Madam Snowflake

EMILY

Richards

a.k.a... MADAM SNOWFLAKE

by Lon Levin

How did that evolve into Madam Snowflake?

To tell the truth I had no idea who Emily Richards aka Madam Snowflake was. As luck would have it Jodi and I were promoting the magazine in Brentwood and met Emily’s husband John. He suggested we talk to her because she was a very interesting woman. Well, a lot of people say things like this when you meet them and you take it with a grain of salt...however, in this case it’s true and more! I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did putting it together. And you MUST listen to Madam Snowflake’s music. It is awesome!

When did you first think about singing as something you wanted to do?

There was never a thought about singing, because there was never a time I wasn’t singing! My earliest memory is of a two year old curly-top belting out “On the Good Ship Lollipop” with full choreography -- surrounded by a circle of cheering, gray-haired fans. In Salt Lake City, my grandparents hosted regular dinner parties where their large coffee table was my stage for tap dancing and toddler-style crooning. I remember feeling a nervous embarrassment caused by the insistent adoration of my grandparents and their friends. Perhaps I was born signing!

The journey has been a colorful, winding road! From early childhood piano competitions and ballet performances to pre-teen pageants and songwriting, music has been a golden thread woven through the chapters of my life. I won my first songwriting contest when I was eleven – and that hooked me. Of all the arts I loved, I was most impassioned by songwriting (I wrote my high school’s prom and graduation themes). Though I graduated college with a B.S. in Accounting, I also studied music and dance. I worked for eleven years as a CPA for Price Waterhouse (so geeky!) but also enjoyed a dual career as a singer-songwriter. After winning an American Idol-type contest, I released my first album in Nashville, which led to opening for Martina McBride. Those unexpected breakthroughs got me recording deals in Los Angeles with Grammy-winning producers John Jones and David Kershenbaum. With the release of my second album, my entrepreneurial-brain made a radical decision – to freely share my music on the internet, unheard of in 1998 (yes that is dating me). Millions downloaded my music on the revolutionary website MP3.com, and terms like “digital music pioneer” and “queen of the internet” appeared with my name in Wall Street Journal and USA Today articles.

Were you encouraged or discouraged by family, friends, teachers, mentors?

My family and close friends are my most supportive fans. I fondly recall my mom and sisters flying in for several big shows at the House of Blues on Sunset, my dad and brother coming to town when I played the legendary Troubadour as well as the Belly Up Tavern in San Diego. My entire family flew to Vegas when I headlined the House of Blues there. And now that I’m writing my first musical, they are my case study listeners. I’ve had the most amazing managers and producers. The musicians of ccMixter support and evolve my art continually. Providence has connected me with mentors and a team that think differently – and that has made all of the difference!

What kind of kid were you? Where did you grow up? What were your influences?

As the most downloaded artist on MP3.com, I headlined their 50-city tour in 2000 – where late in the tour tragedy struck. My little sister was killed by a drunk driver. It crushed me. Everything changed after that – my rising star went a completely different direction. I formed a nonprofit in her name and though I toured and released several more albums, life in the mainstream no longer interested me. I wanted to make a difference, not sellout to a music industry built on sex-appeal, lockdown and shallow, three-minute ditties. So when MP3.com’s founder/CEO asked me to run his new music company, I jumped -- and moved to San Diego.

Serving as the President of a high-tech company (sued by the major labels) was a sleep-losing challenge, and I finally realized neither music executives nor tech moguls really care about the art of music. In the thick of it, I met Lawrence Lessig who introduced me to ccMixter. org – a website where music was evolving through open sharing and genuine artistry. I joined the ccMixter community in 2006 under the moniker Snowflake (a nickname given me by my first LA band, when I moved from the snowy mountains of Utah to the warm beaches of SoCal). After three years of creating on this global platform I formed my own company, ArtisTech Media, and acquired ccMixter. As Madam Snowflake, I’ve uploaded the vocals (and stems) of over 130 original songs, well as 100 fully produced tracks, to ccMixter.org – under Creative Commons licenses. These “CC” licenses enable other creators to interact with my music – and it is the power of sharing that has virally advanced my deeper message all over the world.

