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: Of course! I was born in raised in North Carolina. I started writing songs when I was around 4 years old on my Fisher Price tape recorder. I have always loved music. I was enamored by Whitney Houston, Celine Dion and others and from the time I realized singing was an actual career, that’s what I set my mind on doing.
Q: And what other artists have you found yourself listening to lately?
A: I’ve actually been listening to a lot of 90’s grunge lately. But one of my favorite artists at the moment is Sasha Alex Sloan.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences?
A: My first musical influences were probably Richard Marx, The Eagles, Chicago and Whitney Houston. Then I started listening to artists like Deana Carter, Alanis Morissette and Soundgarden as I got older. My strongest influences are probably Reba McEntire, Taylor Swift, Patty Griffin and Tom Petty.
Q: You have just released your new single, ‘Rock This Way’. Is there a story behind it?
A: This song is about chasing love and doing things your own way while also giving honor to some of the most influential and classic rock songs of the 70s, 80s, and 90s.
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
A: I am currently working on my latest Country Pop project titled, Songbird. I am releasing it as a two-part project. Part One dropped on July 24th and Part Two should be out in late Fall 2022. The project tells the story of a narcissistically toxic situation I went through several years ago.
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 hope my music conveys that you can be honest and vulnerable about your hardships, the past, and any hurts. I fell in love with music because I was the shy kid that found comfort in the songs I listened too. I hope someone else can listen to my music and feel like they at least have one person that “gets them” and is in their corner. I would describe it as “a 90’s country storyteller with the blunt honesty and edge of Alanis Morissette.”
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 has never been the easy road, but it’s the one that fulfills me. I love meeting people and connecting with people over music. I’ve always been the shy introvert that tries to avoid awkward conversations, so for me, music is self expression and my connection to the world. Some days you do get tired and question, but then I think about how grateful I am for music because it truly saved my life.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: Honestly every song is different. For the most part, I start with a hook…either a lyric I cannot get out of my mind or a melody. From there, it’s like putting together a puzzle. Sometimes the entire concept of the song changes as you write. I have sat down to write a really emotional processing song and instead I write a fun upbeat anthem. I no longer try to manipulate the writing process and simply see what the song lends too.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: My anxiety. I started dealing with severe performance anxiety when I was around 11. For several years, I would go to audition or even to sing and nothing would come out. My voice teacher helped; however, I still suffered panic attacks and fear for years following. I am a perfectionist, so I had to change my way of thinking about situations before I was ever able to combat the performance anxiety. I still have it on occasion, but now it is almost a reminder that this is still important to me instead of a hinderance.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: I had a moment coming back from a show a few weeks ago and realized how much I’ve grown. I used to be extremely scared to even drive because of my anxiety and I never thought I would be traveling back and forth from gigs by myself for hours at a time, but I was. That may seem insignificant, but that little detail helped me to see how far I’ve come and I had a moment of celebration.