Eva Schubert
Interview conducted March 20, 2021
By Dan Locke
Eva Schubert is a singer and songwriter based in Vancouver, Canada. Inspired by jazz greats like Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Nina Simone, blues icons like Etta James, and — perhaps improbably — Leonard Cohen, she writes in a diverse range of styles. Her first album, “Songs for a Ladies’ Man”, is full of songs with a classic jazz appeal. The album represents a partnership with producer Paul Claxton, whom she credits with a significant degree of mind-reading, and a great deal of creativity.
You have a Master’s degree in education and is a history nerd, college instructor, researcher, writer, and a jazz aficionada. What is your upbringing?
I definitely had an unusual upbringing. I was the oldest child in a very large family, and I got into books very early. My passion for history started in adolescence. I was the kid with my nose buried in a biography of Julius Caesar when I was 13, and I was also a major Shakespeare fan with a penchant for expressing myself in 16th century English. Fortunately, we were homeschooled at the time, so I never felt much pressure from other kids to fit in! By the time I did attend a regular high school in the last couple of years before I graduated, I was fairly indifferent to what the cool kids thought anyway.
How did you discover music?
Well again there was very little peer input in my discovery of music, which happened through exposure to what my father and grandparents listened to, and albums I would borrow from the library. There was a whole lot of jazz, and I fell in love with the poetry of the lyrics and the incredible music.
How did you start to write music?
That’s kind of a crazy story. You see, I was determined to get a solid education and a job that would allow me to provide well for myself financially, so I never considered musical training at university. But I always wrote poetry. I was obsessed with it. Sometimes I even toyed with writing jazz lyrics, but thought that I would have to wait until someone with musical training could turn them into songs. Then one morning, as I was stirring a pot of oatmeal and turning over these lyrics I had just written in my head, I could suddenly hear music! For the first time, I could hear a melody behind the words. In a panic I rushed to my computer looking for some free software to help me record the notes I could hear in my mind before they vanished. It was crazy. But from that moment on, I have been able to hear melodies and instruments for the songs in my mind, and I have been doing music ever since.
Describe your music.
The music I make comes out of a love affair with the golden age of jazz: the kind of songs that Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday might sing. I have written a lot of jazz like that. But sometimes I come up with songs that emerge from some of the other genres I love, like “I Will”, which is a toe tapping bluesy gospel tune, or “Water” which is a dreamy, wide-open ballad.
What was your first performance at like?
It was nerve wracking. I had lots of experience being behind a mic and talking to a room, but singing is quite different because it’s about communicating with other musicians. Also, when you are singing music, you have created, it feels really vulnerable. You just don’t know how people are going to receive it. It’s a bit like reading your journal out loud.
Do you belong to any to songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP?
Yes, I am a member of SOCAN and ASCAP.
What makes a good songwriter?
I think good songwriting is about giving voice to experiences and emotions that we all have in a fresh and appealing way. My favorite songwriters, like Leonard Cohen, have a strong background in poetry, so they write lyrics that are startling, beautiful, and make you think. The best ones capture the emotion so well that those words can even shape the way we think about love or life. If you can come up with a captivating melody and arrangement, then you can alter someone’s emotional state. It’s powerful. You can capture an emotion or a moment in a way that brings people joy, or becomes the carrier for their own emotions and memories.
What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?
I think the very first one was called “Effervescent Heart”, and I didn’t record it. But I did record one that came to me shortly afterward called “Back Country Blues”. It’s on my first album.
Why did you decide to create the video “Flying High”?
Well, the song “Flying High” is all about chasing dreams, and so it’s about that happy beautiful feeling you get when things take off. However, I also have a private pilot’s license, and that was one of the first times in my life that I felt that sensation of euphoria, so it seemed quite natural to make flying the visual.
Why did you pick Bryant Didier to direct it?
Bryant Didier is actually my music producer, so he had everything to do with making the song sound fantastic, but nothing to do with making the video.
How long have you had your pilot’s license?
I have had my pilot’s license since I was eighteen years old. It was a competitive scholarship program and getting into it was just incredible. It was a very formative experience in my life, and taught me that you can go very far if you are willing to put in the work.
What is the process of writing your music?
Usually there are a few words or a phrase that begins to bounce around in the back of my mind. Then I know that I need to make some time to play with it and see what comes out. The results can be surprising. I keep little notebooks around all the time so that I can write things down when they come to me, and I have a voice recorder on my phone so I can capture little bits of melody that I am playing with. It can happen when I am driving, for example. I park and quickly record any lines I’ve been singing before I go on with my day. Then I can come back and develop them.
Tell me about your latest album “Hot Damn Romance”?
This album was a thrill to make because of the fantastic crew of musicians I worked with in Toronto. For all you non-Canadians, I live on the far west side of Canada and Toronto is on the opposite side. It’s not close. I was introduced to my fabulous producer Bryant Didier by a mutual musical friend, and flew out to work with him. The songs evolved as we played them together, and the other musicians each brought their incredible gifts to make the sound what it is. It’s a very jazzy sound, with sizzling trumpet and swinging rhythms.
