Indie Pop Teen Belz Sings on The Tip Of Your Tongue

Belz


Belz is a new 18-year-old emerging pop artist that began singing when she was five years old. Growing up being inspired by her favorite artists including Bruno Mars, Christina Aguilera, Judith Hill, Tori Kelly, Michael Jackson, Demi Lovato, and more, Belz was always singing and performing around the house.

When she was ten years old, she signed up for voice, piano, and guitar lessons, and she has been developing herself as an artist ever since. When she was twelve, she wrote her first song, and this changed her life.

Belz considers songwriting one of her greatest creative outlets, and she has performed her songs and cover songs in numerous music competitions throughout her career around New England. In fact, her favorite aspect of being a musician is performing. Through studying classical and jazz piano, being pushed by her music teachers, and taking workshop sessions in the summer at Berklee College of Music, Belz has been able to grow even more as an artist and discover her specific sound and direction.

In addition to this, her journey has given her the opportunity to collaborate with many talented songwriters in Nashville who have helped her get to where she is today, and that is releasing her own songs for the world to hear! Belz is extremely excited for what’s to come, and looks forward to sharing new music.

 

Indie Teen Singer

 

MT/Danielle: Who are some of your musical influences? When did you know music was your calling and when did you figure out why you needed to pursue music as your career?

Belz: Some of my musical influences are Christina Aguilera, Ariana Grande, Judith Hill, Maroon 5, Michael Jackson, Demi Lovato, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Tori Kelly, Anthony Ramos, and Bruno Mars. Their songs have always resonated with me, just as I hope my songs resonate with others. I knew music was my calling by listening to these artists and feeling so inspired, but more specifically when I performed in front of my first grade class for the first time. I prepared “Love Song” by Sara Bereilles and stood in front of my fellow students and sang it, and that is when I knew that music was something I was meant to pursue as a career. The joy I got from performing that day was something I will never forget, and it pushed me to sign up for music lessons and begin to perform locally. Performing is what really solidified my dreams in my mind.

 

MT: How long have you been singing and performing for?

Belz: I have been singing since I was 5 years old and have been performing locally since I was 10.

 

MT: Who do you enjoy listening to as a fan?

Belz: As a fan I love listening to Bruno Mars, Tori Kelly, Ariana Grade, Judith Hill, Demi Lovato, Britney Spears, and more. I also have a soft spot for Broadway Musicals and listening to those soundtracks, including Wicked, Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, and Disney Musicals on Broadway.

 

MT: When was your very first recording and release?

Belz: “Dirty Sneakers” was actually my very first recording and release! I recorded the song in July of 2020 and released it February 12, 2021!

 

MT: You recently released your single “Dirty Sneakers.”.  Can you explain how this more about the meaning of the song and how it ties into your music goals?

Belz: “Dirty Sneakers”…. “Dirty Sneakers” is a fun song about a girl who really likes this hardworking guy, but he is with another girl who is the type of person that is always begging him for stuff and complaining, and she’s just not his type. The girl that the song’s point-of-view is from is trying to convey that she is not afraid to be herself and “get her hands dirty” and just have some fun! That is where the “dirty sneakers” comes from. The song is very playful and fun and honestly geared to make people feel confident about being themselves. That is honestly my goal with my music and main priority. I want people to be able to resonate with my music, and sometimes that might not be exactly in the lyrics. Sometimes that could be a feeling that the song gives off, and I think “Dirty Sneakers” is that type of song that gives off a happy and confident vibe that anyone can relate to. I want to make catchy music that sticks with people for reasons such as the feeling they get while listening to it or their love for the melody or production. I think to make others happy is the ultimate goal in the grand scheme of things. When others are happy because of my music, I, as a result, am happy. As far as my music goals, I hope my music reaches people globally and people enjoy listening.

Indie Music Artist

 

MT: How old are you now and how old were you when you wrote your first song? Can you describe your current sound? Has your sound changed since you wrote your first song?

Belz: I am 18-years-old now and wrote my first song when I was 12. My first song was definitely memorable to say the least, as it was about my love for singer Harry Styles from One Direction. While my sound was very different at 12 years old, I think it is fair to say it has definitely matured. Lyrically the words I write are more in touch with my deepest feelings, and the concepts I come up with have become far more creative. 12-year-old me would have never thought of calling a song “Dirty Sneakers” and coming up with a fun concept that doesn’t literally mean sneakers that are dirty. My ideas have definitely branched outside of the box. I think my current sound falls in the pop category for sure and is catchy and simply fun.

 

MT: How has performing helped you as an artist? Do you have a favourite performance to date and why?

Belz: My performances have been really amazing experiences for me and great opportunities to grow. I think while performing I am never focused on hitting every note, but I trust that if I concentrate on what I am actually singing and feeling the words and the meaning, then I will give a great performance because of that connection. In addition to this, I am a firm believer in the idea that if I am connected to my music, other people can connect to it. With every live performance I have felt growth in my abilities and confidence, and I am grateful for that. I think my favorite performance was at a competition at the Hard Rock Café in Boston, and I sang two songs while playing them on piano: “Angel in the Dark” by Judith Hill, and “Building a Ladder” by Hiatus Kaiyote. This was my favorite performance because it is by far when I have felt the most connected to the music during any performance. When I got off the stage I didn’t even care what place I came in or what awards I got because I was honestly proud of myself and happy with what I was just able to convey. When I am connected, the performance is just automatically 10x better, and I will always remember that moment. I did happen to win first place at that competition too, which was a confidence booster for sure.

 

MT: What has been your biggest challenge in your music career so far? How did you overcome that obstacle?

Belz: While I am really all about promoting self-love and confidence, I will admit that I think my biggest challenge in my music career so far has been a lack of that sometimes with myself. There are times when I have doubted my music and ability because I am uncertain of the outcome that will come after a release. It is a feeling of vulnerability that has been challenging to deal with. However, I have overcome that obstacle through reminders that I am proud of what I am doing, and I am happy because I love what I am doing, and that is enough. I had to get over that leap of not caring too much of what other people may or may not be thinking.

 

MT: From what you have learned about your challenges in the music business, what advice would you like to give upcoming new artists?

Belz: I would give the advice to be consistent and be confident in yourself and your abilities. If you believe in yourself, you can do anything. I would also say keep practicing and working hard because that is what will make you better with each performance or each song, and it is so important. Never give up on your dreams! Study the greats and conform that into something original and artistically you.

 

MT:   Besides singing, do you play any musical instruments? How long have you been playing them?

Belz: Yes! I play piano and guitar and have been playing since I was 10 years old. I was trained on classical and jazz piano, so piano is definitely my strong suit out of the two instruments.

 

MT: What’s a typical day for you? Do you work on your music every day? What other activities or hobbies besides music do you like to do that your fans may like to know about?

Belz: A typical day begins with waking up and going to school until 2:30. I try to work on my music every day, whether it be starting a new song or networking for my music because it is really important to me that I do something I love every day. As I take all Honors and AP courses, I have loads of homework, so scheduling is very important so that I can fit everything I want to in a day. For me music is always a way to take off so much stress and forget about reality, so I try to work on it every day. Besides music, I am captain of football and basketball cheerleading at my high school, so I go to practice twice a week and games every Friday! Cheer is super fun and another outlet for me. Lastly, I love to read murder mysteries at night and watch horror movies.

Indie Music Artist

MT:   You have another song which was out on March 26. What would you like fans to know about the meaning behind the music on your latest single? Where can fans find  your music when it is released?

Belz: My next song is called “Tip of My Tongue” and I think it is such a cool song because I feel like at some point everyone will be able to relate to it. It is about a girl who likes this guy but can’t find the words to say so, as if the words are stuck on the tip of her tongue. You know what you want to say but can’t seem to get it out, and that is what this song is about. I think most people can relate to that feeling, so I am excited to see what everyone thinks! Fans can find my music on all digital music stores and streaming platforms including Spotify, apple music, iTunes, amazon music, and more.

 

MT:    Do you have any up-coming performances you would like fans to know about? Is there anything else you would like to announce for your fans or anything you would like them to know? 

Belz: Unfortunately, because of the pandemic I do not have any upcoming performances, but I look forward to a time where I can start playing shows again and performing live for people! I would love my fans or anyone that has been supportive of my journey to know that I can’t even describe how thankful I am for your continuous support and motivation. It means the world and makes me want to work even harder.

 

MT: Do you have any specific rituals or do anything specific before you head out on stage or even before you record your vocals in the studio?

Belz: The night before a performance I do this thing called Creative Visualization, which is the process of manifesting a situation the way you want it to happen. I visualize the way I want my performance to go and put only positive energy into that thought. I do a similar thing before recording vocals in the studio, but of course I know that visualizing it is not enough, as practice is necessary for a good outcome! However, creative visualization always seems to provide comfort and confidence.

 

MT: Where can people see you perform next; are you planning on taking your music out to the fans?

Belz: Sadly because of the pandemic I do not have a schedule to perform live, but as soon as things start opening up and venues start allowing it, I will be the first one there! I would love for anyone that likes my music to come and hear it live, as that is my favorite thing to do!

 

MT: Thank you so much for your time Belz, I really appreciate it and all the very best with ‘Dirty Sneakers’!

Thank you for this opportunity!!

Indie Pop Teen Belz Sings on The Tip Of Your Tongue

BELZ – TIP OF MY TONGUE

 

LINKS to BELZ

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Belz

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5LMooGCrVehye7ZKhhs8yR

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/belzmusicofficial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belzofficial/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/belzofficial

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@belzofficial?

Indie Pop Teen Belz Sings on The Tip Of Your Tongue

Make Way for Sassy Teen Indie Pop Singer, Minxey

Minxey


South African born, 18 year old emerging artist and songwriter Minxey quickly got noticed by fans and Music Industry professionals alike with her debut single “Painkiller” which already has over 100,000 streams.

Minxey’s next single and ultimate heartbreak revenge track, “Hope She Hurts You” is sure to continue to her momentum. Read more about Minxey in our Teen Talks Interview below.

 

Indie Music Teen Talks

 

MT/Danielle: Who are some of your musical influences? When did you know music was your calling and when did you figure out why you needed to pursue music as your career?

Minxey: I’ve been influenced by Katy Perry, Lorde, Lennon Stella, Ava Max and Halsey.
My passion for music developed in 2015 after watching a One Direction concert in my birth country, South Africa.
After watching Katy Perry live, I realised I also had alot to say and wanted to share my views and experiences in an upbeat, cheeky style.

 

MT: How long have you been singing and performing for?

Minxey: As a shy and antisocial kid, my parents encouraged me to join a club of some sorts to “make friends.”
Little did they know that awkward 8-year-old me would find a vocal coach and fall in love with singing and performing infront of a crowd. When I moved to London in 2019, I started busking at Piccadilly Circus, which helped me establish my own charisma and style by watching other performers.

 

MT: Who do you enjoy listening to as a fan?

Minxey: I listen to all the current hits by Dua Lipa and Justin Bieber, but also enjoy listening to emerging, pop artists like Lauv, Conan Gray, Benee and Olivia Rodrigo.

 

MT: When was your very first recording and release?

Minxey: My first recording was in August 2019 in Nashville, Tennesse and I released my debut single “Painkiller” in October 2020.

 

MT: You recently released your single “Hope She Hurts You”.  Can you explain how this more about the meaning of the song and how it ties into your music goals?

Minxey: “Hope She Hurts You” was written with a simple message behind it: I’m wishing you well, but actually I’m not. This song is like my ultimate heartbreak revenge soliloquy.
Music is my therapy and the more I write and get comments or feedback on how others relate to my lyrics, the freer I feel.

