Chadwick Johnson is Unbreakable

Whenever tickets for a Chadwick Johnson concert are available, snatch them fast because his fans are fierce and his performances are quickly sold out. A staple of the Las Vegas community, the Las Vegas Review Journal calls him  “a vocalist blessed with a nearly flawless voice.” Indeed. His crystal clear voice and soaring notes quickly set him apart, he has a certain vocal magic that comes through in both his studio and live audience work. He has appeared nationally and internationally, including at Birdland’s Jazz Club in NYC, Feinstein’s at Vitello’s, The Purple Room, Catalina Jazz Club, and the prestigious Smith Center for the Performing Arts where he recorded his live album “Live In Las Vegas.”

His style is a perfect blend of jazz and pop, and his original music rivals the quality of the well-known songs he covers. He has collaborated with music icon David Foster, earning him recognition with the Hollywood Music in Media Award for “Song Of The Year.” Chadwick’s 2019 album Stormy Love topped Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart and featured special guest, saxophone megastar Grace Kelly. Perhaps the key to his success is his storytelling. He is not just singing the notes, he is taking you on a journey.

His latest album, Unbreakable, is perhaps his most intimate project to date. Recorded in Nashville, the provocative track list resonates with personal themes of love, determination, and resilience. Instead of coming from a place of being broken, he shares how he overcomes what life throws at us. It is soulful and optimistic. With no signs of slowing down, he is set to release his holiday single “It’s Almost Christmas,” with a series of holiday performances in the works.

Fun fact, Chadwick is also an accomplished horseman! When not working on music, he immerses himself in nature and his love of animals. We caught up with Chadwick to chat about his early career, his sexuality, today’s biggest challenges for a musician, and more.

What musician or piece of music inspired you to become a musician? 

My Grandmother and the hours we spent at the piano singing were definitely my first musical inspiration; but what gave me the desire to pursue a career in music was the beautiful and quite incredible connection that believe music creates between people. I was 17 years old and singing the National Anthem at a rodeo event when I first experienced the power that music has to inspire positive emotions in people. 

What sets your music apart from other singers? 

Each of us has a specific point of view on life and all that it brings. Our perspective is unique to us. I really try to focus on bringing my unique perspective to the lyrics and melody of every song I sing whether it be a song I’m covering or one of my own original songs. At that moment, I’m not concerned with anyone else’s point of view, I just focus on filtering the song through me and my life experiences. I feel that is how we as artists can make a song our own.  We each have something unique to share and I hope that the message from my heart resonates with people. 

Do you remember your first professional gig, what was it and how did it go? 

My first professional gigs were in the studio singing demos for established songwriters that I had met when I first moved to Los Angeles.  I was so inexperienced. I remember when the producer asked me to ad-lib at the end of a song that I was recording, (meaning I needed to improvise with the lyrics and melody)  I had no idea how to sing something that I hadn’t already learned and memorized. This really pushed me to discover how to find my vocal freedom and sing with abandon. 

My first gigs performing live were in Los Angeles at small jazz clubs where I often sang with very established musicians who were many years my senior, some of them were pretty hard on me. I remember one time when I called the song “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” in Eb, yet I didn’t realize that I needed to count off the tempo for the band, so just to teach me a lesson, they swung the song at a very fast tempo which was a train wreck for me. I couldn’t keep up and I crashed and burned. It was not kind what they did, but it taught me that I needed to take charge, be the leader, and never start singing until you are comfortable with where the tempo is set. It was a valuable lesson. 

What is your creative process when writing new music?  

I have been co-writing a lot over the last few years with Kalani Queypo and I think it’s a little different for each song. It is really important for me to live life and experience relationships and this ever-changing world.  That’s where I find my inspiration.  There is usually something that one of us or both of us have been experiencing that we can draw on and write about. We often start with a catch-up conversation and chat about life and what each of us has been observing or experiencing.  We find something that we both relate to, and then we begin.  Sometimes it starts with a lyric idea or concept, other times I just start playing a melody on the piano and we build it from there.  In all our songs, our goal is to lead with humanity and dig into the emotions and the human experience that we all have no matter where we come from or how we identify ourselves.

There is so much content out there, how does a musician keep their voice being heard?  

We are all inundated with new music and new media constantly in these modern times. So I feel it’s so important to keep creating and regularly share new music with your fans. My fans devote so much energy and support and really inspire me to keep creating.  Every time I share new music, it is a way to reconnect and grow that connection to a deeper level with each new release. It’s a reciprocal relationship that needs to be fed and nurtured.  

What have been some of your biggest challenges in the music industry?  

I think the hardest thing is to take something you have loved from a child, something that is so personal and you are so passionate about, and try to make a business of it. The biggest challenge is to find the balance there. 

How has the industry changed the most over the years?  

The music industry is constantly changing and though change can be difficult for us and definitely comes with its challenges, change is good for us. There are so many avenues now for independent artists like me to get our music and our message out and into the world to connect with people. I am so thankful for that! 

How have you changed as a musician over the years? 

Well, I hope that I am always growing and changing in a positive way. I think the biggest change I’ve made as an artist is that I don’t just think of myself as a singer like I once did. Now I’m really focused on my songwriting. It’s so important for me to share my story and perspective on life.  

What do you love most about the entertainment industry in Vegas? What makes it different than any other entertainment center? 

