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 at the end of a dirt road in rural Vermont. I was always playing outside, singing to myself and talking to trees. When my father started playing guitar I couldn’t be pulled away. We spent countless hours singing together in the kitchen.
Q: And what other artists have you found yourself listening to lately?
A: Recently I am really into Billie Marten, Bella White, MARO and Árný Margrét… just to name a few!
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences?
A: I think my largest songwriting influences are Anaïs Mitchell and Josh Ritter, I’ve been a die hard fan of both since childhood.
Q: You have just released your new single, ‘Sophia’. Is there a story behind it?
A: Yes! I wrote “Sophia” when I realized I had forgotten to mail one of my best friends a birthday present. She was living abroad at the time and I figured that the only thing that would make it to Paris overnight was a song. So I sat down in my apartment with a bottle of red white and reminisced with my guitar into a voice memo. Sophia listened to it on her train commute into Paris the next day. Birthdays have never been my strong suit but I try to make up for it.
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
A: Yes! In October of this year I am very excited to release “State of Romance ”. This album gives a front row seat to a full love-cycle of my life, from heartbreak to heartbreak. I address the many facets of love and muse on the definition of “romance” to extend beyond the conventional.
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: Storytelling has always been very important to me. I want the listener to connect with the emotional, imagery and lyricism. I would describe my style as “romantic indie folk”.
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: I think that every song that is written is a gift. The next song, melody or lyric is not guaranteed. The nurturing process of breathing a song to life is a privilege. I sincerely hope that others enjoy them, that’s all I could ever hope for.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do you usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: In my experience music comes when it wants to, it’s not something that can be summoned or controlled. When I feel inspired, I drop everything to focus on it. There is nothing more fleeting than creativity, everything else can wait. Sometimes music comes to me in dreams, in poetry, in windchimes, bell towers, words exchanged by strangers or with a heavy feeling and a guitar in my hand… inspiration is both omnipresent and ephemeral.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: Not all musical relationships last. When that vulnerable and intimate space shared between musicians begins to recede it can be heart wrenching. Though that change can be painful, I have always found it to be a catalyst for growth.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: I am lucky to come from a supportive community. Performing at local festivals with the musicians that played on my record has been a beautiful experience, music really is a universal language and I feel grateful to have worked with people who are truly passionate about my music and their craft. This winter I moved myself down to Nashville and I can’t wait to release my album this October, “State of Romance”. The best is yet to come!
