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Beth Crowley: From Books To Music — A Revealing Interview

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Beth Crowley Interview

In this revealing interview, Beth Crowley shares insights into her creative process, the challenges she faces as an artist, and her passion for books and reading. Get ready to dive into the mind of this talented woman and find out what makes her music unique.

1 — Can you tell us about your new single “The Ghost Who Is Still Alive” and how it relates to the book of the same name?

“The Ghost Who Is Still Alive” is based on the book The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab, which is about a woman who makes a bargain with the devil where she will get to live forever, but the catch is that no one she meets will remember her. It’s such an interesting premise for a story — how much of life’s enjoyment comes from the people around you who love you? For the song, I wanted to capture how sad and haunting it would be to know that you can’t truly make an impact on the world. I tried to take some themes from the book so that people who have read it will know the “easter eggs” in the song, but it’s not so specific that people who haven’t read it wouldn’t enjoy it.

2 — What makes this composition worth listening to?

I am always proudest of my lyrics. It’s such a careful and painstaking process to craft the exact right lyrics, so I hope that alone makes “The Ghost Who Is Still Alive” worth listening to.

3 — Is there any specific book or author that has had a significant impact on your music?

I don’t think my first book-based song “Warrior” would have taken off like it did if it weren’t for Cassandra Clare (the author of the books it was based on) being incredibly kind and supportive not only when it came out but in the years since. I will always be grateful to her for that.

4 — What would be the title of your life story if it was a book?

Well, This Has Been Unexpected.

5 — Your tunes are often described as emotional piano ballads with cinematic elements. Are you open to experimenting with different sounds in the future?

Absolutely! I don’t think I have painted myself into a corner throughout the years with only having one “sound”— I have had songs that are a little more Rock, musical theatre, or even Country. Doing the same thing over and over again is boring, and I don’t ever want my music to get too predictable.

6 — “Warrior” is your most popular track to date, and it has been streamed over 16 million times on Spotify. What do you believe to be the key factors that contributed to this achievement?

Like I said earlier, Cassandra Clare sharing the song and being so supportive is a huge factor in that. But I also think “Warrior” just resonated with people. It’s about realizing that you are stronger than you think you are, which is something we not only see in tons of different characters through books/movie/television, but something people relate to within themselves as well.

The Ghost Who Is Still Alive Beth Crowley Interview
7 — How do you know when a song is finished and ready to be released?

I hate to be vague and say that it’s just a feeling I get, but it really is. When I am writing a song, sometimes I’ll finish a full set of lyrics and just sit with it for a while to see if it still feels right. But sometimes I immediately know it’s done. When I am in the studio, my producer Daniel and I will usually get to a point where we think it might be ready, then listen all the way through one more time just to make sure. It really does just boil down to a “feeling” though.

8 — What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced in your artistic career?

I think my biggest struggle has been trying to not take numbers and social media algorithms too personally. No one really knows how the algorithms work, which can be frustrating when it feels like they control if people are going to hear your music or not. When the algorithms don’t work in your favor and a song doesn’t do as well as you hoped, it’s easy to feel like it’s a failure even if the people who do hear it have good things to say about it. I have to remind myself that I can only do so much and just keep putting out music that I am proud of.

9 — When not working on new music, what other hobbies does Beth Crowley enjoy?

Unsurprisingly, I love reading. There is something really therapeutic about listening to an audiobook while doing a jigsaw puzzle, so I do that pretty often. I host trivia once a week at a bar, which I love. And I spend a lot of time with my family.

10 — Finally, can you reveal details about your upcoming projects?

“The Ghost Who Is Still Alive” is the first single from my upcoming album ‘Unabridged,’ which is going to be all book-based songs. I am really looking forward to seeing people’s reactions when I reveal which books I chose to write songs about, and I have some really great videos and other fun things to go along with them. It’s going to be a lot of fun.


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By Erick Ycaza

Hi, my name is Erick Ycaza. I have a BA in Advertising & Graphic Design. This blog is to provide you with daily music news and share my personal style. Surprisingly, I have been blogging and writing about music since 2007.