We had the pleasure of interviewing Chris James, and here’s what he had to say:
Q: How long did it take you to create “Thrill of the Chase”?
JAMES: The song was created over the course of a few months, I was experimenting with new vocal treatments and wanted to make sure they sounded right before releasing the song.
Q: What inspired it?
JAMES: Thrill of the Chase is about how sometimes chasing love can be more exciting than the actual relationship and can blind you from all the hurt it’s causing. You’re so stuck in the drama of it that you refuse to consider how negatively it is impacting you.
Q: What did you enjoy the most about making this song and making music in general?
JAMES: In general, I love keeping songs simple and not overthinking them. This one was written during a period when I went through a breakup and was considering all the different aspects of what kept me in the relationship. I was trying to play around with more “impactful” sounds and make the “thrill” really come alive in the production.
Q: What do you do to get your creative juices flowing when you feel stuck while creating a song?
JAMES: I make sure to write very regularly, even if what I’m writing is not great. There are sometimes periods where I’m more inspired and other periods where I’m less inspired, but the most important thing is to keep a consistent routine of continuing to write. Occasionally I take walks and step away from the process if it doesn’t feel natural, but even if I just play around on the guitar and write some silly lyrics, an idea can come to mind that might be a good basis for a song.
Q: In what way(s), do you think your sound has evolved since you started making music?
JAMES: I think there’s a natural evolution that comes from trying different things, and seeing what works and what doesn’t. I always end up making music for myself (and letting the fans decide what ends up taking off). I have definitely evolved as a songwriter, as I’ve written with people from all different genres and around the world, where I’ve noticed that writing things that are simple and approachable can be a really powerful way to have a song that can speak to almost everyone.
Q: Did you always know you would become a musician? At what point did you reach this realization/conclusion?
JAMES: I actually was going to study IT at university, but started a YouTube channel where I would release a cover every week for 2 years. This became tiring after a while due to the stress of keeping up with a tight release schedule, but it ultimately led to my first fanbase and music releases, so I of course don’t regret it.
Interviewed by Zoey King
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