Interview: Stephanie Schneiderman Invites Us to Collectively Weep With "Cry With Me"

Pacific Northwest artist and activist Stephanie Schneiderman discusses her soul-stirring new song “Cry With Me,” her upcoming songwriting course, the world issues that move her, and more in a candid conversation with Atwood Magazine!

Stream: “Cry With Me” – Stephanie Schneiderman

I believe that when we cry, we are wide open – and if we can recognize each other’s grief, we can truly see each other’s humanity.

Stephanie Schneiderman’s riveting release “Cry With Me” exudes a somber, yet comforting sound.

Commencing with the powerful lines, “There is blood in the water. I see you as you see me,” the artist immediately evokes a sense of compassion and togetherness. Speaking to the universal trials we encounter as women, she provides listeners with the space to let all sensations run free. Her raw, aching tone gliding over emotive landscapes holds so much potency. The lingering accordion makes us feel things that were buried deep inside, only now just rising to the surface.

Cry With Me - Stephanie Schneiderman — Cry With Me – Stephanie Schneiderman

Independently released July 18, 2024, “Cry With Me” is a haunting piece and true tale of staying tender in the wake of turbulent times. It is never easy to cope with all that goes on around us, and Schneiderman deeply sympathizes with that grief leading her to write, produce, and perform this stunning single.

A multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter, producer, and activist, Schneiderman has an extraordinary list of accomplishments. Not only has she recorded nine albums, but she also played drums for the roots act Swan Sovereign (formerly Dirty Martini), acted, and ran a humanitarian concert series for Ugandan refugees.

She has also received the privilege of going on tour with prominent acts like Sarah McLachlan and Marc Cohen. “Cry With Me” is yet another notch in her belt of accolades.

Everywhere I look, the same thread runs through – everyone is on ‘a side’ – this song was written as a way to try to see ourselves in each other and to see each other in ourselves.

The poignant music video that accompanies the single consists of a diverse crew and an all-woman cast. The visuals start with different females with their head in their hands, rocking back and forth. It is an image that leaves a lasting impact; each of them does an intricate, interpretive dance, creating a mesmerizing experience from which we cannot look away. Everything about the track and the video is utterly thought provoking. When Atwood Magazine interviewed Stephanie Schneiderman, her answers were just as profound.

— —

:: stream/purchase Cry With Me here ::

:: connect with Stephanie Schneiderman here ::

Stream: “Cry With Me” – Stephanie Schneiderman

A CONVERSATION WITH STEPHANIE SCHNEIDERMAN

Atwood Magazine: Your new single “Cry With Me” is an intensely powerful piece reminding us that there are so many battles we face every day as women and that it is okay to just have a good cry every now and then. Can you explain this meaning in more detail?

Stephanie Schneiderman: This song was written as an invitation to see each other’s grief. I believe that when we cry, we are wide open – and if we can recognize each other’s grief, we can truly see each other’s humanity. The song is a requisition to stay tender (and brave) in these harsh, divisive times.

The song is also about a collective pain we all possess for the injustices in the world around us. What are some things going on today that have deeply affected you and how have you dealt with that?

Stephanie Schneiderman: It’s hard to narrow it down – there are so many atrocities around the globe, as well as right in our own backyards. Everywhere I look, the same thread runs through – everyone is on “a side” – this song was written as a way to try to see ourselves in each other and to see each other in ourselves – to be on the same side of humanity. It’s inspired by war, it’s inspired by battles women face around the world, it’s inspired by the severity and fall out of cancel-culture and the laziness of ignoring the nuances inside every issue – political and personal.

The melancholic track showcases your stunning emotive, tender vocals and a compelling backdrop of accordion, baritone ukulele, banjo and drums. How did this eclectic sonic come to life?

