Billy Grima Interview – The country pop singer talks about his latest album Sugar & Cream and as well his Canadian tour. Interview October 11, 2015.
Billy Grima Interview
– What’s new in the world of Billy Grima?
Earlier this past summer I performed at the Texas Sounds International Country Music Awards show in Jefferson, Texas. I just came back from attending the Josie Country Music Awards show in Nashville and I am scheduled to attend the IMEA Awards show in Atlanta later this month for which I am nominated for 4 awards. I recently won an Akademia Award for Best Song for Pleasure To Have Met You. This song is climbing steadily on the IndieWorld Country Record Charts. My album Sugar & Cream is now at #8 on the International Music Network Charts. I am getting very positive feedback from my fans and I must say it is very flattering to have people like and relate to my music.
– How was your writing process to do the album Sugar & Cream?
Well, I wrote my first seven songs on piano, some started with a hum, some started with a riff, melody or a lyric. The approach I took to writing the songs in Sugar & Cream was to visual myself in the story lines /videos as it made it much easier for me to express what I feel as the one goal that I had to writing the songs in this album is for the audience or the listeners to feel the message within the songs.
– When writing a song, is there such a thing as investing too much time? What’s the shortest time you ever took to write one? What was your strangest inspiration?
You can never invest too much time in writing a song when it comes to creating. The shortest time it ever took me to write a song was about an hour. I wrote the song Calendar Girl on the spur of a moment conversation. I was at a party when a lady walked right by me and I thought she looked familiar. So I asked her if she worked at a restaurant that I visit frequently and she replied “no, you got the wrong girl”. She said with a smile. So she proceeded to walk away and out of the blue I said “I know where I know you from”. So she turned around with a big smile on her face and said “where?” and I replied “You are in my calendar, you are my Calendar Girl”. That was one out of a few of my strangest inspirations.
– Do you consider album artwork as important now that music is mostly downloaded?
Yes definitely because image represents the artist and it’s about first visual impression that is key.
– Do you have any tours coming up in the near future?
We are touring Ontario right now and we will be heading out to other Canadian cities but the plans are to head out to the U.S.
– How is the music scene in your area these days? Are clubs still popular?
The music scene/clubs are not as popular these days. Clubs cost a lot higher to run than it used to be.
– Could you describe some of your earliest influences in life and in music?
Some of my earliest influences in life and in music are backpacking in Europe when I was a teenager, I wrote many songs back then, life events such as being ill at a young age and having to stay in a hospital bed for months at a time. I also wrote many songs there as well.
– In your opinion, which album would be essential to have if someone were stranded on a deserted island?
Sugar & Cream
– How important are music videos in the industry today? How do they compare to videos from 20 years ago?
Very important because videos help visual the song. There is a lot more access to watching videos today, because of YouTube and the internet. We did not have that 20 years ago.
– Any words of wisdom to share with aspiring artists?
Follow your dreams, fight for what you believe in and never give up.
Billy Grima online http://www.billygrima.com/