Since my start with Weekly Music Commentary, I’ve been introduced to many talented artists who are very close or are ready for great success. It’s a delight to learn about them and how they create their music. Also a delight is watching as they continue to make music and reach for new levels of talent. This week I once again revisit one of those artists that is about to be featured for a second time in Weekly Music Commentary. This week, I chose sensational Canadian singer Candice Sand.
Whenever I receive information about an independent artist I have learned to approach my viewing and listening with an open mind. You see, at one time I was in their shoes, with industry executives trying to figure out what kind of music was coming from my artist or their songs. I can remember some label execs only listening to the beginning of a song and making a decision based upon a few measures of music. Today is a little different, with most artists already creating a following on social media before the record companies get involved. Or, many times the artist continues to work and sell music on their own, only considering major labels much later after success.
That open thinking allowed me to really see that young Candice Sand is a very gifted artist. Right away I noticed her vocal abilities put her in a category above many others. She was starting with abundant talent and building her music career from that point. She released a single called “Bring Me To Life” which is a great song and video allowing fans to notice her obvious talent. She also delivered her début EP Against Concrete Walls in 2014. I listened over and over in preparation for her featured post. It really helped me learn about the depth of possibilities musically for Candice. Nevertheless, she left a strong initial impression upon me.
Now we move ahead to today. Candice Sand has grown musically and has continued to make music. I received a press release a while back announcing her new single called Just So You Know. Multi-Platinum award-winning producer Rob Wells would deliver for Candice once again. There was more to learn about the song.
“Just So You Know” is a confession written from the personal experience of being afraid to say ‘I love you’, not knowing if the person you are with is ready to receive that love. This single reintroduces Candice to audiences with a new electro-pop sound, a hard-hitting beat, and a powerful vocal performance. She notes this single as being “a strong preview of what’s to come.”
Those words gave me something to think about. I thought about what Candice said and decided it might be a good title. Why? Well, I was already introduced to Candice Sand and her music and did not need another introduction. Or maybe I did. She was delivering music with a different sound from previous recordings. Therefore, this was a new beginning of sort. Her last words added intrigue, “a strong preview of what’s to come.” I was now very interested.
Before her current single, Candice released her single “Closed Doors”, written as a charitable contribution to eating disorder recovery organizations NEDIC and The Looking Glass Foundation. “Closed Doors” was selected as the main score in the documentary series “Something’s Gotta Give”, aiming to raise awareness and promote recovery. Like many artists, Candice Sand delivers music that will touch many with themes other than love songs. Nothing wrong with love songs. There are a variety of songs about love in our day. Perhaps Candice will deliver music covering many themes related to her personal experiences. Or experiences of those close to her.
Still, I thought about the word Candice used, preview. I wanted a comprehensive understanding that’s why I looked up the word in the dictionary. Preview: an inspection or viewing of something before it is bought or becomes generally known and available. Remember, Candice said the single is a “strong” preview of what’s to come. We may not have a full knowledge of what may be coming, but we can at least speculate.
It would seem Candice was speaking more about her musical sound than her lyrics when reading her quote. This would seem to be the case when you analyze the music found on her EP. Candice might be preparing to deliver music with a harder edge as she did with Just So You Know. There might be a couple of songs that give us some R & B or elements of funk. The mainstay will always be the strong vocals always delivered by Sand. It might be wishful thinking on my part, or the next possible move for the talented singer/songwriter. We will know very soon.
One other thing that might be a strong preview of what’s next might be her live performances. I noticed that Candice Sand is in big demand these days. She may be ready to find a larger audience with a change in sound. Look for larger venues and perhaps some US dates. I truly believe she could find more fans in her neighbors to the south. Think about Carly Rae Jepsen and Alessia Cara. Again, this might be my wishful thinking, but Canadian singers have broken big many times before. The pattern will most definitely continue.
As with many artists featured in Weekly Music Commentary, Candice Sand is doing well and looking to bring her fans more music. Please, sit down and enjoy another young singer/songwriter on the rise. Remember, the music Candice Sand makes today is a strong preview of what’s to come. Get Ready!