Stephanie Schneiderman: My band includes Jenny Conlee (on accordion), Keith Brush (on upright bass), Tony Furtado (on banjo/baritone uke) and Ji Tanzer on drums. This group is amazing to work with and they elevate every song they touch. I started out recording solo piano and brought the sections of the band in as overdub layers. The song itself took the lead in the studio (like they do) and led me down a slightly more ambient path, adding some electronic textures as well. The intro of the song includes the crackle sound of water on fire. It’s subtle, but it draws the ear closer in because it’s interesting and unfamiliar. I wanted to create a sonic bed that created intrigue and discomfort. I wrote the song with so much raw emotion, the vocals really sang themselves in the studio.

The music video hits viewers at the core with people of all ages doing a delicate interpretive dance. What was the inspiration behind the visuals?

Stephanie Schneiderman: We wanted to evoke grief and a visceral feeling of human emotion across the span of a lifetime. The video features 5 female dancers (shot individually) spanning 7 decades. Throughout the video, they morph into each other moving through the same choreography. We chose to shoot the video at the decommissioned Zidell Shipyards in Portland. It’s incredibly dark, industrial and vast in there and it created a chiaroscuro contrast of light/darkness in a way that feels tunnel-like as well as expansive – all at once.

Alicia J. Rose, a prominent Portland director, editor, and creator who has collaborated with greats like First Aid Kit and Cake, worked with you on the video. What was the experience like?

Stephanie Schneiderman: Alicia was brilliant to work with. She has incredible vision and is full of magic. We started out wanting to create more of a lyric video (with lyrics that graphically move around the shape of the dancers) but once we saw the space, the lighting and the evocative movement of the dancers, we realized the lyrics would detract from the emotion. I’ve had the honor of working with Alicia in the past and she elevates every project she touches. Her vision took this video to an entirely surprising level and I’ve loved working with her.

With your release being titled “Cry With Me,” I wanted to ask, who are some inspiring artists that have you really in your feels?

Stephanie Schneiderman: I am in love with Christine and the Queens, Laura Mvula, Patti Griffin, Elliott Smith, Nina Simone, Mary J. Blige – and way too many more to mention.

On your album Crossfire you craft a bold blend of Americana and trip-hop. What draws you to that unique style?

Stephanie Schneiderman: I’ve gone to a lot of places musically. I consider genre to be a lot like fashion. The texture/production of a sound defines the genre, but the bone marrow of a song is simple, and in my opinion, without genre. On Crossfire – I combined a lot of the elements I’ve played around with in the past including ambient textures from the world of electronic bass and drums – as well as Americana instrumentation including banjo, pedal steel, upright bass. Over the years, I’ve also worked with string players (from the Oregon Symphony) and brought in an orchestral component on a couple of songs on the album. Each album I’ve put out throughout my career tends to shape the next one. Crossfire feels like the culmination of all of the places I’ve been.

Besides pursuing music, I understand you have acted in many theater/film productions. How did you first discover your love for the arts?

Stephanie Schneiderman: I grew up in a musical family and knew early on I loved writing. I loved the solitude and the vastness of writing songs. The infinite possibilities that come from sitting still and listening to where a song wants to go. It’s a loss of control and feels really vulnerable in a good way. Oftentimes when I write – it begins with a simple sound texture or melody or lyric that feels like a room that already exists. My job is to sit in the room, to play with it and to discover it.

My biggest hope is that I can make someone else feel (even a fraction of) the way I feel when I listen to artists that move/change me.

What’s next for Stephanie Schneiderman?

Stephanie Schneiderman: I’ve got new songs coming out later this year and I’ve been developing a songwriting course that is accessible to non-musicians/non-songwriters as well as musicians/songwriters. It’s called You Are The Song and across 7 weeks, through group sessions as well as one-on-one sessions, I walk people through the process of lyric writing, melody composing, song arrangement, recording in the studio, performing in a concert and releasing the song digitally. I’m hoping to bring this “songwriting experience” to marginalized communities as well as corporate teams and more.

What is the biggest message you hope fans can take away from your music?

Stephanie Schneiderman: My biggest hope is that I can make someone else feel (even a fraction of) the way I feel when I listen to artists that move/change me.

— —