← Takin' A Walk - Music History with Buzz Knight
Takin' A Walk - Music History with Buzz Knight
"takin ' a walk" with Chloe Flower: Melodies in Motion"
00:31:31
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- [00:00]
Buzz Knight
You're listening to an iHeart podcast. Member Week is here at Lowe's. Don't miss your chance to get up to 40% off hundreds of items like paint, outdoor and home essentials and more. Shop our exclusive deals happening in store and online now through May 14th. Not a rewards member? Join for free today and get ready to save more Lowe's. We help you save loyalty programs subject to terms and conditions. Details@lowe's.com Terms subject to change. We're leaving today and entering a world of Cinderella, Castle, sightseeing, Tron light cycling, jungle cruise, punning pirate, swashbuckling, Everest, climbing, Dapper Danning, danning, Dunning, soaring, soaring, fireworks, show of I'm not crying. You're CR World of favorites for whatever you love, infinite worlds await at the most magical place on earth. Walt Disney World Resort.
- [01:05]
Chloe Flower
Are you still quoting 30 year old movies? Have you said cool beans in the past 90 days?
- [01:11]
Buzz Knight
Do you think Discover isn't widely accepted?
- [01:14]
Chloe Flower
If this sounds like you, you're stuck in the past. Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide.
- [01:21]
Buzz Knight
And every time you make a purchase.
- [01:22]
Chloe Flower
With your card, you automatically earn cash back. Welcome to the now it pays to Discover. Learn more@discover.com credit card Based on the February 2024 Nielsen report.
- [01:36]
Buzz Knight
We got one play. Everything we work for comes down to this quick question.
- [01:40]
Chloe Flower
Speaking of workouts, how would you rate your athletic program?
- [01:44]
Buzz Knight
Bro, we're in the middle of the state championship.
- [01:46]
Chloe Flower
Oh, so like a B then?
- [01:48]
Buzz Knight
Dude, get out of our huddle. Well, at homes.com we leave it all.
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Chloe Flower
On the field to get you detailed.
- [01:52]
Buzz Knight
Information on local schools. Off the field, off the field. Feel copy.
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Chloe Flower
All right. Go sports. How'd he even get in here?
- [02:00]
Buzz Knight
Homes.com we've done your homework.
- [02:04]
Chloe Flower
Want to pull off the season's freshest trends? You just need the right shoes. That's where designer shoe warehouse comes in. Loving wide leg jeans. Pair them with sleek low profile sneakers. Obsessed with the sheer trend. Try it with mesh flats, Feeling boho comfy sandals. Nail the whole free spirited thing. Find on trend shoes from the brands you love like Birkenstock, Nike, Adidas and more at DSW. Taking a walk when I was 12 years old, one of my best friends was coming to visit me for my birthday and she and her boyfriend were her like not her boyfriend but like because we were like 12 but like you know, her little boyfriend friend. They were hit by a train and killed. And I remember her sister called me and was like melissa can't come to your birthday. She died in a train accident and it was so traumatizing, like for me. And I immediately went to the piano and just played Chopin for like five days straight.
- [03:09]
Buzz Knight
Welcome to the Takin Walk podcast where Buzz Knight speaks with musicians of all types that are making their mark. Buzz is thrilled to be joined by a true musical trailblazer, Chloe Flower. Chloe is a world renowned pianist, composer and producer who's redefining what it means to be a classical musician in the modern era. Known for her electrifying performances and her signature popsicle sound. A seamless blend of classical and pop, Chloe has captivated audiences everywhere from the Grammy stage to viral social media clips. Chloe is here to discuss her brand new album, I Love Me More. And we welcome her right now to the Taking a Walk podcast with Buzz Knight. Hi Chloe. Thanks for being on Taking a Walk.
- [03:57]
Chloe Flower
Thank you for having me.