 

MT: You are now 18 and you wrote your first song when you were 16. Can you describe your current sound? Has your sound changed since you wrote your first song?

Minxey: My sound now is kinda chilled, but with a little bit of attitude, sass and edge to it.
From cringey selfie recordings to working with real professionals internationally, my sound is no longer as green as it used to be.

 

Indie Teen Pop Singer

MT: Your performances have been nonexistent. Why is this? 

Minxey: My debut single “Painkiller” was recorded and released in lockdown. Other than a few livestreams, all live performances and any crowd gatherings have been banned under the current Covid restrictions.

 

MT: What has been your biggest challenge in your music career so far? How did you overcome that obstacle?

Minxey: My debut single “Painkiller” was recorded and released in lockdown. Other than a few livestreams, all live performances and any crowd gatherings have been banned under the current Covid restrictions.

 

MT: From what you have learned about your challenges in the music business, what advice would you like to give upcoming new artists?

Minxey: Being patient and believing in the process. The overnight success story is way harder than all the hype one hears. My advice is to practice, practice, practice!  The hard work will pay off.

 

MT:   Besides singing, do you play any musical instruments? How long have you been playing them?

Minxey: I stopped playing piano a few years ago, as I just didn’t feel it was right for me.
After watching Pitch Perfect and discovering the art of acapella, I’ve learnt a thing or to from all the different sounds you can make just by using your mouth.

 

MT: What’s a typical day for you? Do you work on your music every day? What other activities or hobbies besides music do you like to do that your fans may like to know about?

Minxey: During the week, I wake up and go for a walk whilst listening to music. When I get back home, I make myself some coffee and have breakfast. After that, I do some vocal strengthening and freestyle singing for an hour or so. Then I get ready to go off to my part time day job as a childminder. Inbetween, I’m catching up on social media, writing down new ideas for marketing myself or coming up with concepts for future songs.
I love the gym, exploring the typical sights of London and meeting up with friends.

MT:   Do you have any future plans of releasing new music?

Minxey: I want to do live performances again, meet up with fans from social media and share my stories.

 

MT:  Do you have any up-coming performances you would like fans to know about? Is there anything else you would like to announce for your fans or anything you would like them to know? 

Minxey: I’m hoping to start busking again as soon as the restrictions lift and maybe even start touring locally to gain more exposure.
Until then, you can learn more about me and the inspiration behind my songs on my 30 day TikTok challenge.

 

MT: Do you have any specific rituals or do anything specific before you head out on stage or even before you record your vocals in the studio?

Minxey: Lots of vocal warmups, which if done in public, people would probably think I’m nuts.

 

MT: Where can people see you perform next; are you planning on taking your music out to the fans?

Minxey: To be continued…

 

MT: Thank you so much for your time Minxey. I really appreciate it and all the very best with “Hope She Hurts You”!

 

Make Way for Sassy Teen Indie Pop Singer, Minxey

Minxey – Painkiller

 

LINKS to MINXEY

Website: http://minxeymusic.com/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/06vfhRRrBmAbQkJd5XRibF?si=Mi_VcHRNSPeoBQkj5TrBmA&nd=1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/minxeymusic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/minxeymusic/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/minxeymusic

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@minxeymusic

Make Way for Sassy Teen Indie Pop Singer, Minxey

Interview with Awesome Jazz-Pop Chinese Indie Teen Lvyan

Lvyan


It’s not often when someone mentions music from China that Jazz comes to mind. Especially when it’s a teenager who remains true to himself and dedicates his passion to his own music; independent music. 

Lvyan’s Jazz influenced pop is refreshing, bright and joyful.

 

Lvyan writes with maturity, delicately blending Western elements with sounds and traditions from his own culture, never using his identity as a gimmick. His fun and upbeat debut brings out Jazz pop sounds and rhythms with his youthful vibrancy taking centre stage in the accompanying video.
Lvyan‘s home of Shanghai shaped his unique taste in music, allowing him access to a diverse variety of art and music. A self taught producer and composer, Lvyan aims to be part of the independent movement in China, breaking away from the TV reality route that many stars are currently pursuing. Staying authentic to his music and DIY attitude, Lvyan brings his innovation into his music, creating a unique sound that is authentically his own.

 Interview with Awesome Jazz-Pop Chinese Indie Teen LvyanDebut Single

Interview with Awesome Jazz-Pop Chinese Indie Teen Lvyan

MT: Love you’re debut single btw. Who are some of your musical influences and When did you figure out why you needed to pursue music as your career?

Lvyan: I would say I’m influenced the most by the profound Chinese culture. And I really like R&B and soul music, plus with electronic music production techniques that I learn from watching Youtube. I am able to combine these elements into my creative and show the diverse’ taste in my own music. It was at my 15 when I fell in love with genres of music so I decided to pressure to be a professional musician.

 

MT: How long have you been singing and performing for?

Lvyan: It wasn’t that long actually because I just started this last year.

 

MT: Your single is a very cool jazz/pop track. Who do you enjoy listening to as a fan?

Lvyan: I am quite into listening to Tom Misch, FKJ, H.E.R, Ella Mai, and PJ Morton, etc. They keep making masterpieces.

MT: When was your very first recording and release?

Lvyan: I recorded my first demo about two years ago, and I put it out on internet immediately.

 

MT: Can you explain more about the meaning of your debut single, ‘Take Me Away’ and how it ties into your music goals?

Lvyan: This was an improvised song that I wrote right after I graduated from junior high. There is no message in this song and It is more like a memory that I created, to catch the sense of freedom I was feeling at that moment. I think have a goal yet, for now just try to make more music and see where it takes me.

 

MT: How old are you now and when did you write your first song? Can you describe your current sound?

Lvyan: I’m turning 18 soon and I wrote my first song at 15. Now I’m searching a sound that’s between R&b / soul / funk / pop. I know this sounds too much, and seems hard to find a balance, so remember to check back my music in a year or two to find out what is like.

 

Indie Singer Songwriter

MT: Do you perform or have you performed anywhere?

Lvyan: Not yet, especially for what is happening around the world now. I’m excited for that day though.

 

MT: What has been your biggest challenge in your music career so far? How did you overcome that obstacle?

Lvyan:  The biggest challenge I have faced was lacking of the understanding music theory. I have the perfect melody of intonation since I was child. However I have never built a solid foundation of music theory. I used to shrink back when people ask me to explain some complex harmony. Because of that, I have more patience to study music theory and to improve my improvisation skills.

 

MT: From what you have learned about your challenges in the music business in China? What’s the independent music scene like in China? What advice would you like to give upcoming new artists?

Lvyan: I find it difficult for Chinese independent musicians to stand out. The public exposure is always reserved for the idols and commercial musicians who don’t write their own music, which causing those talented ones are buried behind the scenes. My opinion will be we should always stay true to our own, and create arts that people can relate to.

 

MT:   Besides singing, do you play any musical instruments? How long have you been playing them?

Lvyan:  I can play piano, since I was six years old.

 

MT: What’s a typical day for you? Do you work on your music every day? What other activities or hobbies besides music do you like to do that your fans may like to know about?

Lvyan: I’m still high school now. For the rest free time of my day, I spend half of my day on writing new material and mess around the keyboard. If I feel unproductive, then I will probably hang out with my girlfriend or play games.

 

MT:    Is there anything else you would like to announce for your fans or anything you would like them to know? Do you have more music coming out this year?  

Lvyan: I’m planning another single now, and it will be out in next two months maybe.

 

MT: Thanks so much Lvyan, and all the very best with your music!

Lvyan: Thanks for this interview!

 

LINKS TO LVYAN BELOW

Interview with Awesome Jazz-Pop Chinese Indie Teen Lvyan

Teenage Artist Cotie Making Real Noise Thats Worth Listening To

Although fairly new to the world as an upcoming artist, Cotie has been making noise since her early years after discovering that she was musically inclined at just five years old! This young artist began performing for rodeos, veterans day programs and many recitals including holly jolly ones – in just elementary school.

As time went by, Cotie started taking the stage at local competitions- and even made it as far as being discovered at an international talent showcase. To her surprise, this singer/ songwriter ended up with more exposure than she expected after being selected by multiple talent agents- her goofy personality paid off after all. Furthermore, while receiving many phone calls from unknown and far out agents along the way- she landed a studio deal allowing her to finally create her own sound waves.

With inspirations from the world known group Fleetwood Mac and musical influences from duo Louis The Child- she was able to piece her own style together. From here, she would go on to release two singles and an EP album that is currently on its way! Although, she has yet to book any concerts/shows, this artist is passionate about going far into the music industry while spreading peace and encouraging others to chase their dreams no matter how big.

Teenage Indie Artist Rachel Jaymes Inspired by Friends
Indie Pop SingerTeenage Indie Artist Rachel Jaymes Inspired by Friends
 

Danielle/MT: Who are some of your musical influences? When did you know music was your calling and when did you figure out why you needed to pursue music as your career?

Cotie:   A few of my favorite artists / biggest influences include Fleetwood Mac, Louis The Child, Khalid, and SZA : ). I guess I figured out I wanted to pursue music by the second grade, and to follow that I auditioned to be in the GT program for my school! From there, I truly thrived when I dove into my creative zone, and I got exposure from performing at the many recitals we attended through the years. Furthermore, I never saw college as a possibility to further my future because I always had that music career in the back of my head.

 

MT: How long have you been singing and performing for?

Cotie: I have been singing and performing for roughly 13 years!

 

MT: Who do you enjoy listening to as a fan?

Cotie: As an artist myself, i really love the vibe i get when i listen to Louis The Child and Fleetwood Mac! I feel them in my soul.

 

MT: When was your very first recording and release?

Cotie: The first time i ever recorded was in the fall of 2017! Since then, my first release was set for February 21, 2020- with a following second single.

 

MT: You recently released your single “Get a Grip”.  Can you explain how this more about the meaning of the song and how it ties into your music goals?

Cotie: “Get a Grip” was created with ambition and passion towards being who you are without the approval of anyone else- hence the title.. GET A GRIP!! This song specifically ties into my music goals as a reminder to stay true to who I am while inspiring my listeners to do the same!

 

MT: How old are you now and when did you write your first song? Can you describe your current sound? Has your sound changed since you wrote your first song?

Cotie:  I am now a few months short of twenty years old, and I had just turned 17 when I wrote my first recorded song. Aside from the professional aspect, i wrote my first ever song when i was roughly 8/9 years old. I’d say my sound has definitely changed given the time that has gone by. As I get older, i feel my voice becomes raspier naturally (and I love it).

Indie Pop Singer

MT: Where have you performed and do you have a favourite performance to date and why?

Cotie:  Most of my performances include: school recitals (including Christmas recitals), The National Anthem at rodeos/ Veterans Day programs, a song of choice at an international talent showcase, auditions throughout the years including local/ far locations. If i had to pick a favorite, I would definitely say that the song of choice performance was by far the best experience ultimately because I was able to perform for people from numerous countries.

 

MT: What has been your biggest challenge in your music career so far? How did you overcome that obstacle?

Cotie:  One of my biggest challenges, and still to this day- is letting my anxiety control me when it comes to stage freight. Personally, I am an outgoing person, but when singing with crowds i tend to tighten up and get extremely nervous. I will aways work to fix this ongoing challenge in my career.

 

MT: From what you have learned about your challenges in the music business, what advice would you like to give upcoming new artists?

Cotie: The challenges that come along with this career can sometimes be overwhelming, and it takes true courage and ambition to follow your dreams. However, my advice to new artist’s would be to focus on the bigger picture and your goals in the midst of the personal obstacles you will go through.

