album “PRIDE” is releasing May 1 2018.
I’ve been traveling and finishing some songs with writers in LA. Performing in Canada and the United States.
Website & social media links: :
Visit Shimmer Johnson on Her Social Media Today
REVERBNATION : http://www.reverbnation.com/shimmerjohnson
FACEBOOK : @shimmerjohnsonmusic
TWITTER : https://twitter.com/shimmer_johnson
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/officialshimmerjohnson/
YOU TUBE: https://youtu.be/CKthAVFMsRE
SPOTIFY : https://open.spotify.com/artist/10WVCn26WQmyEvkONJrLNM
APPLE MUSIC: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/pride/id1262115419?i=1262116184
SOUNDCLOUD : https://soundcloud.com/shimmer-music-119078565