Andy Lange is an artist that definitely deserves a lot more recognition than he currently receives. He's been involved in music his entire life but didn't develop the passion for it that he now has until he joined his high school's top choir. He later joined an acapella group and went on to major in audio mixing at Michigan State. Since then, he's been living in LA, writing songs and producing music made in his basement studio, all without a record label.
If you follow Ryan Higa, Andrew Garcia, Lana McKissack, or even Chester See on YouTube, there's a pretty good chance you've seen him already; he's collaborated with these and other YouTubers on a variety of songs. One of the more famous songs he's worked on with YouTubers is "Nice Guys" with both Chester and Ryan, a hilarious song in which Ryan, Chester, and former YouTuber Kevin Wu (Kevjumba) sing and rap about how "nice guys" should really be jerks to girls, since that's the only type of men girls date.
One of my favorite collabs is one that he's done with Lana McKissack, a cover of Taylor Swift's "Eyes Open." In this cover, he not only sings a duet with Lana, but he also plays the bass, acoustic, and piano parts for the song (and there's also a cute shot of his cat Steve in the middle of the video). It doesn't have that pop rock sound of Taylor Swift, but rather his own signature, Beach Boy-ish style. It's definitely worth putting on repeat.
Another one of my favorite collabs has been with Chester See. Although they've worked on quite a few songs together, their cover of Adele's "Rumor Has It" has really stood out to me, since Andy does most of the background vocals as well as the tambourine and other vocal parts. Their arrangement of this song is great, and it's amazing to see both of them perform it.
Andy doesn't just work on songs for others, though; he's also made three albums of original music. His style of music fits indie rock, alternative, pop, and even electronic music; his frail yet bold vocals pair well with the catchy melodies and complex rhythms he produces. The first original song I heard by him was "Lovely Woman." The third track on his album "Find a Way" (2011), this song is about a woman who, despite the hardships in her life, continues to live as best as she knows how to. Both beautiful and sad, it's a good song that showcases his particular style of music.
"This Time Will Be Better" is from his first album, "Wherever You Wanna Go" (2009). It's a song about journey and return and even a return to the journey at the end. It's a powerful song about the mistakes we make and the second chances we receive in life.
"Hummingbird," also on "Find a Way," is dedicated to his mother. The listener is touched by this tribute as he describes how his mother is so busy and has a lot to worry about as life goes on; they also hear the admiration and love he has for her as he urges her to rest toward the end of the song. Catchy and sweet, this song can easily be replayed for hours.
The song that's touched me the most is probably "If There Could Be A Song" from "Wherever You Wanna Go." Although I can relate to a lot of songs, more often than not I can only relate to certain parts of it; not every word describes exactly how I feel. That didn't happen with this song. When I first heard it, every word described exactly how I was feeling at the time. A ballad about wishing that there was a song explaining how he was wrong in a relationship, it's a moving song to listen to even if you're not experiencing what he's singing about. Beautiful in its simplicity, this is definitely one you should check out.
Andy Lange is an artist who further proves that great music can be produced by anyone with the drive and passion for it. Although this type of business isn't for everyone, it definitely suits him.
For more information on Andy, you can check out his website and YouTube channel.
