Paula Cole — the woman whose voice evokes millions of memories for my generation thanks to “I Don’t Wanna Wait” — is releasing her fifth studio album today, but it is the first she has completely written herself. That means today you can finally experience something that is truly, singularly, whole-heartedly, Paula.
Each track on “Ithaca” houses a story of love. Sometimes the love is unwanted, or gut-wrenching departing. Other times the love is over or forgotten. But no matter the current song status, all of the love has been personally experienced by Paula.
Over the last 8-years Paula has been raising her daughter Sky, a pixie of hope who has needed more than a normal amount of parental attention. I talked to Paula about her new album release, her thoughts on pop’s new class and most shockingly, how “Dawson’s Creek” saved her child’s life.
PopWrap: Where have you been Paula!?
Paula Cole: Haha, I know. I have been busy with that thing called life.
PW: Now, not to be mistaken, your album ‘Courage’ came out in 2007, but you quickly went away afterward. Everything OK?
Paula: Yes. I have just been everywhere. Living in New York for a few years with my daughter, Sky, then in Massachusetts where I am now with my parents. They are helping me, supporting me, with everything going on with my album, and my girl starting 3rd grade. It’s a lot.
PW: Where are you right now?
Paula: In New York actually. I just met Wendy Williams at her show earlier today — she was amazing! After I thanked her for supporting me ‘cause I’m such an underdog right now then she whispered to me ‘girl we’re both underdogs!’ I love that she and I are sharing that title.
PW: Are you excited that the album is finally together, by the weight of all the tracks it seems to be such a emotionally heavy effort.
Paula: Oh yes! It took me seven years to get my backbone back, it’s like my first three CD’s were my 90’s career and then I was like, where am I?! Now with ‘Ithaca’ out today, I feel like I have a brand new career ahead of me. Each song on this album is so much a part of me, since I write about my own life. I just can’t help it. It’s like John Lennon or Joni Mitchell, all I know about writing is to write about my own life. The result are these heavy, dark Polaroid snapshots of my life.
PW: Can you share with me a little about some of your favorites on the new record?
Paula: Well, right off the bat, “The Hard Way” and “Waiting on a Miracle” are both tracks that stand out to me. They just seem to speak to what I was going through with my divorce, and my little girl and trying to find love again as a 40-something woman. Lyrically “Violet Eyes” is my favorite and the humor behind “P.R.E.N.U.P.” always makes me chuckle a bit.
PW: I’ve read some of your influences are Stevie Wonder and Tina Turner, but is there anyone that has blown you away in today’s pop scene?
Paula: As far as voices go, Ray LaMontagne blows me away. Oh and Amy Lee, from Evanescence is amazing, her voice is so real. I totally respect Kelly Clarkson, I don’t love all of her songs but she is such a strong girl and isn’t afraid to have meat on her bones. Which I love. Lady GaGa’s work ethic is brilliant, and Rihanna has some amazing songs. I’m not sure about the new one with Eminem (“Love the Way You Lie”), I mean he is known for disrespecting women so it doesn’t make complete sense, but I love that song.
PW: Any chance we may see one of these tracks lacing a TV show like “I Don’t Want to Wait” did to “Dawson’s Creek?”
Paula: Oh wow. I just don’t know. My career has taken such a turn now, I’ve started to play these smaller, more humble venues and its so much more unnerving.
PW: I have to be honest about something. That track, the “Dawson” theme song, is the definition of my teenage life. Every time I hear it I smell smells and envision memories of my life growing up that most music will never ever conjure.
Paula: I have never heard it described like that. I am honestly not a TV person, I never even really watched the show. But Kevin Williamson approached me, and liked my music, and after I saw the pilot the track just fit. And I guess I can be completely honest with you, that TV show saved my daughters life. When I was taking years off of work to take her to the hospital, and to treat her for all of her different minutia, the checks that came in from “Dawson’s Creek” paid for those outrageous bills.
PW: Seriously?
Paula: I never even really watched the show, but I always appreciate the fact that that song was chosen. It’s just one of those things that happened in my life that will always be amazing to me.
Take a listen to “Waiting on a Miracle” below, one of the ten new tracks from Paula Cole, available now on her album “Ithaca.”