An acoustic guitar walks you into FREDDY's latest release "Soldier." The eruption of sound keeps building to new heights as we are introduced to FREDDY's profound and robust voice, just then the symbols crest onto the track like the sun rising over a mountainous range, and as you are memorized by "Soldiers" intense sound.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Spencer Emanuelle Goodman, AKA: FREDDY, is moving audiences and listeners nationwide with her mood-inducing vocal stylings.
The track strums the familiar and pleasant melodies of a country-folk song and yet encompasses the profound instrumentals of a theatrical pop number.
"Soldiers" lyrics convey a wartime love story, beloveds separated by combat, and their longingness to be together again. The pounding drums lead you into the powerful chorus ignite your senses as FREDDY's powerful voice sings: "I want my solider, right back in my arms", " On the front lines standing tall, keeping all his brothers full of hope and faith and song." The lyrics and the crashing instrumentals make the listener stand at attention as FREDDY's voice marches along in valor.
The mounting intensity of sounds is balanced out with moments of soulful piano notes cascading into your ears and the soft plucking of a banjo brings our mind back to the comforts of home, as we envision our "Solider" walking through the door, home safe. Do not miss this patriotic love story brought to life by FREDDY's soaring voice.
Discover "Soldier" here.
Hello FREDDY, and welcome back to BuzzMusic! Your sound continues to wow us, we were in awe by your latest release "Solider." Can you start off by telling us a bit more about the song and how you wanted it to resonate with listeners?
So happy to be back! Aw, thank you so much. Well, the song originated after I saw the film “1917” with my mom. First off, may I say if you have not yet seen this film, you MUST, it’s extraordinary. I was so moved by the film and because of the way it was shot I think, really felt the weight and reality of this existence. It’s very hard for me to envision what life serving your country day in and day out for months or years r e a l l y would feel like, but the performance and cinematography felt like such an honest, raw look in. The Stress. The fear. The anxiety. The doubt. The constant unknown. The pain. The loss. Yet despite all of that weight, there is still so much love, and hope. The striving to find a sense of normalcy amongst the incomprehensible chaos, I guess that’s what ultimately we as humans cling to.
I was driving through Beverly Hills the next day and just thinking Ewwww to all the money, and possessions, and status since I was just hyper-focused on the heaviness of the film and that reality and how only love matters at the end of the day. I just cried and cried. I swear the entire chorus just popped into my head. Sometimes I think angels from heaven or something sing ideas into my ears. It sounds far out, but sometimes I think entire conversations flow through me when I am most calm, quiet, and open. Maybe this was someone somewhere in the universe seeing my empathy and wanting their story told. My hope is that a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter, at least one person hears this song and feels held and heard. Imagine that reality REALLY. Every single day knowing your loved one is AT FREAKING WAR. ON THE BATTLEFIELD. The possibility of death constantly on the horizon. It’s terrifying. THOSE heroes need an anthem. The ones praying and holding down the fort at home day in and day out. I wanted someone living this reality to have exactly that to hold onto - an anthem.
We can't get over the magnitude of sound featured on "Soldier," it really does envelope the listener. What was it like for you recording this song and having that sound surround you?
I have two wildly talented friends, Tyler Thompson and Lauren Luiz, that are in a band called Wild (no pun intended) haha - both just incredible songwriters and producers. Lauren is this angelic melody and harmony queen who just finds the perfect moments to highlight, isolate, or build. Tyler is an amazing producer, and even more so just a great player, great musician all around. I think that’s so important when working with people, since I don’t play an instrument, finding people who really are great players before production begins helps the process tremendously. I came into their studio one day, and just sang them the chorus acapella and I think both of their heads just go off like fireworks with ideas and they just hear so much so fast. Recording with them is always great. They make everything so light and safe. I feel so comfortable creating with them. I also absolutely love my mixer, Garrett Miller who lives in Tennessee. He’s so patient with me as we dial in the wall of sound, and all the levels, and colors and movement. When I heard the final mix, I was just so happy with the way it turned out. It just f e l t warm and good like a hug.
Where do you draw inspiration from in writing and performing your songs? There is a great sense of investiture you display in your music, where does that come from?
I have a really hard time drawing inspiration actually. Unless it hits me like a wall of bricks, I’m just like this mean critic in my head grasping at nothing and then beating myself up for it. I’m still learning how to get in the room with writers and producers and just take an idea that pops up and runs with it. Everything I do is super intense and emotional - so when inspiration DOES hit, I feel like I don’t even have to work hard it just takes off and my subconscious takes over or the angels I was talking about earlier haha. I guess in short though, I’m inspired by other art and situations I dramatize in my personal life.
Anything I do I fully invest in. As I said, I’m just a really intense feeler I think. The intense person for sure, but like I feel things so deeply. Too deeply. Often I wish I had more of a DGAF attitude, but I just care soooo much. I like to talk A L O T before I write with other people. I feel getting as specific as possible in what we’re trying to say helps articulate the story better than just vibing. I feel like I don’t know how to vibe in the studio cuz I’m super in my head, but performing? All I know how to do is the vibe. I just am the most present while I’m performing. I love it more than anything in the world. It’s just like a fire that burns up my whole being. Entertaining people. I even love the moments between songs during a show. I just feel in my bones that’s my purpose here. Make ‘em laugh, make ‘em cry, make ‘em feel everything. My favorite quote in the whole world is by Rainer Maria Rilke, “Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final”. That statement alone inspires me more than anything else.
What are your hopes for your music? Where would you like to see it take you?
WHAT A QUESTION. I want to change the world. I want my music to reach as close to all 195 countries as possible. I want to be able to make giant donations to causes that I feel strongly about. I want to be able to be The Voice of many causes. I want to connect with everyone I can. I want to offer an escape at all my shows for all attending. I want my listeners to let go and feel wild and free. I also want them to feel safe and supported and loved and worthy and powerful and enough. I want everyone to feel comfortable and okay feeling vulnerable at my shows. I want to be signed by a major label. I want to open for a massive headliner. I want to do several headlining world tours myself. I want to sell out Madison Square Garden. I want to sell out stadiums. I want those who listen to my music to feel we are one big happy family. I just want to connect. Nothing matters in this life but that: love and connection. What better way to bring everyone together than in song? My dream is to one day see 100,000 people across the other end of the stage singing my lyrics back to me. And then way way way at the end of my life hopefully like I’m 99 or 100 or something, I want hundreds of other girls to feel so inspired by me and all that I accomplished, that they go and do it, better and bigger than I did it.
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