Interview: Standing Phase
Bringing their own unique blend of soul with funky undertones and gospel influences, Standing Phase (formerly The Woodville) consists of core members singer/songwriter Charly Jay-Wood and guitarist/co-writer Luis Wood. Louder Than The Music chatted with Charly to find out more about their new single 'Learning Still', their plans for a full album, and which famous artists they'd love to work with!
For those who haven't heard of you before, can you tell us a bit about yourselves and how you got involved in making music?
I’ve been playing music since I was a kid, my dad’s a musician so there were always lots of guitars lying around. I also learnt classical piano, flute and saxophone and have played in many jazz/funk bands throughout my career. It wasn’t till my twenties however that I started singing (though it was something I secretly always wanted to do!) I went on to perform as a singer/songwriter and later joined forces with Luis (co-writer & multi-instrumentalist) forming the band Standing Phase.
Tell us about your new single 'Learning Still' and what the inspiration behind it was?
‘Learning Still’ is a song about turning back to God and learning to trust Him again after facing disappointment and doubt. The chorus ‘I will soar on eagles wings’ is based on Isaiah 40:31. This song is about remembering that in all things God is good! I love the surprise upbeat gospel ending of this song - it reminds me that just when you think it’s all over, God has something wonderfully more in store.
Can we expect an album from you in the near future?
Yes! We’ve been in the studio since the beginning of this year and are really excited about the new songs - watch this space! We’ve been working with music producer/drummer Josh Gale and the team at Wings Music Group.
What message would you like people to take from your music?
A message of hope. And for those that don’t yet know God, to hear a whisper of his voice calling out to them.
How would you describe your style of music and what are your influences?
Our style is quite eclectic and has influences from jazz, funk, soul, rock and even folk; I think it has it’s own unique sound in the Alternative Christian genre.
If you could work with any songwriter, who would it be and why?
I’d love to work with Jamie Cullum, I think he’s a great songwriter and does some fantastic arrangements. Sting is also on the wish list!
How would you define success in your career as an artist?
I think success is quite hard to define as an artist. For me, as long as I’m I being true to myself and write what I feel lead to, letting the melodies flow; even if one of our songs only reached a small number of people but had an impact, I’d feel that was success.
What is your favourite album of all time?
Couldn’t possibly choose just one!
You're stuck on an island, it's hot, you only have enough battery life left to listen to one song on your phone. What track is it?
Ha that’s a hard one... It would have to be a worship song I reckon... possibly Reckless Love by Corby Ashbury.
What does the next year hold for you?
We've got a very busy year ahead launching our new band Standing Phase. We’re going to be finishing our studio album, working on our next project of acoustic covers and filming a few music videos. We also plan to do some more songwriting sessions, collaborating with a few different artists.