I was and still am a nature girl. As an elementary school student, I spent hours alone in the woods that lined our home’s property. I can still smell that sweet scent of pine and feel the soft needles beneath my feet when I close my eyes. In my conservative Mormon family, we didn’t listen to much rock ‘n roll but our record player was constantly spinning music -- the Carpenters, John Denver, Barbara Streisand, and Neil Diamond. Luckily, I discovered my uncle’s vast vinyl collection when I was 14 – Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and The Beatles blew my mind open! I’ll never forget the first time I listened to ‘Stairway to Heaven’ – I was crying by the end, and copied all of the lyrics from the record sleeve into my songwriting notebook. “It makes me wonder….”

U2 was my favorite band in high school – ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ and ‘New Year’s Day’ my favorite songs as a sophomore. When “Joshua Tree” was released my junior year, the album became the soundtrack of my life (still is in a way). I was obsessed with every album, B-side and import I could get my hands on. I drove through the night to Phoenix to see the band play live (they wouldn’t play in SLC), and have seen them perform nearly two dozen times. I was an outgoing teen and got along with the smart kids, the nerds, the jocks, and the cheerleaders.

“I was an outgoing teen and got along with the smart kids, the nerds, the jocks, and the cheerleaders.”

I loved to read and my imagination was vivid in everything I created. I spent a lot of time alone in the woods that lined our property.

I was on the dance and track teams, in the glee club and was a student body officer. I got my first gig as a lead singer when I was 19 and had to lie about my age to play at most of the venues in the Salt Lake area. The band performed a lot of Aretha Franklin, Beatles and Al Green covers – all while I was on full scholastic scholarship at the University of Utah. I belonged everywhere, and yet fit in nowhere.

What areas does your work appear in? How did that come about?

Because I’ve freely shared my music, other creators incorporate my songs into their own works -- in ways I would never think of. I recently learned that I have millions of fans in Holland -- because music producers and DJs in Amsterdam perform their versions of my songs each year at festivals bigger than Coachella. My voice and songs are featured in thousands of YouTube videos, websites, podcasts, videogames, and more.

“My family was always amazing – my biggest fans!”

This is how the message of my music – peace, tolerance, evolution, and harmony with our planet – is being shared with the world.

How has the advent of the computer affected your work?

I love technology! Giving away millions of unique downloads launched my career. The ccMixter.org platform has opened up my music stems, and facilitates unique collaboration with producers and musicians I’ve never met, in countries I’ve never visited. Running Pro Tools in my home studio provides the time and resources to create exactly what I envision – without the big sticker price of my early albums (over $100k each). I’m currently working on my 17th album (singles are on my YouTube channel) and have just finished the second draft of my first Broadway-style musical. Computers have given me the freedom and independence to pursue my true art -- and its message.

I’m fascinated by your music, especially your new song Amplify the Light. I’m making a leap here but I’m assuming the present state of American politics is a motivating factor in the lyrics? What’s the origin of that and am I off base?

The division and anger in our country hurts, and I wrestle regularly with despair. Still, music can be cathartic and hopeful. Most of the songs I write are born from observing reality with an imaginative twist -- for what could be possible (in the John Lennon ‘Imagine’ sort of way). ‘Amplify the Light’ is a reminder – that what I focus on, think about, talk about – is what takes up the mental and emotional space in the minutes and hours of each day. If I give my energy and hope to the to harmony that could be on our planet, well, I get one step closer to that being my reality.

Did you take a performing name to allow yourself the freedom to create a persona that can be whatever you want? What is the concept behind that?

The frenzy of life on the road was wearisome – and I’m not adept at handling public criticism. Privacy and a nurturing home is important to my family and me. By transitioning into a virtual music career, I get to be with those I love, enjoy my every day life and still pursue my passion. And, there aren’t the same kinds of pressures for image and brand – which allows my creative work to be totally about the music.

