From Menlo Park, California, solo artist Anton Commissaris presents his new single ‘She’s Not the Hurting Kind.’ The song lays down strong country-jazz grooves and harmonies, inviting listeners to explore the challenges of embarking on a new romance while still bearing the emotional scars of a prior relationship. This new song explores the courage it takes to embrace a new love while overcoming the fear of future pain that may stem from an eventual breakup. It requires that the singer explores not just the physical attraction to his new love but also her capacity for kindness or cruelty when challenges arise. The song emphasizes the importance of trust in a relationship that ultimately cannot be predicted or rationalized; it must be innately felt to move forward.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Kamil) Hey Anton Commissaris, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. How has the time gone for you since our last interview?
Well, I dropped a new EP titled ‘Off The Shelf.’ It was a fun, experimental departure from my typical Jazz, big-band sound. With this EP, I tapped into my love of country music, rock, and pop, and even threw in a broadway-style tune for good measure called ‘Who Am I? It was fun to play along with some new instruments like the Cello and violin on the record and to have the pleasure of some fantastic female harmonizing vocals supporting me.
What is your creative process like?
I get asked this a lot, and it’s a hard one to answer. Typically, I don’t start with any intention which can seem counter-intuitive. I wait for something to strike from out of the subconscious. It often comes when I’m least expecting it. I’m not even thinking about composing, but when something knocks on my mind, I run with it. Usually, I have the first phrase or two of a melody with an accompanying lyric. This is how I recognize that a song is trying to form in my mind. From there, I let it seep in immediately or over the next several days in little chunks of enlightenment. Then I reverse engineer it on the piano to find out what I’ve got - what gift I’ve been given if you will.
Your latest track is 'She's Not the Hurting Kind'. Can you share with us the background of its creation and did any unusual things happen during its creation?
This is one of my stuck-at-home-in-lockdown pandemic-era songs. My spouse said something to me one night that I couldn’t wrap my brain around. In jest, I told her that “I’m just a simple man trying to understand ….” Immediately I heard a rhythm and a melody and so took it forward through the first verse with full lyrics in about 3 minutes. The rest of the song trickled out over the next day or two.
What was the most difficult challenge you faced?
It’s always a bit of a challenge to find a bridge that takes the song in a different direction for the listener - what I like to call a detour - to make it interesting but then to come out of the bridge and neatly fold it back into the main verse structure. A good bridge might involve a key change or modulation, a different mood, a different groove, and perhaps even a different time sequence, either looking back or forward before coming back to the present. I can’t recall if this one presented me with a major challenge, but I like how it turned out.
What’s your most embarrassing moment?
I’m too embarrassed to say. But seriously, concerning this song, it might be that it was supposed to be the second single off the EP, but by mistake, it was initially released as the first single under a different song title - ‘Straight On Down the Line’. I had to scramble to correct that error. I’ve found that it helps when the right music matches the song’s title.
Is the artistic life lonely? What do you do to counteract it?
I don’t think of it as lonely per se. It’s a gift and something that generates energy. I also love to take something I’ve created and share it with a musical team to bring it to life and then share it with an audience to see how they react. I hope that somewhere along the way this provides some relief from loneliness to someone beyond myself.
What is your dream project?
I want to generate a few songs that are universal and timeless. Beyond that, all options are on the table.
What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Don’t do it. Follow your own path. But seriously, if you love music, don’t let anyone stop you from playing, creating, and performing it. You’ll need to work hard, be incredibly vulnerable and develop a thick skin, but believe in yourself and your unique ability to connect.
When were you generally fulfilled in your position as an artist?
It’s fulfilling when you attempt something creatively, and it comes out exceeding your expectations. It also helps if others recognize some value in the work. First, please yourself, for only then can you please others.
What can we expect from Anton Commissaris in the near future?
I’ve just finished recording a 4th Jazz EP with five brand-new songs. I don’t have a title yet, or artwork, or any other stuff, but the music is done. I plan to release it early next year.