Watch the Sunset and Listen to Carson Sheppard’s New Single, ‘Sunset Blvd.’
They say good things come to those who wait, and that’s exactly what happened while we waited for Carson Sheppard to unveil his new sound.
It’s been a long journey for the singer-songwriter, and witnessing him find his own groove and sound has been exciting to watch. So, I was honored to ask him a few questions about his latest release, “Sunset Blvd,” and get the scoop on his future plans.
Carson is a great example of a self-made musician. He is proof that you don’t need a big studio or team of people to make your music come to life. When I asked him about the making of the single, he admitted:
“As far as all of the music, sounds, orchestration, vocals, and lyrics, I did it all. This was my first time ever doing something entirely on my own, including making beats, percussion, and bass, which I am happy to be doing with all songs on this record.”
However, this release doesn’t come without some help from his friends. Norman Ragan and Seger Rauls of Phoenix Studios helped to mix and master the track. Together, they put “Sunset Blvd” together pretty quickly. It took Carson about a week and half to record everything, and only a few short days later, he had the mastered version back.
The construction of “Sunset Blvd” may sound like it was simple, but its inspiration came from a place of complicated emotion. That led to the single developing differently than most of Carson’s other songs.
“I don’t normally set out with a song meaning I want to pursue. Generally, I write the music, I find a melody, and then I write the lyrics to it. To me, “Sunset Blvd.” is about going through shit in life while feeling like you’re facing it alone, but ultimately being okay with that, because you discover that your strength is all you need.”
With this track, Carson made it clear that he was inspired to try something out of the norm, which resulted in music that excites him. Carson admits that he was never really a fan of his work as an acoustic singer-songwriter. On the other hand, “Sunset Blvd.” is the most authentic representation of where he is musically — and one that stretched him out of his comfort zone.
“I got away from worrying about what I could easily play and sing, and just simply went for writing what I thought sounded good and what I vibed with.”
He hopes his listeners will vibe well with it, too. He strongly feels about the impact “Sunset Blvd” can have on fans, and he hopes they gain the same confidence from listening that he did from making the track.
And, as Carson tells us, “Sunset Blvd” is just the beginning.
“My current plan is to drop two more singles, while finishing up about a 6-7 song EP. Hopefully, after my third single is dropped, it won’t be very long before I release the rest of the record, all at once.”
Music to our ears. We’re looking forward to hearing more of Carson’s work and discovering his sound alongside him. Until then, check out the music video for “Sunset Blvd” below!