Since the age of 9, Chelsea Johnson’s life has revolved around music. Growing up with influences ranging from Stevie Wonder to Biggie Smalls, her own sound has been long in the making. Her experience in the scene exceeds just her role as an artist. Johnson has found roles ranging from songwriting, producing, to work in music publishing. She’s seen all parts of the industry, and she’s not slowing down until she’s conquered all.
As iamchelseaiam, Johnson’s music has very much reflected her influences. Her previous work held a personable singer-songwriter vibe, interlaced with touches of her R&B and soulful upbringings. Her sound has worked up to this point, but there was an untapped potential lurking just beneath the surface. On her latest offering, A Beautiful Mess, Johnson has let it bubble to the top. Her latest EP, dropped just last Friday, shows Johnson fully embracing the R&B parts of her sound. This choice for the project accomplishes two things that helps propel iamchelseaiam to the top of the pack: The heavier influences in R&B allow Johnson to really show off her vocal chops, which float and harmonize all over the EPs 5 tracks. Her voice blends and melds, layering samples and hooks upon each other to create an intoxicating sound. The project also allows for a more polished production, with trap beats and airy piano and synths giving the project a glossy finish. With a step forward in production and vocal performance, Johnson has found her niche in the R&B sound of A Beautiful Mess, and it all allows her to show off her songwriting in a way that will make an even heavier impact. On opening track “Pity Party,” Johnson sets the tone for the EP, seemingly fed up with the bullshit and taking the upperhand post breakup. “I made it crystal clear that I don’t want you in my life,” she sings. “You must be crazy if you think I’m spending one more night with you.” Following the independent strength and fuckyouitiveness of the first track, the project takes a turn to a more vulnerable place on “Hurt People,” looking back on the relationship and the hurt it caused: “I never thought you’d be the one to treat me like, to hurt me like hurt people hurt.” For the remainder of the EP, Johnson continues to explore herself and the relationship in a very open and honest way. She addresses the hurt that caused its break, the aftermath of watching it all crumble, and reflects on all the complex feelings that follow, all eventually leading to acceptance of its end. On A Beautiful Mess, Johnson has let her strongest assets shine. With a more polished production and stronger vocal performance, her personable lyrics cut even deeper, and are sure to reflect with anyone who can relate to the topics explored. As her musical journey continues, she would surely find advantage in continuing down this avenue. However, with a mind and skill as sharp as hers, there’s no telling what may come next. Her talent will carry her in any direction her creative winds may blow. Review by: Brendan Swogger Brendan Swogger is a music writer and college student in Portland, OR. He is the Creative Director for The Crush blog. You can follow him on IG @indiealtpdx.
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 Guest Post by: Josephine Relli I discovered my passion for songwriting just a few years ago. When I discovered songwriting, I fell in love with how I could place my soul into music and what that brought to the people around me. Like many of you, my love of music began at a young age, and my determination to build a career as a musician quickly followed. This led me to start in the music industry as a teenager. It wasn’t too long before I realized that, like any aspiration, this love was also a labor—its greatest rewards came with some difficult challenges. When you aspire to succeed in the music industry, you learn quickly that this often means being subject to others’ opinions, whether they be peers’ or professionals’. Yes, outside opinions should only impact what you create so much, but we can't deny that these opinions are part of the equation in this industry. Constructive or not, criticism can make us feel vulnerable. When you also happen to be a teenager figuring out herself, her values, and her future, these opinions hold real weight. I probably speak for many young songwriters when I say I have found that some critics can be eager to find the negative, assuming that youth entails massive flaw. On the opposite side of the same coin, others might be overly-impressed with a song of mine, having set a low standard based on my age. It can be difficult to balance negative criticism with supportive feedback as well as my own opinions on my work. With all of that critiquing, however, comes empowerment and improvement. I have learned to take opinions with a grain of salt, using what I feel will better my music and not letting the rest get me down. In fact, the intense reaction I have to a piece of negative feedback is something I can use to fuel my creative fire. Doing so has dramatically improved not only my music, but also my ability as a musician to put forth what I make with confidence, loud and clear. Though it can be a frustrating downside, I value that criticism for the way it motivates me to work hard on my music--that thing I have loved for as long as I can remember. To me, music transcends all boundaries, including age. I believe that everyone has their own story filled with experiences, good and bad, that shape who they are. The best songwriting reflects the uniqueness of one’s story with powerful and prominent emotion. This is the way I approach my songwriting, but I have found some people assume that I haven't lived long enough to write songs with emotional depth. It is as if, because of my age, I have never encountered struggle or have nothing to express that could move an audience. 
