Galen Crew
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| image = Galen Crew.jpg
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|7|11}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| genre = {{flatlist|
- Pop
- Folk
- Singer-Songwriter
}}
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- Artist
- music producer
- singer-songwriter
}}
| instrument = {{flatlist|
- Acoustic guitar
- electric guitar
- ukulele
- piano
- bass guitar
}}
| years_active = 2009–present
| website = {{URL|www.galencrew.com}}
| name = Galen Crew
| associated_acts = {{flatlist|
- Roger Cook
- Kelsea Ballerini
- Phil Joel
}}
}}
Galen Michael Crew (born July 11, 1990) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and music producer. In 2015, Crew's songs went viral throughout China, and has since reached hundreds of millions of streams on Chinese music platforms such as NetEase and Xiami.{{Cite web|url=http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTU1MjMyODUxMg==.html?from=y1.2-1-102.3.2-2.1-1-1-1-0|title=Sleepyhead|website=v.youku.com|access-date=17 July 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://yue.ifeng.com/a/20161115/39767024_0.shtml|title=口碑响至全球 网易云音乐迎来欧美大牌艺人批量入驻|website=yue.ifeng.com|access-date=10 April 2017}} In response to the new following in China, Crew has toured the country multiple times, beginning in 2016 and most recently completed in January 2024.{{Cite web|url=http://en.damai.cn/event/tickets_102217/|title=Galen Crew 2016 China Tour in Shanghai|website=en.damai.cn|access-date=17 July 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://galen.xiaokang.com/|title=盖伦 Galen Crew|website=galen.xiaokang.com|access-date=17 July 2016}}{{Cite web |last=顾馨 |title=Overseas sound waves crescendo |url=https://enapp.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202401/26/AP65b2df2da310f2b580920dc2.html |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=enapp.chinadaily.com.cn}} His music video for the single "Fragrance" was filmed in Shanghai, China and contains footage from other cities while on tour.{{Cite web|url=http://www.wolfinasuit.com/2017/03/20/top-5-new-indie-pop-week-11/|title=Top 5 New Indie Pop Week 11|date=March 20, 2017|website=Wolf in a Suit|access-date=10 April 2017}} The single "Princess" from his solo album Better than a Fairy Tale has been featured on the ABC show Good Morning America.{{Cite web|url=http://www.syracuse.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/12/princess_annie_wish.html|title=Princess Annie's greatest wishes come true at Make-A-Wish Grand Royal Ball|date=December 7, 2013 |access-date=17 July 2016}} In 2020, Crew made a guest appearance in the music video for the Newsboys single "Love One Another."{{Cite web|last=Kohl|first=Emily|date=2020-03-23|title=NEWSBOYS DELIVER HOPE AND HUMOR WITH 'LOVE ONE ANOTHER' MUSIC VIDEO|url=http://www.turningpointpr.com/news/newsboys-deliver-hope-and-humor-with-love-one-another-music-video/|access-date=2021-03-30|website=Turning Point Media Relations|language=en-US}}{{Citation|title=Newsboys - Love One Another (Official Music Video)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAFMGRMhFsM|language=en|access-date=2021-03-30}} Crew has written and toured with notable Nashville-based musicians such as Phil Joel, Roger Cook, and Kelsea Ballerini. Crew's latest, fourth studio LP, Troubadour, was released November 22, 2023.
Early life
Crew's high school rock band was Seraph, which was composed of Crew on electric guitar, Josh Caste as lead vocals, Nicky Hackett on bass, and Jordan Thompson on drums.{{Cite web|url=http://s1.purevolumecdn.com/seraphtn|title=Seraph (TN)|publisher=PureVolume|access-date=17 July 2016}} He was also part of the rock-pop group Vinyl Relay while attending college.{{Cite web|title=Good times and good tunes at fair's Battle of the Bands|date=August 19, 2009 |url=http://www.williamsonherald.com/features/w_life/article_f25e09e5-11c7-579d-a484-6d4774a6eab1.html|access-date=17 July 2016}} Crew became a solo artist in 2011 and began writing songs with Roger Cook in the same year.
