(Open it Up Teaser Video - full video on yt:@christycrowl)
Feb 9 2024:
NEW MUSIC RELEASE!: Open it Up (Bonus Version Remaster) EP https://open.spotify.com/album/7yUz4VJuyuD5cGVcP4r3r6?si=jXl6GQuFQ72fsDjknOv2hg
In 2024, I'll be releasing new (or new to you) music every Friday on streaming services for as long as I have tracks, catalog, and/or inspiration. Different versions or arrangements than were on previous recordings, and recording a lot more original content.
This is more of a passion project for me, and I've been newly inspired by seeing Tracy Chapman, Joni Mitchell, and Billy Joel on the Grammys - but I sure wouldn't mind having some friends or new fans checking out my releases along the way! (link to Spotify below)
THE STORY BEHIND THE MUSIC:
"Open It Up" in its original instrumental form has been a very popular licensed song for me, and has been placed on shows like American Idol, on news broadcasts, and on a number of televised sporting events for the NCAA and NBA.
What most people don't know is that in 2001 when my first album was released, "Open It Up" was scheduled to be the follow up single to "Beautiful," which went top 20 on AC radio charts (back when we still listened to radio and long before Spotify was "it") in July/Aug 2001.
As the story goes, I was on a national "indie" tour sponsored by Borders to promote the album on radio that summer, and had just returned home to LA at the end of August. On the morning of 9/11, I was scheduled to meet with a record producer who had worked with Whitney Houston, Rod Stewart, and Barbra Streisand - only to wake up to the horror that was unfolding in New York City.
Needless to say, so much changed for so many people in our country that day, and the thought of writing new songs to pitch to a producer, promoting a second single on "my" little indie album or releasing any other single from that album wasn't a priority after that. So life went into a different direction in music and it all turned out OK - I truly have no regrets! - but I never really revisited releasing any of the other songs on that album or the whole "releasing music on streaming services" thing at any point after. That is until now, in 2024.
If you've read this far, thank you!
I hope that if you're a music listener, that you'll enjoy some of what I release this year via the streaming platforms - and if you're a music creator, I hope I can shed some light on what this process is like and be a resource for you to know what to do and not to do for your own music career (if you want to release your own music and stay an "indie"). If you want to keep up with that, follow me on socials @christycrowlofficial and on yt @christycrowl and I'll be giving updates on how things are going and what I'm learning.
To wrap this post up, the Bonus Version of "Open It Up" I'm releasing now is about a minute longer than the original - the remix at the end was created for the Main Title of a TV show pilot I was pitching it for, which didn't get selected. I've always really liked the groove of it, though, and it's never been released before - so you get to hear it now! I give you the first release of 2024: "Open It Up - Bonus Version"! I hope you enjoy!
- Christy Crowl
Feb 9, 2024
Available on all streaming platforms. Thank you for your support!
Open it Up EP on Spotify
For those inspired by the cover artwork for Open It Up, I designed some journals that you might want to check out! https://christycrowl.store/products/open-it-up-inspirational-journal-2024
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