On April 17, Heather Christie released “Northern Lights”, a down-tempo and soulful partnership between herself and Sol Rising. According to Sol Rising, “Northern Lights” was long in the making. Announcing the release of the collaboration via his Instagram, the DJ and producer wrote they’ve “been sitting on this one for several years and [are] stoked to finally share it with the world”.
The eight-track album starts off with “Care for You”, a mellow introduction that gives a taste of what’s to come. “Care for You” builds throughout the song, but stays relatively simple with more subtle drops than Sol Rising is known for being able to deliver. The first heavy build and drop comes at the first chorus of the second and title track, “Northern Lights”. Also added to the mix in “Northern Lights” are unique low harmonies that are mixed in throughout the rest of the album. Both artists are involved with meditation and yoga events, and their dedication to human connection is evident throughout the album. The message behind the penultimate track of “Northern Lights” supports this passion the strongest. The song is titled “Love Can Only Change You”, which seems like a complete thought regarding how interpersonal relationships are bound to have an impact. However, the title of the song has a second part which is revealed within the lyrics. Heather sings “love can only change you if you let it break your walls down” and with it changes the message to encourage listeners to be vulnerable and let other people in. The most unique aspect of this project is the blend of Heather’s sultry vocals with Sol Rising’s production. The lyrics are thoughtful, relatable, and invite the listener to be at peace while appreciating all the subtleties they’ve carefully placed within. A collaboration such as this opens doors for both artists and both Heather Christie and Sol Rising will be ones to follow in the upcoming months. To find out more about Heather Christie, you can follow her @HeatherCSongs on Instagram or on her website at https://www.heathercsongs.com/. Review by: Emily Watson Emily Watson was raised in New England and now lives in Portland, OR. She spends her free time writing indie-pop music and exploring Oregon. You can follow her on Instagram @emjaywat.
 Tabi Anne Whether they came to McMenamins White Eagle Saloon for a quick drink or an evening out with friends, everyone had the pleasure of listening to musical performances they won’t soon forget. On Wednesday night, #WomenCrush Music held their April showcase featuring the talent of Tabi Anne, Amy Hakanson, The Crying Eyes, and Kaiya On The Mountain. From Scandinavian folk music to alternative country and from a one-woman band to a four-piece folk troupe, there truly was something for everyone to enjoy.
