Interview with Colleen Kally

How did you get into songwriting? Tell us something about your childhood.
I started writing poetry in Junior High as a way to express my inner turmoil. I read some classic poetry for inspiration, but mostly I studied lyrics from bands like The Doors, The Cure, Depeche Mode and The Smiths... My angst-ridden poems were never written with an audience in mind, but for my own sanity. I needed an outlet. My only other outlet besides poetry was music. I turned to music to help me express my emotions. So my poetry was inspired by music, and writing poetry has helped me in writing lyrics. That was my first step.
I grew up very poor in Southwestern Pennsylvania. I wanted to play an instrument but we couldn't afford it. When I was very little, like two years old, I wanted to be an Opera singer. I had seen an opera on Public Television, and would mimic it all the time - very loudly. I didn't understand what language they were singing, so I made up my own. I would burst out into Opera in the middle of the grocery store. One evening I belted out some "Opera" while lying in bed after everyone else had fallen asleep and woke everyone up. I got in some big trouble. I didn't really sing in front of people very often as I got older. I became more and more shy and insecure. I always sang to myself, but wouldn't allow anyone else to hear me.

What would you like to tell us about your acting career? You seem to have played interesting characters.
I love acting. I have my degree in Theatre and originally moved to Los Angeles to make it as an actress. Singing actually came later. I had always sung to myself but didn't think anyone would like my voice so I was very shy about singing in front of anyone. I've done lots of Theatre - approximately 30 plays. I've never done a musical, though. A Play allows me to go deep into a character and build a back-story of who this person is over a period of weeks of rehearsal. A live audience adds a lot too. You can feel the energy coming from the audience, and every audience is different, so each performance is unique. I've played all types of characters, but they seem to vacillate between the sweet girl next door and the troubled seductress. I guess I have both of those sides to my personality, so that makes sense. The business of acting is almost as difficult as music. It is a very cutthroat and competitive field. I became sick of being offered roles that required nudity or simulated sex and turning them down. I have done some independent films, but decided to focus strictly on music and only act for my own artistic gratification - which has only been achieved thus far by acting in plays. I would love to have an acting career like Meryl Streep. She's done such important and artistic movies. Hopefully one day I will be able to cross the bridge from music to acting and create an artistic career in film, but until then I will turn to theatre to find that artistic satisfaction. Luckily, singing and writing lyrics gives me a different route for that same artistic expression. It is a more direct route, and it is my own personal voice. Acting is fun because I get to take on a character and rise to that occasion. I can play someone evil or very different from myself and explore in a safe way those complex human emotions. Music has been about digging deep into who I am as a person and my own emotion. Much the way writing poetry has done for me - but with the added element of my own voice.

Your highly acclaimed summer hit "I Found You" was rotated in almost all the clubs back in 2005. How did you feel about the response considering it was your first step into trance music?
I was in shock but incredibly grateful. Who knew? I was very pleased that it was received so well. It was a nice boost to my confidence, considering I was shy about singing in front of other people. It was, and still is, very surreal. After struggling so long and hard with acting, music fell into my lap and I succeeded without having any expectations. I met Mike Burns on a movie set where I was doing some stand-in work. We were talking over lunch and he asked me if I could sing. "In the car and in the shower" I replied. He had been producing electronic Dance Music for a while and was looking for a singer. It was a chance meeting that ended up paying off. I thought it would be fun to sing since it had always been a fantasy of mine - but I didn't think I was good enough. He produced with Mark Lewis and the two of them together were Interstate. Mark had known Paul Oakenfold, who ended up putting "I Found You" on his Creamfields CD. It was unsigned at the time... and the rest is history. I was very lucky. Any part of the Entertainment Industry requires luck and timing. There are many, many other singers, songwriters and actors out there who are wonderful... but without the proper exposure no one knows these artists exist. I knew I was lucky, so I took the luck in music I hadn't had in acting and I've been running with it ever since.

We heard you speak about "Remember Me", please tell us the story behind "I Found You" now, We think your fans are really curious!
I can't take credit for writing any part of "I Found You". I was strictly a featured vocalist on that song and did not start writing anything until "Remember Me". When Mike Burns and I got together in his studio the first time, the only part of the song that came from that first meeting was the "Never Let You Go". I didn't think anything of it except that I was having a good time. It wasn't until a time later that Mark Lewis and Mike were working together and came across my vocal sample. Mark really liked it and they began to write a song around it. They contacted me to ask me to sing some verses to the song, which I did. The next thing I knew Mike was calling me up telling me Paul was putting the song on Creamfields, and things just snowballed from there.

