Ali Blake
LA-based singer/songwriter Ali Blake released her new single "Witness” on February 28th.
Co-written with Eric McNeely and produced by Anton Söder and John Avila, the new single was initially written for her brother.
“The inspiration for “Witness” has to do with wanting to save my brother from pain and give him unconditional love. To do something and not merely be a witness to his pain as well as the pain of children around the world and in our country dealing with the immigration system,” explains Blake.
Blake has recently completed her new record titled Blood. Produced by Anton Söder and John Avila, Blood is a family concept album set to be released early this year.
Inspired by the likes of Nina Simone and Sia, the Chicago-native has become an empowering artist who delivers personal and powerful records.
“Witness” is now available worldwide.
Photo credit: Chris Strong Photography
Introduce yourself - what's your story?
My name is Ali Blake. I am a creative, passionate, singer/songwriter from a suburb in Chicago called Highland Park. I love to travel and experience in different places, so I've bounced around a lot living in Greece, San Francisco, NYC, Oakland, Atlanta and Los Angeles. LA is a place I really feel at home in. I've been singing ever since I could talk and writing songs since I was a little girl. I also grew up dancing and participating in theater. I love animals deeply and taking care of the earth is very important to me as well as social justice and empowering myself and other women and persons. Healing is a never ending process I very much enjoy learning about.
"Witness" is your new single. What's the inspiration behind this record?
The inspiration for Witness has to do with both wanting to save my brother from pain and give him unconditional love. To do something and not merely be a witness to his pain as well as the pain of children around the world and in our country dealing with the immigration system.
Could you describe us the songwriting/production process for this particular single? Who helped you create it?
Eric McNeely helped write the song with me and it was a very scary and emotional process because I was afraid of being trite for such a vulnerable subject matter. Like the feeling of ruining something so beautiful with words. But I had to just let go and let whatever needed to come out, come out. It really helped to talk about my feelings with Eric as well as Anton Söder and John Avila who produced it. They all believed in the song from the get go and that made it such a rich process. Working with such talented people is a real gift.
What did you feel when writing "Witness"?
When first writing Witness I was actually in Atlanta at the time and was so inspired by the spirit and history of the place. How dark and alive it is from the history and the layers of pain, turmoil, beauty, protest, so many things. I was listening to Mahalia Jackson and she brought the intro melody out of me. From there it kept evolving and I felt alive, inspired, heart-broken, hopeful.
What message do you want to convey through this single?
The message I want to convey is that no matter how big or small the action we take is, we have unconditional love to give to these children. Through that we are led to more ways in which we can take some sort of action to make a difference in a child's life, whether that is simply being heard, getting them out of a detention center, lifting them from starvation, etc. We all need to be seen and heard and at one point we were all children. We always will be. And in this context I guess I was thinking of how being a witness sometimes feels like helplessness and not doing anything.
What can you tell us about your upcoming album?
My upcoming album is a family concept album, as I call it. It encompasses the feelings of growing up in my family, experiencing my own evolution/realizations, experiences of other family members and my perspective of and relationship that person. It's very personal and empowering for me and the first really focused music project I've made.
What does it mean for you to be an artist?
I really believe everyone is an artist in some way. And that art itself is everywhere including in the eye of the beholder. I'm such a romantic and love to see art in the most mundane or grotesque or beautiful things. The essence of art is connection to something or someone. I think that's how everything is born.
What biggest lessons have you learned since your very first release?
The biggest lessons I've learned from my first single release is that bearing my heart and soul is a totally satisfying, terrifying, exciting and heavenly experience that I want to contribute over and over again. And that it can be a completely confusing, frustrating process. It involves all the feelings.
What is your definition of success?
My definition of success is being able to stay present as much as possible and honor the fact that the only constant is change, connecting to others so that we are able to be heard and seen by one another, to be able to forgive and love abundantly, to allow ourselves the gift of joy, to have justice for all.
Besides music, what are you passionate about?
I'm passionate about music, animals/animal rights, nature, dancing, acting, learning different languages, traveling, photography, protecting the planet, healing myself and others, reading, vegan food, film, theater, soooo many other things!
As a human being, what do you want to accomplish?
As a human being I want to accomplish being me more and more and being of service for the greater good. I'm still learning.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
The world would be a better place if we all mastered the art of listening to each other and the world around us, danced and played music more together as communities, took more time to honor the earth and its creatures. I think that would lead and does lead to positive, healing changes because it's a matter of awakening to what is. And because it exists, my faith remains alive.
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