Surrounded by the usual collection of eclectic decor typical of a McMenamins pub, Tabi Anne began her set with mellow vocal harmonies and synthetic textures. Using her computer to launch backing tracks and a bright blue electric guitar with a lighting bolt strap to play lead instrumentals, Tabi introduced her lyrics into the mix. Her lyrics told stories of loneliness and sadness, but also of hope and quiet reflection. Although this was one of Tabi’s first formal shows outside of open mics, she never strayed from the pensive and focused delivery of her music. She blended lead guitar effortlessly with vocal harmonies often heard from folk groups such as First Aid Kit or Upstate Rubdown. Second to take the stage was Amy Hakanson, who picked up an instrument that looked like a violin-piano hybrid and immediately had the crowd’s attention. Turns out, the instrument is a nyckelharpa, and she’s incredible at it. After starting her set with a traditional Scandinavian tune, she then played an original composition she wrote for an Icelandic couple as a thank you for letting her stay with them for free. Halfway through her set, she was joined by an acoustic guitar player as well as a hand drummer. Between her endearing storytelling about her instrument and her skill with a looping pedal and harmonies, it was clear why the audience remained captivated through her time on the stage. To change the mood, the next performance was from The Crying Eyes, a three-piece indie-rock band with Elyce Tyler on vocals. Wiith a groovy bass and shiny, red drums playing strongly behind her, Tyler was putting out Joan Jett vibes for all to hear. It was obvious to the crowd the chemistry between all members of the band as they took turns with solos and rocking together. Heads were nodding and toes were tapping and a collective sigh of disappointment was heard from the crowd when it was time for them to end their set. Finishing out the night was Kaiya On The Mountain. Out of the four members of the band lead by Kaiya Pelletier, three of them played acoustic guitar with one member on keys. Having three guitarists gave their music a jam-band feel, each playing off one other and skillfully interacting. They gave out what Kaiya called “hometown vibes” with narrative lyrics and emotion-filled vocals. The crowd got a taste of what this band is capable of as they performed un-released originals, published favorites, and covers. To learn more about #WomenCrush Music’s upcoming showcases and how you can get involved, visit www.womencrushmusic.com. Review by: Emily Watson Emily Watson was raised in New England and now lives in Portland, OR. She spends her free time writing indie-pop music and exploring Oregon. You can follow her on Instagram @emjaywat. 
Fresh back from Treefort Music Festival, Eugene singer-songwriter Caitlin Jemma talks to #WomenCrush Music about her single, new album, and the women who inspire her. Caitlin Jemma has been a staple of the local music scene for a while. With three albums behind her, the Eugene singer-songwriter has continued to dazzle with her country-tinged folk and bluegrass sound. According to a tag on her Bandcamp, Jemma’s sound can be summarized as “swirling, mist-covered folk.” However, with her new album, Love Notes, Jemma says this description has now evolved. “My sound has changed a lot,” Jemma says. “For me, it’s a little less misty and a little more sparkly.” Though her sound has shifted to a more sparkly texture, her strong songwriting and country influenced storytelling live on in her new music. With a new album on the day (due out May 1st via Bandcamp), Jemma treats us to a brand new cut from the new record, a single title “Lean on My Love.” To celebrate it’s release, she talked to #WomenCrush about her influences, the intentions behind the new album, as well as her experience as a female songwriter... With the new album, you’re going into a more “electric frontier,” but you’re keeping the same intimacy in your songwriting as the first three albums. Though it’s more electric, it’s marked by country still. And you grew up on country? I grew up in a small mining town in Northern Nevada. It’s this old west town that they kept the way it was. There was a lot of western honky-tonk there. I didn’t fully appreciate it when I was a kid, but I realized later that country music has inspired me. I grew up listening to my Dad’s records a lot. So Bob Dylan was a huge influence in the earlier days, and I really liked Cat Power as well. I’ve been playing guitar since I was 17, and I got into songwriting I think because of all of the Dylan I was listening to, but then I was also inspired by Cat Power as far as vocals. I realized I didn’t need to be a super strong singer in the way that’s conventional. It was just about learning that, and finding my voice. I don’t have to sound perfect, you know. That’s kind of my earlier background. Then I lived in Northern California, and I was in a bluegrass band for a few years. Now, I’m doing this electric band that I’m really excited about. I really love soul music, and I’ve always wanted to do a [soul] side project, but then I realized I don’t need to do that. I was putting myself in a box for a really long time, and that can be limiting in the way that songs are structured. Like most bluegrass songs are about soloing, but I’m not a solo person. I am a