Best known for her debut single, “A Thousand Miles,” American singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton has quickly made a new name for herself with her latest album “Liberman.”
Comprised of ten tracks, “Liberman” covers new sound and a new voice for the artist whose career has been overshadowed by her debuting work in the early 2000s. The artist recently produced and released a live version of her fifth album, entitled “Liberman Live,” which was produced and recorded live at 3rd and Lindsley, a local venue in Carlton’s new hometown of Nashville, TN.
In a phone interview, Carlton talked about her journey from “A Thousand Miles” to “Liberman Live” and reinventing herself and her music in order to bring something fresh to the audience’s ears.
The DePaulia: What elements does “Liberman Live” bring to listeners that the original studio album didn’t?
Vanessa Carlton: Well it’s live to begin with, which is pretty cool because I had never done a live album or record before this one. We did the recording in Nashville at one of my last shows and it just turned out pretty smoothly. You get a sense of the music scene and the crowd during a live performance.
DePaulia: What’s the music scene like in Nashville compared to where your career started in New York City?
Carlton: It’s definitely different in a sense that Nashville is very much solely known for its music scene. You take a look at New York City and it’s balancing music, movies, theatre and everything in between. I would say New York was a great place for me to get into the music scene. You quickly adapt and learn a lot about what a studio expects from you and what the audience and your fans expect from you. I think I really love Nashville because there’s so many artists available not only to collaborate and meet with, but to simply watch and appreciate as well.
DePaulia: What’s the biggest difference there is – if any – from the Vanessa Carlton that was put on the map years ago because of “A Thousand Miles,” and the Vanessa Carlton that we hear on this album, “Liberman Live?” It’s been sixteen years since the release of the “A Thousand Miles.” Do you ever get tired of fans wanting you to play that song?
Carlton: Whether you’re in music or not, you’re a different person from when you were 19 years-old compared to when you’re 36. I’ve not only matured but my music has as well. It’s authentic. It’s become more of who I am and this album reflects when “A Thousand Miles” was made. My life blew up and things moved really fast. At that age you’re just going along with everything and doing what you’re told, but with this album I was really able to not follow any rules and make music that I wanted.
DePaulia: What do you want to accomplish with this tour or what are you looking forward to the most?
Carlton: Honestly just being back on tour is a great aspect to begin with. I’m a mother, so it’s obviously tough to schedule time to be away and travel on tour, but you do miss the feeling of being on stage with a crowd and an audience in front of you.
There’s no other feeling like it than being on stage like that. I want my music to connect with the audience and make them feel something. 16 years ago I made “A Thousand Miles” and I am happy and privileged that my career took off from that, but what I want to do with this tour is be able to show my fans a different side of me, a more realistic side of who I am.