Following on from our review of William Odell Hughes‘ single, ‘Loving You Was Easy’, we took the opportunity to speak to the man himself.
As someone who has opened for legendary Motown bands, who are some of the Motown artists that inspire you?
The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder, the list goes on and on.
This song is perfect for a relaxing summer drive. Was that vibe intentional from the start?
Well that’s good to hear, but it was not intentional.
The backing vocals give this track a playful twist. What pushes you to experiment in your songcraft?
Sometimes, for me, backing vocals can be trial and error, so we sometimes stack the vocals to give it the desired effect, while staying in the flow of the lead vocal. It’s easier when both your lead and background vocals are on different tracks.
Were there any specific moments during the creation of ‘Loving You Was Easy’ that felt especially impactful or emotional to you?
Maybe the first verse.
We’re loving the puppets featured in the music video! How important is visual storytelling when presenting your music, and why did you choose to go this route for ‘Loving You Was Easy’?
We call the two the puppets in the beginning of the song, “the twins”, and the squeaky voice on the song made me think how I could project this with a couple of Sylvia’s puppets, and be hilarious, yet still be entertaining and taken seriously, so my idea was to turn the into a movie. Even the ending was like a feature film. I wondered if people get it.
Do you feel that a funk and soul revival is on the horizon, or perhaps, already here?
That is a great question. I think you are correct on both. The answer to your question is it never left, the industry has tried it, but if you haven’t lived it’s hard to duplicate it. That’s where sampling comes in. But I’m here. I think I have something for the world.
What advice would you give to fellow artists trying to find their unique voice and style?
Train your voice and ear to the keyboard, listen to all types of music, and do it your way.
Do you hope to release tracks or music videos like ‘Loving You Was Easy’ in future projects? What is your dream project?
Yes, if the public likes it and the guys in the suits like it, yes, I’ll work from that idea. My dream project would take me from my dream into reality, and the world will know.
You can find out more about William Odell Hughes and his music online on YouTube, SoundCloud, Facebook, and Spotify. Watch the music video for ‘Loving You Was Easy’ below.