songwriter. Learning to use my voice as my primary instrument in my songwriting has been really fun. I’m putting all the genres I really like (blues, soul, country) into this sound that I feel I can explore more deeply, more than ever before. What new elements are coming into Love Notes? What’s the shift? You said that where your previous music was more “mist-covered,” this is more sparkly. So what makes it sparkle? I’d say the biggest shift is my intention. I’ve been extremely intentional with this album. It’s a concept album about love, exploring love in all its different forms. I first got inspired by the album in the fall of 2016. My string band and I were done playing music together, so I went on this solo tour with Bart Budwig. We’d only known each other for a few months, but we decided to go on a tour across the country together. He plays trumpet. It was my first time playing some solo shows, and he asked if he could play trumpet on some of the newer songs that I’d written. I’d never heard that sound in my music before, but it really inspired me. We were in the South, and hearing the songs of the South (blues and soul), especially in New Orleans, there’s this really unique sound that comes out of [there]. I was really very inspired. So having the brass and strings together is a new thing. Because it’s only ever been strings before this. And then having electric guitar. So I’ve been extremely intentional about the message I’m trying to get across with this album, and then also exploring sounds and thinking about the song’s needs. Like when you have a bluegrass song, everyone’s going to play. The mandolin, the banjo, the guitar, the upright bass. Everyone’s going to play, and everyone’s going to have a part. It’s kind of mechanical in that way. And now, some songs don’t have trumpet, some songs don’t have a guitar solo. So I’ve been thinking carefully about what the song needs and the intention of the song, and not overplaying it. So creating music that serves the song is the new element. Was it a challenge pushing into that new sound or was it a natural evolution? I think it was an evolution. I stopped putting myself in a box. Instead of thinking “I need to have a soul side project,” I thought, “No, I love soul music. I should make soul music.” And I love country music, I love so many different genres. So not putting myself into a box as an artist has been really exciting because I can just go so much deeper now. And I can work with different instruments in different ways. In talking about your intentions with this album, you mentioned it’s a concept album on love. How has love in all of its different forms impacted and inspired this record? The single, “Lean on My Love,” has an interesting story that answers that question. I was on a train going to Reno, and I was listening to Alicia Keys at the time. This was in October of 2016, so around election time. And I was thinking about how a lot of my friends are feeling really afraid, myself included. Like what’s going to happen? What’s happening to our country? I was thinking about that, and I had just come from a wedding in Eugene. It was the end of summer, going into fall, and I was thinking about what changes in our life, and what is always available to us. With the seasons changing, being at this wedding, I wrote this poem that became the first verse of “Lean On my Love.” And it said “Love is the constant season that stays / Love is the steady breath that remains.” So I was thinking when I wrote that that no matter what happens in our life, we always have love. And I was on this train, listening to Alicia Keys, and there was this box car on the Amtrak for luggage. And someone was down there playing guitar, and we started jamming and then I started to try to learn this Alicia Keys song, and I think that inspired the groove and feeling of “Lean on My Love.” On the train, I had written the first verse and the chorus. Then I thought, “I should try to finish this and give it to [my friend] as a wedding gift.” So I snuck away and wrote it on a piece of paper and gave it to them as their wedding gift. That particular song started the concept of “what is love, how can I be more loving, how can I choose to be loving even when I’m afraid to be.” So that’s what the song is about. You can lean on my love, which is essentially saying, “I’m here for you.” I want to heal you for the feeling in your heart is weighing down your mind. Whatever is going on, I’m here for you. When I wrote that song, I thought, “this is the best song I’ve ever written.” It’s got totally different chords, a different groove. So I just kept going from there. Each song [I wrote] lead to the next and I noticed, “Oh, I’m writing a lot of love songs.” And that’s why I called it Love Notes. I want to talk about being a woman songwriter as well. What’s your experience been like on the local level, being a woman songwriter? I’ve been playing music for 10 years. Pretty much that entire time I’ve been songwriting. For 7 years, I’ve been touring. I feel it’s a really important time for female voices. It’s obvious there needs to be more of a balance and more of an opportunity for lady musicians to be more supported in the music industry. More all lady bills, or all lady songwriters. I just feel like I want to see more female musicians lend their voices to an audience. What