iambountyfan; echoes - Christopher Norman
we interview US-based singer-songwriter Christopher Norman to talk about past, current and future projects, the influence of iamamiwhoami and ionnalee on his creative output and his experience within the iambountyfan community as one of its earliest members.
q. first off, tell us a bit about yourself.
i’m a producer/singer living in Austin, TX. after a stint as a dance music producer/dj, around 2008, i co-founded a tech house label. it was during that time i fostered my singing/writing abilities, and then released a series of pop eps (ep1, ep2, and ep3). i then released my debut album Process in 2014, and followed it up with Strange Games in 2016, an ep collaboration with singer/songwriter James Reed.
q. who are your biggest inspirations?
Britney Spears. J.S. Bach, ionnalee, Kate Bush, Stimming (tech house producer), Emily Haines, Mitski.
q. where and when did you first learn about iamamiwhoami?
i recall seeing the first prelude video on a music blog that i was following via Google Reader. i remember the spooky legs through the trees, and the eerie, Goldfrappian vibe…i was instantly enraptured.
q. we remember you as an integral and vocal part of the fan community since the beginning. can you tell us a bit about your experience there? do you have any particular memories of that period in time?
the silence that came after ‘y’ was deafening enough for me to want to break it by writing something. i called on Jacob (who maintained iambountyfan at the time) to see if i could involve the rest of the fandom with a produced version of the song, involving found-sound contributions. i had the thought in my head at the time that Jonna and her kin were waiting for the fandom to respond, so i wanted to take up that mantle. it was a bit of a naive assumption (:
LISTEN: ‘?’ - a fan-driven song performed by Christopher Norman in collaboration with Jacob Hulmston and the iambountyfan community.
iamamiwhoami fans have written a song in response to ‘bounty.’ we have asked all of the fans from around the globe to each record a sound to be woven into the fabric of the song.
q. do you have a favourite song? which “era” is your favourite?
“idle talk”. zero hesitation. a lot of what i do musically is an attempt to recreate the feeling i have when i hear that song. i remember the night that video was uploaded. the day it was expected it came a little late….it was absolutely worth the wait. i hold kin very close to my heart, and i’m still blown away by its artistry. it felt like a gift, you know? it feels like a labor of love, given freely and unfettered by excessive context. it still feels so unique and wonderful, and stands head and shoulders against any one of the ubiquitous “video albums” to follow in its wake. it’s also impossible to have a discussion about iamamiwhoami eras without mentioning IN CONCERT. i remember being starry eyed, watching it as it live streamed and the puzzle unfolded before my eyes. who can forget Jonna standing up at the beginning of “o” and shedding the hair suit, revealing the clergy uniform underneath? i was as excited as i was terrified.
q. being independent has always played a major role in ionnalee’s career and yours alike. do you think independent artists have a chance of survival in the business and what is their role within it?
i feel like being independent is one of the few ways to sustainably maintain a career as an artist. maintaining my independence has given me the prerogative to create what i want, maintain ownership over my material, and earn freely from it. that flexibility is paramount. without it, i feel stifled and wing clipped. i think the business itself relies on the survival and growth of its indie artists. our role is to push the envelope and make a great impact with less resources. it’s that kind of ingenious & budget-conscious problem solving that powered my video, sacrifice, and i’m sure other indie artists can share that same sentiment.
q. are you afraid of being forgotten? can you relate to that sentiment as an artist?
that fear is inevitable, i think. i’ve felt it. doesn’t make it any less terrifying, though.
q. the #EABFtour started off earlier this year in may with a handful of successful dates. are you planning to attend any of the shows?
ionnalee just announced the stateside performances, and i’m ready to buy tickets to the Los Angeles show. i may have to fashion an aluminum crown…
q. what’s in store for you in the coming months?
it’s been almost 4 years since “Process”, and i’ve lived about a decade’s worth of experiences since. i bought a house a few months ago, and since the dust has settled i’ve been spending more time in the studio than i have in a while. this new material will be produced by my close friend and collaborator James Reed, and will be guitar-focused. i’m pretty committed to not doing the bulk of the production work on this next record. while i’m waiting for this next round of solo material to shake out, i’m readying a collection of my remixes for release. there’s also a string of instrumental tracks that will find their way out soon.
q. do you believe in evolution?
yes. it’s never linear, but yes.
q. thank you for joining us, we wish you best of luck with your current and future projects.
the pleasure was entirely mine. thank you for the opportunity to share my story.
follow Christopher Norman on Facebook / Twitter / Soundcloud.
listen to his cover of iamamiwhoami; idle talk on Soundcloud.
check out his official website here.
photography by Ben Gillin
interview by Marco Napolitano
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