Many hands for song/book combo
TWO-TIME NZ MUSIC Award winner Simon Stanley releases a new song and an accompanying picture book for young children, Floating Down the River. We asked him a few questions:
You are usually based in Nashville, so what is it like to be back in NZ at the moment?
Well currently I’m in MIQ in Christchurch, so I’m here but not here! That said, MIQ is great: well organised, great food and time to myself. Even though I can’t really go outside, just having the NZ air from the window is refreshing and homely. I can’t wait to get outside though.
Floating Down the River is your latest song, and there is also an accompanying book. Can you tell us a little about this project?
I wanted to do a book for my last single, Marley Sitting on a Pumpkin Seed, but it never worked out so I was committed to it for this song. After the song was written, I recorded my parts and (during lockdown) sent it off to my fave musicians to record theirs. When it was all mixed and done, I got on to the book project with Emily Boswell and my old school friend Ryan Kothe to animate what she had done and turn it into a video. Lots of moving parts!
What inspired Floating Down the River?
My parents live right next to the Clutha River in Wanaka. After a river trip there with the whole family I started singing the main melody to my niece, Marley. I made a voice memo and upon returning to Nashville I re-lived, and embellished our day on the river and voila!
How did you work with the illustrator Emily Boswell?
My father, a graphic designer, put me in touch with Emily’s uni teacher and then her. It was one of her first projects but I love what she did. I’m
quite picky about what I want and she made all my dreams come true, in addition to injecting lots of her own ideas and colour. It was all done via zoom and email.
What do you hope people will take away from the song and book?
I think Kiwi kids are naturally great at this, but I hope it gets people outside and into nature. Also, having the lyrics and sheet music in the back I hope it inspires people to sing and perhaps play along.
What is next on the agenda for you?
I’m writing more songs, looking into another book, and my normal job is playing guitar with different touring musicians.