Why wasn't there a video to "Remember Me"? We think the video to "I Found You" was fantastic!
We had such a blast doing the video to "I Found You". Mike came up with the concept and directed the video as well. Interstate had booked a gig in the Luxor hotel in Las Vegas and Mike thought shooting the video on the way and while there would be a great idea - which it was! A lot of the video was improvised out of Mike's concepts. As an actor, I think the spontaneity of improvisation gives the best results, and it was more fun! I was also so happy that my long-time boyfriend, Julio got to star in the video. He was the hitchhiker. Mike got his then girlfriend (now wife) Rita to drive the Corvette and pick up the hitchhiker for the story of them traveling together to Las Vegas to see Interstate in concert. It developed from there. All in all it was a great time as we shot the video and got to perform live.
I was and am really bummed that we never shot a video for "Remember Me". Mark Lewis had some interesting concepts for the video that never came to fruition. Interstate and I stopped working together over some artistic and business differences, so the video was never made. I really think it is a shame. The song went on to do really well - even here in the States.

How was it like working with Mike Burns & Mark Lewis?
Wow, it seems I start answering your questions before you ask them. Well, we had our good times and bad times - but overall it was great, and I am very grateful that I had the opportunities I had with Mike and Mark. This business is very difficult, and I was very green - not just about making the music itself, but also the business aspects of music. Eventually we had some disagreements whether I was a member of the band or a featured vocalist. I wanted billing as a featured vocalist since they had plans to have other female singers on the completed album. I was afraid my branding as an artist would be confused with the other female singers, Like Dena Carmen, who were to be featured. Mike and Mark thought I was part of the band. Things just didn't work out. Once again, it was just a shame, because the creative energy between the three of us was very special. The business aspect of music is usually the part that most artists have a problem with. That aspect has repeatedly been frustrating and disappointing for me. But I wish Mike and Mark all the best.

Tell us more about yourself - something that's not related to music & acting.
Well, I am actually a very spiritual person - but not in the religious sense. I grew up Christian in a very small town... but I found the hypocrisy very hard to swallow. Basically I believe all "religions" or beliefs are different pathways to understanding God, or the "Eternal Energy" to which we all belong - but I also feel every religion has been perverted by mankind's own ego and desire for control and power. Basically, I aspire to follow the path of love and good intention and strive to not allow myself to be swallowed up by negativity like fear, anger, jealousy or revenge. Those things, I believe, would only bring bad Karma upon me and negate my more positive traits. I think service to the world, along with a huge dose of humility is needed to keep a good balance. I feel a calling to help others - especially by being an inspiration and encouraging others to overcome their fears and obstacles. I grew up very poor and was the first in my family to go to college. My mother calls me her Maverick because I am the only one who left my little hometown. I went for it - as frightened and unsure of myself as I was. I hope others will see that in me and be encouraged to go after what they want in life too - and that they don't need to step on anyone or sacrifice who they are to do so.
I am also a HUGE animal lover and very into Astrology!

How far do you plan to take your singing for trance music?
I don't ever want to abandon Trance. I listen to all kinds of music. Depeche Mode and New Order are two of my all-time favorites for example, and I listened to them before Trance was even invented. I also love alternative Rock and some really artistic Pop (Gasp!). I hope to branch out in different directions. My vision is this: with the plethora of high quality Producer-Remixers, each song I create, regardless of the genre in which the original production was created, should and will be remixed into a Trance version. That way, I can stay true to my roots, and stay true to my musical tastes. I don't like being fenced in. For example, Sarah McLachlan, Radiohead and U2 have all been remixed into Trance songs - so when I venture beyond Trance, I'd love to have Trance remixes of those songs. Trance is such a high BPM that it is difficult to mix into something else. But songs and genres with a lower BPM can always be mixed into a Trance version. I also feel that this option gives me the opportunity to work with some really wonderful remixes and producers while getting my music and my message to a wider audience. I believe that staying true to the artistic expression and intention of the music is the most important element.

Are you into live performances?
Oh Gosh, I LOVE performing live. I haven't done much of it lately because I have been focusing on creating new music. I'd like to complete this album and then go on tour. But I definitely miss it. I would like to perform some of my songs live with different DJs - especially when they come to the LA area. I just haven't had the energy to focus on making that happen. But I really miss it. I've been considering acting in a play while I finish my album in order to get my "fix" - but family illness has kept me away from LA lately.

