Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: When I was younger, my family moved around a lot. Within the course of six or seven years, I went from the South of France, to a tiny village in Greece, to a small suburban town in Massachusetts. Meanwhile, my parents loved traveling and acquired their own eclectic taste in music that they then transferred to me. From a young age I was instilled with the notion that I didn’t want to sound uniform. I always knew I wanted my music to be a mixture of my passions; rather than design a niche, I want to create a full spectrum.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “Haven West Veraguas”?
A: I intend on showing the world how unique it is to have an artist who does everything themselves. It’s not everyday you’d stumble across someone who writes, performs, produces, and promotes themselves. That being said, my advice to newcomers is to have patience and trust. Since my sound varies from single to single, I recommend everyone
listen to everything because they might discover a sound they didn’t
know they liked.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: I find Guitarricadelafuente and Daniel Me Estás Matando to be equally inspiring for the same reason – neither are afraid to take risks in their production, yet both still manage to maintain their authenticity while respecting the history of their respective genres. Personally, I find inspiration for making music everywhere. Recently, I’ve mainly been writing from a political lens, though I write a lot from nostalgic, romantic, or even existentially confused places too.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the song, “All I’ve Got.”?
A: “All I’ve Got” was written to capture the empathetic paradoxical dilemma we, or at least everyone I know, face. On one hand, it seems we all have this desire to help the ones closest to us despite barely having enough to help ourselves. On the other hand, it’s easy to look at the world and feel a tinge of survivors’ guilt, as if we’re being spared while the rest of the world crumbles around us.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: Colorful
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “All I’ve Got”?
A: My biggest challenge was getting the guitar tone I wanted. I record everything in my bedroom with limited microphones and have always struggled recording acoustic guitar as a result. However, I think for this song I finally discovered the microphone technique that works for me and I’m actually really proud of how it’s come out.
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: My message is that there is a space for everyone. I love pretty much all types of music and I also create a wide variety of genres and styles – I want anyone from any sphere to be able to come to my page and find something they resonate with. I want everyone to feel like they’re heard and appreciated.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: My dream artist to collaborate with would be Adam Melchor.
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: My biggest advice is to welcome all knowledge. You never know when some random ridiculous tidbit of info you learned in an offhand conversation is going to come in handy.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: Don’t be afraid to sing. I grew up really really self-conscious about my voice and it stunted my vocal development. If I had been confident enough to sing more and at a younger age, I’d be miles ahead of where I am now as an artist.