 

MT:   Besides singing, do you play any musical instruments? How long have you been playing them?

Cotie: Aside from singing, I played the flute/ piccolo in elementary school, but never touched them again since then. Following this, i picked up on a little piano without intentions on being serious about it, and as i got older Id find myself trying to play something every so often. To this day, I still don’t have it down, but it’s always an option to think about as I go.

 

MT: What’s a typical day for you? Do you work on your music every day? What other activities or hobbies besides music do you like to do that your fans may like to know about?

Cotie: A typical day for me is working on myself as an artist, alongside with pure impulse of course. Music is my first thought in the morning and my last before I go to sleep. An adventure awaits every passing day, so I try to make the most of life. Other hobbies of mine include art in EVERY form, nurturing animals of every kind, meditating and practicing peace, giving life to plants of every kind, riding my bike for a breath of fresh air every day that I can, and I work at a local coffee shop in between everything else. 

 

MT:   You have an EP come out on soon.  What would you like fans to know about the meaning behind the music on your upcoming EP? Where can fans find  your music?

Cotie: I have an EP album release coming out July 17, 2020! This collection of songs all have one thing in common- they are all born from personal life experiences of mine. The variety between the three range anywhere from heartbreak, standing your ground, or to falling in love of course. That being said, given the combination- listeners can relate to some part of the three songs together. All of my previous releases including my new EP album release can be found on all platforms @cotieofficial with the link in my bio for straight direction!!

 

MT:    Do you have any up-coming performances you would like fans to know about? Is there anything else you would like to announce for your fans or anything you would like them to know? 

Cotie: SADLY, I am unsure if performing will be something to look forward to given the circumstances of the world at this time, but I was planning to perform at a local festival this fall! Thankfully there will always other opportunities as I go!

 

MT: Do you have any specific rituals or do anything specific before you head out on stage or even before you record your vocals in the studio?

Cotie:  I do have my own rituals before performing/ going to the studio! Most times i find myself singing different sounds in weird pitches, or making fire truck siren sounds. Everyone around me finds this funny including myself but hey! It helps! I also make it a point to gulp lots of water for a smoother sound.

 

MT: Where can people see you perform next; are you planning on taking your music out to the fans?

Cotie: In conclusion, I am unsure of my next performance at this point!! but in the near future for sure! Stay on the lookout!

LINKS TO COTIE BELOW

Teenage Artist Cotie Making Real Noise Thats Worth Listening To

 

 

Indie Teenager Singer YSSA Posses The Wow Factor

Links to COTIE

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/cotieofficial

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cotieofficial 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cotieofficial/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cotieofficial

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1lsVB1VEvgVRfZTFDTphfI

Teenage Artist Cotie Making Real Noise Thats Worth Listening To

Indie Teenager Singer YSSA Posses The Wow Factor

I am a 14-year-old singer/songwriter currently living in North Carolina.

My parents always told me that they saw something in me when I was very young, especially my mom. They always share the story of when I was 2 years old and our family went to a Christmas party. Everyone started to notice this child on the stage with a mic, that child was me, I snuck away from my parents to climb on stage and sing “My ABC’s”. From that moment they knew that I had a passion for performing. When I got a bit older, I started entering contests and soon got noticed by a Performing Arts Studio called Nixpac. The studio helped to bring up my confidence in performing and singing and gave me the opportunity to travel and sing in competitions around my home island and even in Las Vegas. All of this eventually led to me joining The Voice Kids Philippines Season 3 in 2016. The contest was such an amazing and fun experience for me and though I didn’t win, I did gain many supporters who I’m very thankful for. All of these experiences have helped create inspiration for the music that I write.

My heart is filled with a passion for singing and music and if it wasn’t for God, my parents, family & friends, and everyone who believed in me I wouldn’t be where I am now. I am very thankful and blessed to have them in my life and because of them I am able to follow my dreams.

Teenage Indie Artist Rachel Jaymes Inspired by Friends
Teenage Indie ArtistTeenage Indie Artist Rachel Jaymes Inspired by Friends

MT:  Who are some of your musical influences? When did you know music was your calling and when did you figure out why you needed to pursue music as your career?

YSSASome of my musical influences are Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, and Ariana Grande; but there’s so much more. I knew music was my calling when I realized how much I love to sing and even perform. I figured out why I needed to pursue music as my career when I knew it’s something I dreamed about and I saw that other artists are inspired by what I do and that’s what I want to do. To inspire people and I want people to know what if you have a dream, go for it because I know I was one of those people who had a big dream.

 

MT:  How long have you been singing and performing for?

YSSA:  I have been singing since I was two-years old, and I’ve been performing since kindergarten at my school talent shows.

 

MT:  Who do you enjoy listening to as a fan? 

YSSA:  As a fan I enjoy listening to definitely Ariana Grande (She is amazing), Panic at the Disco, Queen, Billie Eilish, and more.

 

MT:  When was your very first recording and release?

YSSAMy first official recording and release was “Girl Gang”, but when I was 10 years old, I wrote, recorded, and released a song called “Make Myself Proud”.

 

Single Cover YSSA

MT:  You recently released your single “GLOWIN”.  Can you explain how this more about the meaning of the song and how it ties into your music goals?

YSSA:  The meaning of “GLOWIN” is like the feeling you get around this one person. It’s like whenever you are around them you feel like all your worries are gone. This ties to my music goals because I want people to express how they are feeling.

 

MT:  You are now 14 and you wrote your first song when you were 10.  Can you describe your current sound? Has your sound changed since you wrote your first song?

YSSA:  My current sound is Pop and R&B. My sound has changed a lot, I think.  I didn’t really know what kind of songs I was into before, but now I know what I like and what feels like me.

 

MT:  Your performances are full of energy and excitement. Do you have a favorite performance to date and why?

YSSA:  My favorite and scariest performance was when did a concert opening performing River Deep – Mountain High by Ike and Tina Turner. It was a full house at the Hawaii Theater, and the audience was full of energy while I was performing. During the song, there was a fairly long instrumental interlude and all I could think about was coming back in with vocals at the right moment. Luckily, I was able to make my mark, and finish out the performance striving off the crowd’s energy!

 

MT:  What has been your biggest challenge in your music career so far? How did you overcome that obstacle?

YSSA:  One of the biggest challenges since I am a High School student also is time management. I had to find the balance of dividing time career wise and of keeping up with my class assignments. At times it can be very difficult, because both are important, but I always manage to complete every project, at time in the early midnight hours.

 

MT:  From what you have learned about your challenges in the music business, what advice would you like to give upcoming new artists?

YSSA: The advice I would give is to work hard for what you believe in, stay committed, and never stop trying.

 

New single from YSSA

MT:  Besides singing, do you play any musical instruments? How long have you been playing them?

YSSA:  I have been playing the piano since I was 10, and I actually just started playing the ukulele this year.

 

MT:  What’s a typical day for you? Do you work on your music every day? What other activities or hobbies besides music do you like to do that your fans may like to know about?

YSSA:  A typical day is all day every day I sing lol. Then I find ideas to write about, work on them, and go outside and get some fresh air. I like to play volleyball just with the people with my neighborhood and fun fact I like to pull weeds out the grass lol. It’s so satisfying.

 

MT:  Where can fans find your music when it is released?

YSSA:  You can find my music on all digital platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and SoundCloud.

 

MT:  Do you have any specific rituals or do anything specific before you head out on stage or even before you record your vocals in the studio?

YSSA:  Before going on stage I shake off all the nerves by jumping up and down. Before I record, I just get in my zone and stay really quiet, and I am barefoot when recording. That makes me feel comfortable and in touch with the material.

 

MT:  Do you have any up-coming performances you would like fans to know about? Is there anything else you would like to announce for your fans or anything you would like them to know? 

YSSA:  Due to the COVID 19 Pandemic, my scheduled performances and appearances had to be canceled.  My fans can keep up with upcoming announcements, song and video releases by checking out my Linktree account @ https://linktr.ee/yssaofficial_. I have also released my first newsletter which you can find there and subscribe.

 

MT:  Thank you so much for your time YSSA, I really appreciate it and all the very best with all your future endeavors!

 

LINKS TO YSSA BELOW

Indie Teenager Singer YSSA Posses The Wow Factor

 

 

Indie Teenager Singer YSSA Posses The Wow Factor

Teenage Indie Artist Rachel Jaymes Inspired by Friends

Rachel Jaymes is a teen, pop artist from Massachusetts who has dreamed of using music to help others for as long as she can remember. By using her hometown, her friends and her family to influence the meaning behind her single “Light Up The Night” , Rachel has definitely proven that the music industry is where she belongs.

Teenage Indie Artist Rachel Jaymes Inspired by Friends
Teenage Indie ArtistTeenage Indie Artist Rachel Jaymes Inspired by Friends

MT/Danielle: Your latest single is “Light Up The Night”. Can you explain the meaning and significance of the song?

Rachel: This song was inspired by my relationship with my friends. I really wanted my first song to be about how I feel when I’m around them. During the summers in my hometown, we have concerts on the green in the middle of the town. It’s like a social gathering that so many people go to, to listen to music, lay back and spend time with friends and family. I love going to these. There was always so much love and appreciation for the same things in one place that it made me so happy to be there. I would go with my parents and when we got there I would split off to hang out with my friends and sometimes we would go a block or two down the street where there was dim light but also close enough to be able to still hear the music, we laid down in the grass and look up at the stars and admire them. We would get into really deep conversations and talk and laugh and have fun being where we were and recognizing the moment and the people we were sharing it with. I always felt that when I am with my friends, my smile is so bright that it can light up the night. I felt like it was a magic moment that needed to be shared.

MT/Danielle: Tell us about your creative journey. How long have you been singing? Do you play any instruments? Can you share with fans exactly when you knew singing was going to be your ultimate goal and why?

Rachel: I have been singing and making music for as long as I can remember. Music has always been a part of my life. When I was young, I used to put on concerts in my living room, I would throw the blankets over the dining room chairs to make a stage and I would tape my hand made posters all over the house to let everyone know what was happening and I would dance and sing around the makeshift stage. I have played guitar in the past but it never stuck, my fingers were not strong enough and were not long enough to reach the strings. So I converted to piano and have been playing that for a couple of years now. There has never been a specific point in time that I knew music was it for me, it has always been a part of my life and it seems crazy for it to not be part of my future, it seems silly for my life not to include music.

MT/Danielle: Tell us about how “Light Up The Night” fits into your brand or current creative direction?

Rachel: Light Up The Night is my debut song and I really wanted to make an impression of who I am, what I value, and what drives me. I want who I am to come through my music and my life experiences to be incorporated in it. I don’t want to be singing about things I haven’t experienced or don’t feel some emotional connection too because in my opinion, it won’t sound like it is from the heart. In order to put real emotion into something, you have to have a firm grasp on what it is and how it connects to you.

MT/Danielle: Since you are still in High School which makes it difficult to tour, how has social media helped move your music career forward?

Rachel: It has helped me to give info on my creative process and sometimes explaining exactly why I haven’t been coming out with more content because of the fact that I do have school and I am trying to get into college and get through that process while also trying to write and create.

MT/Danielle: What are your musical influences? If you had to pick one artist to share a stage with, who would it be?

Rachel: If I could share the stage with any artist it would most likely be Bruno Mars, a couple years ago, my mom and I went to go see him in concert and it was by far the best concert we have ever seen, we were on our feet the entire time dancing and marveling at the incredible performance he put on. I have always admired him as a performer and a creator since I was very little and I feel like he could help me get out of my shell a bit because I do see myself as being a bit shy and awkward and I feel like it would be an amazing experience.

