Photo by Tim Stephens
Singer-songwriter Cheyenne Chapman regularly plays at music venues across metro Birmingham, including regular appearances at Culinary Dropout at The Summit.
Cheyenne Chapman is a singer-songwriter performing across Birmingham’s most popular venues, including The Summit’s Culinary Dropout, Soho Social, Saw’s Juke Joint, Otey’s and more. She spoke with 280 Living about her musical journey, inspirations and what’s next.
Q: Where is home for you, and where did you grow up?
A: I grew up in Hueytown, but I bounced back and forth between my grandmother's property in Green Pond, Alabama. So, out in the sticks. Not too long ago, I was given the opportunity to take over some land. I don't foresee it being the end place, but I do love being here and it reminds me of childhood.
Q: How did you develop your love for music?
A: That was something that started when I was young. My grandfather played music, and he did that for a living. He would write music and things like that, so I got to watch him a lot growing up. When I was about 11 years old, I started writing music. My grandfather gifted me my first guitar at 13, and from there I just kept going with it. It became my obsession through high school. I continued on with choir and just learning more skills with singing. I think I've developed the most through being a worship leader. I've been put in a lot of positions, things through the last several years of leadership and development. Now not only do I sing for a living, inside and outside of church, but I also teach other people how to do that as well.
Q: How old were you when you got your first professional gig?
A: I think I was 23 when I got my first actual professional gig. But I didn't start gigging at that time — that was more me showcasing my own music. It was a few years after that that I started actually gigging more professionally.
Q: Who are some of your musical influences?
A: Starting from a younger age, I grew up listening to a lot of classic rock. Stevie Nicks was a huge inspiration to me growing up. If you ever listen, I have a lot of tonality that's very similar to Stevie Nicks. I'm not a smoker, so I don't think I'll ever get that deep, raspy tone that she's got, but I've always loved her sound and the way that she does music. From that point, I have a very diverse taste in music. I pull from all avenues and just kind of take what's useful and grow on that.
Q: Where can people see you perform?
A: Publicly, I play a lot at Cahaba Brewing. I was playing at Trim Tab — they've been doing some things, so I may be back there soon. Saw’s Juke Joint, Otey's in Mountain Brook and Homewood. If you're a member of The Club, I am very frequently there, about three times a month. And then Culinary Dropout.
Q: What are some of your favorite songs to perform?
A: Number one would be my own music because I wrote it and I have a lot more passion toward that. Outside of that, I would say “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac or “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac, and then “Creep” by Radiohead. I love that song. It's very emotionally driven. “Black Horse and a Cherry Tree,” I love singing that song. I've kind of made it my own through the years and I can have so much fun with it.
Q: Tell me about your original music — what should people expect?
A: I think I have two eras of my music. One era was me trying to find myself and struggling through a lot of issues and loss. I was still learning how to put songs together. Those songs had a lot more folk and rock. I would say I've hit a revamp in the last few years. The style of music that I'm writing now is a little more blues, still folk, and a little bit of rock as well. Every song that I write comes out a little differently. My style of writing has changed, and my way of putting songs together is also evolving. I’ve got one song out called “Lost and Wandering.”
Q: Where can people find your music online?
A: cheyennechapmanmusic.com is a great place to go because it has everything all in one place. Otherwise, if you just wanted to check it out on YouTube or Spotify or Apple Music, you would just look up Cheyenne Chapman. “Lost and Wandering” is the one that I'm currently pushing.
Q: What’s the big dream? Where do you want to take this?
A: The big dream is evolving. Each year I kind of find a different path that I want to take. Right now, it is just writing more material. Last year I was gigging so much that it took away time from actually creating the art. I took this year to kind of back off a little and create more. The idea is to get at least an album's worth together within the next year and get in the studio and get something out. I've already traveled to Nashville. I went there last year to kind of dip my toes in that atmosphere. I love the Birmingham culture, honestly, and it's growing. I've just been networking a lot in this area and trying to find my place.
Q: Is this your day job?
A: It's my night job, I'd say. I started out gigging by getting a job at Saw’s Juke Joint years ago, and I'm still there. I do that three times a week usually, and it's not because I have to anymore — it's just because I love that place. I'm also on staff at a church in Calera called Hope Mountain Church, and that's kind of my day job.
Q: Did you go to college?
A: I started at Montevallo, but I did not complete college. I left and traveled abroad for a little while.
Q: Where did you go?
A: I stayed with my sister in Kuwait, then traveled to Dubai, Thailand, and then made my way back home. That was kind of the end of that time period.
Q: How did that travel shape you and your music?
A: It definitely impacted me. In Kuwait, there's not as much to do, so that was my time period to reflect and find myself as an artist and as a young woman. My perspective started shifting because it’s so different there. After Thailand, I started writing a lot more calm music. Everything about that trip was just very soothing and relaxing.
Q: When people hear you perform, who do they say you sound like? How do you balance influences and your own voice?
A: People say I sound like Jewel a lot, and I can definitely hear it. Stevie Nicks is another one. I would say Stevie influenced the type of music I wanted to create, and I relate to Jewel because her writing is so deep and soulful. That’s the kind of writing that I do — I'm not surface level by any means.
Q: Anything else you’d like people to know?
A: If you are interested in listening to any of my music or coming out to any of my shows, everything is regularly updated on my website, cheyennechapmanmusic.com. I’d love for people to come out and support.
