Axel’s known for the 2011 viral hit “This Is the New Year,” which solidified him as an indie pop presence with staggering YouTube views and numerous syncs on film and television. Teaming up with longtime collaborator Chad, he’s expanding his horizons immensely into A Great Big World.
The seeds for the partnership were planted early, even before Ian’s solo career took off. While both studying music at NYU, Ian tracked Chad down in the school’s practice rooms.
Chad smiles, “I kept blowing him off, and then I heard him singing nervously at the piano. I was like, ‘your voice is amazing. Let’s work on these songs. Let’s be friends.’”
Ian laughs, “I kind of forced my friendship on him. I stalked him and made him listen to my songs. He told me I needed to be singing. This realization changed my life. Our relationship is super special. I feel like we’ve known each other forever.”
Ian was the artist, and Chad shared writing duties and became his manager. Playing around New York, Ian eventually stepped into the spotlight and released an independent solo album entitled This Is the New Year in 2010.
The title track featured a vocal cameo from Chad. The song’s low budget music video shot at a Brooklyn party garnered over 1.5 million views and stirred an overwhelming viral buzz. Given the track’s success, tinyOGRE Entertainment signed Ian, remixing and re-releasing the record through Sony. “We finally got to quit our day jobs and do this,” Chad goes on. “It was surreal how quickly everything moved forward from that point.”
As they hit the road, “This Is the New Year” continued to gain steam. MTV utilized it as the theme song for their hit documentary series I Used to Be Fat and then it played over the title credits of Garry Marshall’s New Year’s Eve. Their music became a favorite of music supervisors. One Tree Hill, Amazing Race, ESPN, and Good Morning America all incorporated their songs, and Rachael Ray invited them to perform on her nationally syndicated talk show.
They completed their first national tours and opened shows for Ingrid Michaelson, Five For Fighting, and Glee star Matthew Morrison. Their live performances feature a warm, engaging interplay reminiscent of the intimacy and energy of artists like Elton John, Regina Spektor, and Simon and Garfunkel.
In late 2011, tinyOGRE Entertainment informed all of their artists that they were shutting down. “It was bittersweet,” admits Ian. “On the one hand, we lost our whole team. On the other, my relationship with Chad was as strong as it ever was. We were re-capturing the creative spark we had in college. Our music wasn’t just about ‘Ian Axel.’ We had always been in this together.”
That’s when A Great Big World was officially born. Making positive, piano-driven pop bursting with harmonies and woven together with a fun theatrical twist, the duo crafted a six-song EP funded entirely on Kickstarter by fans. “It’s optimistic pop music,” Chad says. “There are fewer songs about heartbreak and more about the big picture. But even the most painful of our songs are hopeful.”
They’ve certainly chased their dreams and they’re going to continue to do so. But there is something even greater at play. “Writing is our therapy,” Ian concludes. “And when we can connect with people through our music, it’s transformational. We’re not alone. Our songs are your songs. And that’s what it’s all about.”
www.agreatbigworld.com
Cheer Up!
A Great Big World Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause nothing really matters when you look up into outer space
It's a great big world and there's no need to cry
Cheer up!
We're all interconnected to the reaches of the galaxy
And my best friend says he came from the sky
He traveled to the Earth aboard a pink spaceship,
Cheer up!
The atoms in your body are as old as every dinosaur
You're a special part of one big grand design
Cheer up!
We're all in this together to discover what we're living for
Thirteen billion years and there's still time
Every night I wish upon a star so bright,
Waiting for the others to arrive
Cheer up!
'Cause nothing really matters when you look up into outer space
It's a great big world and there's no need to cry
Thirteen billion years and there's still time
The lyrics to A Great Big World's "Cheer Up!" offer a reassuring message of hope and perspective. The song suggests that when we look up into outer space and contemplate the vastness of the universe, our problems and worries seem small and insignificant. There's a sense of interconnectedness, too, as the lyrics point out how the atoms in our bodies are just as old as those of ancient dinosaurs. We're all part of a grand design that's been in motion for billions of years, and there's still time to figure out our place in it all.
The song also speaks to the idea that we're not alone in the universe. The singer's best friend says he came from the sky and arrived on Earth in a pink spaceship. While this could be interpreted as a metaphor for something else, it's presented as a matter of fact within the song. The chorus encourages the listener to "cheer up," as though everything is going to be okay.
Taken together, the lyrics to "Cheer Up!" offer a message of hope and optimism. The song suggests that even when things feel overwhelming or hopeless, there's a bigger picture to consider. By looking up into outer space and embracing our place in the grand scheme of things, we can find comfort and a renewed sense of purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
Cheer up!
Be happy and positive!
'Cause nothing really matters when you look up into outer space
When you gaze at the vastness of the universe, your problems seem insignificant.
It's a great big world and there's no need to cry
The world is immense and beautiful, so there's no reason to be sad.
We're all interconnected to the reaches of the galaxy
We're all connected and part of something bigger than ourselves, extending to the farthest reaches of the universe.
And my best friend says he came from the sky
Even our closest friends can seem otherworldly and unique.
He traveled to the Earth aboard a pink spaceship,
The way our friends arrive in our lives can be unconventional.
It's hard for him to hide behind those eyes
Our friends can be mysterious and enigmatic, hiding behind their expressions.
The atoms in your body are as old as every dinosaur
The very atoms that make up our bodies have a rich history that stretches back millions of years.
You're a special part of one big grand design
We're all unique and integral to the overall scheme of things.
We're all in this together to discover what we're living for
We're all on the same journey of self-discovery, trying to find our purpose in life.
Thirteen billion years and there's still time
The universe is ancient, yet there's still plenty of time to explore and discover new things.
Every night I wish upon a star so bright,
We all have our dreams and desires that we hope will come true.
Waiting for the others to arrive
We're all waiting for others who share our hopes and dreams.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHAD VACCARINO, IAN AXEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind