Following last year’s single This Afternoon, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sebastiaan van Ravenhorst – aka Van Common – returns with his uplifting new single Moonlight Blue, out now.
Written late one night from a beach house that van Ravenhorst had retreated to alone in order to gather his thoughts, Moonlight Blue is inspired by the intimate connection he feels to the moon; a connection that envelopes him when the rest of the world is sleeping. Flowing with twinkling melodies and swooning vocals, it oozes a sweeping, dreamy majesty.
In this interview spotlight, I chat with Van Common about the new release, motivations, challenges and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Let’s dive a little deeper into You, the artist and your music. What attracted you to this genre(s) or style(s)?
The dreamy and hazy sounds that I use in my music have a lot to do with my personality. I tend to get lost in my thoughts a little bit, even when I’m talking to people. It sounds like what I feel like in my mind.
What led you into this journey with music? And further, what drives you to push it out to the public?
Music has been the only thing I really loved to do for as long as I can remember. I got my first guitar when I was 10, and that’s when I felt like I found some sort of purpose. When I was 14 I taught myself to play drums and I wrote my first song when I was 16. I’ve always had a hard time opening up to people and being myself, but when I’m recording everything makes a lot more sense. It’s a way of communicating that comes more naturally to me.
Who or what influences your creativity? Have your tastes in music changed over time?
My taste in music is always changing. Around the time I wrote and recorded the songs ‘This Afternoon’ and ‘Moonlight Blue’, I was listening to a lot of Real Estate, Wild Nothing and Tycho. Lately I’ve been listening to Father John Misty, Destroyer and (Sandy) Alex G. I think my surroundings also affect my creativity, that’s why I like to travel as much as I can.
Were you trying to accomplish anything specific on this new project? Creatively or otherwise?
For the last 4 years I had been playing in different bands, but with my solo project Van Common I wanted to have more creative control and write a full record by myself. Also because the project is just me, I didn’t think about a live setting or a particular audience when I was writing the songs. I just wanted to challenge myself to try something different, starting from scratch.
What was the last song you listened to?
‘Disgraced in America’ by Ought.
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
I love to buy my favourite records on vinyl. I love reading the lyrics and credits while listening, it makes me feel like I’m living in the moment. The internet is a great place to discover new music and other things, but sometimes it’s also unconsciously overshadowing my genuine personal interests that are more important to me.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
Spotify. My Discover Weekly playlist can be surprisingly on point, and it’s also great to look at tour dates through Songkick. I try to stay away from the social media aspects of it though.
Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what is the biggest challenge you face when trying to connect with or find new fans?
Sometimes it’s hard to see who’s actually listening to your music. There’s so much going on that you never really know for sure who’s paying attention.
Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more music?
I guess I’m most active on Spotify and Instagram.
Anything else you’d like to add before signing off?
I don’t know anything.
