American pianist Chad Lawson experienced a pivotal moment in 2007 while performing for 30,000 fans alongside Julio Iglesias. As he played Iglesias’ Latin pop, Lawson felt a strong urge to take control of his musical path.
Seventeen years later, Lawson has done just that, carving out a niche that starkly contrasts with the upbeat rumba of Iglesias’ “Me Olvide De Vivir.” As the face of ambient, classically influenced piano music, Lawson is set to visit Australia for the South By Southwest conference in Sydney next month.
The pandemic brought uncertainty, creating a heightened demand for soothing, predictable music. Lawson’s work has contributed to the Spotify Peaceful Piano playlist, which grew from 1 million followers in 2020 to 7.5 million today.
A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Lawson joins the ranks of renowned artists like Italy’s Ludovico Einaudi and Australia’s Luke Howard, catering to a yearning for gentle, melancholic piano compositions. With over a billion streams to his name, Lawson’s slow, contemplative music has not only established him as a staple in the genre but has also led to a popular podcast on meditation and breathwork, “Calm It Down,” which boasts 5 million listeners. He recalls the moment that sparked his journey:
“I’ll never forget it. I’m looking at Julio and this screaming crowd, and I’m like, ‘If this guy can do it, so can I,’” Lawson shares over a video call, with his Steinway piano beside him.
Dressed in a simple black T-shirt, Lawson describes his cozy music room, noting that his family is on the opposite end of the house. He reflects on his past:
“I knew that when I got off that tour and went back to New York, I was going to be waiting tables again, and that had to change.”
By the time he joined Iglesias’ European and South American tour in 2007, Lawson had already led a successful jazz trio with three albums. However, he found that the jazz scene wasn’t sufficient to pay his Brooklyn rent, and he began to feel constrained by its “scholastic” nature.
“That whole ‘let me show you how fast I can play’ thing was just never in my DNA, although it took me a long time to figure that out,” he says.
Performing “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before” night after night didn’t fulfill him either. Additionally, he faced personal challenges:
“I was suffering at the time with ulcerative colitis, which was just debilitating. I think subconsciously, I was trying to find something to comfort and heal me,” Lawson explains.
Despite his health struggles, Lawson was determined to record his first solo album. Exhausted, he often lay under the piano between takes. Realizing that he couldn’t deliver the flashy music he had planned, he shifted his approach.
“That first album [2009’s Set On a Hill] was the catalyst. It brought me away from the jazz hands to more of the embrace,” he notes.
Instead of cramming notes into his compositions, Lawson learned to value the spaces between them. He found inspiration in the work of Argentine guitarist Gustavo Santaolalla, whose music evokes an emotional depth.
“I think we need two types of artists – the Bowies and the Hendrixes creating art for art’s sake, and then artists like Gustavo, and hopefully me, curating emotionally for our audience,” Lawson says.
While some might label his music as formulaic, Lawson emphasizes the skill and thought behind it. He intentionally starts his albums at 80 beats per minute to align with the average resting heart rate, gradually slowing the tempo to create a calming effect.
Lawson’s music flows without discord or surprise, often carrying a note of pensive longing. “What I’ve learned is that people don’t want to be challenged,” he states, explaining that his concerts now blend meditation and breath exercises with music, all aimed at fostering mindfulness.
“They might work a job they hate, come home to screaming kids and leaky faucets; the last thing they want is to focus on something challenging,” he reflects. His experience waiting tables for 15 years taught him how to meet people’s needs, often before they even recognize them.
His jazz colleagues may not fully appreciate his solo piano work, but Lawson finds validation in the messages from his audience. He receives notes from listeners facing hardships, such as cancer or divorce, who tell him his music provides a welcome escape.
“I remember a woman emailing me at 7 a.m., saying she was listening to one of my songs as her husband took his last breath,” he recalls, pausing to wipe away a tear.
“She didn’t care how fast I could play or what stages I’d performed on. She just needed someone to be there with her emotionally in that moment, and I’m humbled that it was me.”
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