MT/Danielle: You recorded “Light Up The Night” in Nashville, but have grown up in Massachusetts. How has your local area influenced your music career?

Rachel: It’s not so much how my town has shaped me as an artist, but the experience and people I have met in the area. Every year in the summer my hometown hosts concerts on the green in the middle of town and people from town and the surrounding towns come and listen to music, attending these concerts was my inspiration for Light Up The Night. I used to go to concerts with all of my best friends from my town and we would have a blast and walk around downtown so the experiences and memories I have made has really shaped me as a person, artist and singer.

MT/Danielle: You are currently in High School. Do you find it difficult to balance school with the goals for you music career?

Rachel: Yes, I do find it difficult. Balancing school work, college applications , music and work can sometimes prove to be more challenging than I could have ever imagined but it just goes to prove how scheduling, organizing and planning your time appropriately can really help to see what you have done vs what needs to get done. It really helps to set goals at the beginning of every week and at the end of the week reflect on the ones you accomplished and push the ones that didn’t get done to priority the next week. It has really taught me a lot about time management and how important it is.

MT/Danielle: What has been your favorite performance and why? Do you have any upcoming performances that you would like your fans to know about? Is there anything else you would like to tell your fans? What next in your music Journey?

Rachel: It’s really hard for me to pinpoint a favorite performance because they have all been extremely fun and valuable to my musical growth and development. I am working on some upcoming performances. So people can stay connected and up to date with me via social media for immediate updates. As for my fans, I would like to just say thank you for being there and taking the time to listen and play my song and give me feedback and hope. I am trying to get more singing and recording and creating whenever I have the time at the moment, but time will only tell when the next song or album will come out.

LINKS TO RACHEL BELOW

Teenage Indie Artist Rachel Jaymes Inspired by Friends

 

 

Teenage Indie Artist Rachel Jaymes Inspired by Friends

Teenage Indie Artist Aut Ratchaphom A Natural Talent

Aut Ratchaphom


Aut Ratchaphom is an 18 years old Thai-Australian singer-songwriter and an independent pop artist.

When he was almost 13, Ratchaphom became a big fan of Taylor Swift. Then 4 years later, Swift’s music, songwriting and musical talents inspired him to play guitar/piano and become a singer-songwriter like her.

Aut’s music and songwriting have always been inspired by the main pop artists such as Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran and many more. On 29th of February 2020, Ratchaphom released his debut and a self-written album ‘LeadOFF’ on the major streaming services.

 Teenage Indie Artist Aut Ratchaphom A Natural TalentIndie Artist Teen Talksreams Of Playing at the Greek Theatre

MT: Who are some of your musical influences? When did you know music was your calling and when did you figure out why you needed to pursue music as your career?

Aut: My musical influences is Pop, rock, country and a little bit of R/B. I’m always interested in music since I was a kid, but for some reason I hate the ideas of becoming a musician, because my dad’s family side are all musicians maybe that’s why I don’t want to become one and wanted to do something different. However, things started to change when I was 15 almost 16 when my bestie who was in school’s music specialist program heard me singing and asked me whether I would want to join the program and be a singer for his band. I said yes because why not. Later, I began to sing seriously, took some singing lessons and started to play guitar which later it got me to write songs. The more songs that wrote the more I realised that this is something that I specialise at and not many people can do it. Plus, it’s something I enjoy doing it the most. Music for me right now is already part of my life and I just can’t do anything without thinking about it. I wanna perform in a big stadium and have millions of fan enjoyed my music as much as I do. Also, I want to sing, write a song/s and perform with my idol Taylor Swift. So yeah that’s the brief story of my life in music.

 

MT: Who do you enjoy listening to as a fan?

Aut: Definitely Taylor Swift. The one and only artist that got me started to sing and write songs.

 

MT: When did you first record and step into a studio and how did you feel?

Aut: My first time that I first recorded was in February 2019. It was for my first song that I released ‘Move On’. It was done in school studio, but somehow I felt really excited to the facts that after I finished recording the song I will finally have at least a song to put out for the whole world to hear.

 

MT: Do you write your own songs? How did you discover the art of writing songs?

Aut: Definitely I write my own songs and it’s something that I’m really good at. I write songs base on my love experience, my past romance, sometimes by movie that I watched or other people story. I actually got forced to write a song when I was in music program for my final assignment. Which later got me to continue writing it from then.

 

MT: Can you explain a little bit about your song-writing process?

Aut: I find my song writing process is really easy though. It’s also really depend on a song, but mostly I always got the song titles first and begin to play some random guitar chords and sing some random melodies at the same times with a specific word that I was thinking of at the moment. When I feel that it’s something I was looking for or accidentally sing out some cool melodies then I started to put the lyrics in it.

 

Indie Artist

MT: You have just released your debut album, ‘LeadOFF’, can you tell us what this album is about and do you have a favourite song? 

Aut: I hope you enjoy the album. Well, I didn’t come up with the ideas for LeadOFF at first until I wrote ‘Don’t Worry About Me’ and ‘All You Ever Do Is Let Me Down’, because these two songs described how’s I was being attacked by some people whose telling me that music isn’t the right choice for me and I won’t make it to wherever I wanna be. So, I was like well this is such a great theme for my first album. I was gonna name it Origin but on the same day my favourite band Imagine Dragons announced the name for their upcoming album and it said Origin and I was like No I have to change the name and I found a new name for it which is LeadOFF. My initial thought was damn it’s such a cool name and nobody got this name on their album yet. The reason why I picked LeadOFF is because I believe that this album will lead me off to some where in music industry either soon or later but definitely somewhere in the industry which later will land me into the place that I dreamt to be. You can’t start off the football game without a kickoff, the plane won’t fly if it didn’t take off and my journey in-music won’t start until LeadOFF. My favourite song on the album is Cruel Summer, because it got the whole 80s vibe in it and I’m a big fan of 80s music. I planned to make a whole 80s album for my fifth Studio Album, because you know I need to bring back some OLD SCHOOL vibe back for the world to hear.

 

MT: Who produced the album and where was it recorded? What did you learn from recording your first album?

Aut: The producers that assisted me to produced this album are: Renea Moso (11 Songs), Thomas Crogan (Move On), Chanon Paopatimakorn (Slow Motion). It was all record at home except for Slow Motion and Move On, they were recording at the school studio. There are many things that I’ve learned from it, but one main thing is I learned how use my vocal, learned how to sing on key and time and got to say after I finished recording the album my vocal has been improved so much.

 

MT: What has been your biggest challenge in your music career so far? How did you overcome that obstacle?

Aut: Only obstacle is the money. I don’t have anyone sponsor me, because I’m an Independent artist at the moment. I got no label to support me. So, what do is I worked at the restaurant to earn the money so that I have the money to pay for music production. Everyday I keep telling myself that I have to do it for music and of course many time I cry and many times I was thinking about giving up, because I was so tired working there, but if I don’t work I won’t have the money to make music. That’s how I overcome it by stay positive, stay passionate and stay inspiring.

 

MT: From what you have learned about your challenges in the music business so far and what advice would you like to give upcoming young independent artists?

Aut: I’m just gonna tell them to keep passionate about it, don’t give up, stay inspiring and keep it going.

 

MT:   Besides singing, do you play any musical instruments? How long have you been playing them?

Aut: I play guitar and piano when I was 15. I picked them up the same time when I started to sing seriously.

 

MT: What’s a typical day for you? Do you work on your music every day? What other activities or hobbies besides music do you like to do that your fans may like to know about?

Aut: Well, I finished writing my second album now and finished writing the draft for my third album already. Right now I’m just doing some side projects like writing some droplet songs that won’t be on any album and do some research on music industry.

 

MT: Have you performed live? Are there plans for any live shows after our lockdowns?

Aut: I had and I was planning to do some gigs but it’s all canceled because of corona.

 

MT: Thank you so much for your time Aut, I really appreciate it and all the very best

 

LINKS TO AUT BELOW

A bright Future for Junior Eurovision Star Efi Gjika

A bright Future for Junior Eurovision Star Efi Gjika

 

Teenage Indie Artist Aut Ratchaphom A Natural Talent

A Bright Future for Junior Eurovision Star Efi Gjika

Efi Gjika


When you’re at the age of 11 and have already found your passion in life, many adults would realise just how lucky you already are. 

Efi Gjika is one young lady who is barely into her teen years and not only knows what her passion is, but seems to have it all worked out as to what’s important in life; have fun, do what you love and use the freedom to express your big imaginations. 

After Efi competed in the Junior Eurovision contest in 2018, there was no stopping this young talent, as you will read from our interview, Efi has a bright future filled with determination and confidence.

Julia Jade Teen Indie Artist DJunior Eurovision Artistreams Of Playing at the Greek Theatre

MT: Hello Efi. Can you tell us how old you are, where you are from and who are some of your musical influences?

Efi: Hello Music Talk, My name is Efi Gjika and i am 11 years old.I am from a country in Europe named Albania. Some of the artists that influenced on my musical taste are Alan Walker, Imagine Dragons, ect.

 

MT: How long have you been singing and performing for?

Efi: I have been singing for as long as I can remember. Music has always been my passion. My first performance was in the musical “Frozen” as the main protagonist Elsa.

 

MT: Who do you enjoy listening to as a fan?

Efi: I enjoy listening to different artists, my favorite one although would be Demi Lovato and Little Mix.

 

MT: When was your very first recording and release?

Efi: My first song was “Barbie” and it was first presented on Junior Eurovision competition 2018.

 

MT: You recently released your single ‘Cool Kids’.  Can you tell us who wrote ‘Cool Kids’ and more about the meaning of the song?

Efi: The song is written by Ada Satka and as for the meaning of the song, it’s about the kids all around the world and how they pass their everyday life. It’s mostly about dancing, having fun, singing, visiting new places and most important of all expressing their imagination.

 

Junior Eurovision Star

MT: Is there a message you hope to make people aware of with your music?

Efi: With my music I would like to inspire young kids nowadays to follow their dreams, have more fun and that nothing should stop them to do so. My music will be a way for them to find themselves and give them strength to move forward.

 

MT: What has been your biggest challenge in your music career so far? How did you overcome that obstacle?

Efi: The biggest challenge was participating in Junior Eurovision, but everything was wiped away by having a strong self-confidence and reassuring myself that nothing can stop me.

 

MT: Can you tell us what the experience was like for you at Junior Eurovision? What did you sing and what was involved?

Efi: At Junior Eurovision I had an amazing experience, I got to enjoy the competition and to do what I’m best at- Singing my heart out. The song that I sang in Junior Eurovision was “Barbie” and it was a solo performance.

 

 

MT: From what you have learned about your challenges so far in the music business, what advice would you like to give other upcoming new artists?

Efi: To the new upcoming artists i would say to them that any obstacle can be passed. Hard work and passion always pay off with love from your fans. I must say that is the greatest feeling someone can get. Music will guide you through.

 

MT:   Besides singing, do you play any musical instruments? How long have you been playing them?

Efi: I have been playing piano from a young age and i do enjoy it a lot.

 

MT: What’s a typical day for you? What other activities or hobbies besides music do you like to do that your fans may like to know about?

Efi: My day involves a lot of different activities, school occupies most of my time. I attend three times a week singing classes, piano courses, dance course and enjoy the rest of the day with my family. Aside from singing i am involved in different fields of art such as acting, ballet, painting and dancing.

 

MT:   Who helps you and supports you with your music?

Efi: My family has helped me and always supportive of my music.

 

MT: What do your friends think of your music? Are they supportive?

Efi: They love listening to my music and always praise me about the message that I try to get across. My friends are pretty supportive of my music and will always do so.