Can we take a peek into the kind of offers are you getting from trance producers? There must be plenty right?
Well, almost all of the offers I have had have been long distance. LA is not the biggest place for Trance, and most of the producers who approach me are in Europe. I have had a difficult time collaborating because I must obtain a third party producer to record my vocals locally. I wish I had the skills to do so myself - but I just don't at this point. It really is an undervalued skill. I give huge props to any vocalist who can record and produce their own vocals. They are in a much better position if they can do so. At this point I just want to focus on writing and singing. I have had to stop accepting any more offers from long distance producers at this time because I have a back-log of songs I need to finish and am too overwhelmed to take on any more until I finish my current obligations. The exception would be, of course, if Tiësto or Gabriel & Dresden asked me to collaborate! But I am lucky because I have found an up-and-coming artist, Suremy, here in LA and we've been working on some cool projects. You'll be hearing about him... I love raw talent, and he's got it.

Create a dream sequence of your own. Something that you have been visualizing a lot about, but never got a chance to write it down.
Well, I would really love to lift my family out of poverty. I guess you could say I've dreamt about this my whole life. It has definitely shaped who I am as a human being and my own values. It is very difficult to see people you love struggle on a daily basis with survival issues - keeping a roof over their heads and food on the table. Basic medical care can also be difficult. I do what I can at this point, but I have a large family and I can't help with everything. It's a major goal of mine, though.
I also dream of building a free Drug and Alcohol Rehab in my hometown, with free counseling, psychiatry and alternative medicine like acupuncture. My hometown is very modest and poverty abounds. Drug addiction is growing everywhere, but heroin, crack and crystal meth are things that destroy lives. It breaks my heart to see my hometown fall victim to these tragic elements. I have had people close to me, including a best friend in LA, succumb to such addictions and it has been one of the most difficult things I have ever had to deal with. To watch someone with so much potential and beauty get sucked into something they can't get themselves out of... The shame associated with these types of problems, and the self-hate that occurs keeps too many from seeking the help they deserve. When my friend started having problems, I looked into rehabs for her and was so discouraged that the average cost was $15,000. How are the poorest of people to get out of such a mess? Since charity begins at home, my dream is to start there. I know how difficult it was for me to make my way in the world coming from such a modest existence... and I could not have done it without the encouragement I received from a few special people in my community and family that believed in me.

Tell us about your less-known songs?
I actually sung on a vocal version of 4 Strings instrumental hit "Hurricane". It was known as "Hurricane [Vocal Edit]" or "Heart Of Pain". It never received a full release. ULTRA picked up and it was only released on iTunes. It is a radio edit and therefore very difficult to mix. It is hard to say why things like that happen, because it is a great track. The funny thing is that the songwriter Alexander Perls who wrote the top-line, ended up licensing the a cappella of my voice to Dirty Dot who recently released the track at the beginning of this year, including a remix by Monogato, on Roccocco / Baroque. It has actually done fairly well as Markus Shulz, Andy Moor and Ronski Speed (among others) are supporting it.
I have a song with Delta-S called "Denial". It is one of the tracks on his "Voyage To Isis" album recently released on his label WindM Records. I guess you could call it EBM (Electronic Body Movement) - its not Trance. But I have the honor of appearing on the album with the great Kirsty Hawkshaw and Sheri Shaw.
I have done a Rock-Dance song with Josh Harris called "One More Day". I love the Rock-Dance genre and I see a real resurgence of the genre happening. It was big in the 80's. I love Jes and she's picked up on it. She's very gifted.
I have an Electro track coming out with Tyler Michaud and Define Crazy, a Trance track with Suremy and one with Hydroid - to name a few. But since none of these are ready yet, hopefully I am not speaking too soon. I have several songs written - just the top-line lyrics and vocal melody, but I am saving them for the right producers. I am dying to work with Gabriel & Dresden. I'd also really like to work with Markus Shulz, Ferry Corsten, Paul van Dyk, Paul Oakenfold, Tiësto and Ronski Speed. I have a few other producers in the works with friends, but I don't want to say anything since it is so preliminary.

You are coming up with a solo album this year. Sounds simply great! We want to dig in the details!
Well, it's definitely been difficult since I am working with several different producers instead of just one. Managing the entire project myself has definitely been an undertaking and a trial-by-error learning experience. After I finish this album I would like my next project to be with a single producer and take on a project name; much the way Eurythmics or Goldfrapp have done.

Any message for your readers at last?
A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who enjoys my music. It is a real honor, and I hope I continue to release music that speaks to people in deep and meaningful ways. I have been very touched by the fans that have contacted me, and I want them to know I appreciate their support. Please visit www.myspace.com/vocalistcolleenkelly and add me as a friend!

For more info related to Colleen Kelly check out the following links:
www.artistcolleenkelly.com
www.myspace.com/vocalistcolleenkelly
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=700617570

Written by: Apoorv
Compiled by: Priyank

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