- [03:59]
Buzz Knight
It's so special. So since we call this podcast Taking a Walk, I have to ask you if you could take a walk with someone, living or dead, they don't have to be involved in the world of music, but they could be. But it could be someone also important to you in different ways. Who would you like to take a walk with and where would you take that walk?
- [04:25]
Chloe Flower
You know, it's funny because some of my best ideas and my best thinking happens when I walk. And so I recently sprained both of my ankles. It's been a struggle for me and I really didn't know how much I missed taking those walks. So this is a great question for me. I think if I could walk with anybody, it would be Rachmaninoff. And the reason I say that, like, it's really hard for me, I would always, I would choose a musician, but it's like between Mozart sister and Rachmaninoff, like, I can't decide. Basically I would ask Mozart's sister, like, tell me everything. What did you write? What did you really write? What did you not get credit for? But you know, Rachmaninoff really, his story really interest me. You know, he almost didn't write the second Piano Concerto, which is like one of the most beloved pieces in the world in the classical space. And actually the love for that piece extends so far beyond. You hear it in All By Myself and you hear that theme in so many pop songs. In fact, I even took that little theme and recreated it for my first album. But he almost didn't write that piece because he went through like a severe depression after his first symphony. He, he wrote, I think it was the late 1800s. He wrote a symphony in D minor, and it was a disaster. Like, everybody hated it. And he went into a severe depression and almost never composed again. But he sought therapy. He went to this doctor, I think it was Dr. Dahl. And I want to know what they talked about, because they don't ever tell you what was said. You just have these letters written by him that, you know, he was so depressed and he never was going to compose again. And then, oh, I sought help, went to a hypnotist, which I think we call a therapist today. And now, you know, I feel re energized and re inspired. And he wrote the most beautiful piece in the world. And so I think for me, as an artist, I would love to know how he coped with that, because as an artist, especially in the classical space, we're so subject to criticism. And I would just like to know how he dealt with that on such a large scale. And I feel like that would take up the whole walk.
- [06:48]
Buzz Knight
And I believe I've only spent a couple of minutes with you. I believe you would uncover the secret and the story. It wouldn't take you very, very long, I hope.
- [07:01]
Chloe Flower
Well, maybe one day in another world.
- [07:05]
Buzz Knight
There you go. Maybe that's right. So. So what's the earliest memory for you of playing music? I mean, I know you started at an incredibly young age, but beyond the age of three, which is, I believe, when you started. Do you have an earlier memory than that in terms of you playing?
- [07:27]
Chloe Flower
I started at 2, and my mother said that she actually corrected. I did a. During the pandemic, I did this Zoom performance, and she joined because it was my sister's company, and I was speaking. And this was kind of when people didn't understand Zoom as well as they do now. It was like new. And she interrupted my talk because I was talking about my first childhood, my first performance ever at three years. I thought I was six at a nursing home. And my mother was like, no, you were three. She didn't mute herself. She just started talking. And so it was funny, but it was news, right? So I was like, oh, I thought I was 6, but I was 3, actually. And I do remember being in this nursing home in my hometown and sitting on a telephone book, because we had telephone books back then, and a little pillow and playing. And I remember looking out at the audience and seeing everybody was asleep and nobody was really listening to me play. But I remember afterwards they clapped, and I was such a baby. But I remember feeling like, oh, this music is. And this music is healing. I remember thinking like, I don't. Sorry, my dog is here. I remember thinking like, I don't. I kind of. At a very early age, them even having me there made me understand and appreciate the power of music therapy and live performance for people and how special that was, even though I was three and I probably didn't play very well. But. Yeah, so that's kind of an early. I mean, even earlier than that. The very first memory I have, I remember stickers on the piano, but. Oh, she hears her.
- [09:10]
Buzz Knight
We welcome. We welcome dogs to the Taking a Walk podcast. What is your dog's name?
- [09:15]
Chloe Flower
This is Wolfie. Her. Her. Her full name is Wolfgard. You know, gang, but Wolfguard, the female version.