 

MT: Where do you hope to take your music? Have you recorded any music videos and do you perform anywhere?

 Efi: I want to make it even higher than i already am, so it can reach everyone across the world. I have recorded a few music videos that are popular on the internet. I have performed on music competitions and in concerts.

 

MT: What more can we expect this year? Will we see more music in 2020 from you? 

Efi: Of course, I have a few projects that will take place in 2020 that I am sure will make a strong impact so stay tuned!

MT: Thank you Efi for the interview, have a great 2020!

LINKS TO EFI BELOW

A bright Future for Junior Eurovision Star Efi Gjika

A bright Future for Junior Eurovision Star Efi Gjika

 

A bright Future for Junior Eurovision Star Efi Gjika

Teen Indie Artist Livvy K’s Music is Beyond Her Years

Livvy K


Livvy K pairs catchy pop beats with a vocal performance beyond her years.
Livvy K is a diverse new artist who also models and dances alongside her career as a songwriter and singer.

Having released her debut EP in 2018, Livvy K has since enjoyed plays on BBC Introducing. Livvy K also teamed up with MIND and Men Unite, two mental health charities in the UK to release her previous single ‘Broken’ which was written to raise awareness about mental health.

Julia Jade Teen Indie Artist DTeen Pop Singerreams Of Playing at the Greek Theatre

MT: Hello Livvy. Can you tell us who are some of your musical influences? When did you know music was your calling and when did you figure out why you needed to pursue music as your career?

Livvy: Some major influences of mine are people such as Lady Gaga, Ava Max, Jessie J, Brandy and Becky Hill. These artists influence me the most because of how they show their passion, and love for music through their songs and each of these artists stay true to themselves and the art that moves them, that is really important to me as an artist. Ive always been a creative and artistic person but I figured out music was my calling about two years ago when I went into the studio to record my first song and film my first music video. I just fell in love with it all, and I havent stopped since. Its definitely what I was brought here to do.

Teen Indie Artist Livvy K’s Music is Beyond Her Years

MT: How long have you been singing and performing for?

Livvy: Ive been singing since I can remember, music always moved me wether it was through dance or singing. But only in the past two years have I started concentrating on it as a career. So Ive only really been performing for about 2 years!

 

MT: Who do you enjoy listening to as a fan?

Livvy: I enjoy a lot of different styles of music. My favourite rapper is Joyner Lucas, I love pop artists like Becky Hill and Jessie J, I think H.E.R and Roddy Rich are really cool and also sometimes listen to soul music by The Walls Group, it all moves me in such different ways and thats what I love about music.

 

MT: When was your very first recording and release?

Livvy: I released my first EP when I was 16 years old, on February the 2nd 2018. Such a special day for me, I will never forgot it!

 

MT: You recently released your single Way I Do. Can you explain how/who this was written with and more about the meaning of the song and how it ties into your music goals?

Livvy: My newest single “Way I Do” was written in Colorado USA with two very close friends of mine, Soli Ridge and John Gillette, both of whom are incredible writers and creatives that I love to work with! We all came together to write this song as it talks about something quite a lot of us deal with or have dealt with before, and that’s catching feelings for the wrong person. Love is great but it can be difficult sometimes and I wanted to express the thoughts and feeling I was going through at the time and make it into something that people can relate to and listen to, as a way of forgetting about the negatives and embracing the music and having a good time!

 

MT: How old are you and when did you write your first song?

Livvy: I am currently 18 years young. When I first started my journey into the music industry, I spent a lot of time with writers in the USA, learning how to write and express my thoughts and put it into a song. I worked together with these great writers to create my first EP and am lucky enough to still work with such a great team of creatives that I continue to learn from and grow with everyday! I only recently wrote a whole song myself about 6 months ago which I can’t wait for everyone to hear.

 

Teen Indie Artist

MT: Can you describe your current sound and has your sound changed since you wrote your first song?

Livvy: I would describe it as a Pop sound and melody with more vocals than typical pop. I like to play with vocal textures and colours and add a slight urban/dance vibe as-well! I like exploring and trying things outside of my comfort zone when it comes to my sound 100%, but I would say this is defo my current vibe and where I see myself staying for now.

 

MT: What has been your biggest challenge in your music career so far? How did you overcome that obstacle?

Livvy: Myself. We can often get in our own way and have doubts when it comes to achieving our dreams. Its scary and uncertain, but nothing worth having is easy. You have to believe in yourself and your ability to achieve your vision!!

 

MT: From what you have learned about your challenges in the music business, what advice would you like to give upcoming new artists?

Livvy: Be consistent and work hard! Hard work out weights talent, you have got to be willing to give it everything you have!

 

MT:   Besides singing, do you play any musical instruments? How long have you been playing them?

Livvy: I am currently learning the Piano, I started by teaching myself about 6 months ago, but am starting to get lessons soon! I absolutely LOVE it!

 

MT: Whats a typical day for you? Do you work on your music every day? What other activities or hobbies besides music do you like to do that your fans may like to know about?

Livvy: A typical day for me is WORK WORK WORK! I never stop, from dancing, gigs, recording, events, gym, travelling, photoshoots, painting, cooking and writing, everyday is go go go! And that is what I love about what I do, even though sometimes things get difficult to manage, my work is what I do for fun and I wouldnt change it for the world!

 

MT:  You have teamed up with MIND and Men United to raise awareness about mental health. What is your association with mental health and how important is it to you to spread the awareness?

Livvy: Its very important to me, I have just started touring around schools all over the UK to help raise awareness and talk about my personal experiences with my mental health. After struggling with depression and anxiety myself, I felt like people needed to know that they are not alone and that there is help out there! So far the response has been so heart warming, knowing that my music and my struggles can help and change peoples lives makes it all worth it. So I have recently released a single called “Broken” along with a mini documentary, both of which talk about my mental health story and a few other brave peoples stories. All the proceeds were donated to two very important charities which were Men Unite and MIND both of which support mental health. I will always try my best to use the platform Im given to help others, that is so important to me.

 

MT: Do you perform much? Do you have a favourite performance to date and why?

Livvy: I perform a lot, as much as I can really!! Oooo thats a very tough question, I have had so many fun ones, to name a few I would say BBC Highest Point Festival, Radio City Box on the Docks and CMXX in Las Vegas. I am so excited for the ones I have coming up this year too, there gonna be fab!

 

MT: Do you have any specific rituals or do anything specific before you head out on stage or even before you record your vocals in the studio?

Livvy: This is such a cool question. Theres quite a few, when recording I always have to have the lights either off or down low, it sets the vibe for me, and sometimes I take gem stones and crystals into the studio to help with my spirituality and mood depending on how I feel.

 

MT: Where can people see you perform next; are you planning on taking your music out to the fans?

Livvy: Ive got loads lined up for 2020! I always post up and coming performances on my social media so make sure to check out my instagram for updates! Thank you very much for taking the time to chat with me today, all the best!

Instagram – @whoislivvyk

 

MT: Thank you Livvy for the interview, have a great 2020!

LINKS TO LIVVY BELOW

Hear Why Teenage Pop Singer Katie Kittermaster Will Be HUGE

Teen Indie Artist Livvy K’s Music is Beyond Her Years

 

Hear Why Teenage Pop Singer Katie Kittermaster Will Be HUGE

Hear Why Teenage Pop Singer Katie Kittermaster Will Be Huge

Katie Kittermaster


Katie Kittermaster is a British 18 year old singer/ songwriter. Her vocals are haunting, emotive and distinctive. Her writing is based on relationships, which resonates well with her target listeners. Her writing is fresh and honest. She’s funny and entertaining and her stories about her song writing are popular with the audience.
In August 2017 Katie performed to over 10K people opening for Louisa Johnson and dance group, Diversity.
In September 2018 Katie opened for Jools Holland and Marc Almond at Kimbolton Castle in Cambridgeshire. Katie supported Olly Murs in December in the same year.
Following on from her A Levels, summer 2019 saw Katie perform at many festivals including Penn Fest, Eldorado, Deebsday, The Big Feastival and CarFest.
Katie has opened for Ronan Keating at 2 gigs this summer and has just completed supporting 
Boyzlife on their winter tour; playing 15 gigs over 22 nights. 

Julia Jade Teen Indie Artist DPop Singerreams Of Playing at the Greek Theatre

MT/Danielle: You recently released your single “Sunday Afternoon”.  Can you explain how this title and the meaning of the song ties into your music goals?

Katie: Sunday Afternoon was a song that I wrote for my boyfriend as birthday present. It’s about being in a very comfortable and happy place in a relationship. I’m hopeful that this track is relatable to many people. My aim through my music is to connect with the audience but also allow them to interpret my music in a way that is personal to them.  The story telling in my music seems to resonate with fans, young and older and this is something that’s important to me as I would like my music to have longevity and mass appeal.

 

MT/Danielle: You are now 19 and you wrote your first song when you were 15. Can you describe your current sound? Has your sound changed since you wrote your first song?

Katie: My first song was one called ‘Mine’. I sometimes listen back to it and realise that the structure is quite basic. I have learnt a lot over the last 4 years in terms of melody, build, timing and other elements but I think the core to my writing has stayed constant, in terms of the story telling approach. I haven’t had any formal training regarding my song writing and I am confident that with practice as well as collaboration, my songwriting will continue to develop. I would describe my sound as ‘acoustic pop’ with a hint of country perhaps. I want to retain my ‘sound’ and although some of my songs take a slightly different musical journey, I am keen that my vocal still sounds unique. I have been told that I sound very British and one fan mentioned that I sound quite ‘posh’; I always want to be true to myself and record songs that are ‘me’ but I don’t necessarily think that this means you have to pigeon-hole yourself to a certain style.

 

MT/Danielle: You’re originally from Kent, but you moved to Dubai for 3 years. Can you share how moving to Dubai changed your music career and opened doors for you?

Katie: I moved to Dubai when I was 11. I was lucky to get a few opportunities that not only opened a couple of doors but they also gave me confidence in my ability and the drive to work hard. I was involved in a school initiative which led to a few of us singing live on national TV and from this performance, I was then asked to open an event for The Global Gift Foundation; this was hosted by Eva Longoria and Ricky Martin and attended by 50Cent and Maxwell. Following on from this, I was also asked to perform at the Help For Heroes Charity event at The British Embassy. These two high profile events ignited a passion and made me realise that performing was something that I wanted to pursue.

 

MT/Danielle: You’ve opened for some amazing artists. Can you share some of the artists you have been able to open for and how those experiences have helped you grow as an artist? What has been your favourite performance to date and why?

Katie: I have been lucky. In fairness I have enjoyed all the performances that I have done, whether they have been with seasoned artists or performances in my local pub! My first major gig where I performed my original songs was at The Big Day Out in Maidstone. This was when I was 16. Louisa Johnson was headlining and other artists at this event included Atomic Kitten and Diversity. There were over 10,000 people in the crowd and although it was quite daunting, I loved it. I hadn’t actually performed any of my songs outside of my bedroom at that stage!!! So, this memory will always be very special. Since then I have opened for Jools Holland and Marc Almond, Olly Murs and Ronan Keating. The first gig with Ronan Keating was amazing at the most beautiful setting of Castle Howard, just outside York. It was certainly a very memorable night, as half way through Ronan’s set the heavens opened and thunder and lightning reigned overhead which caused the whole event to be called off. The second gig with Ronan was also very special. Once again, a stunning location, but what makes these events so special sometimes is who is there. A lot of family and some friends came to the gig with Ronan in Cambridgeshire and it means so much when you can share these moments with people who are close to you. Being on tour with Brian McFadden and Keith Duffy was incredible. Both of them are so friendly and supportive; singing on stage with them every night is something I will never forget. So generous of them to let me join them on stage and publicly call me ‘a female Ed Sheeran’. WOW.

