"...like a kid after school"
OUT FRIDAY MAY 1ST, 2020
“Showing Up” is the debut single by City Dress, the solo project of Christina Skramstad, a Brooklyn based artist and Berklee College of Music alum. The single was produced by Johnny Simon Jr. of the band Wilsen. “Showing Up” is the title track from City Dress’s upcoming EP, slated for release on June 12th.
About the single in her own words:
“I wrote ‘Showing Up’ after my mother was diagnosed with a rare form of dementia and I started dating my long-term partner. These two major life events shifted my priorities and changed how I showed up for my friends. ‘Showing Up’ is a response to a tension that built up with my best friend as we navigated walking deeper into the wonders and hardships of adulthood. It speaks to the insecurities that follow us as we get older. There are still so many humbling moments when we feel small and vulnerable, just like we did when we were young. Those feelings can bring both pleasure and pain. I wanted to tap into those emotions by showing the struggle between being present for our lives and the hard work it takes to honor the feelings and relationships that matter to us. This song began as an ode to friendship but has since evolved into a source of motivation during hard times. It’s a reminder to show up not only for the people I care about, but for myself as well.”
About the music video:
“I daydreamed about collaborating with Liana Finck, a cartoonist and illustrator whose work I fell in love with from reading The New Yorker. I enjoy and appreciate the perspective, sensitivity, and humor she brings to her art, and felt that she could create something special to accompany the song. After working up the courage, I reached out and with little direction, Liana created a visual narrative of her design that perfectly supported ‘Showing Up’ and its meaning. Within a week my partner, Glenn Gallagher, was busy animating her illustrations. I’m a huge fan of her work and so happy with how the music video came together.”
Bio:
From a young age, City Dress (Christina Skramstad) a Brooklyn based artist and Berklee alum, was introduced to the idea of exploring worlds beyond her reality. Her Norwegian father regaled her with stories about trolls and lost children finding their way home, while her mother, born and bred in New Jersey, introduced her to the best of what jazz, folk, rock-and-roll, and Motown had to offer. This foundation set the stage for Skramstad’s fascination with storytelling and music, which led her to major in Songwriting at Berklee. After graduation, Skramstad took a brief detour in Nashville before landing in Brooklyn, where she met Johnny Simon Jr. Through this creative partnership, City Dress was realized. A self-described perfectionist to the point of sabotage, Skramstad has been obsessively honing her songwriting and musical identity for years. With Simon’s encouragement and help, City Dress is finally ready to share the songs she spent years creating behind closed doors.
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM
Produced by Johnny Simon Jr. Mixed by Johnny Simon Jr. Mastered by Sarah Register Arranged by Christina Skramstad, Johnny Simon Jr. and Gabe Smith
Music and Lyrics by Christina Skramstad
Christina Skramstad - vocals
Will Haywood Smith - drums
Sarah Goldstone - piano
Bryan Percivall - bass
Sarah Mount - background vocals
Details about the music video:
Visual narrative and illustrations by Liana Finck Video by Glenn Gallagher LINKS INSTAGRAM
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