- [09:22]
Buzz Knight
What kind of dog is Wolfie?
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Chloe Flower
She's a. She's a chihuahua. She's a rescue. She's my ninth foster that kind of turned into. I kept her, but she's such a good girl and.
- [09:33]
Buzz Knight
Oh, she's beautiful.
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Chloe Flower
She's beautiful. So I got her at a very young age. So she has no trauma, unlike a lot of my other fosters. So I. I really am grateful, but she just saw her boyfriend, so she's freaking out.
- [09:46]
Buzz Knight
You could tell, right?
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Chloe Flower
Yeah.
- [09:50]
Buzz Knight
We're gonna get into your masterpiece new release, I Love Me More, which is just incredible. But I do want to talk a little bit more about you and your career. I have a question for you though, from a fellow musician who admires you. His name is Blackbach.
- [10:16]
Chloe Flower
Oh, I love Blackbach. He's a New Yorker.
- [10:20]
Buzz Knight
He is. He's a big fan. And so here's his question. He said classical music is known for its structure and tradition. So what inspired you, as a trained pianist, to take a different creative path instead of following the traditional concert pianist route? And how has that sort of shaped your art as a whole?
- [10:50]
Chloe Flower
Wow, that's a really great question. I think when you've spent your whole life studying classical music, it's very rigorous. The discipline, the training, the sacrifice that you make to be a classical musician as a profession. It is a lot of structure, not just within the music, but within the career space. And for me, I loved the structure of classical music. I love classical music, but I also grew up loving pop music. And I always compartmentalize those two genres, like, this is my pop life and this is when I'm listening in my room. I can listen to this when I'm not practicing. And often when I was practicing, I would practice two hours at a time and then I would take a 15 minute break and then practice another hour or two hours. And during those 15 minutes, I spent the entire time listening to pop music. Like, you know, like Top 40 music, what was available to me, you know, and we didn't have like Spotify and. And things like that. We had YouTube, but we didn't have like streaming services like Amazon Music and Apple Music. And I think, like, having done that like every day for my whole life, it just naturally gave me this sensitivity and feeling for pop music as well. Not just the aesthetic, but the structure. Pop structure is very different, but it still has a structure. And so I think for me, it was all about not being stuck in this box. I loved music from the Beatles, I loved music from pop artists, and I just always thought that I was going to be a classical musician and I couldn't do both. And so as I got older, I was like, well, why can't I do both? And I think part of the beautiful thing about music is being able to not live in a box. I think that's the glory of music is to experiment. And it was hard for me because, you know, it was looked down upon. I was kicked out of a chamber group. I did a hip hop concert in New York. And I remember my chamber group was like, that's selling out. We don't want you in our group anymore. And so that, you know, I struggled with a lot of that, but that actually fired me up because I was like, that is not fair. And I don't think it's the right approach. I think if you really love music, you can love all styles of music. So for me, it was more. It was almost like a rebellion breaking out of that classical structure and doing, experimenting and doing. Doing things that I hadn't heard. And with that comes confusion. But also it's very exciting. And so I think I kind of fed off of that excitement.
- [13:51]
Buzz Knight
And you created a new path called Popsicle. Right?
- [13:56]
Chloe Flower
If I try to explain to you what popsicle is, it would be so long and hard. So I just found that word popsicle to be very like, easy Popsicle.
- [14:05]
Buzz Knight
But I think you just did. You just did explain it without me even asking. You did just explain it. There is a furthermore, by the way. I can't forget that Blackbach said. He said, and. And furthermore. When can we collaborate? That was his other furthermore.
- [14:21]
Chloe Flower
Asap, as I love what he does. He does great tiktoks. He does really cool things. He's such a swag. I love him. He's so. He did a show over at Joe's Pub that sadly, I missed, but I can't wait to collaborate. I love collaborating. You know, as a pianist, he would understand how solitary it can be. We don't have an orchestra that we go to. You know, I serve on the board of the Manhattan School of Music, and I just came, literally just walked in the do from that meeting, and there we were talking about Aspen Summer Music Festival. And I was laughing that, like, as a pianist, I was much less busier than the violinist because I was always alone practicing in my practice room as opposed to doing different orchestral sessions and stuff. So it's always nice to collaborate.
