artist: Judy WU - www.JudyWu.com

Q: How long have you been writing music?

A: I've been writing songs and performing for about 10 years now, but only recently have I dedicated a significant amount of energy into creating something tangible. Much of the delay is due to having pursued other fairly consuming professional goals over the past decade. I am a songwriter at heart, however, and writing songs has never been out of the picture. And although I've written music that others have performed, I really prefer to sing and perform my own material. It's as much a part of self-expression as writing.

Q: How would you describe your musical style?

A: There are so many genre labels out there, but you can probably take your pick from folk rock, progressive rock, or indie rock because I like to blend elements of hard rock, folk, classical, and even Celtic. I love the strong, driving beats in rock 'n roll music, the melodic subtlety and lyrical cleverness of folk music, and the purity and discipline of classical music (I'm a classically trained pianist). These genres tend to get separated into very separate categories, but I think there's a lot to gain by bringing them together from time to time. I think music is a lot like fashion. Much of what's "in" at a given point in time is "in" for only a season, but you can always find interesting elements that can be used beyond their popular contexts.

Q: Who are some of your musical influences?

A: Sarah McLachlan, Loreena McKennitt, Muse, Annie Lennox, Shawn Colvin, Melissa Etheridge, many classical composers (Beethoven, Mozart, Liszt, Chopin, Mozart, Debussy), The Cure, Tori Amos, The Cranberries, Nirvana, Celtic music

Q: What is your greatest passion as an artist?

A: Musically, I want to produce music that people enjoy. It's important to me that when people come to a show or play my CD that they have a great listening experience. But I don't see myself as an entertainer, and my greatest hope is not necessarily to "get discovered" or "get my name out there". My heart is for people who might benefit even slightly from something I have to say - that if they're hurting or struggling, they might find their voice in or through my music. With the songs that I write and perform, I want to share honestly and transparently about the things that I've experienced and learned about in life. I've learned from personal experience that it's incredibly easy to become cynical, embittered, and passive.

It's easy to live a superficial and self-absorbed life. Our culture definitely seems to reinforce this. But after having spent a lot of time and energy over the years living with self-pity, unforgiveness, and denial, I've come to realize that there's a worthier and weightier existence available for all of us if we're willing to walk toward it. It requires sometimes painful honesty and uncharacteristic humility, so my hope is to challenge people - myself included - to move in that direction, despite the obvious challenges. My faith in Christ has informed and continues to inform my journey out of these dark places, and it informs the way that I encourage others to do the same. But even people who don't share my convictions will find that most of what I write contains themes that any human being can relate to.

Q: Tell us about your CD, Fiction in Disguise.

A: It's my first recording project, and it has come into existence in large part because another local artist introduced me to MD Thompson, a producer in Houston. He's a stellar person and an amazingly talented individual. He had his hand in every aspect of the creative process - from song arrangements and tempos to lyrical rewrites, vocal and instrumental coaching - but in a way that allowed my own creativity to manifest itself better. I still wonder how he does that so well. In addition I got to work with exceptional musicians who are not only talented, but are fun and great people. As for the work itself, it consists of 5 very different songs. The title of the work is from a phrase in "People-Pleasing Junkie". The line in the song goes, "I'm quick to make a compromise if it makes me wise in your eyes. I'll toss aside conviction - it's just fiction in disguise." I'm captivated by the idea of stripping away all pretense, all facades - getting beyond what merely looks real, and through to what is real, beyond what merely seems important and through to what really is important. This theme runs through all of the songs.