As the next rising star of Indie Pop's new class, Courtney Cooper first began her journey in music while attending the prestigious Berklee College of Music. There she discovered a genuine passion for recording and writing while navigating vulnerable lyricism and melodies.
The Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter is fresh off the release of her long-awaited single, "Getaway," and encapsulates a fantasy exodus in the whimsical melodies shed. Sultry timbres fluently flow from the passion-filled performance of Courtney Cooper's vocals have our minds fixated on the indulgent soundscape we're amiably offered.
Being in touch with the realities the world has been facing since 2020, "Getaway" was the first song that Courtney Cooper wrote in isolation from her 850 square foot Brooklyn apartment. Looking for a way to mentally flee the fears that had become a part of her life, the simmering ambiance that is gracefully submerged into this track represents evading the upside-down problems the world was and had been facing.
The delicate instrumentation takes on nods of prevalence as we hear comfort radiated from the warm guitar riffs, repeatedly delivering an opulent familiarity. As the musical elements gently wrap around Courtney Cooper's harmonious crooning, we hear how her voice is impeccably balanced in the mix of "Getaway."
Allowing the technique of her songwriting to incorporate a unified brew of intervals between her convolutedly crafted wordings, the soothing hues that shine from her vocals welcome us into her great escape. "Getaway" takes what we're all thinking and puts it into the ears and hearts of the public.
Thank you for joining us at BuzzMusic Courtney, we must say that we absolutely love the entire thesis of “Getaway.” You truly create a utopia of freedom in the song itself! With some of your previous releases dabbing into your love of R&B and Hip-hop, how do you compare the sounds of “Getaway,” to the other tracks heard in your catalog?
Thank you so much—I’m so glad you like it! I’ve always been heavily influenced by hip-hop & R&B as I grew up listening to the 90’s wave of Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Aaliyah, Rodney Jerkin’s, etc. The last few songs prior to Getaway have been more slow jam vibes and Getaway, for me, was a natural transition into something a little more mid-tempo with a groove, while still keeping an infusion of jazz & R&B feels.
Being your first song written during the pandemic, did you find the creative process varied from the usual process you endure? Could you please share a glimpse of it with us?
Absolutely. The timing of the pandemic was a bit of a creative struggle for me at the beginning. I had taken time off my day job to work on music right after the holidays of 2019, so I had already been isolated at home writing and recording 3 months prior to the lockdown. I had just hit a bit of a creative wall and was meant to get back to my job full time ironically March 16, so at the very beginning of the pandemic when everyone else was being super creative and inspired on social media, I was having a bit of writer's block. Luckily, I was able to get over it in a few weeks, but writing Getaway during lockdown was completely authentic to how I was feeling at the time when you listen to the lyrics: “Feels like the same damn shit, just another day…” Literally trapped in my one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn. Another major change was having my boyfriend working from home and on conference calls and zooms all day long in our 800 square ft Brooklyn apartment. There was definitely an adjustment period finding a balance and I eventually moved my home studio in my closet, which is absolutely still an ongoing daily challenge.
Do you think that living in Brooklyn has shaped the unique sound and versatility that you offer in your music?
That’s a great question and to be honest, I’m not sure—especially the past year being stuck at home and not going to live shows. I think a combination of my influences of what I grew up listening to as well as studying jazz at Berklee College of Music have a lot to do with my sound vs my environment. For example, in addition to the 90’s hip hop/r&b I previously mentioned I also listened to a variety of artists with that influenced my sound. My heavy rotation growing up included Mariah Carey, Fiona Apple, Michael Jackson, Lauryn Hill, Earth, Wind, & Fire, Stevie Wonder, Brandy, Britney Spears, Boyz II Men, Lil Kim, Erykah Badu to name a few.
As the creator of “Getaway,” what are you hoping that your listeners take away from this song?
For me, music has always been my therapy—something that soothes my soul. The past year was such a unique experience for the entire world, yet we were all connected going through it together and experiencing all the uncertainty, anxiety, etc. I hope that listeners are able to feel a bit of escape from whatever they are currently going through. It’s still a very uncertain time for a lot of people, myself included, and I could only hope that for 3 minutes people can listen and escape their hardships.