 

Pop Singer Katie Kittermaster

MT/Danielle: Who are some of your musical influences? When did you know music was your calling and when did you figure out why you needed to pursue music as your career?

Katie: This is hard as I listen to a lot of music. Ed Sheeran is a huge influence and inspiration. His back story is so motivational. Maisie Peters and Gabrielle Aplin are two other singer-songwriters that have definitely influenced my style. I love Lily Allen, Kate Nash and Joni Mitchell. I listen to a lot of music! I think ‘The Big Day Out’ event was probably when I realised 100% that this is what I wanted to do. Up until then I had sung covers of other peoples music. Music is central to my life. I cannot imagine not doing what I do. When I have had times that have been challenging, music has been a way for me to express myself and deal with things that are at times hard. It’s a very competitive arena and I am realistic about that. But, despite the fact the market is flooded and the odds are stacked against me, I will do everything that I can to get my music heard.

 

MT/Danielle: What has been your biggest challenge in your music career so far? How did you overcome that obstacle?

Katie: The biggest challenge was probably writing my first song. I had no idea where to start. I was feeling the pressure to write as everyone kept saying ‘you have a great voice, but you need to be able to write’. It’s not something that you can force. It wasn’t until my first teenage ‘heartbreak’ that this door unlocked and I’ve been a prolific writer ever since – there are over 30 songs ready to be recorded!

 

MT/Danielle: Besides singing, do you play any musical instruments? How long have you been playing them?

Katie: I play the guitar and piano – I use the word playing quite lightly. I have never had formal training and have taught myself what I know. I use these instruments mainly for writing but also play my guitar on stage. I am lucky to be sponsored by Taylor Guitars and Roland. 2020 is definitely my year to improve both of these instruments as it will facilitate my writing and my versatility.

 

MT/Danielle: What’s a typical day for you? Do you work on your music every day? What other activities besides music do you like to do that your fans may like to know about?

Katie: Since leaving school in June, having done my A Levels, I have been non stop on the road. The festival season was pretty busy with The Big Feastival, El Dorado, Carfest and others. Following that I went straight on tour with Boyzlife for a month. I am now on tour with Lucy Spraggan until mid December. I have a writing trip planned for January and will then be recording some new music. So, yes music is an everyday thing right now. But if I wasn’t ‘doing music’ I’d be with friends for sure. Touring can be quite lonely so I love to catch up with friends on days off.

 

MT/Danielle: You have an EP called “Coming Home At Dawn” Coming out on November 1, 2019. What would you like fans to know about the meaning behind the music on your upcoming EP? Where can fans find  “Coming Home At Dawn” when it is released?

Katie: Coming Home at Dawn will be on Spotify – it’s on pre-order now https://music.apple.com/gb/album/coming-home-at-dawn-ep/1480033715. As well as on the digital platforms, it is also available on my website shop page. The CD has been selling really well on tour; the sadness is that very few people have access to a CD player anymore. The music on Coming Home at Dawn is a body of work that I felt was cohesive. There are 2 songs on there that I wrote when I was 15 – Kaleidoscope and T-shirt. I think that it gives fans a selection of tracks that get them to know me as a person and artist. All the tracks are all written from personal experiences. I am pretty sure that my new music will be an extension and development of this music without detracting away too far.

 

MT/Danielle: You are currently on tour. Where can fans find information for your upcoming performances during this tour? Is there anything else you would like to share with fans about the tour or is there anything else you would like to announce for your fans?

Katie: I post as regularly on the social platforms about what I’m up to on tour. I try and show some behind the scenes stuff too. The dates are all on my website – Lucy has the tour dates on her site too. The shows have been very full/sold out as her fan base is huge and very loyal. It’s a great tour for me as I think our music is quite similar in some ways. As a support artist you have to work very hard to win the crowd over as they are clearly not there to see you; but thankfully Lucy’s fans are very respectful and I really get the sense that they are listening to my lyrics and enjoying the music; this response gives me a huge sense of gratitude and I feel very humble to be in this fortunate position.

LINKS TO KATIE BELOW

Hear Why Teenage Pop Singer Katie Kittermaster Will Be HUGE

Hear Why Teenage Pop Singer Katie Kittermaster Will Be HUGE

 

Hear Why Teenage Pop Singer Katie Kittermaster Will Be HUGE

Links to KATIE KITTERMASTER

Website: https://www.katiekittermaster.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiekittermaster/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kkittermaster

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kkittermaster

Hear Why Teenage Pop Singer Katie Kittermaster Will Be HUGE

Julia Jade Teen Indie Artist Dreams Of Playing at the Greek Theatre

Julia Jade 


Julia Jade is a young singer/songwriter with a bright future! She graduated the Berklee College of Music at the age of 19 in May of 2019, and her unique songs are bound to get stuck in your head! Here’s a little more about the talented musician!

Indie Artist

Julia Jade Teen Indie Artist Dreams Of Playing at the Greek Theatre

MADDIE/MT: How did you first get into music and/or decide you wanted to pursue it? 

JULIA: My parents are both musicians and started me on piano lessons when I was 3.5 years old so it wasn’t super surprising. When I was around 6, I told my sister that we should both go to our rooms and not come out until we both had written a song, so I think it was always a little bit inside of me. I grew up doing children’s theatre and found a passion for acting for a while, and ended up attending the LA County High School for the Arts, where I switched from theatre to music during my freshman year. At that time, I applied to the Berklee College of Music on a whim and it was the first school I was accepted to. That’s when I really started thinking, hmm.. maybe I could really do this. 

 

MT: What instruments do you play and/or which would you like to learn most?

JULIA: I play and write on piano and ukulele. However, I studied music education in college and because of that dabbled in many instruments, learning the basics just enough to teach them—so I can noodle around on some unexpected instruments. However, I’ve always wanted to play cello, but when I was in elementary school my parents thought it was too big for me to carry around, so I settled on flute. But the dream is still alive and well and maybe one day I could pick it up !

 

MT: You have a brand new release called “Speed Dating”, what can you tell us about the inspiration behind this song? 

JULIA:The song was honestly inspired by my partner and how right before we got together  I had given up on the prospect of dating for a while because I was about to graduate college early. I thought it would be fun to paint the concept of an apathetic speed dating attendee who spots that special someone in the room and gets swept of their feet. When I produced it, I decided I wanted it to sound like what the inside of my head sounds like when my partner is around. When submitting it to blogs, a few of them said it was a little bit bright sounding for their taste, and I liked that feedback because that means it’s an authentic depiction of how I feel when I’m with her. 

 

MT: What is your favourite lyric from the song and why?

JULIA:This is a toughy because I have a few I enjoy, but I think my favorite would have to be: “she speaks in works of art.” I think sometimes I overthink when I write my music, wondering if a lyric is clever enough or will resonate with my audience, but this one felt so simple because it was so true & authentic to the person I was writing about. 

 

Singer Indie Artist

MT: Who are your major influences? Musically and also who you look up to as performers in general? 

JULIA: I think those are one in the same for me. I absolutely worship David Bowie and think he’s probably the reason I’m such an outer space case. I’ve always loved how he has painted mystery as such an exciting thing. I also grew up listening to a lot of Elton John and Billy Joel and feel that they have absolutely influenced my theatrical and eccentric use of the piano. In terms of my contemporary influences, I am heavily influenced by Tegan and Sara, Regina Spektor, Kate Nash, and Dodie—and I pepper in some old Taylor Swift to stay true to my roots. 

 

MT: If you could write a song with one of these people, who would you choose, and what do you think you’d write about? 

JULIA: I’d die to write with Dodie and think we could write a killer song about bi/pan erasure because we both think representation is important. 

 

MT: What has been your favourite venue that you’ve played at and/or what is your dream venue? 

JULIA: It’s hard to pick a favorite so I’ll pick the place I played my first ever gig. It’s called Genghis Cohen and it’s a combination chinese food and music venue and it was the first time I had performed a set of originals, and at the end of the night they handed me a stack of cash and I couldn’t believe someone would pay me to have so much fun ! They have a really nice set up and it’s always a really nice place to be. In terms of my dream venue, I’ve always dreamed of playing at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. It’s an outdoor venue that’s a really nice size and I’ve seen some of my favorite artists play there. Whenever I’m there, I always catch myself daydreaming about what I would say if I got to be on that stage, how I would want to tell the people in the nosebleed section that I see them and I’m really glad they came, and other things like that. 

 

MT: Is there a song that you wish you wrote because you feel so connected to it? 

JULIA: The Shell by Lucy Dacus. That song is a work of art and is a beautiful representation of meeting people where they’re at. 

Indie Artist Julia Jade

MT: What are you currently working on? What can fans look forward to in the next few months? 

JULIA: I’m recording two new singles, and one of them is a Christmas song! So everyone can expect to be hearing from me around the holidays, and otherwise I’m working on a few more self-produced projects as well. I’m excited to be gigging a bit in Nashville and will be in a couple of other cities as well including Los Angeles and Chicago for a little bit. 

 

MT: If you could give one piece on advice to your younger self, what would you say? 

JULIA:Nothing is as scary as you’re making it out to be and everything is going to be okay. 

 

MT: And just off the topic of music, if you were able to go tomorrow, what place would you travel to? 

 JULIA: Can I bring my friends and family? If so, I’d like to go to London and see the sights and experience great live music and shows. If I can’t bring them, I’d like to go to Boston, because I haven’t seen my friends in a bit and a bunch of them are over there and I miss them.  

 

MT: Where can we find out more about you? Links/social media’s etc! 

JULIA: Find me on instagram at: julia_jaded. That’s where I’m the most active. Otherwise, I have a Facebook page under Julia Jade, a website at the URL juliajade.net, and an inactive twitter with over 100 incoherent tweets about The Beatles. 

LINKS TO JULIA BELOW

Julia Jade Teen Indie Artist Dreams Of Playing at the Greek Theatre

STAY TUNED ON FRIDAY 18TH OCTOBER FOR JULIA’S BRAND NEW SINGLE, ‘SPEED DATING’

Julia Jade Album Cover

 

Captivating Blend of Country Rock And Soul From Isobel Holly

Isobel Holly 


Hailing from Bath, Isobel Holly is a 19-year-old singer-songwriter, whose exciting blend of country, rock and soul makes for a truly captivating live performance. Influences such as Fleetwood Mac and Aretha Franklin are reflected in her heartfelt song-writing and powerful vocals. This November, see her play live alongside her incredible band, all of whom study at the Royal Northern College of Music. You’ll have a taste of her debut upcoming album, which is set for release in February next year. Expect intense guitar solo sections combined with delicate lyricism. 

Singer

Captivating Blend of Country Rock and Soul  From Isobel Holly

Maddie/MT: How did you first get into music and/or decide you wanted to pursue it? 

Isobel: My sister and I used to write songs together; she definitely inspired me to get into it. I realised I had to pursue it when I couldn’t imagine my life without being involved in the industry. 

 

MT:  What instruments do you play and/or which would you like to learn most?

Isobel: I’m a singer and I play guitar but I’d love to improve my lead guitar skills so I can play the solos I imagine in my head myself! I’d also love to learn how to play the harp. It’s such a beautiful instrument. It would be really fun to sing while accompanying myself on the harp. 

 

MT:     Can you tell us a little bit about your most recent release “Atticus”? What was the inspiration behind the song, and what was the writing process there? 