Touring
In 2013, Crew toured with Roger Cook in the United Kingdom.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/review-roger-cook-st-george-s-ndash-bristol-born/story-18684795-detail/story.html|title=Review: Roger Cook at St George's – Bristol-born legend we should be very proud of by Keith Clark 8/10|work=The Bristol Post|date=April 12, 2013|access-date=27 July 2016}} In 2014, Crew toured with Phil Joel across the United States.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sosradio.net/node/13466|title=Phil Joel & Galen Crew – SLC|date=November 14, 2011|website=SOS Radio|access-date=17 July 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://eventful.com/sanford_nc/events/galen-crew-phil-joel-/E0-001-065565228-4|title=Galen Crew – Phil Joel|website=Eventful|access-date=17 July 2016}} As of 2024, Crew's total streaming song listens have reached the hundreds of millions on Chinese sites, such as NetEase Cloud Music.{{Cite web|url=http://www.kuwo.cn/album/508563/|title=Acoustic Daydreams – Galen Crew|website=kuwo.cn|access-date=27 July 2016}}{{Cite press release|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/netease-cloud-music-continues-to-see-growth-for-international-artists-on-its-platform-300673091.html|title=NetEase Cloud Music Continues to See Growth for International Artists on its Platform|last=Music|first=NetEase Cloud|agency=PR Newswire|access-date=1 November 2018}}
Crew was sponsored by the Chinese company XiaoKang and toured the China for the first time in May 2016. Crew has since toured in Shanghai,{{Cite web|url=http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/shanghai/article/top-things-to-do-week-shanghai-100|title=Top Things To Do This Week in Shanghai|website=cityweekend.com.cn|access-date=17 July 2016}} Guangzhou, Beijing, and Hong Kong. Crew returned to China for a second tour in the fall of 2016, touring in 13 cities, including Zibo.{{Cite web|url=https://digitaltourbus.com/features/galen-crew-crazy-tour-stories/|title=Galen Crew – Crazy Tour Stories |website=digitaltourbus.com|date=March 16, 2017 |access-date=10 April 2017}} In 2019, Crew completed a third tour of China in November and December, hosting concerts in seven cities, including Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Chongqing, and Chengdu.{{Cite web|last=周冰|title=Foreign musicians make overtures to China|url=https://enapp.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201912/25/AP5e02a890a310aba8ca8cf4e1.html|access-date=2021-03-30|website=enapp.chinadaily.com.cn}}{{Cite web|title=Fragrant fame for Captain from the Crew|url=https://www.shine.cn/feature/entertainment/1912208366/|access-date=2021-03-30|website=SHINE|language=en}} Crew returned for his fourth Chinese tour in early 2024.{{Cite web |last=顾馨 |title=Overseas sound waves crescendo |url=https://enapp.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202401/26/AP65b2df2da310f2b580920dc2.html |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=enapp.chinadaily.com.cn}}
Music & Influences
Most of Crew's catalogue has been co-written with legendary British songwriter Roger Cook. Crew's music often features whimsical themes and otherworldly elements drawn from fairy tales and fantasy to form modern parables in the form of song.{{Cite web |url=https://www.submithub.com/artist/galen-crew |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=www.submithub.com |title=SubmitHub }} Crew has drawn great inspiration from the troubadours of medieval Europe who were often both knights and poets.{{Cite web |title=Galen Crew - Puzzle |url=https://www.chillfiltr.com/galen-crew-puzzle |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=CHILLFILTR - art is truth |language=en-US}} Crew's style is described as "a blend of pop and alternative with some electronic and folky elements." Crew's musical influences include "the Beatles, Coldplay and John Mayer," and songwriting inspiration has been taken from mythical works and well-known fantasy authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Hermann Hesse. As a tribute to his success in China, Crew prominently featured the erhu, a traditional Chinese stringed instrument, in the single "Fragrance." The music video for the single also contains shots of Shanghai, Chinese scenery, and everyday life in China.{{Citation|title=Galen Crew - Fragrance (Official Music Video)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyUPH0p-ff0|language=en|access-date=2021-03-30}} In 2022, Crew released a song written in Mandarin Chinese entitled I Know Your Name.{{Cite web |title=Spotify |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/0BaVEw2xxgYLa7CsGzsgGf?si=WnMauiwNTBCgjtkonw5ekw |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=open.spotify.com}}
Discography
Crew has released several singles, eight EPs, and four LPs:
- Better Than a Fairy Tale (2012)
- Acoustic Daydreams (2012)
- Like Fire EP (2013)
- Christmas Spirit EP (2013)
- Let Them Sing (2014)
- Sleepyhead EP (2016)
- [https://open.spotify.com/album/1ss3HokKxiFu4MHaKCtV8A?si=jLebrCPOSQy5G5pqVQgiDw Apologue, Vol. 1] EP (2018)
- [https://open.spotify.com/album/401oWB7eAnaldSISZxa4ab?si=rZiPp918SBC23OioXJwkpg Apologue, Vol. 2] EP (2018)
- Apologue, Vol. 3 EP (2018)
- Apologue, Vol. 4 EP (2019)
- Tunnels, EP (2021)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.galencrew.com/}}
- {{allMusic|artist/galen-crew-mn0002753384}}
- [https://open.spotify.com/artist/2nn1NqitsyDn4TjyO0qF1p Spotify]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crew, Galen}}