- [15:06]
Buzz Knight
Well, speaking of collaborating, your performance with Cardi B was a pretty amazing moment there at the Grammys. How did that come about? And as you reflect on it now, how did that really impact your career?
- [15:22]
Chloe Flower
Yeah, I mean, that obviously happened in 2019, and people are still talking about that and wanting to talk about that. So I know how much of an impact culturally and musically that performance had. But had I not stepped outside of that structure and had I not gone to another level musically, experimentally, I wouldn't have had that opportunity. I was actually on social media just playing around with pop songs and just playing over top of them. That particular performance, her team had seen me perform Humble by Kendrick Lamar over. Over his. Playing some piano, over his song. And when they heard that, that's when they reached out to me. They just called me. They got my number from my friend who's also a publicist, Lauren Sherradini, and they reached out to her through. They reached out to me through her. And. Yeah, and they were like, we saw this humble cover, and we want you to come play with Cardi. And it's. It's amazing. I think had I not really openly stepped out of the box on socials and shown people. And social media is great because it gives you that platform to experiment, and I wouldn't have had that, and I probably wouldn't be talking to you today. Maybe. Maybe I would be, but, you know, maybe not.
- [16:41]
Buzz Knight
There's always a reason, right, that things happen. For sure.
- [16:46]
Chloe Flower
Yeah.
- [16:46]
Buzz Knight
So let's. Let's talk about this. This fantastic project. You must be so excited about it. The world is excited about. I love me more. There's so many elements that I want to talk about. First of all, how when you're embarking on such a project like that, do you first consider the specific songs, and then how do you then, like, work through who the collaborators are going to be?
- [17:15]
Chloe Flower
Yeah, actually, for. For a pianist, picking the music is probably the hardest part, I think. I think there's so Much amazing repertoire. It's really hard to narrow it down to like 14 to 18 songs. Like if I could, I would record a thousand song album probably. But what I have to do is first pick songs that I love because it's going to be a lot of time orchestrating and arranging and writing around these themes. But also they have to work on piano. So when you transcribe something that was original, like Flowers, for instance, Flowers was written for a vocal and when I was arranging it for solo piano, I wasn't sure if it was going to work because without, you know, piano doesn't have the ability to do like portamento or any kind of slides or vibrato, like a string instrument. So first I have to figure out while choosing songs if it's going to work sonically. And then, you know, it's a matter of just narrowing. It's always like 50, 60 songs I start with and then narrowing them down to tell a story. I think instrumental music is so amazing because there are no words. So you can really craft a story and you can really be creative when, when picking repertoire. Yeah, and I always, I always want to. I, for this album in particular and my last Christmas album, I wanted to include different genres. So we have, you know, modern pop songs, we have Rameau, which was, you know, from the 1700s, and then we have original music. So all of that was really important to me to include all of the genres that matter to me. But the song was, the album was actually supposed to be a Valentine's Day album. And as I was going through the songs, I realized I was like thinking about, oh, I was like, oh, I listened to this song when I was going through a breakup or oh, I would listen to this song, you know, when I was feeling really down. And then I thought what would be so much cooler and just more impactful for me is to make the album about loving yourself, self love. Because you really can't love somebody until you love yourself. Right? And the most important love you have is the love you have with yourself. So I chose songs that were empowering, but also songs that I listened to when I was feeling down and then a couple songs I wrote when I was feeling really down. So that was how I created the. The track list for this particular album.
