Thursday, October 9, 2014

Beauty Comes From Under The Skin

     It's out!!! It's out!!! My new single "Under The Skin" is out now!!! You have no idea how good it feels to be able to say that. Whew! I don't have to keep it to myself anymore. Praise Jesus! I hope you all are enjoying it. I've gotten some really nice feedback but I'd love to hear some of your opinions on it. There will be a link at the very bottom for you to listen to it on SoundCloud and buy it iTunes. Now, to the reason I'm writing this.


     Today my mom saw something on Twitter that Dove had posted about multiple girls posting videos on YouTube asking if they were ugly. Apparently it's a thing a whole bunch of girls have started doing and it breaks my heart. If you haven't had a chance to listen to my new song "Under The Skin" it's basically a message to all girls telling them that true beauty comes from, well, under the skin. Seeing how many girls felt the need to post a video asking people if they were ugly is crazy. Then, to see how many people made parody videos making fun of them is just disgusting. It's not funny. I know some people might not agree with me on this, and that's okay, but the fact that people are making light of something so serious is terrible. A woman named Meaghan Ramsey did a whole speech on this you can watch here. 


     When I was in the studio recording "Under The Skin" I kept thinking about how it would be perfect for a Dove commercial. When Dove tweeted about those girls it really struck a nerve with me. So I thought now would be a good time to tell you guys the story behind how I wrote "Under The Skin". 
     I had been going through a massive writers block. Writers block is one of those evil things that completely takes away your confidence. As I was sitting there completely frustrated I started to do what I normally do when writing; I sang random stuff until I ran across something I liked. It just so happened to be the first verse of the song "Spend forty-five minutes standing in front of the mirror. You look at what everyone has and it don't seem fair that you ain't got the prettiest smile or the prettiest hair. Seems like all you do is just stand and stare." and then I mumbled some weird melody while recording it. After I listened back I thought it sounded stupid. It went into my unfinished songs pile and that was the end of it. Or so I thought.
     I have no clue if it was weeks, months, or maybe even a year, but I was organizing some recordings and cleaning out some stuff when I ran across it. I thought I'd try to at least finish it. My general thoughts were maybe it could be something that my little cousins or the little girls that I knew liked my music would listen to. Once I started writing it I couldn't stop. It was probably one of the easiest songs I've written. 
     When I finished it I had a big realization. I had just written a song to myself. Every word and every line was exactly how I felt. 
     When I was in middle school I use to think I was so chubby. I hated the gap in my teeth (before I got braces), I hated my hair, and the fact that I wasn't as tiny as some of my friends. My first year of high school I started hating the way I looked in jeans. I hated how I couldn't pull off certain clothes that looked good on other girls. Then I started thinking that maybe guys wouldn't like me because I wasn't skinny. This was all in between the ages of 11 and 14. How crazy is that!? 
     Looking back it just seems stupid now. The grass is always greener on the other side. I have come to terms with the fact that God made me the way I am for a reason. If all girls looked the same then life would be pretty boring. I've found the prettiest people are the ones that have beautiful personalities. If someone can't accept you, or judges you based on how you look, then they're the one with the issue not you


     So basically "Under The Skin" was a big fat letter written to yours truly. Everyone tells me all the time that they're jealous of my confidence. Trust me, I have my moments. Everyone does. On days when you're comparing yourself to someone else or you just don't feel good enough, remember that true beauty is all about whats inside; not about your jean size. (Thank Goodness.)

    I will praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, my soul knows it well.  (Psalm 139:14)


     Love you guys!


xxCarson



Saturday, October 4, 2014

New Single Coming Monday!!!

     How's it going guys?! I hope you are enjoying the beginnings of Fall. This is actually my favorite time of the year, not just because it's getting closer to my birthday, but because it always feels like a fresh start. The nights start getting colder and the leaves start changing; everything feels like a new possibility... Okay, that was cliche even for me. There is a point to this post I promise haha.
     I announced this past week I'm going to be releasing a new single Monday! I couldn't keep it to myself any longer, mostly because I'm bad with secrets. After spending about three months listening to it in my car I finally get to share it with you all! And let me just say, for the first time ever I'm still not sick of listening to myself. (Weird I know.)
     Some of you have been following me since I first started playing music professionally about 5 years ago. One of the toughest things I've found with starting music so young is that the older you get the more you evolve into who you want to be. The EP's in the past were a representation of who I was at the time; as I've matured I have had to decide what truly makes me happy. As humans we are constantly changing our minds. Thankfully, I'm not having to grow as a musician in front of millions of people but I will say I have been super nervous for you guys to hear the new stuff.
     As you all know, back in July I flew out to L.A. to record two songs with Brad Smith. One of the first things he asked me was what kind of music I had been listening to recently and what direction I was wanting to go with the production. It was such a strange thing to really think about what kind of music makes me happy on a daily basis. I generally love all kinds of music. 
    When we started recording this song it morphed into this amazing sound. I have always had a hard time explaining what I want. I'm an over thinker and perfectionist; there I said it haha. But the moment we started recording the tracks for this I knew that it was exactly what I wanted. It embodied my writing style, my personality, and overall the music I would love to create for the rest of my life. Oddly enough, I don't think I could stick it in a genre. It could possibly go anywhere. I'll let you guys decide that. It's definitely different.
     Maybe that's why the start of this Fall already feels like the promise of big and amazing changes. There's so much going on that I can't wait to share it all with you. I know you probably hate my guts now because you're thinking, "Man, I just wanna hear the song to see what she keeps going on about."

     STAY TUNED TILL MONDAY AND YOU WILL!

     I love you guys with all my heart. Thank you for being with me as I grow as an artist. Your amazing love and support never ceases to make me happy. For three months I have been dying with excitement for you guys to hear what I've been holding so close to my heart. Only one more day!

xxC

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P.s. I thought I'd share some awesome quotes for anyone who is afraid of change. Sometimes getting out of your comfort zone is a good thing. Trust me. ;)