Award Winning Songwriter Brings Her Twist to Holiday Classic - Susan Muranty
Susan Muranty is a songwriter that’s become truly noteworthy in the music scene. She’s received global recognition and accolades such as the Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA), UK Songwriting Contest, and Great American Song Contest. Working alongside music aficionados like Bob Britt (Grammy Award-winning producer and Bob Dylan’s guitarist) she’s crafted hits like “Some Loving Left to Do” and “Stop Time With A Kiss.” It’s no wonder she’s been able to connect and collaborate so well with others to showcase her marvelous skills as an artist and writer.
Susan just recently released her take on the holiday classic, “Silent Night.” Her rendition “Silent Night(River of Stars) is nothing short of dreamy and soothing like a warm holiday cup of tea. I speak with her about why she chose to put her stamp on the record and her life as an artist so far.
You just released “Silent Night (River of Stars)!” What made you want to add your own twist to the holiday classic?
It’s beautiful for people to have a non-denominational Carol to sing at Christmas. And I’ve always loved the idea of updating the classics to reflect the mood of the times. This is a song about romantic reunion and second chances and, after two years of global lockdowns, we are really ready to enjoy our hard-won freedoms - and our precious time together again!! Love is so sacred. It’s the real holiness in the night - no matter what our beliefs. Fate has kept us apart during the pandemic but it’s also made us realise how important we all are to each other, how we shine for each other.
Are you a creative who believes in capturing inspiration once it strikes or is it something that will come back to you if it’s meant to be?
It can be either. You can literally grab a song fully formed from the air sometimes as it’s floating past. And that is a truly amazing moment. But if you’re a songwriter writing everyday it can be complex. It’s a bit like waiting for a bus - you know there’ll be another one along sometime, but the trick is when? And where will it take you?? And who are you going with? Best to grab every opportunity you can to create. If you’re in the songwriter equivalent of New York there’s going to be a song along real soon … but if you’re out in the middle of nowhere, figuratively speaking, you’ll be lucky to catch one at all. Hone your craft. Keep your eyes and ears open. And always be ready to ride.
What’s a song of yours that you could revisit again and again?
Stephen Hawking Wants You To :) It’s been such a lucky song for me - and people still seem to love it. I won both the Lyrics and Open categories of the UK Songwriting Contest with it a couple of years ago and was also a Lyricist of the Year and Commonwealth Prize Finalist …. And I’ve since done an epic dance remix which I just love!! It’s kind of hypnotic and spacey but very lush. My son’s friend recently remixed it again for a rave in Sydney and I’m told it was amazing.
Your record, “Stop Time With A Kiss” is a gentle reminder to savour the present. What’s your best advice to live in the now?
“Breathe in - let go/ Breathe out your shadows/ Let those moonbeams fall from your lips” And do it several times a day!! I really mean those words. But it isn’t just about being passive it’s about finding the joy in the moment, the extraordinary in the ordinary and living it out with true relish and passion. Don’t just have a sandwich, have a feast!! Don’t just let in the sunlight - see the whole universe behind it too.
If you could collaborate with anyone past or present who would you want to work with?
Harry Styles!!! I really appreciate his slightly new wave, over the top romanticism and Old Soul Vibe. Sign of the Times, Watermelon Sugar, Kiwi, Sweet Creature - they’re all songs I adore. His voice is incredible and he always looks like he’s having a great time doing what he’s doing. I think our creative synergy would be fantastic.
I think music is such a perfect way to start the day. What song would be best to wake up to?
It depends on the day … I mean some mornings I want to charge out of bed to Ride of the Valkyries … other mornings I could hear a pin drop and I’ll be afraid my head might explode lol. I wrote a song called Morningstar Gently about waking up to the reality of a relationship and it’s actually a really gentle positive song about facing a new day. Otherwise the Star Wars theme would be perfect. And please have the Millennium Falcon ready to go ;)
Who do you create music for?
Beauty lovers everywhere!! I want my music to heal and bring light to whoever hears it. I want to connect to the connectedness we have with each other as human beings. We’re all unique but we’re not so different after all - and when it comes to life itself we’re definitely ALL in this together!! Planet Earth is our home and we need to keep that blue light burning as brightly as we can in our part of the universe.
Special thanks to Susan for the lovely interview! Check out her single, “Silent Night (River of Stars)” out now.