To Be Someone, Tomorrow (Kristen Bellisario)

The track is called “To Be Someone (Tomorrow),” a one-off collaboration that brought together a small group of musicians for a single, inspired moment. The idea and arrangement came from the creative minds of Kristen Bellisario and Gary Zdenek, who co-wrote the lyrics and shaped the sonic direction of the piece.

Kristen, a classically trained musician with a voice and style all her own, took the lead on vocals and flute. Her sound gave the song a free-spirited, bohemian edge that really set the tone. On acoustic guitar was Craig Ott, a musician’s musician — world-class guitarist, former touring drummer — whose melodic lines added warmth and depth. Gary handled percussion, drums, and backing vocals with his usual ease, laying down a chill, textured groove that tied everything together.

I had the pleasure of producing and recording the track, and also contributed backing vocals alongside Gary. Listening to it now, I’m struck by how effortlessly it all came together — and how close I came to forgetting it ever happened.

Fun side note: Kristen recently let me know that the song got a fresh reimagining in 2012. 

So here it is — your Flashback Friday feature: “To Be Someone (Tomorrow).” Give it a spin. You might just get caught up in the same memory lane that surprised me.

Update: Kristen Bellisario shared that a reimagined version of the song was recorded in 2012.