Purple Trees & Spelling Bees With Local Musician Bobby Blue

Prospect Park South resident Bobby Blue has a lot on his plate–the counter tenor (“most people think I’m a woman when they hear me sing” was how he introduced himself) is currently promoting his album, sunshine, as well as working on two more records. He also hosts the Williamsburg Spelling Bee at Pete’s Candy Store, which he founded 10 years ago after Spellbound made him consider why adults often give up on things they found challenging and fun as kids.

The blue sky lover and prolific songwriter has since penned a jingle for the Bee, which like sunshine is free to download in accordance with his “music for everyone” philosophy. We asked Bobby to tell us (somewhere between his zillion projects) about his journey to the neighborhood, his favorite part of life here, and how his surroundings influence his art.

When was the moment you committed to leaving Indiana and coming to NYC– and then what was the actual experience of doing it like?

That’s a bit of a journey. I am from Indiana but I moved here from Seattle. I had been performing in Seattle at everything from underground late night circuses to higher production shows in Seattle’s music venues. You can be a bit of a novelty with a voice like mine–people need to see it to believe I’m a guy sorta thing.

I was also doing more vocal house, which isn’t so easy to do in Seattle with the heavy influences of rock. I had been to NYC a couple of times before moving here and I knew that if I wanted to grow as a singer and meet more artists and production friends, I would have to make the cross country commitment.

The decision to move came over time, and signs of my final days in Seattle started to show up; I couldn’t find a good roommate, my interest in performing was dwindling, nothing was feeling right, and I knew I had to leave the constant gray overcast.

It was hard emotionally because Seattle is a wonderful city with incredible people–Victorian Flatbush reminds me of Seattle. The best friends of my life were there. I miss it sometimes, but I’m more of a sunshine and blue skies kinda fellow as you will hear on my album.

How long have you been in New York? Was Ditmas Park the first place you landed?

I have been in NYC for 13 years this June. I’ve lived in Park Slope, Bushwick, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Bed Stuy, and now Prospect Park South. Ditmas Park came as a discovery when I played at Vox Pop. I had learned guitar and was singing in this Alt-Latin band that played Mexican classics called ‘…y las flores’. I miss that place!

What are some of your favorite things around the neighborhood? Have your surroundings here influenced your sound at all?

There are a lot of great restaurants popping up everywhere and I enjoy checking them all out. I go to Lark and Qathra for coffee, and I love a good burger so I take the walk over to Hamilton’s in Kensington. San Remo always has a good slice and you can always get pretty damn good Indian food all over this neighborhood. I’m excited to try Church Wine Bar. I can’t wait to see what cool things are going to happen to Newkirk Plaza–what a great set up for fancy restaurants with outdoor seating.

Though honestly, my absolute favorite thing here is Spring blooming in Victorian Flatbush. Many of my days off during those months are spent strolling the streets of this live fairy tale. I would break out into song and dance if knew I wasn’t going to wake anyone, or have the insane asylum called on me.

I love the park also, and riding my bike to work in DUMBO. Riding through the park is a very romantic way of watching the seasons turn. I’m very affected by the nature around me.

My mother is from Costa Rica, and though you don’t find many Ticos in the US, I feel very at home in my Latin neighborhood. I am getting ready to cut a Spanish album, so this neighborhood inspires me in the same way; it reminds me how important the music I hear coming out of apartments and cars driving by is to me, and how it moves me.

How do you apply the any color tree principle to your everyday life?

Through my life it’s been proven to me that I don’t see limitations on much of anything. If one way doesn’t work you have to try another. I love purple trees, red trees, and turquoise trees, so I guess thats the way I approached my album. I made an album that I would like to hear.

People are always asking me what genre my music is. I think this album is pretty straight up “electronic singer/songwriter with acoustic guitar.” sunshine is very retro sounding, though one friend says the only thing that ties the songs together is my voice.

I made this music to be heard by everyone, and since I’m not very well known, people are more likely to pick up my album if it’s free.We just aren’t living in a world where people are buying music anymore and you can’t be afraid of it. It would be a total waste and a shame on my part if people didn’t hear my music based on a $10 barrier.

It thrills me more that I’m part of someone’s daily soundtrack than how much money I’m making at this point, but the true great performers will survive. The original way musicians started out making money was through performance. We’ve gone full circle.

I’m also open to lending my songs to commercials and soundtracks. I think go would be great in a movie and sunshine could be a jingle for a cruise, vacation ad, or morning talk show. That’s a good place to make some money and a great way to get your song stuck in everyone’s head.

Are you playing any shows around NYC in the near future?

I’d love to do a show in any of NYC’s venues, but there is something about variety shows that really work for me. I sell more albums and meet way more artists outside of what I do, which make for great references for projects like music videos. Nothing’s scheduled right now, but I’m looking to integrate singing and playing guitar with Boylesque.

I’ll be out again as soon as someone asks me to be in their show. I would love to do a show in the neighborhood.

Want to learn more about Bobby Blue, or be the first to know when he’s playing locally? Keep up with him via his website, Facebook, and BandCamp, or stop by the Williamsburg Spelling Bee when it starts back up in May.

Photo via Bobby Blue