Experimental band, CANVAS tells us about themselves and their song writing process. Let’s see what they have to say!
First off, What’s up with your name? Is there a story behind it?
We never wanted to be ‘boxed in’ to just one genre or identity. The name ‘CANVAS’ came from our own singer/songwriter, Jerid, who was walking around the Flatiron District in NYC and came across an art gallery named ‘CANVAS’. After seeing it, he thought of the band as a ‘blank canvas’ as we truly strive to create something new and experimental for every song. Once this revelation happened, we began to create with no genre restriction, making everything from Rock, Folk, Classical, Funk and everything in between.
Tell us about your musical past, would you tell us about your early years?
We have always been enamored with music since we were children. Each one of us of course had our own individual experiences, however Jerid recalls using his parents’ cassette tapes to record loops and in turn, ruining whatever self-help tapes they had bought in the process. In Jerid’s words, “I was a very emotional child and the only thing that ever really calmed me down was playing on my grandmothers’ nylon string guitar that only had four strings. I then went on to teach myself guitar, bass, piano and a bit of drums, eventually figuring out what sounded good to me and taking it from there. Songwriting and music became my only sanctuary from a world that I was sorely misunderstood in for almost my entire life.” DG played piano all throughout elementary and middle school, eventually leading to him falling in love with the art of making beats and production. Jesse was always focused on playing drums and played in a few bands throughout his school years.
How would you describe your sound?
In a word, ‘Experimental’. We like to consider ourselves a musical “mixed bag” and believe we have songs for anyone and everyone.
Which artists have the biggest influence on your sound?
Muse, Queen, David Bowie and Radiohead
What’s the last song you listened to?
Amber Run – I Found
What’s your source for hearing new music?
We really enjoy the ‘New Music Fridays’ on Spotify. Turn on shuffle and let it ride.
Who is your dream producer?
This is tough. It’s between Mark Ronson and Rick Rubin.
If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
Matt Bellamy
What led you to music, and what motivates you to keep making it?
Music is a chronological record of the human condition and our existence in the universe. We know of no greater calling than to contribute to that for the rest of our lives.
Tell us about the songwriting process. How does it all come together?
We get this question a lot and honestly, it’s different every time. We believe the only constant within our process is that we remain open to letting it happen the way ‘it’ wants to happen. Sometimes, it starts with a melody that we’d like to produce around before we begin the writing process. Other times, there may be a single word or phrase that starts blooming into an entire idea within minutes. On certain occasions, Jerid will come to us with an entire song format laid out in his head that we quickly produce, knowing that we will come back later to perfect the sound selection.
How do you connect with your audience? What is the easiest way for them to connect with you?
We use social media platforms and we also maintain a mailing list, which fans can easily join by signing onto our website canvas.band. We also recently started a new Instagram page @canvastheband where fans can reach out. The easiest was for them to reach out to us, however, is to email info@canvas.band.
Instagram
Website
Email
“Kamikaze Lightshow” pre-save. Out 01/27/2023
What’s next for you?
We have been in rehearsals the last few months gearing up for live performances this summer. We have also become much more involved in the sync world and are excited for what the future holds there.
Anything else you’d like to add or let us know about?
We plan to release our debut album titled ‘Labyrinth’, which is slated for Q4 2023. Up until then, you will see consistent singles and visuals to accompany them.
Biography: CANVAS is committed to experimentalism, sonic diversity and exploration. They thrive in unchartered territory and hold no expectation for what their sound should or should not be.
Their divergent roots (influenced by Bluegrass Folk, Punk/Metal and Hip Hop) have sparked a musical journey ranging from triumphant anthems to soulful ballads, and edgy fusions of alternative pop, rock and funk.
When creating, their approach is different for every song. They are focused on bending genres and blending electronic/acoustic production to achieve an ever-evolving hybrid sound. They believe nothing is certain, including creation.
