Vancouver Singer-Songwriter JESSICA CHAZ Releases Hopeful, Wistful Acoustic Version of Her Single “Dreamin’” On Remixes EP
On the acoustic remix version of her beloved single “Dreamin’,” Vancouver, BC-based pop singer Jessica Chaz mixes soulful R&B with reflective, introspective guitar to create an ultimately hopeful message about the power of dreams and imagination.
What are you hoping for every night
Come on it’s time they say, it’s time to start a real life
But how do they know, what’s in sight, what is right
This ain’t a dream no more, this is my life
Even though the narrator feels discouraged, the song shifts in perspective when Chaz begins to sing, “I’ll keep working every day, oh/ I’ll keep hoping for a break, oh,” paying tribute to the power of faith beyond what’s in view right now.
Originally released in 2018, the original version of “Dreamin’” has racked up 80K views on YouTube. Chaz believes the message is relevant now more than ever, as we grapple with a “new normal” post-pandemic.
“When we first released ‘Dreamin’, that song specifically is about hope and faith that things that we dream for, hope for, and wish for are possible,” she said. “I think now more than ever – after what we all experienced globally – we need to believe that the seemingly unreachable dreams we have are necessary, and that they can come true.”
This acoustic version of “Dreamin’” is one of five new versions on Chaz’s newly released Dreamin’ (Remixes) EP.
“Dreamin’ (Remixes) was a musical adventure,” she said. “I had the opportunity to work with an amazing group of people who supported me in trying new ideas and challenging ourselves to create these five different remixes in a short amount of time.”
“We are thankful, and we hope that with these remixes it can be a reminder to you, that even in 2023, you can hope and dream and it is possible it will become a reality in time,” she adds.
Listen to the Acoustic Remix of “Dreamin'” below and learn more about Jessica via our mini-interview.
Care to introduce yourself?
Hi everyone, I’m Jessica Chaz. I’m a South African/Canadian singer/songwriter based in Vancouver, BC. Thanks for taking the time to listen to or read about Dreamin’.
Tell us about the process of writing and recording “Dreamin’”.
Dreamin’ was the third song my sister Vanessa Mood and I co-wrote, it was a special time. We were in our apartment in Vancouver, we had our notebooks out, and were at the keyboard running through what the verse and chorus we had so far. As we were singing through it together; it quickly evolved into the song you hear now. Recording the original was a fun experience, I got to work with Neil Gonsalves on piano, this was the first remote recording track we worked on.
With the remote production experience we had from Dreamin’ we were able to get this new 5-year anniversary EP of Dreamin’ completed. Thankfully we were able to work with a talented group of artists and producers who were open to remotely co-produce 5 new versions of Dreamin’. The team was based in different places, Drew Adams in USA, João Pedro Pinheíro – in Brazil, and a few friends from Vancouver; Tristan Paxton; Julian Telfer-Wan, and Norasea.
What’s it like being a musician in Vancouver?
It’s complex, but if it weren’t as arduous a journey in the music industry here, Vanessa Mood and I wouldn’t have started Moodlab Entertainment Group Inc.
Who was the first and most recent Canadian artist to blow you away?
The first, Celine Dion. Our family listened to her music and I have such fond memories of singing all of her songs with them while growing up.
Most recently, it’s difficult to choose just one… so maybe a Michael Bublé/Justin Bieber tie.
You’ve been making music for a while now, what’s one piece of advice you can offer to those starting out?
I think I would say, trust yourself and stick with it. It’s easy to get discouraged in this industry because it can take much longer than planned or expected to release music, to network, to build, to produce, to get gigs or opportunities, to make a living wage, etc. but there is only one you in this world. There is only one person that sounds like you do and has the perspective you have from your journey, so see it through, even if it takes longer than expected because someone out there needs to hear it.