We’ve wrapped up our spring chart, and it was a blast! Our amazing listeners had the chance to vote for their favorite April tracks, and guess what? The hands-down winner for the spring of 2025 was “Lombard” by the incredibly talented Chase Andrzej. We caught up with Chase to hear their thoughts on the chart and dig into the journey that brought them to where they are now. So, let’s settle in and get into it. So, let’s get cozy and dive right in!

Hello Chase! Congratulations on the success of your song ‘Lombard’ on the chart. First place is truly impressive, and it’s a great honor and joy to see the support of your loyal listeners. Could you share your feelings and impressions of being at the top of the chart?

Honestly, this was a fun little surprise! After getting a wonderful review of my album from Soundville, I was shocked that I was even entered into a contest like this, and then to win feels quite surreal!

Please delve into the story behind the creation of ‘Lombard’. What inspired you to create this song, and how did your creative process unfold?

Lombard is a song that I wrote in college that was based off of the writing prompt: “Write a song about a street.” My dad is a big fan of San Francisco, so Lombard Street was always a landmark that I revered just for its sheer beauty. However, despite its aesthetics, I am an incredibly anxious person, and my palms start sweating even just thinking about driving down a road that steep and with that many tight corners. That dichotomy was where the metaphor for the song was born. Sometimes two seemingly opposing things can be true at once, and it’s imperative to hold space for both the good and the bad, because otherwise you could be reckless and crash or too focused on your struggles to regard the joys of living. And fun fact: Abrielle Scharff was one of the original singers to accompany the songs with harmonies 8 or so years ago, and the original cellist for the song, Luke Borkowski, is also on the recording!

Did you ever anticipate that ‘Lombard’ would receive such an enthusiastic response and support?

To be honest, I never thought I would even release this song. It sat in the files of my phone for a very long time after I graduated and took a long break from music. But now that it’s out, I couldn’t be more proud of the response.

Could you share how your passion for music first ignited and describe your journey in the music industry up to this point?

My little humble brag is actually that, allegedly, I taught myself how to read around the age of three because of music. I would sit cross-legged by my little boombox blasting a Britney Spears or LeAnn Rimes CD while flipping through the lyric booklet so I could sing along. The passion has always been there. At the age of 13, I got to sing in front of 4,000 people and a celebrity panel of judges when I auditioned for The X Factor, and then had a similar experience at 15 when I auditioned for The Voice. I pursued a degree in Studio Composition (which is just fancy talk for songwriting) because I really wanted to speak my mind, and I always felt like what I had to say through music was really important. Then came post-graduation, and I felt incredibly defeated by the competitive nature of the local music world. I decided that I needed to step away and find a stable job, because too much pressure was being put on me by my own expectations, and it started to tarnish my relationship to making music. Here we are, 7 years later, and I self-produced and released my album …My Face Off in January. I’ve also booked Starr Bar in Bushwick for my live show entitled Song Swap, which will go down on June 1st at 5 p.m. It’s a show where your favorite local artists cover your favorite local artists, and it’s sure to be a hit.

What are your dreams and aspirations for the future?

I have no grand expectations of superstardom, to be quite honest. I want to reach out and connect with folks through my music because that’s what sustains me. I will continue recording, writing, and singing my songs as long as I have something to say… and you bet your ass that there’s a lot on my ADHD-riddled mind.

Lastly, what advice would you offer to fellow musicians?

Honestly, don’t be hard on yourself. Don’t be a perfectionist. Don’t wait to put yourself out there because you’re waiting for the right moment. Now is the right moment. I make music for me, my family, and my friends, and if anyone wants to hop on the train and listen too, even better. Also, set very achievable goals for yourself; that way, you have a perceivable track of progress to help propel you forward. These were all things that worked for me, but honestly, who am I to tell you what to do? You are perfectly capable, so just do what feels right and good.