September 23, 2008
Publication title: Billboard, vol. -, Iss. -, pg. –
Place: Unknown
Writer: Cortney Harding
Q&A: Sarah McLachlan
When Billboard talked to Sarah McLachlan almost two years ago, she told the magazine she had one new song ready to go. In the last 24 months, she’s managed to bump that total up to three, two of which are featured on “Closer: The Best of Sarah McLachlan,” due Oct. 7 via Arista.
But if anyone deserved a little break, it’s McLachlan. Throughout her career, she’s sold more than 40 million albums worldwide, won three Grammy Awards and founded Lilith Fair, the celebrated women’s tour that ran from 1997 to 1999. Now focused on spending time with her two daughters, McLachlan spoke to Billboard about her future plans.
Question: How did you choose what songs to include on the hits record? And how did the two new songs make it onto the album?
Answer: We started with the most obvious choices, which were the singles. I wanted to add more and originally wanted to do a double-album, but ended up making a deluxe version. In terms of the two new tracks, I’m not ready to work on a new album yet, because I had another baby last year and I’m enjoying taking time to be a parent. But I had the two songs ready to go and I wanted to get them out there, so I put them on the record.
Q: What else are you working on now?
A: I’m still writing, but it’s much slower than it has been in the past. I do charity gigs from time to time and have a music school in Vancouver, but right now I’m focused on my family. There is not a record in the pipeline right now.
Q: You have two more albums left in your deal with Arista. What is your plan for your career after the contract is up?
A: Well, I own all my masters, and I would not sign another label deal. I’d like to do something on my own, assuming I had a good infrastructure in place. But my manager, Terry McBride of Nettwerk, has been the marketing mastermind behind all my campaigns, and I think he will continue to do a great job.
Q: Many people have commented on your song “Ordinary Miracle” appearing in a CVS commercial. Do you have other synch deals in the pipeline?
A: Well, that’s not me in the commercial, first of all. The song was originally written for me to sing for the film “Charlotte’s Web,” and I was more than happy to do that. Then the producers took the song, found someone who sounded like me and had them sing it for the ad. I’ve never sold my songs to help sell a product, and I never will. I would never judge anyone who did that, because it can be a great medium for people to hear your music. But I also think, at the end of the day, I have enough money, and my songs are so emotional and all about feeling, and I don’t really want them being used to sell yogurt.
Q: It’s been nine years since your groundbreaking Lilith Fair tour ended. Could you see a tour like that succeeding today?
A: The tour could definitely be relevant again, although it would be hard to do with all the original musicians, since most of us have kids now. It was a huge undertaking when we did it, but it was also a great opportunity for us all to play in front of huge audiences and build our careers and collaborate and talk. The state of women in music does seem abysmal. All this bubble-gum pop is so slight. But I have to believe that it’s all cyclical, that good music and good artists will prevail.
Q: Since your last proper album, “Afterglow,” was released five years ago, how do you plan on reintroducing yourself to audiences?
A: I know I’m going to lose some fans because I’ve taken time off, but I’m also lucky in that I have a strong, loyal fan base. I’m also lucky that I’m at a point in my career when I can call up all the morning shows and say, “I want to play,” and be booked on “Regis and Kelly” or “Good Morning America” or any of the others. And the morning shows are perfect, because their viewers are my target audience.
We’re also going to be doing more TV and media and promoting the single, but I’m not going to kill myself to try to sell more copies. I’d rather be able to tuck my kids in at night, even if it means selling a few thousand fewer albums.
