Pursuit of Happiness: Nurturing Creativity and Ignoring Limitations with Louis York
One of the stellar albums that may have flown under your radar this year is Louis York’s sophomore project Songs With Friends. The Grammy-winning, Nashville-based group consists of Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony, and the new LP features an all-star lineup boasting some of the most distinct voices in music. The impressive features span different genres of music and include: Chris Daughtry, Lalah Hathaway, PJ Morton, Anthony Hamilton and more.
It’s also worth noting the exceptional music pedigree of Harmony and Kelly. They are bona fide industry hitmakers, and collectively, they’ve lent their songwriting and production craftsmanship to global stars like Bruno Mars, Jazmine Sullivan, Fantasia, and Miley Cyrus. The duo is successful, but just because they collect professional wins, doesn’t mean they don’t have bad days. Now, it’s time to look at how they deal with them.
We caught up with the talented duo to discuss maintaining a positive outlook in the music industry and keep their creativity alive.
(Note: The interview below was conducted over email)
Okayplayer: Can you tell us about the meaning behind the title of your latest album,Songs with Friends?
Chuck: The meaning is actually a mission because we believe that great musicians and friends should get together and create good things. Hopefully, you feel the love and respect for each collaborator on each song.
How do you stay away from the negativity you might encounter online, on social media, in your daily life, or within the music industry?
Claude: Great question. You have to work hard to surround yourself with people, things and information that uplift you. We work hard to listen to a lot of music, watch a lot of documentaries that are focused on positivity and we stay away from social media when we can. And we smoke a little weed.
Are there any specific songs on your new album that address mental wellness or have positive themes for people going through tough times?
Claude: The first song “Have a Little Light” speaks to people starting their day off in the right frame of mind. “Alone a Lot” with Anthony Hamilton is a strong one too. On Tik Tok people decide what is medicine and we’ve seen a lot of people using that song to remind their loved ones that they aren’t alone. It’s becoming a mental health anthem. The last song “Balloons” is also about uplifting yourself and rising out of dark spaces.
The music industry can be very stressful — navigating the business and creative sides of it. How does Louis York handle this tricky and difficult balance?
Claude: We’re always on the search for people who are real. We avoid people who aren’t up to the task at hand because things get done when people are who they say they are.
Chuck: We try to see the glass as half full and are eager to work with people who are sincere. Also staying in your own lane helps because you don’t have time to focus on the bullshit. You meet your tribe that way.
As both of you have advanced and grown in your careers, what’s something you’ve done to be more positive thinkers?
Chuck: I make sure that we spend time with nature. Nature just opens up your mind to being grounded again because music takes you to so many crazy places.
Claude: I’d also say reading more. Books are great because the limitations are endless. We’re generally happy people because we make music for a living and enjoy music. We genuinely love what we do and what we create. We rarely argue because we’re always one accord on music.
L to R: Chuck Harmony, Claude Kelly.
Photo by Laura Partain.
What is your advice for folks who have problems dealing with their own feelings or constantly compare themselves to others?
Claude: It’s so much easier said than done. In order to make it as a musician, you have to ignore a lot of the limitations, rules, and boxes because they can kill the creativity. You have to block out that noise and focus on what you are creating.
Do you have any advice for helping friends getting through their mental health struggles?
Claude: If you’re going through mental health issues there’s nothing better than good friends.
Chuck was able to pull me out of a very happy unfulfilled dark space just through encouragement and that’s something that sometimes a parent or a partner may not have been able to help with.
Lastly, why should everyone listen to your new project, and what positive messages can they get from it?
Chuck: We have some of the best voices in the music industry on one album. Each song was crafted with a lot of care and intention. We want every song to speak to some part of your life. Lastly, Claude and I are awesome. We’re good at what we do. The musicianship is impeccable. We have a lot of great musicians on this project.
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