Better Version of Me – Stefanie Fair discusses inspiring new single

Posted on June 28, 2016 by Stefanie Fair with No Comment

AXS

Singer/songwriter and actress Stefanie Fair hit the big time back in the nineties as a member of Wild Orchid –a group she formed along with Grammy-nominated superstar, Fergie. The group’s music ruled the decade and allowed them to tour the globe with a variety of artists while also dominating video rotation on MTV and VH1.

At the start of the new millennium, the beautiful songstress decided to take a break from the spotlight in order to start a family. It was a decision that would prove to be both emotionally powerful and personally fulfilling.

Now, after making her spotlight return on Bravo’s “There Goes The Motherhood,” Fair is back with a brand new single, “Better Version of Me,” which she co-wrote with songwriter Steve Diamond (Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus). The new music and video is a glimpse into Fair’s world by focusing on her life as a wife and mother and once again finding herself on a musical journey.

AXS recently spoke with Fair about her inspiring new single as well as her time in Wild Orchid and “There Goes The Motherhood” and more in this exclusive interview.

AXS: What inspired you to write “Better Version of Me”? How did it all come about?

Stefanie Fair: When Steve Diamond and I wrote it, we were really just trying to write an inspirational song. I’ve found that the older I get, the more I realize that no one is perfect. We’re all just trying to be the best version of ourselves. The song was never written for me to sing, but through my experiences on the show it just happened, and I’m so glad that I put myself out there.

AXS: What’s your songwriting process like?

SF: It usually starts with an idea. Sometimes it’s just a word or a chord progression but with this song it was just me and Steve talking about the idea. It’s a song that really wrote itself. As a songwriter, you’re always searching for a purpose, but this one might have been waiting for me to go through my journey on the show.

AXS: What do you enjoy most about the craft of writing songs?

SF: The thing I love most about it is starting from nothing and ending with something. Taking an idea that didn’t exist and turning it into a song a few hours later. I love that part of the process. It’s fun being a wordsmith and figuring out a cool way to say something and bring emotion out of people.

AXS: Do you see this new single as part of a larger project of music?

SF: I’m in that part of the journey where I’m open to whatever the universe is throwing at me. I’ve always considered myself to be mostly just a songwriter, but I also love to sing and act. You don’t know what the future holds, so you never say never.

AXS: Let’s discuss your time spent in Wild Orchid. What was that experience like?

SF: It was a really magical time in my life. Me, Fergie, and Renee [Sandstrom] were friends who formed the band and had a passion for music. It was during a time when there was no Pro Tools or auto-tune and we had to learn to write our own songs and make our own records. We may not have become the biggest girl group in the world, but we were working musicians who learned so much. It was a really great time and I loved every minute of it.

AXS: You eventually decided to take a break from the music in order to marry and start a family. Was that a difficult transition to make?

SF: For me, it’s always been about the choices I’ve made. I was an actor at age eight who transitioned to music. So when Wild Orchid ended, I think we were all ready. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next, but I never stopped writing and having music in my life. I was never the girl who said, “I’m going to grow up and get married and have four children.” Everything happened organically and when it did it saved me, because family is what’s real and what really matters. Having children has inspired me, especially now that they’re expressing themselves. I look at everything as a gift.

AXS: What’s the hardest part about being a mother?

SF: I think it’s balance. I want to be there all the time but realize that you also need to make time for yourself. Not losing your identity is important and that’s why I always try to balance it out. You may miss out on things sometimes, but it’s more about quality over quantity.

AXS: What’s the best part?

SF: The laughter and the way my children look at the world and how everything is new to them. Even for me, it’s exciting because I get to be a kid again with them and play games. It brings out the kid in me.

AXS: What was your experience like working on “There Goes The Motherhood”?

SF: After doing this series, I have huge respect for docudramas and reality shows. It’s a lot of work and I really learned a lot. It’s also given me new respect for my relationship with my husband and children and I’d definitely do it again. It came at the perfect time and I’m proud of my journey on the show.

AXS: Are there any other projects you’re working on?

SF: I’m continuing to write songs for other artists as well as doing a bunch of work for cartoons. I’m also in talks about a few more television projects. My whole world has opened up again and I’m excited about the future and continuing my growth as a songwriter and artist as well as helping my children find their way in this world. I’m really at a place where I’m trying not to plan to much ahead and am just taking every day as it comes and appreciating it!