spotlight
When you’re on the dance floor, you’re either in a
relationship, or you’re looking for love, whether
you’re gay or straight. When I’m writing songs, I think,
“What would I say to someone I love, or someone I
loved and lost? What would I say to someone I just
met?” There are hundreds of DJs making an endless
array of sounds. And I like playing with the words in
the English language to tell great stories.
Rage: david Guetta’s songs are crossing over to the pop
charts, and he’s got artists like Kelly Rowland and Akon sing-
ing on his tracks. he’s also produced for the new Black eyed
Peas album. Most dance songs don’t crossover to the pop
charts. What do you think it takes for a dance hit to become
a pop hit?
CW: It’s a collection of unique opportunities. I think
it goes back to gospel music. There’s a point in church
where everyone is singing in harmony. What I think
happened with “Love is Gone” is that, for whatever
reason, everyone could sing this song—just like the
songs in church. And the lyrics are so connectable,
everyone can identify with the words. The guys in the
club can sing it, the girls in the club can sing it. Then,
it’s on the radio and it has this anthemic element and
everyone can sing it. In terms of David’s new album,
he’s been able to marry what he does with what
people like Kelly and Akon do. He’s incorporated
these urban artists in a way that it’s breathing new
life into urban and hip hop music.
Rage: have you garnered a lot of gay fans from your club gigs?
CW: Yes, definitely. One of my favorite experiences
in the gay market was when we did Gay Pride in Paris.
It was one of the most incredible experiences of my
life. There were hundreds of thousands of people lis-
tening to our music. People were having a great time,
and the line was totally blurred—gay people were
Rage: And now, you’re singing dance music. does that feel Rage: Some people think of dance music as monotonous and
hanging out with straight people and having a great
like a natural fit for you? repetitive. it certainly doesn’t have to be. how do you keep
time. There wasn’t that kind of barrier between gay
CW: Yes. Part of the fun of writing this music is that it fresh?
and straight that you often see. There is still a schism
I listen to the track and the instrumentation, and I CW: The honest truth is that I never in a million
between the gay community and the straight com-
just start blurting out melodies. Then, I plug in the years thought I would be interested in the world of
munity in our society, and those party lines make it
lyrics later. I create three or four different melodies, dance music. Now that I’m here, I get the chance to
hard to progress.
and sit with the DJ or producer and decide which is tell really good stories with this music. That’s how
the strongest one. Having been a gospel singer and a I keep it fresh. Even with gospel music, my favorite
Rage: Well, do you see that separation in clubs as well?
session musician, I have thousands of melodies in my thing was to take the story that was pretty much the
CW: It depends. Most of the time, it’s one big
head. This music also allows me to be more versatile. same: “God, he is always with me. He saved me…” and
party. Love is the most important thing, and love
When I got to Nashville, I was very stiff. Over time, I’ve try to say it in a different way. Now I get to do that plus
is inclusive and accepting. That was the message
been able to pull myself out of my shell and just put all reach a broader audience. Change and progress and
that I took from my gospel experience, and that
of my history and training to work. To now be able to evolution—that’s what I’m about.
is the message that I’m sending out with all of
incorporate the visuals—the flash, the flair, the heavy
my songs.
performance—along with the vocals is really a lot Rage: What kind of stories do you like to tell with your songs?
of fun. CW: Well, the main focus of dance music is love.
myspace.com/chriswillismusic
34 RAGE monthly | november 2009
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96