Debra Arlyn, Friday May 23

[May 21st, 2008]

[R&B/POP] Corvallis native Debra Arlyn is on a career path that would seem pretty foreign to most of the musicians covered in these pages. The pop songstress—who taught herself piano and began writing songs at 14—won the Clear Channel-sponsored Oregon Idol contest in 2003, earning her a chance to compete for a spot on American Idol. Aryln didn’t make the cut, but her dreams persisted. She dropped out of college to pursue music full-time, and releases Tomorrow Another Day (her third album) this Friday.

While the 23-year-old’s lyricism is still coming along (clever turns of phrase are often mired in love-song clichés), the album’s arrangements are more a refreshing throwback to Babyface-era R&B than in stride with today’s hyperactive beats. WW talked to Arlyn via phone from her Corvallis back yard.

WW: Making pop music, is there a community around you or do you feel like you’re kind of going it alone?

Debra Arlyn: It’s about 50/50 actually. Originally I had a hard time finding the best venues for me [and] artists to share bills with. But I’ve managed to make a really solid group of musician friends, like [Portland R&B band] Intervision and Keegan Smith.

What’s your first memory of singing?

I did a talent show when I was in second grade. I did “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and my dad played piano. That was the first time I performed live, and I was scared shitless. They didn’t pick winners. I was like, “What? We’re doing this for no reason?”

Your dad is listed as executive producer on Tomorrow.

He’s been my manager and the front for the label [Homeslice Music]. He’s incredibly supportive, but when I said, “Hey, I kind of want to drop out of college to pursue music,” he wasn’t like, “Yay!”

What’s the weirdest show you’ve ever played?

It was actually just last week. I did a Borders in Olympia. Let’s just say the people at the Borders were not excited about there being music in the cafe. Everyone was like, “Oh, what?” and they’d get up and walk away. They’re all, “I want to read my magazine!”