Search - Wendy Ip :: Fan Favorites So Far

Not many artists debut with a "greatest hits" album. Then again, Wendy Ip doesn't like to do anything the conventional way. Her first official release, Fan Favorites So Far (2001), is a compilation that draws from recording sessions in New York, Los Angeles as well as from her first sessions in Canada. Ip gained her first studio recording experience in Vancouver, B.C., resulting in her first fan favorite, "So This Is My Life". But feeling like she had been a little bullied, she swore she'd do everything herself the next time. Her next string of songs was recorded partly in Vancouver and partly in her hometown of Winnipeg. Sure enough, Ip sang and played everything on it. She had just finished a prolific period of songwriting and wanted to "put it all down and get it all out". To this day, many people's favorite Wendy Ip songs are from this collection, entitled What's Normal Anyway? (1998). Although colleagues and fans convinced her that the fresh- sounding recordings of "Just Wendy", "Our Little Room" and "Elaine" were delicious as they were, Ip wanted to present herself as more than just a songwriter. She was also a performer and wanted to reflect her strong and eccentric personality through the production of her songs. In experimenting with different producers, Ip learned much about how to create certain sounds and moods, as well as how to articulate what she expected. She worked with New York producer Joseph Briggs who brought out her New York attitude in "All The Pain". In producing her Los Angeles tracks "At The Seams", "Too Heavy" and "Can't Get Mad", Joe Berardi let Ip's piano playing shine. As well, he recruited friend ex-Pixie Joey Santiago to play guitar. The album concludes with one of Ip's personal favorites, the chilling "Most Of The Time".