- [19:54]
Buzz Knight
We'll be right back with more of the Taking a Walk podcast. Avoiding your unfinished home projects because you're not sure where to start. Thumbtack knows homes so you don't have to. Don't know the difference between matte paint finish or satin or what? That clunking sound from your dryer is with thumbtack. You don't have to be a home pro, you just have to hire one. You can hire top rated pros, see price estimates and read reviews all in the app download today. We're leaving today and entering a world of Cinderella, Castle, sightseeing, Tron light cycling, jungle cruise, bunning, pirate, swashbuckling, Everest, climbing, Dapper Danning, Danning, Dunning, soaring, soaring. Fireworks, show of. I'm not crying. You're crying. World of favorites. For whatever you love, infinite worlds await at the most magical place on earth. Walt Disney World Resort. Not everyone who handles your personal information is going to be as careful as you are. And it only takes one mistake to expose it to hackers and identity theft. Maybe that's why there's a new victim of identity theft every five seconds in the United States. Fortunately, there's LifeLock. LifeLock monitors hundreds of millions of data points a second for threats to your identity. If your identity is stolen, a LifeLock US based restoration specialist will help solve identity theft issues on your behalf, guaranteed or your money back. Plus, all Lifelock plans are backed by the million dollar protection package, meaning LifeLock will reimburse you up to the limits of your plan. If you lose money due to identity theft. You can't control how diligent others are with your personal information. But with Lifelock, you can help protect it. Act now and save up to 40% your first year. Call 1-800-LIFELOCK and use promo code IHEARTRA or go to lifelog.com iheart for 40% off terms apply.
- [21:47]
Chloe Flower
Hi, this is Debbie, your blinds.com design consultant. Oh, wow, a real person. Yep.
- [21:53]
Buzz Knight
I'm here to help you with everything.
- [21:55]
Chloe Flower
From selecting the perfect window treatments to.
- [21:57]
Buzz Knight
Well, I've got a complicated project.
- [22:00]
Chloe Flower
No problem. We make the complex simple and I can even help schedule a professional measure and install. I didn't realize you did that. Yeah, we can also send you samples fast and free.
- [22:11]
Buzz Knight
Wow.
- [22:11]
Chloe Flower
I mean, I always thought I needed a designer to come to my home, but scheduling's always a nightmare. Notwithblinds.com, we're on your schedule. And there's no haggling, no pressure, no hidden fees either. Hmm.
- [22:23]
Buzz Knight
I just might have to do more.
- [22:25]
Chloe Flower
Oh, okay. Whatever you need. How about you tell me what you had in mind? Okay then. So the first room we're looking at is for guests coming over. Blinds.com has covered over 25 million windows, all backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee Shop blinds.com and get up to 50% off with minimum purchase. Rules and restrictions may apply. Let's be honest, most of us have a love hate relationship with wired bras. We love the lift, but hate the digging. We love the support, but hate feeling trapped. Well, Nyx just changed everything with Free Flex, a wired bra actually designed to work with your body, not against it. Free Flex features a revolutionary flexible wire that moves when you move, bends when you bend, and keeps everything exactly where you want it. No poking, no stabbing, no constant readjusting, just freedom to move. It also has a demi cup shape for a natural lift with a lower neckline that flatters in everything from V necks to dresses. And because it's from Knicks, it's available in sizes for every body. Experience the first wired bra you'll actually want to wear all day. Visit knix.com for 15% off your order with Free Flex 15. That's knix.com code Free Flex 15 for 15 off nyx.com.
- [23:49]
Buzz Knight
Welcome back to the Taking a Walk podcast. The folks that you end up collaborating with, is that sort of a bit of a trial and error as well that you're going to bring them on board with the project, or does that just happen organically?
- [24:04]
Chloe Flower
You know, I think for features, I was very intentional about my features. The features on my album, they're such pros of pro. So we have Babyface, we have Jojo, we have Nicole Scherzinger, Questlove. They all brought something very specific to the song that they worked on with me and performed with me. And as I was choosing songs and writing the arrangements, I didn't necessarily think I was gonna be able to have features because these are huge names, there's huge stars. Like, I don't know if they time to come record with me. So it had to work both without the vocal and with, as I was writing the arrangement. But then, you know, when I, when I was listening, I would think, who would be good for this song and who would be, you know, Babyface? And yesterday was like, perfect, you know, perfect.
