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Property of iFLOW Magazine:  Archived Story Originally Published in June 2006

HONORING Chandlar's Voice

Every hood has their favorite singer that makes them feel gitty inside. The men can also attest that they have that special tape/cd set aside for when they bring a mate over for an enjoying and sensual evening. A good singer has got to have it together and Chandlar is definitely that singer, songwriter, and producer. Unsigned yet swinging it like the big boys in New York City and beyond.

Who: Chandlar
Where: (Born) Chicago, IL 
            (Live)  Bronx, NY 

How He Entered The Game:

 I was blessed with a talent  and I wanted to honor it. My gift is music, so it was only natural that I pursue a career in this industry.  Been doing it for 5 years

Business Involvements: 

 Actually I’ll be having a release party for my sophomore album, Keep Doin’ Me Like That in August 2006 or September 2006.

I released my solo debut, Strong Emotion on Kara Records, an independent label. I’ve also contributed songs and/or production to former Def Jam recording artist Montell Jordan, NewSound Network’s Rhian Ayanna and MothersFavoriteChild, as well as Blunt/TVT recording artist LaTanya.  Websites: www.cdbaby.com, www.apple.com/itunes.com and www.rhapsody.com.

Chandlar's Greatest Inspiration:

Without a doubt, the Creator! I can’t even think about taking the credit for what I’ve been blessed to share with people. You can be the greatest musician/singer, with a thorough understanding of the full spectrum of Music Theory.  However, there is a point of origin or a force that is organic and beyond the manipulation  of man. It’s something that I cannot control—no human can control it because it comes and goes of it’s own free will. This is what I believe is the Creative Force and it designs all Creation. It is what guides and inspires me. As far as mentors, my first was my father. He taught me the basic chords and fingerings. His influence had a profound effect on my songwriting as a younger writer and those influences and chord progressions are tools that I still use in my music today. My dad bought my first professional recording equipment and I began learning how to use program sequencers and multitrack recording equipment. From there I worked at a studio ran by the “Legendary Traxster” of CWAL/Atlantic.  He taught me how to engineering and mixing and I had an opportunity to engineer and mix sessions for industry artists.  I also can’t leave out the many people I’ve encountered as a performer who have influenced me.  I’ve received positive comments as well as constructive criticism from the likes of Ashford & Simpson, George Daniels of George’s Music Room  in Chicago (Chi Town’s #1 Indy Retail Record Distributor) and Ron Grant (A&R).

Being Different & The Importance of a Great Singer:

 I’m the kind of artist who starts from the most basic aspect and builds upon it. The whole creative process of writing an original song involves the lyrics and music, of course, but then programming the drums, sequencers, keyboards, etc. so that they support my concept. From there I record and mix the tracks. Next, I have to “road test” my music, so to speak, by presenting my material to the band and rehearsing for the next show.  I guess I’m what you might call a self-contained artist, in that I handle all of these aspects. The public likes consistency and the musicians I work with like consistency. By developing my skills over the years I’ve come to a point where I can comfortably guide my projects from start to finish and the result is that I’m consistent. You will always know where Chandlar is coming from, because Chandlar will be there to show you or tell you.

What direction do you think the independent market will eventually run?:

 The Independent market is growing stronger everyday. It’s so easy to acquire professional quality recording equipment, that more and more artists are choosing the Independent path in order to get their product to the public. It’s also getting less expensive to manufacture the product. Soon the Marketing and Promotion companies will make their services more accessible for Independents. I believe the majors will continue to downsize and /or be willing to share more control with the Independents. I think we’ll see the majors adjusting their budgets to accommodate these kinds of situations. Well, if we look at the massive success of Hip-Hop, it began underground. Now it’s a huge corporate business.

Last Words:

Know who you are and what you have to offer. Make sure that you are honest about what you can do and be able to deliver it and then some! It’s a waste of everyone’s time if you are unclear about your abilities and how to execute them. Singing in your “comfort zone” is safe and not a good way to determine how you’ll perform on stage, in front of a live audience, with a band. The true test of an artist is how well he/she can command the stage and communicate with an audience. There are so many dynamics that can affect your performance, so you have to be fully aware of who you are.

Contacting Chandlar:   www.myspace.com/chandlar;    www.iamchandlar.com