What is your favorite track on your album?
Tough question! It’s kind of like choosing one of your kids. I think “Flying High” has a special place in my heart because it connects to a very significant period in my life, and it came out of conversation with a friend who was coming out of a similarly difficult situation.
How do you stay healthy while performing?
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a big deal for me. There are basic rules that I have been following for so long that I don’t think about them too much. For example, I don’t drink my calories: it’s mostly water or black coffee or tea. I eat lots of vegetables and avoid junk food. Most of all, I exercise 5 times a week. That last part does wonders for balancing my appetite, sleep, and mental health.
What are you’re feeling about streaming music?
It’s a very ambiguous feeling. On one hand, streaming music promises the possibility of being discovered by people around the world. But it’s a system that benefits streaming music platforms, not artists. Being on Spotify seems like something you need to do to be legitimate, since that platform has such a huge market share. However, what it gives artists in return for their music is literally pennies.
The symbol # is known as the number sign, hash, pound sign and a sharp sign in music. The symbol has historically been used for a wide range of purposes Since 2007, widespread usage of the symbol to introduce metadata tags on social media platforms has led to such tags being known as “hashtags”, and from that, the symbol itself is sometimes called a hashtag.
Are people forgetting that the # is a part of music?
Ha! That’s a funny question. Yes, I think the hashtag connotation has now far outstripped the musical one. I can see a cartoon strip in my head with a kid asking his music teacher why there are hashtags on the sheet music.
Digital vs. vinyl?
In some ways it is astonishing that vinyl is making a comeback, but in other ways maybe it is not so surprising. When everything is digital, there is something very satisfying about having a physical object you can hold. And then album art is hard to appreciate digitally. I remember the beautiful covers of records and the sleeves in cassettes and CDs. You want to be able to handle it. We have lost that with digital music.
What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?
Leonard Cohen wrote a song called “You Got Me Singing” which is about finding love in the most unexpected place and time. It’s one of my favorite songs because I know exactly what that feels like… and it has a fiddle, which is charming all on its own!
You wrote a book “Don’t Date a Do Nothing Bitch”. How did you come up with that idea for a book?
Well, it started off as kind of a joke. I still see women who seem to think that what matters most is their appearance, and men who agree with them. Basically, the book is saying that women should have their own ambitions and goals, and execute on them — not wait around for some guy to make it happen. And I am saying to guys, look past the pretty face. Expect more, because just looking for girls who have nice curves isn’t going to get you very far.
If “Video Killed the Radio Star” do you think that the Covid-19 virus has killed live music? Do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
Well, it certainly has in the short term. We are still waiting to find out what venues will be left standing when all of this is done. People may be eager to get out and see live music again, only to find that all the places where that used to happen have gone out of business.
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?
Working on a new album of course! It was a tough year, but I thought that focusing on songwriting was the best way to handle it, because music brings me joy. I hope to record it in Toronto as soon as it is safe to travel.
During the self-quarantine you have been doing a podcast on history with a focus on violence, religion and gripping stories. Why did you decide to focus on this for your podcast?
Well, I think that the kind of history that engages people is the kind that is told as a good story. If it is recited as a list of facts and dates then it gets really dry and people have a hard time caring about it. But if you can look at those important events and ideas through a human lens, and try to tell the story through the eyes of the people who lived through it, suddenly it’s relatable and people can put themselves in those shoes. In my Villains and Virgins podcast I try to pick events or people that I think are fascinating, and then show people why.
Are you still doing endurance hiking, runner and weight lifting?
Absolutely! I’ve been focusing on my deadlifting in the last year in particular. Trail running is one of my favorite things to do and I usually manage to get it in on the weekends. My last 50 km hike was in September, and I am looking forward to more of that as spring clears the snow from the trails.
Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
I suppose I have been doing more baking in the last year, since I have been at home so much due to Covid. I made sourdough bread for the first time, and some Italian confections. Fortunately, I can always find people to share it with, so it’s never in the house long.
Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. In October that is going to change at least on Facebook. Facebook is cracking down on livestreamed shows that include recorded music with new terms of service, preventing artists from using the platform for “commercial or non-personal” purposes, unless they have obtained the relevant licenses.
The updated music guidelines state that users “may not use videos on our products [which include Instagram] to create a music listening experience […] This will includes [Facebook] Live,” and stipulates that such content should be posted for the enjoyment of friends and family only.
How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook?
Wow. I think that will be terrible. It means that one of the few channels that allows artists to directly interact with fans during this pandemic will vanish. Live shows have all been cancelled for the past year, so interacting online has become the only connection and Facebook is definitely one of the most effective platforms for that. I guess it means people will turn to other platforms, but it will have a hushing effect.
How can musicians keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell merchandise to them at the show?
