Hiya folks thanks for joining us in the virtual RGM lounge today, grab a brew and take a seat.
What made you decide that music is a thing for you? Ever since I was a little girl, I have always loved music and resonated with music. It has always been in my soul, and I always knew it was going to be a huge part of my life. The power that it has to transform is an incredible thing, and I love how it can just change someone’s mood instantly.
Introduce us to you and your musical history.
My musical journey started back when I was a baby, my father would play and sing songs on guitar to me and I think that was his way of passing on the musical spirit because by 5 years old I was singing and walking around the house just embracing this musician part of me. I would make up silly songs, and I always had quite the imagination which I think lends itself to creation very well. My parents are a huge part of why I am an artist, and I am grateful for their support in my upbringing. Once I got to middle school and high school I started taking voice lessons, and when it came time for college I knew that it was going to be singing. I majored in Vocal Performance at Florida State University, and really expanded my voice and its training. In the fall of 2012, I moved to NYC thinking I was going to pursue my degree but the universe had other plans. I would spend my time recovering from auditions in my bedroom with my guitar where these songs would pour out, and emotions would be released. It was so cathartic. Long story short, I got various signs from people that I needed to do this singer-songwriter calling that was always inside of me, and so here I am.
Name me your 3 favorite Albums.
1. folklore by Taylor Swift
2. Home, before and after by Regina Spektor
3. Human Again by Ingrid Michaelson
What was the first song you heard that steered you into a music path?
As a child, I remember listening to a lot of musicals, so I am going to say a song by Annie, probably “Tomorrow” started awakening that spirit in me that music is transformational to my life.
The music industry is the hardest industry in the world to progress in, How do you feel you are doing?
I feel like I am doing alright. I am extremely satisfied with my trajectory thus far, I have gotten to do some really cool things including travel out of state to play festivals. I am spreading my music around, and it feels really good to be experimenting and creating something that no one else has ever dared to do before. I really feel like an innovator.
I’m seeing a lot of debate about women not feeling safe at music gigs, any thoughts on what we need to do to help?
This is a great topic to bring up as I have had some issues feeling unsafe at gigs as a woman. I do think there needs to be an etiquette that is more pronounced at gigs in general, and I think it would help if there is a security that can actually intervene in case issues do arise. It is also important for us as women to communicate when a fan or patron has violated our boundaries during a gig, so they may learn and they may be dealt with accordingly.
As you develop as an artist and develop using socials what ways do you get new ears on your music? Any tips?
I have been using mostly word of mouth, but occasionally I will find some sort of organic Spotify Growth website, currently, I am using rise. la which seems to be making a difference. I think it is really important to know who you are, who your brand is, and what you want to say to the world as an artist, if you don’t have all of these questions answered it’ll be hard to get people onboard with why they should listen to you over someone who might have more of a commercial appeal as an indie.
Tell us Two truths and a lie about you.
1. I am related to Alexander Graham Bell
2. I used to sing on the TV show Barney
3. I used to be a figure skater
What’s your thought on Spotify’s monopoly on the music industry?
I think this argument can get a bit complicated but I do appreciate Spotify for giving independent artists tools to be able to get out there i.e. Editorial Playlists, and such, but I don’t think that Spotify is doing a good enough job supporting Indies that don’t have huge labels. I think most of these huge playlists are going to famous artists signed to labels, and something really needs to change there. Indies are making just as good if not better music than popular label artists, and we deserve to be heard.
Do you sign up for any conspiracy theories?
Ohh lordy, no. But maybe Michael Jackson never died??? idk
Did you buy anything you don’t need during the pandemic?
Wow, way to call me out. I think most of my money went to Amazon, you’re welcome Jeffrey!
What was the worst experience on stage?
One of the first times I ever played a singer-songwriter night at The Bitter End, the tech person said something really means about my guitar right before I went on, “your guitar sounds like shit”. I was playing my dad’s 1970s Yamaha and I was already in my head about letting these songs out of my bedroom and playing in front of people so that really wigged me out.
Tell us something about you that you think people would be surprised about.
I used to be a drama kid, and I used to act in musicals my entire childhood
What makes you stand out as an artist?
I think what makes me stand out is my authenticity. I am putting it all on the line, and I am not afraid to hide the dark stuff from my listener. I also think I have a very unique sound and vocal style that can span multiple genres which not everyone can do in this space.
I hear you have new music, what can you tell us about it.
I do, and I am so excited about it. “father, oh father” came out of the turmoil of the world post-pandemic. There was one night that I was in my room processing bad thing after bad thing after bad thing, and I found myself reaching out to God and writing this song about questioning where God is in those moments. Does he actually hear our cries? Does he actually care? Is his hand in everything? When shit is hitting the fan everywhere it’s really hard to see that sometimes, and that is sort of where this song lives. I don’t think we have a song that is coming from this space yet, and I am excited to introduce it to the world.
Talk me through the thought process of the new tune/s.
Soo as I mentioned earlier I wrote this song in my bedroom and then I brought it to to my producer Harper James and decided that it fit on “ear baby” my debut solo album. Around our recording session date, the Kate Bush song “Running Up That Hill” was blowing up…and it was in everyone’s heads. The minute I listened to that song I knew that we needed to take from it for this song, and so we pulled some of the same flavoring from that song and I think it really works in “father, oh father”. This song is taking so many risks, and it’s scary to take those risks but like I said I think it really really works in this new experimental genre that we created.
What was the recording process like?
We recorded this at my producer Harper’s studio in Brooklyn. We started off by listening to “Running Up That Hill” and finding the moments in that song that really stick out and work and then we just started playing around..adding drum machines, adding the monk choirs on the Mellotron, and it was just a blast to play in the sandbox together and discover this new art.
What was the biggest learning curve in writing the new tunes?
I think the biggest learning curve for this song was to not be afraid to think outside the box or have a different song form. I really embraced poetic writing with this song, it doesn’t have a tradition form or a repeating chorus, it is its own journey and I think it is extremely strong because it is.
Would you change anything now it’s finished?
I wouldn’t, I am really very proud of it.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
I just want to thank everyone for listening and accepting new art.
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