Vegas has a local music scene that is unique and pretty special.  There is so much music happening beyond the “strip” and the Vegas locals really take pride in their entertainment community and truly celebrate live music so beautifully and generously. Many people go out to see live music several nights a week. They show up and they bring such enthusiasm and great energy!  

Not a lot of focus has been placed on your sexuality, have you ever felt the need to “come out?”  

I came out many years ago.  You could say my focus has been geared toward my songwriting, my artistry, and bringing people together with music.  But don’t get me wrong, I do love sex, lol! 

Do you think it is still limiting to be an openly LGBTQ singer?  

I would hope not.  I am optimistic that people are willing to celebrate different races, beliefs, and sexes.  I believe there is room for everyone in the arts.  

Storytelling is a big part of your music…you share a lot on stage and through your music. Your social media focuses a lot on your career and music, not so much on your personal life. Is this an active choice? 

I am an independent artist, which means that I eat, sleep and drink my music career, and I love it, so that truly is where so much of my time is spent. I also feel like when I am in a personal setting with people, I am there to experience and connect with them. I’m not there to be thinking of my next social media post. Social media is a wonderful tool that keeps us connected but I also still have a desire to just be with my friends and loved ones and I don’t feel a need to capture it all on camera.  

What has been one of the most important moments of your career? 

Wow, it’s hard to choose the most important moments. I would say though that the moments when I can be on stage connecting with people through music are the most important. There is nothing like the connection that live music brings. Each performance is a once-in-a-lifetime moment that will never be exactly duplicated.  It’s a moment only we share in that room, the laughs, the stories, and the musical improvisations that happen are all unique to that night. The connection is powerful. 

What did you learn the most from collaborating with David Foster?  

David Foster is brilliant! I learned so much recording for him and working on his projects and he was so generous to share little secrets with me on what mics and pre-amps I would sound best on.  In fact, the exact vocal mic and setup that he suggested to me is the one that I record all my music with today. 

“Remember Love” is a particularly heartwrenching song, collaborated with Kalani…what is your personal experience with Alzheimer’s? 

My Grandfather struggled with the loss of memory for about a decade so this disease holds a lot of personal meaning for me. It is so difficult to watch someone that you looked up to your whole life, a man who was strong, charismatic, dignified, and brilliant, suddenly start to lose their memory. Over time they don’t even remember who they once were, and one day they no longer remember you. It’s heartbreaking. But the one thing I saw is no matter where he was in this process, he always recognized that I loved him.  That love warmed his countenance and he felt safe and good knowing he was with someone who loved him. He always remembered love! 

Your live performances are electric. How do you amp up before a performance? What is your warm-up process?  

Well sometimes it requires a cocktail to take the edge off and loosen up, but not too many or I’ll never hit those high notes that I love to whale out 😉 

How do you unwind after a performance? 

I love to chat with friends and fans after every show.  Hear their perspective and how they felt about the show.  There is so much exciting energy that a live show creates that it’s often tough for me to just go home and go to sleep so I like to hang and recap the night with my musicians and close friends. 

Tell us the inspiration behind “Unbreakable.” Are you unbreakable? 

“Unbreakable” is a song that holds a tremendous amount of personal meaning for me. The message of these lyrics are my fierce answer to the struggles that may shake us, but will never break us. It’s about resilience! In recent times I think we all have felt broken and uncertain of our futures. We are living in a complex and difficult world, but I hope that this song and this album will remind people of their humanity. My hope is that it will remind people that who we love and who loves us in return is the most important part of our journey. Our low moments don’t define us, we learn from them and they make us stronger, they make us “Unbreakable.” 

What was it like recording the album in Nashville, that must have been a surreal experience!  

The “Nashville way” or recording is AWESOME!  It’s organic and old school in the sense that all the musicians record playing together at the same time.  The musicians there are top-of-the-line and they almost always nail it in one take. It was nerve-racking to perform with them like this.  I was so worried I’d make a mistake and throw them off.  But it went beautifully!  The musicians I was fortunate enough to work with knew just what to play to convey the emotion of my songs and it felt so good to sing with them. 

What song from Unbreakable most tells your story? 

There are twelve original songs on the Unbreakable album and each one holds a piece of my story.  I don’t feel that there is one song that defines my journey.  Maybe I’ll write a song like that someday, but there is so much living left to do.  The “Unbreakable” track is probably the one that I have been really feeling lately coming out of the pandemic feeling unshaken and resilient like I could reclaim my strength and share a new part of myself with this body of original music. 

How do you make time for your horses while being so busy?  

My time with my horse comes in waves but it is so cherished. I have so many great memories with my horses growing up. They are some of my best memories so I’m really thankful to be able to have horses in my life again and I make as much time for it as I can. 

How does working with horses and being a part of nature contribute to your music? 

Time with my horse really keeps me grounded. Horses are powerful animals that are so strong yet so sensitive and delicate in a way.  They respond and read body language in their own unique way that really requires you as the handler to step outside of yourself in a selfless way and connect on their level. It’s a beautiful escape. 

What is your message to your fans?  

I am so thankful for my fans.  Without them, my music wouldn’t mean anything.  I can tell you that it is absolutely no fun to sing to tables and chairs, trust me, I’ve tried it 😉  Music and live shows are a two-way street. Let’s keep coming together to celebrate life through music. 

Check out everything Chadwick, including show dates, at ChadwickJohnson.com

Unbreakable is now streaming on all music platforms.