This is a question being asked by musicians everywhere. I think we are all waiting for the pandemic to end, although what life will look like afterwards is hard to say.
Is pay to play still a thing? Now pay to play also means thinks like playlist on the internet and opening slots for a major band on tour.
It’s a funny thing. Artists are receiving less compensation for music than perhaps they ever have, and yet we are supposed to hand over money in order to make our music visible. It’s kind of depressing.
What about Holographic concerts in our living room?
Well I don’t think we are there yet, but even if this technology emerges, I can’t imagine it would ever come close to the feeling you have when you are in the same space with the people making the music. That human proximity factor is irreplaceable.
Governments around the world are hearing the call of thousands of music creators and included protections for the music community in the omnibus bill. In addition to extended and improved unemployment benefits and small business loans for freelance creators, the package includes several bills which the Recording Academy, its members, and the larger music community advocated for. From the Save Our Stages Act, provided a lifeline to performance venues and promoters, to the CASE Act, which creates an avenue for smaller creators to defend their copyrighted works, Congress has ensured that both music creators and those who act behind the scenes to bring music to life are given the support they need during this difficult time.
Do you think this will save music venues?
I don’t know. I think music venues are in serious trouble, as so many have closed over the past year. If something isn’t done about it then everyone loses. If there is no space for musicians to play for an audience, we all lose. What kind of texture does a city have without places where you can sit down and enjoy live music?
Did you know that the Grammys MusicCares can help artist? The MusiCares COVID-19 Relief has helped thousands of music industry artists and professionals during these difficult days. This is the most recipients helped, for any single event, in MusiCares’ history. The need remains great, and these unique times remain critical for music people. It has taken a community uplifting one another to get through this pandemic, and MusiCares has pulled together a list of additional organizations and resources to further support you. https://www.grammy.com/musicares/get-help/relief-resources. Have you applied for it yet?
I have been fortunate in that I do not rely on music to pay my bills, so I have not applied for any Covid support funding. There are so many people in need, and it’s good to know that these networks exist to help.
The Canadian government is doing something to help musicians by extension of supplemental funding called the Canada Music Fund. Have you look into this?
I am very glad to hear about these initiatives. Many musicians I know who do not have other sources of income have really struggled this year, and I think it has been devastating for a lot of people.
In the past if a musician stop doing music, they find a new career. For example, David Lee Roth from Van Halen became a licensed EMT in NY for 6 years, San Spitz (guitarist for Anthrax) became a master watchmaker, Dee Snider (Twister Sister) voice over work for SpongeBob SquarePants. If you can’t do music, what would you like to be doing?
It is really hard to imagine not doing music because it gives me so much joy. But I also do other things as well. I can imagine writing more. There are so many things to write about and I enjoy doing it.
What is your happy place?
On a mountain trail or in the studio recording with other musicians.
A lot of musicians such as Stevie Nicks, Bob Dylan, Taylor Swift, Journey, Def Leppard, and Shakira have sold their catalog rights within the last year. Bob Dylan sold his entire catalog for a reported $300 million. Once you get to the age of about 70. Publishing is far more lucrative than the mechanical royalties paid to artist based on sales, airplay and streams. A good example of this is Michael Jackson brought the rights to the Beatles catalog in 1985. And in the late 80’s the Beatles Revolution appeared in a Nike commercial.
The lump sums being offered by publishing firms are more tax friendly concerning estate planning.
Do you think you would be willing to sale your back catalog if someone like Universal is will to buy everything, such as all the rights to all your songs? Another factor is mortality.
It’s hard to say. I guess it would depend on the deal being offered, but I don’t think I would rule it out completely.
Spotify’s ‘Stream On’ event on Monday (February 22), the company confirmed that more than 60,000 new tracks are now being ingested by its platform every single day. This means people are added new tracks uploaded to its platform every 1.4 seconds.
The figure, announced by Spotify’s Co-Head of Music, Jeremy Erlich, means that across the course of this year, approximately 22 million tracks will be added to Spotify’s catalog. Spotify confirmed in November last year that its platform now played host to around 70 million tracks.
Therefore it’s reasonable to assume that, by the end of 2021, SPOT will be home to over 90 million tracks. And that in the early part of next year, it will surpass a catalog of 100 million for the first time.
But still back at the beginning of the year Spotify deleted 750,00 songs, mostly from independent artists. What do you think what that could mean to independent artist?
I think that we are incredibly reliant on a few large platforms, and this puts an enormous amount of power in the hands of people who are able to operate without much accountability to anyone. If you are an artist and you get deleted from Spotify overnight, that can have a devastating impact. Getting that situation fixed is not easy, and the individual’s ability to get redress from these organizations is quite negligible. I know people who build apps and have suddenly been suspended from updating them on Apple, and the process of getting that fixed was a nightmare.
Anything you would like to say in closing.
Yes. I see that you are a Veteran run magazine, which I think is fantastic. I also appreciate the work you do in highlighting independent musicians. Thanks very much for inviting me.
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