- [24:56]
Buzz Knight
And I know that you have a history with, with him, obviously, right? He, he. He helped start things for you, didn't he?
- [25:03]
Chloe Flower
Absolutely. And yeah, yeah. Having that history with him allowed me to really understand his vocals, his range, what kind of songs mean something to him, how he sings. And I was like, oh, gosh, if he did yesterday, like, with that falsetto, you know, it will be so angelic. And my version is much slower than the original. And Jojo, you know, I was actually with her at the opening of Sunset Boulevard. We were there to see Nicole Scherzinger for her opening night, and we were talking during intermission, and I was like, you know, I'm doing the very thought of you, and you could kill that. I was like, you could kill it. Even though it's an F, I'm so sorry. It's two whole steps above your vocal range, but I still feel like you can kill this song. And so basically, I had recorded the whole album as is, without any vocal features, without any. Without any confirmation that these features were going to happen. Except Babyface. Babyface, I knew was going to happen. He came to London with me. But the rest, I. I really had to be very intentional about asking and sending the piece and making sure that I felt authentically that it was a perfect match.
- [26:14]
Buzz Knight
I mean, yesterday is just. The beauty of it just, you know, brings you to tears, and it's just. It's just marvelous. How about being in Abbey Road Studios and. And working there? What did that mean to you?
- [26:30]
Chloe Flower
Oh, my gosh, it was just such a dream come true. I'm a huge Beatles fan. I think the Beatles are like the. You know, not only are they one of the best groups in the world, a lot of their music has been inspired by classical music. And I think that is so beautiful. Like, hey Jude is the same theme as a Bach harpsichord concerto, the Arioso, I think it's called. And I really respect musicians who appreciate classical music and, and. And incorporate that into. Into their music, because when you're that big of a star, you're bringing classical music to so many other people. So Yesterday is actually also a little bit of. Its theme is based off of a piano sonata by Rachmaninoff. Very obscure one that people don't really know, but still, it's very, very beautiful. And yeah, so I was a huge fan, like, from the. From the womb. And Yesterday was on my bucket list to write and arrange because my mother and I listened to that song all the time when I was little. She actually used to have this VHS tape of a TV show in Korea called Yesterday, shipped to us by her friend. And it played the theme song, like, all the whole way through the. Every episode. Like, in Korea, like, Korean soap operas are like 40 episodes per season, like maybe 50. So you have to hear. I, like, listened to a lot of Yesterday, and it, like, it was so cool to see this song in a Korean drama coming here on, like, you know, on a VHS tape and me listening it to. With my mother, who is, you know, an immigrant. It was this connection. So for me to record it at Abbey Road with the Royal Philharmonic in a place where Ringo Starr, in the same room where Ringo Starr did all his drums was just like, it was just such an incredible experience. I feel so grateful.
- [28:32]
Buzz Knight
Do you ever just stop and think and go, okay, going from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania to Abbey Road Studios, how did this happen?
- [28:47]
Chloe Flower
You know, I think maybe my, like, you know, I always joke that my superpower isn't my talent, but it's luck, right? I think, and I'm very aware of the opportunity I've been given and the luck that I've been given by the universe or God or whoever you want to call it. If I had not had access, I had parents who really supported the arts and made a very conscious effort to give me violin lessons and piano lessons. And I played cello for 10 years as well. And I understand how lucky I am to have, have that. But luck, you know, my piano teacher always said luck is when preparation meets opportunity. So I think being lucky and then also working hard and just never, you know, never having a dream too small, you know, it was a crazy dream. Are there lots of mechanics in Mechanicsburg? Everyone in New York would ask me that. And you know, going from Mechanicsburg to New York and then, and then going to London, I mean, it's just such a, it's such a. When I look back, I almost can't believe it. Like I, I never expected it. But also I had big dreams and I, I didn't want to stay in mechanics. I wanted to expose people to classical music. I wanted to have a career in music. And I told myself, like, I'm going to be open minded. Whatever it takes to have a career in classical music, I'm gonna make sure that I work hard for that and, and seize every opportunity. So that was kind of my focus. But yeah, I could have never. I didn't even think I was gonna be at Abbey Road like three years ago. Three years ago. I was like, like, couldn't have imagined me going to Abbey Road and recording with the Royal Philharmonic. It was amazing.
