Christian music singer-songwriter Riley Clemmons chatted about her latest endeavors.
Opening for Zach Williams on his tour
Clemmons opened up about sharing the stage with Zach Williams on his tour.
“I’m a longtime fan of Zach, so the opportunity to be on the road with him has been truly exciting,” she said.
“From him and his band to his stage crew, everyone has been thoroughly kind with a real desire for excellence. I try to view every tour as an opportunity to learn and grow, and this one’s been a standout. It’s been a beautiful way to introduce audiences and existing listeners to my new record ‘Church Pew’,” she elaborated.
Song selection process for ‘Church Pew’
On the song selection approach for “Church Pew,” she said, “There was so much prior planning and dreaming up for this album that the song selection process was quite simple.”
“The approach was mainly to tell a cohesive story through a variety of “moments,” ranging from high energy live moments to ‘writers’ round-esque’ moments and beyond,” she said.
“We wrote all the songs for the album in six weeks, so the songs had a sweet way of selecting themselves and falling into the story of the record organically,” she added.
Favorite song on the album
On her personal favorite tune from “Church Pew,” she noted, “I assure you that it changes every single day. I will say that title track will always be a personal favorite of mine.”
“We wrote the song ‘Church Pew’ early in the writing process, and it immediately became the thematic center of the album. The song is both literal and metaphorical, which created a lot of space to expand on the themes of the title track through the songs on the album. That’s also why it’s track No. 1 on the record,” she elaborated.
Favorite tune from her catalog
On her favorite song from her own music catalog, she explained, “Again! Another impossible question! ‘Fighting For Me’ is a very special song to me. Hearing listeners’ stories related to that song has been such an honor and career highlight. It’s so surreal to watch people sing along to it at shows, as well.”
The digital age
On being an artist in the digital age, she said, “It feels as though I’m constantly learning. Mostly because I am!”
“Technology is continuing to move quickly in the world of music and artistry, and the entire industry is continuing to adapt and learn. It’s a beautiful tool if used as such. It can also be extremely harmful. Again, I think it’s all about being willing to learn and find balance,” she elaborated.
Dream duet choices in Christian music
When asked about her dream duet choices in Christian music, she responded, “There are so many, but Michael W. Smith would be the epitome of ‘dream duet.’ I’m a massive fan of his songwriting and artistry and him, so it would quite literally be a dream come true to collaborate with him.”
Advice for young and aspiring musicians
For young and aspiring musicians, she said, “The sooner you understand that your value doesn’t come from the music you make or the songs you write, the healthier your relationship with your craft (and yourself) will be.”
Success
On her definition of the word success, Clemmons said, “To me, success means living with joy, gratitude, and an understanding that God’s love for me is more than enough.”
To learn more about Christian music singer-songwriter Riley Clemmons, check out his official website and follow them on Instagram.
