Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?
A: I grew up in a very musical family and began playing instruments when I was 4 years old (piano and violin). I began singing when I was 10 years old and fell in love with it. After playing piano and singing, I became interested in songwriting. From there, I performed as much as I could on stages as small as school assemblies to being a finalist in Canadian Idol (2007). When I was 21, I worked on cruise ships as a piano bar entertainer and knew I wanted to make music my career! Several years later, I’m where I am today!
Q: Did you have any formal training, or are you self-taught?
A: My formal training includes classical violin training for 8 years, piano training with the Royal Conservatory of Music for 10 years, and vocal lessons with Patrice Barnes for 15 years.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences?
A: I have always loved mo-town music, specifically Stevie Wonder. He has been my favourite artist since I was about 12 years old. I also love blues music and grew up listening to country music. I loved the women in country music from the 90s, specifically Shania Twain, Faith Hill, and Martina McBride. I was so inspired by them which is partly why I ended up in country music myself!
Q: You have just released your new single, ‘It Kills Me’. Is there a story behind it?
A: This song was inspired by the James Bond theme songs I’ve heard in several movies. My husband had the piano part written for several years before we actually wrote the song together (along with Chris Yurchuck and Aaron Pollock). The piano riff inspired the sultry, bluesy, dramatic feel of the song and we just came up with the hook “It Kills Me” in the room. This song tells the story of a scorned woman who keeps coming back for more even though she knows she’s just going to get hurt again.
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
A: Yes! More music is always coming and I’m excited that this song is off my second EP-Stand Still: Side B. Eventually, I will release all of the songs from Side A and Side B on one deluxe album with 14-17 songs on it. I’m also hoping to release it on a vinyl record (like the old days!) so listeners can enjoy the project from start to finish each time.
Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
A: I use music to express my feelings (good and bad!) Oftentimes, that results in honest lyrics, simple instrumentation, and emotive vocals. I truly feel my music is an extension of who I am so the most important thing to me is that it is authentic in every way. As the writer on all of my songs, I am part of the creative process from beginning to end. My main goal is always to express myself honestly, and if listeners enjoy the song and it resonates with them in some way, all the better!
Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?
A: Music is my therapy! Truly it is a way I can vent my frustration, share my excitement, express longing, desire, or any other emotion I’m feeling at the time of writing or performing. It honestly doesn’t really feel like work a lot of the time because I am working with such a wonderful team of people that support my vision and work hard to contribute to my success. As a creator, I’m just so pleased when a song is finally released and available to listeners! It’s a long road but always worth it!
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: My creative process usually starts with a hook idea or title for a song. I usually bring that idea into the writing room with co-writers that I trust, respect, and admire. My co-writers usually include my husband and some of my best friends because writing is such a collaborative and vulnerable thing to do. We usually write for a few hours and throw ideas at the wall. Sometimes, things go really smoothly and other times, the lyrics or melodies don’t come as easy. I try not to put too much pressure on things in the writing room because I believe it needs to be a safe space for people to express their ideas. Usually, we leave the session with a completed song that I then hand over to my husband (and producer), Spencer Cheyne to take it to the next level.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: I think the hardest things about being an artist is balancing my music career with other aspects of my life. I am a wife, a mother of two, a daughter, a sister, and a friend to many people that I love. Music often comes with many sacrifices, but if you stop living your “Regular life” you may run out of things to write about! I think it’s important to maintain balance and I’m grateful that the team I have behind the scenes make it possible for me to do that so that I always enjoy the time I get to be on stage, in the studio, or songwriting.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: I think a career highlight for me was hosting the Calgary Stampede Grandstand show in 2016. It was a show that I performed for over 20,000 people each night and I will remember it forever. I grew up going to the Grandstand show and never thought I would actually be on the same stage some day (let alone hosting the show!) I was able to do some very cool things as a performer in the show (like sing Prince’s “Purple Rain” on a flying piano) and will treasure the memories from such an epic production.
