Philip Bowen
I discovered Philip Bowen’s music a few months ago and I immediately loved his songwriting and his storytelling. I first listened to his new single “Every Season” on Youtube through an acoustic performance he posted last year. And what a beautiful song it is. The song feels nostalgic and emotional, but it also feels good.
One thing I love about him is his incredible ability to play the fiddle and to create something super authentic and fun with his original music and his covers by using this instrument. It makes him stand out from everyone else for sure. If you haven’t heard him play the fiddle, please head to his Instagram to watch some of his videos, you won’t be disappointed :)
Philip Bowen is a brilliant vocalist/musician/storyteller and featuring him on my blog is an absolute honor.
“Every Season” is now available worldwide :)
Introduce yourself - what's your story?
I have a bit of a long and winding road to get to what has developed with my music over the past year. I started seriously trying to write songs in college, did the college band thing, and then life happened, and I wrote more sparingly. Songwriting never left me, it just kind of fell in the background. I made a commitment going into 2020, that I would really invest my time and energy into my music. My mantra is to “Create Every Day” even if it’s something small. That mantra has legit changed my life. One of my originals got on the front page of Yahoo.com in April of 2020, and I gained a ton of traction. I also started doing live streaming shows in 2020, and that has helped me to grow my fanbase exponentially and has opened up a ton of opportunities (like appearing on “and the writer is” for example). I got a note from the folks at Reddit that my streams have had over 3.5 million views which just blows my mind!
What did you grow up listening to?
I am blessed to have been exposed to lots of styles. I grew up in Appalachia (West Virginia), and so of course I’m heavily inspired by mountain music like folk, country, gospel, and bluegrass. My dad is a big Beegees fan and my mom loves classics like Barry Manilow. I’m super thankful for an eclectic background, and to this day my listening rotation has everything from old country to lo-fi to hip hop.
When did you know you could sing?
I grew with music as a huge part of my life. I sang in groups and stuff in church growing up, but was always incredibly shy about singing alone. When I was 18, I played a song I had written for a girl in my life, and she said “The song is cool, but honestly you have a really weird voice.” LOL of course that gave me a complex, but I broke free of that with the help of some encouraging friends and family. I started playing at coffee shops and beach café’s in my college town of Clearwater, FL and got great responses about my voice. I just kind of embraced it from there!
When did you start writing songs? What made you want to write in the first place?
My mom sent me a picture the other day with an old notebook where 12-year-old me had written out some song lyrics. They were slightly embarrassing, but I’ve been at writing for a long time. Music always spoke to me in such a unique way, and I loved the idea of trying to tell a complex emotional story, with relatively few words. The first song I wrote that I really felt was complete is called “Almost Heaven” about missing my much beloved home state of West Virginia.
How would you define Philip Bowen, the artist?
People have told me that my music feels like a warm hug, and I love that. I try and write music that lifts the spirit and hugs the soul. I want the listener to feel how I feel, and for the music to take them to an emotional, personal place. The greatest gifts I receive are when fans reach out to me and tell me how a song has helped them through a hard time, or made them laugh or cry when they really needed it. I want to be known as an artist who really shines a bright light, and does meaningful work.
What lessons have you learned since the beginning of your career?
First, JUST DO YOU and Be Authentic, however weird and wonderful. I have found the most success when I’ve been my true self as an artist. There is no substitute for authenticity. You have to be vulnerable, and that can be scary. The other big thing is that there is no substitute for hard work. You have to get creative with it sometimes, but the chances that someone will come along and pluck you from obscurity are slim. Do the work and create as much as you can.
You're about to release your new single "Every Season" - what's the story/inspiration behind this song? Who helped you create this single?
The idea for “Every Season” came to me as I watched my kids play in some gorgeous fall leaves. The trees were absolutely bursting with color. There was a particularly lovely maple tree and I have a specific memory of the leaves slowly turning and falling down. My wife is there holding our new baby, and our kids are laughing and playing. This got me thinking about how fast time flies, and how it’s so important to enjoy every moment, every season. On the walk home, the first line and melody of the song popped in my head, and I stopped right there and sang it into a voice memo. I wrote the rest of it that night, and it was 90% done in about 30 minutes!
What did you feel when writing this song?
I felt super emotional writing this song. In fact, for the first week or so after writing it, I could not make it through the song without crying. I would see my wife or kids or an old family picture and it would just be too much. I felt happy, sad, and nostalgic all at once. These feelings let me know I had something special. This pic is from the day after I wrote it. I also have to give a huge shoutout to my mixing engineer Alec Garnica (Bright Owl Sound) and Sam Moses (Moses Mastering). I explored some awesome new elements in this song, and these mixing/mastering pros helped me bring the vision to life.
What do you want people to feel when listening to this song?
I want people to feel their past and be nostalgic for their future. I want them to really sit with the feeling of the passing of time, and the people and things that make every season worth living. Nostalgia, smiles, and tears.
What made you want to release "Every Season" as a single?
At this stage of my career, I’ve been trying to keep up a good cadence of releases. It’s more doable for me to release singles. As an indie artist, I have a lot more freedom to pick and choose how things get out into the world, and this felt right. That being said, if it was part of an album, this song would be the title track!
What can you tell us about the artwork?
haha here we go! So my graphic artists team are an amazingly talented couple (Jon and Lexy Robinson – Robinson Design). They are also part of our family. Lexy found this picture courtesy of an old post on my mom’s facebook, and thought it was perfect. I love it. It’s got the seasonal feel and baby Phil front and center. Good vibes for the song.
What does it mean for you to be an artist?
It means everything. It means that I can connect with people on a unique level. It’s honestly intoxicating. Of course, there are good and bad days, but there is absolutely nothing in the world like knowing your song has found a home in someone’s heart. It’s the ultimate payoff.
What do you like the most about the fiddle? What do you feel when you play the fiddle?
The fiddle/violin is my first love! I’ve been playing it since the age of 4. Playing the fiddle is like breathing. It’s so deeply a part of me and is still my favorite instrument to play. It’s also been an incredible tool to get people into my music world. I have lost count of the times people I have told me, “I came for the fiddle, and stayed for the originals.” I feel like it adds a unique element to my style.
What advice would you give to young musicians?
Be true to yourself, take chances, and don’t give up. There will never be a shortage of people who line up to tell you that you can’t do something. They are only right if you quit. Success can mean many things to many people but stick with it and be yourself.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
Sometimes the music industry feels like a tidal wave. There is so much talent! Distribution is more accessible than ever. I really believe it’s a great time to be indie. You can build your brand from your living room and perform live every night without leaving your house. If I could change one thing, it would be to have more representation from women in the mixing/mastering/engineering world. Some of the best feedback I’ve received has been from amazing pros in this field.
What biggest life lessons have you learned so far?
This is a tough one, but I’d say … 1) Check in on your friends and family. Even if they seem to have it all together. Check in. 2) Stop and listen. 3) Take nothing and no one for granted.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
Just love people. Be joyful, it’s contagious. Not everything needs to have a battle line drawn, and we have more in common than we have different. We have a quote hanging up in our house that says, “One’s voice grows stronger in encounters with opposing views.” I love that.
What message do you want to deliver to the world?
Give my music a chance, I think you’ll feel right at home. LOL seriously though, I want to say that YOU ARE WORTH IT! Even on your darkest days, you are worth it. Show kindness today.
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