Nathan Congleton/NBC
Country music might be Music City’s calling card, but true locals know Nashville is home to artists of all genres. That’s why it isn’t surprising that “A Thousand Miles” singer Vanessa Carlton has quietly found her place within the city’s bustling creative community—one that’s organically woven into the fabric of her sixth studio album, Love Is an Art, releasing this spring.
Carlton co-wrote a majority of the album with singer/songwriter Tristen, her next-door neighbor. It’s a convenience the three-time GRAMMY® nominee calls “quintessential Nashville.” The album’s avant-garde sonic palette—courtesy of producer Dave Fridmann (Interpol, The Flaming Lips)—contrasts sharply with Carlton and Tristen’s clear, contemplative lyrics. Carlton will take her new songs on the road in May and June on her “Love Is an Art Tour,” where a dollar from every ticket benefits Nashville Ballet.
Vanessa Carlton
Alysse Gafkjen
Age: 39
On Nashville:
Carlton’s husband, Deer Tick frontman John McCauley, first introduced her to Nashville. “I just fell in love with the town. Every time we went out, I was like, ‘There’s like 90 musicians in here.’ It was such an incredible, organic community of artists, which was hard at the time for me to find in New York, just because as the prices were rising, a lot of the artists were moving out of Manhattan. John and I got a little bungalow in East Nashville, and we’ve been here ever since. We now have a studio in our backyard. Just things that you can’t have in New York City.”
The Art of Love:
Relationships—including the one with her 5-year-old daughter, Sidney—became the inspiration for Love Is an Art. “I think so much of the record is about connection. So much of this is how human beings connect and love, and I think there is such complexity to that and such simplicity at the same time. I think that it’s an art. So much of this came to fruition for me when I had my daughter and how I connect with her and how much I needed to heal within myself for me to be able to show up for her.”
A New Stage:
Carlton made her Broadway debut last summer as Carole King in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. With eight shows a week, she says it was the most grueling challenge of her career to date. “I am a changed person from that experience. First of all, the work ethic of a Broadway performer reminds me of my early days as a ballet dancer. It’s beyond. I will never complain about touring ever again, because it’s now made everything I do seem so much easier. That production would not work missing one person. It doesn’t matter that I was the ‘lead’ of that show. That was teamwork. That’s what I learned about acting. Acting is so much an exchange of energy between people.”
Discussing Diversity:
Coming from New York’s cultural melting pot, Nashville’s lack of diversity is not lost on Carlton; and through her art and philanthropic efforts, she hopes to help broaden the city’s demographics. “It’s important for us to talk about it. I think it’s really important, for my family at least and my daughter, to be in diverse environments that really reflect this country. Especially with so much wealth coming to town and pushing people out, it’s our responsibility to really take care of each other. People just need to be presented with how they can participate, how they can help. I think a lot of it is providing a handle for people to hold.”