Isobel: I’ve been a fan of the Instagram-famous poet, Atticus, for a couple of years now. He wrote the line ‘thinking of you is a poison I drink often’ and gave me permission to use it. I was immediately struck by the power behind the words and also how they resonated with me. I think a lot of people have been in toxic relationships and that it was a theme with which a lot of people could relate. Once I had that first line, the rest of the lyrics came to me very easily. I wanted a big chorus. A long note held over full instrumental accompaniment for impact and emotive effect- Almost like crying. As I usually do, I wrote the chords on my guitar first and the rest of the riffs came after, with the help of my producer, Corben, who played all the other instruments on the recording. 

 

SingerMT:  What is your favourite lyric from the song and why?

Isobel: Of course, it would have to be ‘thinking of you is a poison I drink often’, but that’s the one I didn’t write! Some of the lyrics in the chorus are ‘I can’t decide what’s hurting me the most; your ghost, or that I have come too far to turn back now’. By this, I mean to say that she can’t work out what’s causing more pain- the memory of him, or the way she can’t undo what’s happened to create that memory in the first place. 

 

MT:  Who are your major influences? Musically and also who you look up to as performers in general. 

Isobel: Missy Higgins and Carole King have been huge musical influences for me; they’re fantastic songwriters and I love that they write with so much heart and soul. Kacey Musgraves is a wonderful artist. The way she presents herself and performs inspires me every day! 

 

MT:   If you could ask one of those influences one question, what would it be? 

Isobel: I would ask their opinion of my music- how I could make it better. 

 

MT:  What has been your favourite venue that you’ve played at, and what is your dream venue? 

Isobel: My favourite venue would be Komedia Bath, UK, but my favourite gig would definitely be the Bath Festival Finale Weekend I played with my wonderful band this summer. Hometown gigs are always special. 

 

Singer

 MT: You have an EP! What is “The Right Way Up” inspired by? Do you have a favourite track from it? 

Isobel: Tricky question! I wrote these songs when I was rather young. The title track and Yours Was the One were inspired by my experiences as a young teenager, but the other two weren’t based on anything too personal. More stories I amplified and wrote there and then. 

MT: What are you currently working on? What can fans look forward to in the next few months? 

Isobel: I’ve got a couple more singles in the pipeline- one being released at the end of October, which is super exciting. I am also creating an album I hope to release in February! Just a few more tracks to record. I’ve got some gigs around the UK coming up too. 

 

MT:  If you could give one piece on advice to your younger self, what would you say? 

Isobel: Don’t let one bad comment override all the good ones. But this is a hard one to remember even now I know it! 

Links To Isobel

Website: https://www.isobelholly.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isobelhollymusic/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/isobelholly

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/isobelhollymusic

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCRUPdQNv3ctmzdzwc0FzuA

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7xULtBABTiR4G539YC8PdC

 

Captivating Blend of Country Rock and Soul  From Isobel Holly

 

I look Into Ways Of How I Can Blend Other Genres Into My Own sTyle

Cheyne Greene


Cheyne Greene, pop and alternative singer/songwriter who grew up and lived in Dubai for the majority of his life. Born in Dundonald, Ireland in January 2002, he started singing at a very young age and began learning the keys at 9 years old. Throughout his music career, he’s performed at school music venues showcasing the types of music he writes and songs of artists that he loves to listen to.

As someone who loves to write his own music, he focuses a lot on the alternative side and really wants to create his music where every track has a different style and tone to it.

Independent Singer

His first EP “Into the Night” is a body of work which he’s extremely proud of and contains the tracks that’s most resonated with him when he started songwriting. 

 

Interview with Danielle Haskell

Danielle: You recently released your album titled “Into the Night”. Can you explain the title and how this title reflects your music goals? You have four songs on the album, can you give your fans a little insight into the meaning behind each song?

Cheyne: All these songs on the EP were written back when I was 14-15 and are the one’s that’s most resonated with me when I started songwriting. None of these songs were based on my own experiences and were based more on my own imaginative thoughts and ideas.

The first track “Into the Night” which I used to title the EP tackles a man’s breakup and his own refusal to go into the deep dark depression which I symbolize as the night. The one he’s in love with still remains in the daylight while he’s slowly transitioning into the night. I find it very interesting as well as it’s this massive electro pop track however the lyrics are actually very sad. How the title reflects my music goals? Well I’m not going to say I’m moving into a state of depression, but I can see this track to be more of a push to get me out there more to others around the world as one of my goals is to write records that resonate with people’s hearts.

The second track on the EP “Say Goodbye to Melodies” was a scenario I came up with where a soldier who had left his loved one and his home to fight for a war immediately comes to regret and wants to see his loved one again. He experiences many lives that are lost through the shocking moments he endures and here I symbolize that each life lost within the war, it represents its own melody, its own motif. While this soldier is continuously saying goodbye to the melodies within the war, he wants to hold onto his own memories with the loved one he so desperately wants to see again.

“Today” and “Watching You” are both connected to me, with “Watching You” being more of a sequel to “Today”. They’re about a man who constantly checks on the one he loves bedridden. His insanity and him being unable to know if she’ll be better when he remains astray from his path are reflected off the heavy guitar played throughout “Today”. The pop-rock track “Watching You” shows that he’s finally pulling himself together and will continue to remain by her side.

 

Danielle: You were born in Dundonald, Ireland and then moved to Dubai. How did growing up in these two locations influence your music?

Cheyne: When I was born in Ireland I only lived there for a few months haha. So it was mainly Dubai that influenced my music with me growing up and listening to what everyone else listened to; Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Charlie Puth, or Shawn Mendes. I’ve seemed to move off from that path now and listen to more alternative and contemporary music. I look into ways of how I can blend other genres into my own style, so occasionally I’ll come back to pop music to see if there’s anything that catches my attention.

 

Danielle: It’s well known that you like to write your own music. Have you ever collaborated with anyone? Who are your musical influences?  If you could pick any one artist to share a stage with, who would that be?

Cheyne: Other artists? No, I haven’t yet but I really look forward to in the future. My musical influences I’d say come from a number of artists. The two major ones being Declan McKenna and Tom Odell. The creativity in their songs is just outstanding for me. Tom Odell is also an artist I’d love to perform with. I watched him live a few months ago in Dubai and my piano playing can’t even compare to his. The effort that he puts into his live shows amazes me so much that I actually aspire to be like him one day.

 

Danielle: If there was one message your fans could take away from your music, what would you want that to be? 

Cheyne: Not to take anyone or anything for granted. You won’t realize someone or something is there until they aren’t anymore.  

 

Danielle: How long have you been singing? When did you know that you wanted a career in music? Besides singing, do you play any musical instruments?

Cheyne: I started singing at a very young age, I think I was around 3. My family background was always very musical, my grandmother was a stage actress who played the piano, violin, and had an incredible singing voice. She had amazing vocal control and her range was amazing. My father also just loves music, you could show him any song from the 1960s to 90s and he’d know it immediately, he’s an absolute music guru. And I guess this all kind of rubbed off on me. When I was 8 I started learning the guitar and a year later I began learning the piano although I hated learning them at the time because I was playing classical and had no interest for it. It was when I was 12 and started writing my own stuff that I profoundly grew a love for music. Then I realized that this was what I wanted to do, this is what I would enjoy doing for a career.

 

Danielle: What’s a typical day for you? Do you work on your music every day? What other activities besides music do you like to do that your fans may like to know about? 

Cheyne: I used to work on my music every day. I’m so focused on school now that I can hardly find the time for it. When I graduate however I’ll go back to working on it every day just like I used to. I remember going crazy when I turned 14, I would sit at the piano every day coming up with vocal melodies and recording anything that would come to my head. It’s a lot of fun when you can piece together chord progressions that work and it’s more enjoyable when you can write lyrics to it that actually fit and have their own meaning. Do I have any other activities besides music? That’s the thing, I don’t. I know, I’m a very boring person haha.

 

Danielle: What’s next? Do you have any up-coming performances you would like fans to know about? Is there anything else you would like to announce for your fans or anything you would like them to know? 

Cheyne: I gave a small heads up on one of my posts that I’d be releasing an album next. I don’t know how long it will take but I plan on producing the whole body of work. Currently, I’m performing at local open mic nights around Dubai so anyone living there feel free to come!

 

Links to Cheyne Greene

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheynegreene/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cheynegreene/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cheynegreene

Website: https://www.cheynegreene.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9-jrRgFsYc

SPOTIFY | ITUNES | GOOGLE PLAY

Face

Into The Night

 

I Trusted God Was Leading Me In The Right Direction

avery blank


Hey y’all, this is Avery Blank.  I’m a singer and songwriter from a small town in Kansas!  Thank you for checking out my music. 

Interviews from teenager indie music artists
TEEN TALKS

I began singing at a very young age in my church.  I’ve always been surrounded by my family and community that encourage me to keep pursuing music.  It wasn’t hard for me to do because I love it!  My grandmother is an accomplished pianist and growing up she was one of my biggest musical influences.  Funny that I didn’t take to playing the piano, but instead I loved vocals and playing the guitar.  

Growing up I considered singing more of a hobby, but I got more serious about pursuing music as a career after attending Christian vocal camps in Nashville, TN.  Christian music has always been my passion and going to those camps solidified my decision to become a Contemporary Christian artist. As I continued to perform more and more, opportunities kept presenting and I trusted God was leading me in the right direction.  I started really developing as a CCM artist when I was just 16 years old and professionally began writing and recording music in Nashville, TN.  Singer with Guitar

My first single, “Unbroken” was released in 2018.  This song was written at a time in my life when I was struggling with emotions, relationships, and my own body image. I wrote this song to remind people to find their worth in God’s eyes and not in earthly things. My second single, “Not Over”, was just released on May 24, 2019. This song originated with just those two words and the idea of a message that even in the darkest times God is always good and with us. You can find my music on all the digital platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, Amazon, etc.

I continue to learn and grow in my own daily walk with Christ, and my goal through my music is to reach others in the same way.  I always want to be honest and true to myself when writing so that I can speak to others who may be experiencing similar things. The wonderful thing about music is that it can reach people in so many ways and this is what gives me the motivation to continue my musical journey.  I hope that you enjoy it and thank you again for taking the time to listen! 

LINKS TO AVERY BLANK

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/averyblank/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AveryBlankMusic/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/AveryBlank
Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/averyblank

 

 

Unbroken – avery blank

 

Szandra Wants to Brighten a Person’s Day; An Inspiration to Teenagers

szandra mayer


Szandra Mayer hails from Los Angeles but now resides in the vibrant state of Florida. The teen singer truly brings the sunshine into her music, using her creative platform to spread positivity and her bubbly personality to her listeners. Her latest single Never Ever is a potential Euro Pop hit which speaks truth about the hardships of first love. 

Singer

Never Evers’ funky beat and accompanying melody make it particularly striking and comparable to two of her biggest influences, Ariana Grande and Selena Gomez. 

Despite her young age, Szandra Mayer is no stranger to global success. Her earlier single ‘Paradise’ was picked up by many major radio stations and sat within the pop category of Global DRT Top 50 for many weeks. 

Since then,  her fan-base has continued to grow and she now boasts over 65k followers on Instagram as well as over 40k streams on Soundcloud and 15k monthly Spotify listeners. 

Faith and Harry interviewed Szandra to find out a bit more about her and her music.


Faith and Harry: When did you know you wanted to be a singer?

Szandra: I personally think the moment it really hit me, like i knew this is wanted for my career was when i was 7 and i performed “A Whole New World” for a play that i knew this is what i wanted to do for the rest of my life.

F&H: What Genre of music do you record?

Szandra: I record all types of genres. I am still young so I’m trying to find the right one for me, but i usually record europop, r and b, dance, or pop.

Singer F&H: Who do you take inspiration from and why do they influence you?