challenges have you had to face that you want to see changed for other female songwriters coming up in the same position? I think getting male staff at shows used to the fact that I am the boss. The fact that my guitar player is a male, but he’s not the front person. I’m the front person. I run into that, where my check will be given to a male person in my band. Or something that really bothers me is when I’ll get up and play a show, and people will be like, “Oh, I’m really surprised.” And that kind of offends me, because what did you expect? Why are you surprised? I’m very strong in my vocals and very confident, and I think that’s what they mean is that they’re surprised I’m not soft-spoken and emotional. What I want people to become used to is that women can be bold. To get rid of the stereotypes of what kind of performer you think I’m supposed to be, or what you thought I was going to be. I don’t think that any of my male bandmates get that “Oh I was surprised” thing. So stuff like that. Getting people used to the fact that I’m the one in charge of this project. I want to also talk about some women who inspire you in music. Who are some female artists you’re listening to at the moment that reflect your sound, or inspire you in ways? I love Valerie June. And I’ve actually been listening to a lot of R&B too. Jamila Woods. She was at Treefort. And Princess Nokia. She’s a rapper. I’ve been listening to a lot of her. What I really love about all of those artists is they’re bold and grounded. They’re women that have a very clear message. Like when I saw Princess Nokia, there’s a line in one of her songs that says, “I’m done with these all male bills.” Talking about only being able to open for a male artist, and not being put on the bill with another lady. And so she said something like, “You ain’t shit. I should be able to perform with artists I respect, no matter their gender.” I love her saying that. And something I really love about Jamila is she’s just really good at stating what her boundaries are, and what she’s willing and not willing to put up with. And she’s really confident and bold about that. With all those artists, I think they’re all really fearless female artists that have some sort of political muse that they put really gracefully into their music. I think they’re really poetic in the way that they make a political statement. Listen to Caitlin Jemma’s new single, “Lean on My Love,” below. Preorder the new album, Love Notes, on Bandcamp and catch her at her album release show on May 3rd at The Liquor Store in Portland, OR. 
Author: Brendan Swogger.
Brendan Swogger is a music writer and college student in Portland, OR. He is the Creative Director for The Crush blog. You can follow him on IG @indiealtpdx. 
Portland, OR based singer songwriter and #WomenCrush Music alum Josephine Relli is back with a new release. The song, “For Loving You”, puts a unique spin on your typical love song. A love note to the everyday things we see and experience that make you feel whole, the song’s sweet melody coupled with its thoughtful lyrics make it a standout hit of Relli’s already impressive repertoire. The song is the third release from Relli’s album Make A Change, coming in April. “For Loving You” is a bold statement from Relli, who diverged from the piano and acoustic guitar and experimented with new sounds. A flute carries the melody throughout the song, and is a great compliment to Relli’s sweet vocals. As always, Relli’s lyrics are pulled straight from the heart. She encourages listeners to be their authentic selves, and spread love wherever possible. The release itself is perfectly timed; the entire song screams warm weather, sunshine, and spring! Josephine Relli, at the ripe old age of 16, is already a force to be reckoned with. Writing, performing and producing all her own songs is no easy task, but it’s one she wouldn’t trade for anything else. Relli explains her writing process on her blog, which features everything from song inspiration to poetry, and tells how the song helped her through a time where she doubted herself and her ambitions to pursue music. “I have had many supportive, and loving people help me throughout the journey, but even then, some don't quite understand. I've had people doubt me and my choices,” writes Relli. “It doesn't matter what people say about what I'm trying to do or where I'm headed in life. I am going to make it happen. Not being successful isn't even a possibility. I won't let it be. I am going to work hard for this because I want it so bad and I love it more than anything else.” Having a supportive community is also a crucial factor in times like these. Relli notes in her blog post that she’s been lucky with the support she’s received from friends and family, and even the #WomenCrush Music community. Having recently performed at #WCM’s Future Boss Ladies showcase, Relli thanked the #WCM team for creating an environment where she not only felt supported, but she was able to relate to people on a similar path to her’s. You can find all of Josephine Relli’s music on her site, as well as other blog posts that take you inside the mind of the artist. Keep an eye out for her EP, Make A Change, coming April 20th with a release show to celebrate at The Old Church in Portland on Sunday, April 30th.
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