Native New Yorker, singer-songwriter, and spirited recording artist Craig Greenberg takes us back to his experiences with isolation through a lively new single entitled "Quarantine Queen."
Hailed as New York City's most acclaimed post-millennial piano man, Craig Greenberg has solidified his presence in the music industry over the past 15 years. He's often building on the traditions of acts like Billy Joel, Ben Folds, and Randy Newman, but with a sparking, soulful, and dramatic twist.
This time around, Craig Greenberg takes us through his pandemic experiences but with a playful and passionate edge through his new single, "Quarantine Queen." There's a feel-good soft rock early 2000s vibe that brings a sense of optimism and cheerfulness, all while Greenberg belts his heart out with passionate lyrics about kicking back with someone who made quarantine worthwhile.
The new single, "Quarantine Queen," kicks off with vibrant electric guitar riffs and upbeat drums that lead into the introspective and sweet-sounding verse. Craig Greenberg's melodic and expressive vocals grab our undivided attention effortlessly, keeping us hooked on his loving lyrics about staying sane thanks to this special someone.
It's an exciting and refreshing song that pays homage to loved ones who've been there for us when the going gets tough. More specifically, this track is a brilliant modern-day ballad with heaps of optimism about the future while being completely satisfied with the current moment. Craig Greenberg closes this radiant track with his beaming instrumentals that exude all the love and affection we can possibly feel in a song.
Get to know how Craig Greenberg spent most of his quarantine with the refreshing and heartfelt new single, "Quarantine Queen," now available on all digital streaming platforms.
What experiences with the pandemic inspired you to create your new single, "Quarantine Queen"? What did you want the song to be about?
Hi, thanks for having me. Well, I was confined to home a lot, as we all were, and being single for a good while, then I went on a couple of virtual dates, as well as a couple of dates IRL (ie, masked and outside at a park) which was, umm, interesting. It was a lonely time for me, and to keep myself from losing it, I wrote a song about my vision of a dream girl to spend the lockdown with.
What was your goal for the sound and vibe of the instrumentals in "Quarantine Queen"? What sort of listening experience did you want to create for your audience?
Being that most of my music is piano based, I was excited to just record a guitar rocker. QQ is one of only a couple of songs I've recorded that doesn't feature any piano or keyboard. As far as a listening experience, I really like the song content coming out of a dark and difficult time, being paired with a tune and vibe that is light-hearted and kind of sweet. I actually really love when that kind of juxtaposition happens in a song.
What was the best part about creating such a lively and passionate song like "Quarantine Queen"? What was your favorite part about the experience?
Well, I just feel fortunate that I was able to keep creative during a challenging period, to "make lemonade", as I know many other musicians and songwriters who just shut down during that time. For me, keeping busy with music is what kept me from going off the rails.
Is "Quarantine Queen" included in your 2022 EP? Could you share a bit more about this project and what it might be about?
YES, it will be on the "Between The Sea and The Sky" EP coming in December! The title of the EP comes from a song on it of the same name, it refers to arriving at the middle point in life (i was 45 during the recording of the record) and questioning your place in the world. Ultimately, I reaffirmed my path and realized that even though I may have lived half my life in terms of years, I'm really just beginning on my path as a songwriter and musician. It's a nice feeling and far preferable to a mid-life crisis..lol!
What's next for you?
Shortly after the single comes out, I will release the music video for the song, which I'm very excited about! And next Thurs Oct 6th, we'll be celebrating the song release with a CG Band show at Rockwood Music Hall (Stage 2) in downtown NYC. After that, I will be getting together the artwork and putting the finishing touches on the EP for release in December. Then at some point in 2023, I will start on the next record. I have a lot of music written since the pandemic that I want to put out!