New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Pianist and composer Chad Lawson's new record You Finally Knew is out today through Decca Records/Universal Music. Recorded at the famous Abbey Road Studios, the record makes up the second half of Chad's dual release, the first half of which, Stay, came out earlier this year.
"You Finally Knew is an invitation of self-reflection," says Lawson. "Beckoning us to pause and look inside ourselves, to see what makes each of us uniquely us. It is becoming increasingly difficult to be honest with ourselves as we unintentionally set aside even the smallest life-giving activities to address everyday obligations." The album, whose title comes from the first line of a Mary
Oliver poem, aims to help reclaim that honesty.
Lead single "Prelude in D Major" and its accompanying video debuted in advance of the album. Directed by Agostina Gálvez, the video features the dancers Jason Rodriguez and José Lapaz Rodriguez, both affiliated with historic Vogue houses: House of
Ninja and House of Xtravaganza. The two perform a series of controlled falls, elaborate turns and fluid movements as they vogue to "Prelude in D Major" against the backdrop of New York City, merging modern classical music with contemporary dance.
Overwhelmed by the number of people reaching out to express how his music has helped them through difficult times - especially during the pandemic -
Lawson recently launched a new podcast, Calm it Down. Passionate about how music can help people, reduce stress levels and improve emotional health, the podcast seemed to be the next logical step and a great way of connecting with and helping his audience. Live across all DSPs, new episodes are released every Tuesday.
Explaining the link between the performance and his music,
Lawson quotes painter Edgar Degas, "Art is not what you see, but what you make others see." He continues, "This captivating choreography of Jason Rodriguez and José Lapaz Rodriguez illustrates how art is received, interpreted and expressed as uniquely beautiful as the persons themselves."
A former jazz musician who spent two years touring stadiums as part of
Julio Iglesias' live band,
Lawson began his solo career in 2009 when the stress took a toll on his own health. He wrote his debut solo piano album Set On A Hill while suffering from ulcerative colitis, a chronic condition that had left him bedridden. In 2011 his album The Piano attracted mainstream media attention in the US. Two years later, Chad repeated the feat with The Bach Variations. Today,
Lawson is a streaming star with tens of millions of followers and a staple of some of the world's most popular playlists, introducing new generations to classical music with contemporary techniques, modern-day interpretations and an emotive, arresting signature sound.
"A simple melody will always be the heart of every song, regardless of instrument," says Lawson. "I sat without pencil and paper and sang each part before placing a single finger on a piano key. If I could not sing the melody and retain it in my ear, it didn't make the cut. Only after the melody had become so ingrained in memory did I dare commit it to paper. Once the melody was in place, the chords and flourishes practically painted themselves."
