Interview: How the Mainstream Made Delaney Gibson a Better Indie Artist

By: Daniel Gerichter (@ZenDonut) –

Delaney Gibson.

Delaney Gibson is almost a walking contradiction in the music industry. A classically trained musician from childhood, Gibson has performing alongside giants like Barbara Streisand and Andrea Bocelli, while at the same time gravitating towards heroes like Tori Amos. On her latest album, Tall Like a Tree, Gibson combines the grandiose feel of musical theatre with more intimate and indie-tinged sounds. Tall Like a Tree is brave, and unlike anything produced by her peers – a reflection of her own personality. We had a chance to talk about her influences, experience, childhood and her take on the blood feud between Tiffany and Debbie Gibson (no relation).

Was the cinematic sound on Tall Like a Tree intended from the beginning, or did you come to it organically?

Oh yes. I’m obsessed with Baz Luhrman movies and I want my life to be Moulin Rouge. Minus the dying part, of course. I have a musical theatre background and on my other albums I tried to play that down, but with this album I just said “eff it, let’s make it cinematic, and big and dramatic” and that’s what I did.

To that point, it sounds like you had quite a supporting cast on the album. Who were some of your favourite or most inspirational collaborations?

Definitely my producer, Joshua Bartholomew. He’s one of my closest friends and even after speaking to some big-time names, I realized that working with someone who knows me was a much better idea. He’s extremely talented and just wonderful to work with. My string arranger (Laura Mihalka) is also a really good friend. Sometimes it’s hard to get the sound you want with someone who doesn’t know you because they just automatically have a sound in mind without really knowing you.

What were some of the experiences that inspired you to write the songs on Tall Like a Tree?

I was living in New York City when I was writing this album. That city does something to you. For whatever reason, it forces you to put everything you have inside out on the table, which is amazing for a writer, maybe not so great for other lines of work (laughs).

You’re an independent artist now, but you’re no stranger to the mainstream (having opened for Andrea Bocelli and sung background vocals for Barbara Streissand and Barry Manilow). What lessons did you take away from that side of the industry?

It was an eye-opener for sure. Those people are such pros and you only see the final product, but it’s a complete other thing to see how they make it happen. When you actually see the amount of work they put in and how meticulous they are at their craft, it just blows your mind. Seeing them go through all that made me realize how much work I had to do in my career.

So it was like having the curtain pulled back for the first time?

Exactly. When my husband and I first started dating, I don’t think he knew what was involved in being a professional musician, and unless you’ve worked in this business, I don’t think anyone can. And actually, seeing the way they prepare and their discipline makes you that much more of a fan. When I opened for Andrea Bocelli, I’d heard his music before, but seeing it live, it was so powerful. I get goosebumps just thinking about it.

Delaney Gibson.

Many independent artists shun the mainstream for a variety of reasons (it’s too commercial, overproduced etc.). Would you recommend indie artists pay more attention to mainstream artists?

Seeing that side of things forced me to make a decision. Either I wanted that intimate, coffee shop feel, or I wanted something more grandiose and over the top.

You also started out pretty young. What do you believe you gained as an artist from such an early start?

I started performing at five – nine professionally. I pretty much knew that’s what I wanted to do with my life even back then. But it’s a tough business, so you can’t always be doing it. I work a 40-hour work week AND I have a 1-year old son AND I still find time to make music. If you want to do what you love, you do what you have to do. Starting at such a young age gave me the training and the understanding of the business I needed to weather the harder parts of being a professional musician. I’m very grateful.

Do you think you had a very different childhood from your friends?

Absolutely. Even in high school, I’d have to leave classes early to go to auditions or shows. I missed out on school dances because I had to work shows. And it’s harder for kids your age to relate to that, but it was also harder for me to relate to the life my friends were living. There was a weird disconnect sometimes. I’m really glad I’m not a teenager anymore (laughs).

What helped you get through?

When I was sixteen, I joined a young artists’ theatre company. It was finally like “these are my people!” Theatre nerds and music nerds! It made it easier to find people in the same mind frame.

Given you’ve been at it for such a long time, how has your creative process changed over the years?

I started writing songs around 13. Oh God they were terrible! I was really influenced by Tori Amos and Courtney Love, so they sounded like really cheesy tributes. But once I became more proficient on my instruments, I think my writing process started changing for the better. I write music constantly, but for whatever reason, it just takes longer to get the lyrics out. It just takes me longer to say what I really want to say, so even now I have a bunch of songs that are sitting there with no lyrics. More recently, songs will just all come at once, which feels like divine intervention sometimes (laughs).

What’s the first song that you can actually remember hearing?

The first song I can really remember loving was ”Coat of Many Colours” by Dolly Parton. I also remember singing it for my first grade talent show! Also, I was in a school play in kindergarten and I sang “Don’t Put off til Tomorrow”, which would later become my mantra.

Delaney Gibson’s new album “Tall Like The Tree”.

What’s the first album you can remember listening to?

Well, that of course would be Debbie Gibson’s Electric Youth. I was obsessed with her. My mom’s a costume designer and she designed some of her wardrobe when she was in the ‘Deborah Gibson’ phase of her career. She told her all about how much of a fan I was, so when she autographed an album for me, it said “from one DG to another”. I was totally blown away. There was this Tiffany vs. Debbie Gibson war back then and I’m sorry, but Debbie Gibson just kept it more real. She even wrote her own songs, which is pretty rare these days. I hope I’m not starting any flame wars by saying this, but it’s just how I feel.

You play a variety of instruments. What was your first? 

Guitar was my first instrument. My parents took me for lessons when I was very young, but my hands were a little too small. I picked it up eventually though.

Which is closest to your heart?

Piano, 100%. I used to play half and half shows, but now I’ll maybe throw in a guitar song. It’s just how I express myself best, but it was also the hardest one for me to learn because I didn’t start playing till I was in college. There’s something that happens when I sit by a piano and I feel completely connected to whatever piece I’m working on.

Lastly: not every artist does it, but you inject a lot of your personality into your social media presence. Do you feel pressure to share that side of your life, or is something you actually want to do?

I think when artists started using social media, it was like MySpace, where you put up some tracks and a small update and that’s all there was room for. With Twitter, I actually found it was better avenue for talking about what’s really happening in my life, which is what influences my songs to begin with. I have a baby and I have a husband and if you’re a woman in the music industry, you’re not supposed to talk about that stuff. You’re supposed to act available and single and desirable. But I want people to know that this is my life.

That’s actually pretty brave.

It’s sad that it has to be considered brave though, isn’t it? There are pop stars who are older than they claim, and some of them are in committed relationships or have complex personal lives and the music industry tells them to hide that stuff. I wish we could just call it like it is and put it all out there. People will love you if you own who you are.