- [30:28]
Buzz Knight
So is it this sense of incredible gratitude that you have that ultimately influences you and led you to being such an advocate for, you know, the issue of human trafficking being recognized and also, you know, music education as well. Is it that at its core that has driven you to have this purpose?
- [30:56]
Chloe Flower
Oh, absolutely. I think that is the core. You nailed it. When I got involved in anti human trafficking, it was 2006, I was in Cambodia, kind of on a vacation and I considered myself well traveled I considered myself, you know, reasonably intelligent. I. I watched the news and I knew nothing about human trafficking. I had no idea. Back then it was only a 1.5 billion dollar industry. Now it's like $450 billion a year industry. But I had no idea. And I thought that was just horrible. And what I realized was that access to music education, like human trafficking, is largely based on geography. And justice can never be based on geography. And if I had been born in Siem Reap who, I probably wouldn't be performing with Cardi B at the Grammys. I probably wouldn't have the same opportunity and education to music, but also I would be much more vulnerable to human trafficking. Right? So I think having been given so much opportunity, understanding how lucky I am has definitely made me feel like my purpose is to advocate for music education so that everybody has access. Because I really do believe that music education is a tool of prevention against human trafficking. Because when you look at human trafficking as a whole, what are the root causes of human trafficking? Poverty, lack of identity, lack of self worth and self esteem, lack of community. And then when you look at what music education programs can do for a community, they provide self worth, identity, connection to your community, and they kind of overcome material poverty in a way, because all of a sudden you have this worth, this self worth. And so I made that discovery back in 2010, and when I was writing a speech at the UN, it just occurred to me, I had this light bulb moment when I was like, how am I going to talk about music education and human trafficking in one speech? And so then that really was. I was able to really hone in on this music education and show people like, really, this is very important. Even though it's not a tangible thing that you can touch. The benefits of having a music program in a school, in a community, are one of the most powerful tools we have to create a better society. So that became my purpose. And I think the only way for me to enjoy life and live a long, happy life is to have purpose. So that was important to me.
- [33:35]
Buzz Knight
And by also bringing, you know, back to the beginning, bringing classical music more up front to people, and, you know, intertwining it brilliantly with pop music and all other genres, making it more accessible to people.
- [33:53]
Chloe Flower
The goal is to show people who don't necessarily have access that this art form is valuable and it's relevant and all of us can benefit from it. It's like push ups for your brain. You know, I say to adults all the time who are telling me, oh, I wish I never quit piano, or, oh, I wish I learned piano. I'm like, it's not really, like, too late at all. You know, it's like, would you tell an athlete, like, ah, I wish. You know, I'm. I don't exercise because I'm not going to become a professional athlete. So why exercise? Right? It's the same thing. It's like, it's exercise for your brain, it's exercise for your soul. It's something that I think we should all be participating in at least once a week.
- [34:34]
Buzz Knight
Well, in closing, I think I know the answer to this question because you touched on this earlier, but I do have to ask you. I produce this other podcast, and it's called Music Save Me, and it's about the healing power of music on so many different levels. So do you believe, Chloe, that music has healing power?
