When you meet Molly Chapman, you instantly feel like you want her to become one of your closest friends. She is warm and bubbly, acknowledging you with a "Hey, girl!" and a smile. She'll embrace you in a hug and admit to you that her California-girl roots have not prepared her for the winter cold (which is why she's wearing tights underneath her jeans). During our conversation, I realized she's the epitome of "down to earth", and she is also a true talent among singer-songwriters on NYU's campus.
Chapman has been performing from a young age, beginning with musicals. "Music was always a part of my life because my parents are both musicians," she said. "I couldn't escape it." At age 13, she began to explore the world of pop music. By her sophomore year of high school, she was performing her first "legit" gig at Whisky A Go Go, a nightclub in her hometown, Los Angeles. The performing and the music never stopped.
In terms of her musical sound, Chapman says it is still "evolving" and "expanding." However, she also said that she would like to be compared to Sara Bareilles, but with a bit of a twist. "My music is a bit more poppy and more produced," Chapman said. "I would like to experiment with bringing more of an R&B, funk aspect into it."
When deciding to attend college, Chapman knew she wanted to remain in a big city. She narrowed down her options to staying in L.A. or moving to New York. She chose the latter after coming on her tour. "I got a feeling like no other school I had gone to," she said.
Chapman is a student at NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Study where music is not necessarily a part of her course of study. The task is challenging. "I'll come home and have pages of reading to do when I'd rather just go sit at the piano for hours," Chapman said. "It's been hard but I'm going to continue to do it because I think if you want to do it, you'll find time." She has, however, included the Business of Entertainment, Media, and Technology as a minor, merging the two worlds together.
Out of Chapman's songs, her favorite is "Nice Guy" because she enjoys seeing the reaction from the audience when she includes unexpected curse words. From those she released on her EP "The One," the title track is the one that shines the brightest for me. It is the ultimate power jam after a relationship has failed, helping you to remember that it's not you, it's just not the right time. With each piano crescendo, you will feel yourself able to relate with the message, nodding your head to both the words and the beat.
Up next for Chapman, she plans to debut her first music video for the track "See Through". She also hopes to work on recording another EP this summer. "We'll see," she said with a smile.
For more information on Chapman's music, you can visit her website. You can also listen to a live set she recorded at the WNYU studios this month on SoundCloud.