Does living in LA give you a certain tone to your work that living elsewhere wouldn’t?

LA is a special place for music, and I’m so lucky my star first rose on the Sunset Strip. I worked with some of the most talented folks in the biz when I moved here – I was young and lucky! The magic of music became rooted inside me, and has never let go. Being around really gifted musicians pushes my craft – and LA continues to be a force of creativity for me.

What’s does your process entail? Start to finish. Can you give us a short step-by-step?

An inspiration surges within me like a volcano, usually from a topic I’m concerned about (climate change, equality, harmony) -- and then I go straight to the piano. I write my lyrics, melodies and musical arrangement all at the same time. Then I head into my home studio – I record a piano track to a click first, and then lead vocals. Harmonies really give me enjoyment, so I’ll usually record at least a dozen backing vocals. Then I add other instruments. Sometimes I play bass and guitar – and often times I go to the ccMixter community for for musical

– because other folks are better at playing drums, bass, and guitar than me! Their styles, influenced by their country’s culture, push me beyond my familiarity. (I usually end up doing a lot of editing and manipulation if I use stems from other musicians.) Then I mix the track and share it (along with my stems) on my page at ccMixter – where the song eventually ends up in all sorts of other DJ mixes, webvids, etc. My team helps curate favorite tracks or songs themed together on albums, that will be mastered (sometimes mixed too) by one of my professional producer buddies. For example, I released a Valentine’s Day album last year “Honey Valentine” that is a collection of lush, romantic songs for candlelight and lovers

Is your involvement in environmental activities something that is an Emily Richards thing or a part of Madam Snowflake or a combo of both?

I can’t separate the two when it comes to the health of our planet – just like we can’t separate ourselves from the ecosystem that we utterly depend upon for each breath, our health and every meal by which we sustain ourselves. On a tour in 2004, I shared the stage at festivals with Ed Begley Jr, Jane Goodall, Willie Nelson, and other good folks that enlightened me with awareness -- and I saw for myself how badly we’re degrading our environment. It is horrifying that we put millions of tons of plastic in the ocean each year, and that we’ve overfished our seas so radically that birds, whales, dolphins, turtles, sea lions, and more are endangered or going extinct because of our ignorant actions. My husband and I visit Kauai several times each year, and over the past six, we’ve seen the coral reefs go from flourishing with fish and turtles to becoming bleached and nearly dead. The mountains in Utah are suffering too – from much shorter, warmer winters that have not only hurt the ski economy over the past two decades, but have also caused devastating bark beetle infestations. 90% of forests at higher elevations are dying from climate change. And then there are the forests we’re intentionally cutting down – 18 million acres each year – for free range cattle, palm oil, construction, and drilling or fracking for oil and gas. The damage is aggravated by the cars we drive; the disposables we discard; the power and water we waste – it all rings a warning bell inside my heart.

Music is the truest way I know how to express myself – Madam Snowflake is my vehicle. I try to be the change in steps every day. Our home in Brentwood has solar panels, rain barrels, and gray water systems. We drive a Tesla. We grow most of our own food using permaculture and absolutely no chemicals. We’ve adopted a plant-based diet and zero-waste lifestyle. We pick up trash on our regular powerwalks around Brentwood and Santa Monica,

and organize beach clean-ups. We have adopted a few school gardens too, and I love seeing kids get their hands in the soil, and appreciate vegetables! It gives me hope.

What’s the future hold for Emily and Madam Snowflake? Any ultimate goal?

My ultimate goal is to help somehow turn around this sixth extinction humans are causing on our planet – for all of us that live and breathe -- as well as for future generations. My new musical is inspired by this crisis -- “we’re the cure because we’re the disease.” Music is my passion and the purest way I can share this message – for increasing awareness, compassion and consciousness is what shifts people to make a change.

Emily and husband John above.

I love the permutations of my music that pop up – and the different creators that I connect with around the world as a result.