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?
I remember as a kid I became fascinated with the piano, and everywhere I saw one I wanted to play it. Eventually, I got lessons and was a very voracious learner. Middle school is when I decided singing was for me. I decided to audition for the musical, got hooked on being on stage, and now I’m here.
Introduce yourself and your musical history.
It’s just me; I’m Erin! I’m a classically trained soprano and multi-instrumentalist. I grew up listening to tons of music. I started playing piano when I was eight, and from there learned to play some other instruments. In high school, I was a theater and choir kid, and I was part of all the honors choirs I could. I graduated from Montclair with a degree in Vocal Music. When I’m not making music I love running, photography, and reading.
Name me your 3 favorite Albums?
It’s really hard to pick just three, honestly. Joni Mitchell’s Blue, Streetlight Manifesto’s Somewhere in the Between, and My Chemical Romance’s Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
What was the first song you heard that steered you into a music path?
I remember listening to “Uncle John’s Band” by the Grateful Dead and loving it as a preschooler. I would sing along with whatever melodic line I could latch on to. I learned to harmonize at an early age thanks to them.
The music industry is the hardest industry in the world to progress in, How do you feel you are doing?
I only wrote my first song Your Best Nightmare in May of 2022, and now I’ve got shows booked and this neat interview happening! I’m pretty impressed with what I’ve accomplished so far.
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?
Unleash my rage on all the people making women feel unsafe.
But realistically, as a woman who sometimes does not feel safe, it would be nice if people could just not be shitty. It’s really easy: keep your hands to yourself, be respectful, and don’t be a creep. No one should be made to feel unsafe when we’re all there to enjoy music.
As you develop as an artist and develop using socials what ways do you get new ears on your music? Any tips?
I really try to be myself on my socials. I don’t post anything that feels perfect, and I wouldn’t want to. I started my accounts just as a way to encourage myself to play music, and I still love playing and posting covers! I’ve had people discover me solely through my covers; that’s how I ended up recording my EP.
I think it’s important to be yourself. So many people put on a persona online or edit their pictures to the high heavens, and it just doesn’t feel real.
Tell us Two truths and a lie about you.
Oof. Okay. I ran my first half marathon with mono, I have two budgies, and I’ve been skydiving.
What’s your thought on Spotify’s monopoly on the music industry?
I miss the days of my iPod classic and the joy of burning sick CDs of songs. The big CD case you’d keep in your car was such a status symbol. I gotta say though, I love having my giant pop-punk running playlist offline thanks to Spotify.
Do you sign up for any conspiracy theories?
I think my favorite one is that people think birds aren’t real. I have two (that one was a truth!) and they are incredibly real and incredibly loud. I don’t believe it, but I think it’s really funny.
Did you buy anything you don’t need during the pandemic?
I bought a new car, which I only kinda needed (my old car worked fine). It was a great deal though, I got 0% APR for the whole loan.
What was the worst experience on stage?
Once I had what felt like a plague as I have never been so sick before, and I had one of my first NYC shows. I was super worried they would be mad if I canceled, so I showed up soggy as heck with almost no voice. It was awful, and I’m so glad I got to cut my setlist short.
Tell us something about you / each member that you think people would be surprised about.
I’m a graduate student! I’m getting my masters in Educational Leadership and I hope to one day help make education equitable for all. Educational equity is so important.
What makes you stand out as a band/artist?
I’d like to think the ukulele helps me stand out: it’s super cute sounding. I also have been told that my lyrics are rather unique; they have a tendency to go a little dark. The combo of cute and dark definitely isn’t run-of-the-mill.
I hear you have new music, what can you tell us about it?
My new single, “Ghost Town Love,” is the conclusion to the story I wrote. “Ghost Town Love” addresses the darker side of the lengths we’d go for love, and the fantasy of running away with the person you love.
Talk me through the thought process of the new tune.
I wrote it over the summer when I was deep in the story I was creating; it’s about vampires and love. I came up with the ukulele part first and just played it for a bit, and then sat down to write the lyrics. The beginning of the story set up my protagonist and how she encounters the vampire. The middle of the story answers the question “how far would you go for love.” I wanted it to end almost romantically, and so “Ghost Town Love” was born.
What was the recording process like?
Honestly, really easy and fun. My producer, Shannon, was great to work with. I came prepared and had a solid idea of how I wanted each piece to sound.
What was the biggest learning curve in writing the new tunes?
I’ve found that I don’t have just one way of writing, which is kind of frustrating. It takes a minute to figure out which approach is going to work best on any given day I want to write.
Would you change anything now it’s finished?
I would not. I really love how “Ghost Town Love” came out!
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
You should totally come to one of my shows! I would love to see you there.
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