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: Hello Bored City! Thanks for taking the time for this interview. It means a lot to have your support! I from LA originally but i moved out here to Colorado 8 years ago, fell in love with the state and never left. As far as starting music? I went through a tough divorce 5 years ago, and i had two options, i could sit and pout or i could go after my dreams, i chose to go hard after my dreams of making music.
Q: And what other artists have you found yourself listening to lately?
A: Honestly, nothing new, I’ve been going back to old favorites. A lot of Parachutes from Coldplay, Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer, and Sufjan Sevens and John Prine. I actually have a new ep coming out this October called,”Ode to Tim and Danny” and its three spooky songs that sound lot like my heroes Danny Elfman and Tim Burton and their partnership, its my personal “ode to them”. It’s very Halloween-y and I’m excited about these songs.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences, and why the name ‘Our Violet Room’?
A: I have two types of influences, lyrical influences and musical influences. Lyrically, Dylan, John Prine, John Moreland and David Ramirez are heroes of mine and musically, old Coldplay, Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens and Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman are heroes of mine. I try to write meaning full lyrics with a very musical and cinematic feel. The name OVR comes from a bed and breakfast that i fell in love with in Astoria Oregon. The room my ex and i used to stay in was called the Violet Room, so i named my project Our Violet Room.
Q: You have just released your new single, ‘Not Where I Thought I’d Be’. Is there a story behind it?
A: Actually, Not Where I Thought Id Be is the name of my album, not a single. It was my debut album and it came out sept 2nd! The album has 7 tracks, and they tell the complete story of my previous relationship from our first meeting, to falling in love, to our first fights and eventual divorce. So you can say the album as a theme. And because of the divorce and because i now do music full time, I thought the album title was perfect, because I’m literally,”not where i thought id be”
Q: What is the message of your music?
A: I just want my music to cause people to feel, the way my heroes have made me feel. My message is youre not alone in your sufferings, headache and trials, other people know what you are going through and if my lyrics can help people not feel alone then I’m all for that.
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 feel that my love for movies scores mixed with my love of a good lyric makes for a great paring. I like to tug at your heart strings with my love for arranging and orchestrations and also connect with the listeners with a great lyric.
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: so yes and no, people that hear my music seem to connect and love it, but at the same time, i hope tp reach a larger audience.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: i usually work on the guitar or piano parts first, then i sing a melody over the parts and once I’m happy with the melody ill add lyrics and production over those parts.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: In my life, its been my struggle with mental health. Depression has been a huge part of my life, but through counseling and hard work, I’ve been able to slowly grow and move forward. That said, it seems as though it will be a life long struggle. That’s why music is so helpful. I can share my struggles and connect with other folks through my music. Musically, i just hope to get heard on a bigger scale. I believe i make beautiful art, and i hope that i can reach more folks.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: I’ve been doing music for only two full years and I’ve had my songs on tv, movies, radio and toured the world, so yes, I’m proud of all that i have accomplished in that short amount of time and I can’t wait to see what the next two years hold.
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