Dissonance, structure, and a personal reinvention: symptom of life (Willow)

Listen to the songYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8txXdr4kkqQSpotify - https://open.spotify.com/track/70nmpLYSyZ58QTUzUiB1VA?si=9f0f8e7f007c4f6cApple Music - https://music.apple.com/us/song/symptom-of-life/1737442321Amazon - https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0CYTK33WX?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_yfvgQ0eYvSPgxaqRb9eqS7AIe&trackAsin=B0CYTKXWL6Key takeawaysTrist and Elaine review Willow’s 2024 single, “symptom of life,” describing it as "delightfully chaotic" yet surprisingly structured. They explore its use of changing meter, rhythmic complexity, and contrasting vocal textures, including untreated main vocals and lush, stacked harmoniesElaine and Trist highlight the poetic depth of the song's lyrics, which explore themes like transcendence, transformation, healing, the fragility of life, and the tension between mundane and transcendent experiences In the Mailbag segment, Trist and Elaine discuss the importance of singers viewing themselves as musicians and learning to speak the language of music. ​ They discuss how understanding musical concepts, such as sight-reading and harmony, can open doors to more opportunities in the music industryAbout usTrist Curless is a Los Angeles-based vocalist, educator, and sound engineer. As a performer, Trist has toured worldwide as a co-founder of the pop-jazz vocal group m-pact and a 10 year member of the Grammy-award winning The Manhattan Transfer. In addition to these two vocal powerhouse groups, he’s also performed with Take 6, Bobby McFerrin, New York Voices, Vox Audio, Naturally 7, and The Swingle Singers. His latest venture, The LHR Project, is a new vocal group collective celebrating legendary jazz vocal group Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross.As an audio engineer, Trist has toured nationally with several vocal groups and bands in a large variety of venues, working for Grammy award winners Pentatonix and Take 6, as well as prominent a cappella vocal groups Straight No Chaser, VoicePlay, and Accent.Elaine Chao, M.Ed is a San Francisco Bay Area-based vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, vocal percussionist, and songwriter whose career spans a cappella, contemporary worship, and classical music. She has leveraged her training in classical and choral music over the course of her contemporary performance, including in orchestras for musical theatre and in sacred spaces. In addition to music, she also is a martial artist and published author. She currently leads a product management team at a major software company dedicated to creative expression. All statements in this podcast are her own and do not reflect the opinions of her employer.