- [34:58]
Chloe Flower
Oh, absolutely. I mean, if you're feeling really down and you listen to your favorite song ever, like, you're not going to feel worse after, right? You're probably going to feel better if, you know, you might even have goosebumps. You might even feel happier. And that's why they do all these studies about listening to music while you exercise can be motivating. So definitely, I think music has itself, this amazing ability to. To heal whether you're playing or just listening. And I. When I was. I don't think anybody knows this story. In fact, you're probably going to be the first person to hear the story. But when I was 12 years old, one of my best friends was coming to visit me for my birthday, and she and her boyfriend were her, like, not her boyfriend, but, like, because we were, like, 12. But, like, you know, her little boyfriend friend, they were hit by a train and killed. And I remember her sister called me and was like, melissa can't come to your birthday. She died in a train accident. And it was so traumatizing, like, for me. And I immediately went to the piano and just played Chopin for, like, five days straight. Very emotional Chopin pieces, right? And that really got me through, like, a very traumatic experience. Instead of, like, doing something negative, you know, I put all of that emotion into music. And I always wished that other people could have that opportunity to be able to channel their emotions, whether they're good or bad, into music. And that's why I think music therapy is so important, especially. Especially in healing and in hospitals, in therapy centers and just in your home. So. Yes. Sorry, that was a long answer.
- [36:38]
Buzz Knight
No sorry whatsoever. Chloe, I feel like even though you've been at it for decades that you're just beginning. I know this, this, this incredible adventure and I'm so grateful that you took the time to be on Taking a Walk. Congratulations on the the new album. I love me more and it's, it's sensational. Your work is amazing. I can't wait to continue to see your, your star rise even more. And I hope someday you'll come back and say hi and we can, we can catch up.
- [37:18]
Chloe Flower
Please, and hopefully in person next time.
- [37:20]
Buzz Knight
That would be, that would be wonderful.
- [37:22]
Chloe Flower
Yes. Thank you so much for having me. And thank you for all of the work that you do on your podcast and the other one, it's really amazing. So thank you for having me.
- [37:31]
Buzz Knight
Chloe Flower thanks for being on Taking a Walk. Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
- [37:53]
Chloe Flower
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- [38:35]
Buzz Knight
Give your dry burning or irritated eyes.
- [38:38]
Chloe Flower
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Buzz Knight
Formula that provides fast acting, lasting relief.
- [38:47]
Chloe Flower
Refresh Optave Mega 3 is safe to use as often as needed. Find Refresh online or in the eye drop aisle at all major retailers. Did you know that parents rank financial literacy as the number one most difficult life skill to teach? Meet Greenlight, the debit card and money app for families. With greenlight, you can send money to kids quickly, set up chores automate allowance, and keep an eye on what your kids are spending with real time notifications. Kids learn to earn, save and spend wisely and parents can rest easy knowing their kids are learning about money with guardrails in place. Try Greenlight Risk free today@greenlight.com iheart with.
- [39:28]
Buzz Knight
Comprehensive reports on local schools you won't find anywhere else. Homes.com is the only place to find the in depth in depth info.
- [39:35]
Chloe Flower
Home shoppers want very in depth info.
- [39:39]
Buzz Knight
Curious about where a school ranks in the state? Look no further. Percentage of teachers in their first or second year? We've got it. Lowest student teacher ratio?
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Chloe Flower
No problem.
- [39:49]
Buzz Knight
The best cafeteria lunch in the district for your nine year old food blogger.
- [39:53]
Chloe Flower
Would it surprise you if we said yes? Homes.com we've done your homework.
- [39:58]
Buzz Knight
Dietz and Watson's been making meats and cheeses the right way since forever. What's that mean? It means never cutting corners. Ever. It means cooking, not processing. It means our Virginia brand ham that's cooked to perfection, then twice baked to layer the flavors. It takes more time, but you can taste the difference. We come to work every day to do it the right way, even if it's the hard way. Because if it's not right for us.
- [40:22]
Chloe Flower
It'S not right for you.
- [40:24]
Buzz Knight
Dietz and Watson. It's a family thing since 1939. You're listening to an iHeart podcast.