Lesley Barth‘s new music video for “Just Like Summer” is the embodiment of, well… Summer. The free spirited video, which was shot in Central Park, features many different extras, all of which were total strangers before joining Barth in the filming of the video. The result is a very fun-loving and uplifting video, which will only make listeners even more excited for Barth’s upcoming full-length, Green Hearts. Read more about the music video and upcoming album below.
Interview by Dom Vigil
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself for any readers who may not be familiar?
I’m a NYC-based singer/songwriter with vintage pop roots – think The Beatles, Carole King, Fleetwood Mac.
How did you first get your start in music? When was it that you decided it was something that you wanted to seriously pursue?
I’ve always been singing and started playing piano at a very early age – my father is an opera singer, so I grew up in a very musical household.
You just released your new song, “Just Like Summer” – what inspired the track?
I had this little melody for the chorus “I love you just like summer. I need you like the rain.” And I was singing it for a few weeks – I do the legwork of songwriting when I’m out walking – and decided to sit down at the piano at plot out the lyric and the rest of the tune. Those two little phrases dictated the rest of the chorus, which dictated the verses.
The music video for “Just Life Summer” is so fun! I know that pretty much all of the extras in the video were just people you met while shooting, so what was that experience like? How do you feel their energy affected the video?
The experience of making that video was one of pure joy. We went into Central Park with full hearts (and a full prop bag) and a little Bluetooth speaker, and people were drawn to us. So it was a great self-selective group of people that ended up being in the video because they saw we were doing something fun and wanted to join in. It gave me a lot of confidence in the song and reminded me of how much I love music and of how much I love New York.
“Just Like Summer” comes from your upcoming full-length, Green Hearts. Did you have any specific goals in mind when working on the album?
I put out an EP “Good Like This” last November, and wanted to “level-up” on this full-length in terms of bringing in a more modern production feel, and show some of my breadth of songwriting skills. In addition to this modern disco tune, there is stuff that’s a little folkier, a little country-rockier, and even a Bossa Nova tune. I feel like they all hang together, though, and I can’t wait to share them.
How do you feel you’ve grown with the creation of the album?
Immensely! It’s been a huge learning experience on all sides – from songwriting to production to product management to promotion. There are so many things I’d do differently next time around on the project management side. If you are an independent artist, you have to have process stuff nailed because you are doing everything and you want to maximize the amount of time you spend on the actual craft – the songwriting, producing, and recording are what really matters to me at the end of the day. Time management. Time management. Time management.
Most of Green Hearts was also crowdfunded. What drew you to the crowdfunding route with this release?
It was sort of serendipitous. A friend of mine works at Rockethub and he encouraged me to apply to be part of their Creative Studio, which they put together with Ovation TV to support artists doing crowdfunding. It was fantastic because I did not know what I was getting myself into (which was good in one sense!) and so the direction and support they provided was key.
Do you feel that crowdfunding has allowed you to become closer to your fans and those who enjoy your music?
Absolutely! My goal was to bring as many people as possible with me on this journey, and the support I’ve gotten so far has been fantastic. Some fans who contributed enough got the chance to come into the studio with us, which was so so so fun. The “Gentleman’s Chorus” on the outro of “Just Like Summer” is actually made up of my husband and some crowdfunding friends, so they are quite literally a part of this project.
With Green Hearts out later this year, do you have any other big plans for 2016?
Eating well, exercising, and plenty of sleep!
Thank you for taking the time to talk with us! Is there anything else you would like to add?
Get on board my socials to stay up to date with the latest and greatest news. And thank you, Prelude Press, for taking the time to chat with me – cheers!
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