Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: Sure! I have been a creative my whole life, from the eccentric outfits I would piece together, to singing, to writing music, to performing on stage, to spontaneous photoshoots with my friends growing up. I have also always been a leader who will dare to be the first one to try something new. I’ve always stuck out as a kid, whether it was my clothes, my extrovertedness, or the burn scars on my legs that I wasn’t afraid to show.
When I was eight months old, I was accidentally burned by hot water by my babysitter while she was giving me a bath in the sink. I have third-degree burn scars covering my legs and feet. It truly never occurred to me that maybe I should cover up because of societal standards or narratives. I lowkey liked standing out, which is both a strength and a shadow that I am currently working on. I had a lot of people stare, but not often say anything or ask. For better or worse, I got used to feeling like the elephant in the room when the scars were visible. Throughout my life, I’ve noticed that I can deeply impact people, without even trying, just by showing up as my authentic self and not letting the scars weigh me down. I don’t lead with them, but I don’t hide them; I let this part of me exist naturally and don’t attach my identity to them. I honor this intrinsic embodiment that I’ve possessed my whole life, because it inspires me to channel it through my art and into people’s hearts. Part of a true embodiment practice, though, is daring to share my vulnerability and healing journey in real-time. Giving myself permission to be seen as I am can hopefully inspire others to give themselves permission to be EXACTLY as they are. I trust it is happening, because I’ve seen so much evidence throughout my life how I’ve touched people’s hearts through my authenticity. It’s less about the music itself and more about the act of being an artist in my unique body writing about the FULL spectrum of my humanity (not just what’s ‘happened’ to me).
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 “CTLN”?
A: Right now, I am cultivating more in-person experiences in my direct NYC community that bring people into my world of holistic healing, wellness, and creativity. I want to create a world around my music so that it becomes more impactful, engaging, and memorable. Spending all my energy on the online parts of growing a fanbase feel distant and disembodied at a certain point. I am laying the foundations for these in-person events as we speak, so stay tuned. My hope is to launch by the end of summer.
Another way I am growing my fan base is by growing my team. I am seeking management, a consistent creative director and videographer to collaborate with, and fellow artists to co-create with.
My main message for anyone discovering me for the first time is that ALL of you is welcome in my world. I write and release music in real time with the experiences I am currently going through (for the most part). I don’t expect myself to be fully healed when I write a song, but rather the act of writing and releasing music allows for deeper healing to occur. I want to be witnessed in-process so that you can witness and accept yourself in-process. My hope is that you can receive some of that healing and clarity for yourself and you listen.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: Cleo Sol inspires me the most right now for her ability to be the bridge between the secular and the spiritual. She’s so connected to a higher power and is able to touch that part of people with taste, class, soul, and a contemporary neo-soul feel to her music. Her music is accessible to people who aren’t outwardly spiritual and invite them to rest more deeply with themselves. The essence of my music is the same, and I admire her ability to create undeniably good music that is rooted in Spirit.
Making music helps me process and reclaim my past experiences by alchemizing them into something beautiful that I can be proud of. I focus on the lessons I can take from these experiences to move forward. The self-empowerment can be felt in the music and inspire healing in those who are touched by it. I’m not always writing songs, but when I need to, they seem to pour out of me. Writing feels like a very deliberate process to go deeper into something I am currently working on. Listening back to my old songs in the present, they feel like a message from my higher self.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the song, “Fed Up.”?
A: I wrote “Fed Up” in 90 minutes while volunteering at a grassroots eco-resort in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. I had this beat from the producer Pblo that I wanted to write to, and this is what came out. The melody for the chorus came out first, and the line “fucking fed up” felt so good to say over that melody. After fitting those words to the melody, I knew what the song needed to be about. This song isn’t about someone in particular, but more about a pattern in my life with the men I date. I made a demo on my laptop while in Guatemala and re-recorded the lead vocal back in LA. I even kept the background vocals and harmonies from the original demo to preserve the organic magic of the moment. You can even hear the cricket sounds sometimes in the back.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: Embodied.
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “Fed Up”?
A: The music creation process is never smooth sailing since there’s so many steps from writing to releasing, AND we have to deal with technology. Adapting to technology has been one of the biggest challenges because it can impede on the creative flow as I’m learning how to use it. It took me years to understand Logic Pro, and I am still only getting started as a producer. Part of the reason it’s taken so long is that the interruption from the technology would discourage me from even engaging with it. During the “Fed Up” process while recording the demo in Guatemala with such limited resources and knowledge, I reminded myself that I don’t need to do it all in one sitting; the best things take time to marinate and manifest. Leaning into the fun of figuring out something new made the process enjoyable without expecting perfection.
Another challenge I faced was in the mixing process with my friend Slowsie. We mixed the record together and got it about 80% of the way. Since I’m still learning the language of a mixing engineer, I couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t sounding as full and dramatic as I needed it to sound. Fortunately, in divine timing, another mixing engineer named William Binderup hit me up wanting to collaborate. I sent him “Fed Up” and he understood the assignment immediately. He took what Slowsie and I created and grew it to that 100% we needed!
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: My music serves to awaken my listeners to their power, their wholeness, and their humanity. My music empowers people to become the highest version of themselves through compassion, grace, vulnerability, and softness. As a burn survivor in the entertainment industry, I challenge societal norms not through loud disruption, but through a tender healing journey as I dare to be seen with my visible and invisible scars. From leading by example so publicly, I hold space for others to see themselves in me and recognize that being different IS the normal human experience. My softness exists loudly–and that is my rebellion.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: Cleo Sol and Londrelle, because I know we could MOVE people with what we can create together.
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: Start right before you think you’re ready. Experience is the greatest teacher. Making the most out of the materials you have accessible will give you that respect, edge, and relatability needed to turn listeners into fans. If you can make it through those first 3 years and create music you’re proud of, you got this in the bag. I’ve noticed people resonate with and respect an artist who is in-process and willing to be seen while doing it, not one who has it all figured out.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: You’re always co-creating with the Universe, whether you’re aware of it or not. So be mindful of what exactly you’re saying through your thoughts, self-talk, and overall energy. The good news is you don’t have to do it alone. Nothing that is for you will pass you by.