Szandra: I usually take inspiration from Ariana Grande and Selena Gomez. They influence me because they both started at a young age and made it so far in their career. I love their music and they help me find myself.

F&H: Do you play an instrument?

Szandra: I am currently learning piano which is really exciting!

F&H: What is your native language? And do you speak any other languages.

Szandra: Yes, I speak 3 languages. English, Spanish, ad Hungarian. My native language is English

F&H: Which one of your songs is your favorite?

Szandra: Honestly they all connect to me in a different way but my favorite is “Drop Dead Diva” which is a new song i will be releasing  soon.

F&H: What’s your new single ‘Never Ever’ about?

Szandra: Never Ever is about a couple who are going through difficult times. The boy in this story cheats on the girl and the girl Is struggling to find herself again.

F&H: Do your parents support your musical aspirations? And do you come from a musical family.

Szandra: Yes, of course. I am so grateful for their love and support. My mom used to sing in the choir and my aunt plays piano. My dad is very talented in writing poems so I might have gotten my writing skills from him.

F&H: Your Instagram is very impressive. Who takes your Instagram pictures?

Szandra: Thank you. I appreciate it and usually my parents do.

F&H: You use a lot of inspirational quotes on Instagram, what are you trying to tell your audience?Quote

Szandra: I put them up to brighten a persons day or to teach a lesson. I love quotes and i love basing my life on some quotes that teach you to be better.

F&H: Who plays the instruments on your songs?

Szandra: It is all done by a Hungarian music producer but i’m pretty sure he does it, like electronic music.  

F&H: Do your friends or family act in your music videos?

Szandra: No they don’t. The people in the videos are usually professional actors. I was thinking about that though and I will definitely consider it in the future.

F&H: If you could be anyone who would you be?

Szandra: I would honestly want to stay myself. If i had to choose a character from a movie, though I would definitely choose Anne from the Greatest Showman.

F&H: Where is your favorite place in the world ?🌎

Szandra: Anywhere in Europe, especially Hungary. Its beautiful and I always have the time of my life there.

Peru is also amazing and i loving going there as well.

F&H: Do you think music will be your adult career?

Szandra: Definitely, I can’t imagine myself doing anything else. I know i want to do it for the rest of my life.

F&H: Have you entered any talent competitions?

SingerSzandra: Yes i have in the past. They were a few years ago though. I am concentrating on writing and recording now.

F&H: If you record a duet who would you love to sing with?

Szandra: Honestly i would love to collab with any talented rapper. I think that would be amazing.

F&H: Who is your favorite artist of all time?

Szandra: Definitely Ariana Grande!! I love her so much!

F&H: Are you homeschooled or do you attend a regular school?

Szandra: No i am not homeschooled. I go to a private school in my area.

F&H: What is your favorite thing to do when your not making music?

Szandra: Usually i like to work out to get my body moving. I also study for tests and of course do my schoolwork.

Thanks again, Faith&Harry

Thank you so much for this opportunity!

LINKS TO SZANDRA MAYER

Website: https://szandramayer.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SZANDRAVMAYER

Twitter: https://twitter.com/szandramayer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/szandravmayer/

Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/artist/4cjcoP0KkOnED4prAyPFSO

Soundcloud:  https://soundcloud.com/user-248311209

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGiLzvZEeaKy8vbr-De1BjQ

 

NEVER EVER – SZANDRA

 

The 17 Year Old Songstress With an Old-Rock’n’Roll Soul

sambea cochrane


Sambea Cochrane (pronounced Sam-bee-a) is a young artist from Toronto, Canada. Her undeniable talent has landed her all around the world, and has pushed her closer and closer to her dreams. 

Singer

The 17 year old songstress started her musical journey at the age of 4 when both her and her parents realized her love for singing. She would learn just about every Disney song imaginable and constantly be reciting the lyrics. This brought her into vocal lessons, and after a performance of John Denver’s “Leaving on a Jetplane” at a Florida Crab Bar, there was no turning back. 

Her love for music brought her to Canada’s Major Children’s Choir at the age of 12. She had the chance to not only sing with plenty of other kids her age, but learn all about the history and theory of music as well. Among other things, the choir eventually brought Sambea along on their Eastern Europe tour where she got to perform and visit some of the most beautiful venues the young artist has seen. Understandably, some of her favourite venues were the oldest churches in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland. While she cherishes her time in those grand buildings, her dream venue comes from her old-rock’n’roll-soul that hopes to one day play at the great Wembley Stadium in London, England. 

While her main instruments are piano and guitar, Sambea has a knack for picking up just about any instrument she can get her hands on, including the ukulele, saxophone, and flute! 

Her urge to learn more about her musicianship is an obvious attribute in how she goes about writing her songs. It also shows her old-school taste in music. Cochrane’s influences stem from the classic rock era, and translate into her own music heavily as she’s constantly experimenting and wanting to try new things. Some of her favourites are Queen, The Beatles, The Eagles, Billy Joel, Tom Waits and plenty more of the classics. However, the influences don’t stop there! Growing up in an Irish household brought her to many classic musicians from Ireland, and as a young girl, Taylor Swift really sprung Sambea into deciding that music was her passion. 

Cochrane’s music is influenced a lot by her life, especially in the writing of her first album, “Radio Road”. Her description states that it’s “a compilation of songs that demonstrate and represent the range of emotions that I experienced during that period of my life and was, in a sense, my own diary put to a tune”. 

A personal favourite of hers on the album is “Cigarette Smoke”, due to the sincerity of the lyrics. She found that some of the words perfectly encompassed the idea of her album. It was her young self realizing that life wasn’t completely logical, and her coming to terms with that. The second song on the album explained that feeling with the lyrics: “I tried numbers, all I knew, my God above. Every formula, equation, ever devised, I tried codes, machines, and realised that science wouldn’t show me how to love”. 

After the release of her album at the age of 15, Cochrane has realized that she has changed a lot since then. Her most recent single “Geneva” was written and influenced with the idea of having a strong storyline. With the ideas from Billy Joel’s “Scenes of an Italian Restaurant”, and the Eagles song “The Last Resort” the young songwriter was on her way! She claims that the song was very experimental, and was a success at the same time in her eyes. And there is no doubt that others will agree with that statement. 

As she is currently finishing up high school, Sambea hopes to pursue music as a full time career when she is finally able to. The artist hopes to have a long and rewarding career, just like all of us dream, and we’re dreaming that hers in in the music industry, where she belongs! 


Maddie: How did you first get into music?Singer Singing

Sambea: That’s a pretty hard question to answer because, for as long as I can reasonably remember, music has always been a very large part of my life. It was never something I was forced into doing in any way, it was just something I always did and always wanted to do more of. When I was probably around 4 or 5, however, I began starting to really love it and began seeking it out on my own volition. It was when I learned almost every song from every Disney movie and many of the classic musicals and constantly sang them around the house that my parents thought it would be a good idea to get me a vocal coach, and it was after a successful performance of John Denver’s “Leaving on a Jetplane” in a Florida crab bar that I decided to audition for the part of Gretl in Toronto’s production of The Sound of Music. After 7 months of callbacks, though, I was denied the part for being too tall! I began to create my own music when I was in grade six, while starstruck and inspired by the woman who would go on to become my childhood idol, Taylor Swift. From the moment I wrote my first song up until now, the part of my mind that comes up with these ideas is always somewhat active in the background of everything else, so much so, that writing songs has simply become the way that this manifests.

Maddie: Do you play any instruments? Which is your favourite/which would you like to learn the most? 

Sambea: I do! I’m almost completely self taught on piano and Guitar (which are the ones that are by far and away most applicable to the type of music that I currently write) and I used to play some saxophone, ukulele, and flute, but I try play whatever I can get my hands on. I’ve been wanting to learn drums, the mandolin,and violin for awhile now, mainly so that I can gain an more in-depth understanding and feel of various aspects of music, and an even wider range of sounds on which to base my creative processes.

Maddie: What has been your favourite venue to play at, as you have traveled all over the place performing? 

Sambea: There are many incredible venues but (this is a strange one!), my favourites that I’ve performed in would have to be some of the oldest churches in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Russia. When I was around 12 I joined one of Canada’s major children’s choirs, where we not only sang choral music, but learned about it, as well as the theory and history that brought it to fruition. After a few years of ‘making my way up the ranks’ in this particular choir, the group went on a 3 week tour to Eastern Europe, where we were able to perform in some of these fascinating churches, so, by sheer opulence, these would have to be some of the most beautiful venues that I’ve encountered.

Maddie: What would your dream venue be? 

Sambea: Hard question! There are so many classics, but Wembley stadium in London, England would have to be up there. Not only does it hold an enormous audience, it was the stage that my all time favourite band, Queen, performed at in 1984 during the Live aid concert series, which has been widely noted as the most significant concert in rock history. Obviously this is ambitious, but I’ve got to start somewhere! First, I’ll try and make it to Toronto’s famous Massey Hall.

Maddie: Tell us about your first album, and how it came to be? What was the inspiration behind it?

My first full length album (Radio Road) is pretty much a compilation of songs that demonstrate and represent the range of emotions that I experienced during that period of my life and was, in a sense, my own diary put to a tune. I was only around 15 at the time of its release (meaning that most of the songs were written when I was around 13), but despite being young, in retrospect, I think I had a lot to say! Be it the songs I wrote about my experiences with being in middle school, my own conceptual ideas, first time romances, or simply having fun with friends, each song describes its own realm of emotions, which, to me, are important to encapsulate and express. Each song, although not always inspired by positive emotions, acts, once written, as somewhat of a placeholder for that time frame. I find that writing a song about something that I am uneasy, happy, bothered, upset, angry, or even generally apathetic about, allows to basically say: “Yes, I experienced that, and this song signifies that I no longer need to think about it. Let’s move on!”.

Maddie: What is your favourite track on Radio Road and why? Do you have a favourite lyric?

Sambea: Hard question! I’d have to lean towards ‘Cigarette Smoke’ as a personal favourite. I remember I really put my heart and soul into those lyrics in (hopefully!) a clear and succinct way, and devised an interesting little piano ‘riff’ to set the tone. My favourite lyric, not just from ‘Cigarette Smoke’ but from the whole album would have to be: 

“I tried numbers, all I knew, my God above. Every formula, equation, ever devised, I tried codes, machines, and realised that science wouldn’t show me how to love.”

like this lyric because it acts as a metaphor for my tendency to attempt to apply some degree of logical consistency throughout all areas of my life, and I think the subtle, underlying theme of the whole album is really just my young self realizing that life isn’t always logical, and that there are many areas of life that do not benefit from being internalised by way of a logical framework. How is it that all our lives we’re told to be logical, but somehow the most important things in life are illogical!? It’s all of the questions like these that keep the song ideas coming to my mind.

EP CoverMaddie: Tell us about your most recent release, Geneva! How do you feel it differs from others you’ve put out?

Sambea:  Geneva is one that I’m very excited about! This song is actually the first ‘story song’ I’ve ever attempted. I had been listening to a lot of the older classics like “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” by Billy Joel, and “The Last Resort” by The Eagles, so I figured that, like them, I could use the second person narrative voice to write a song not just about my own reality, but the reality of many, and could in turn, use the song and its lyrics to talk about more universal themes that exist within society, and thus, hopefully, relate to an even broader audience.  ‘Geneva’ was very experimental for me in that respect, but all said and done, I think it was a successful experiment, and I hope that others who hear it will agree with me.

Maddie: Who are some of your biggest influences (living or passes), and which would you like to work with the most if you had a chance?

Sambea: So many, almost too many to count! Queen, The Beatles, The Eagles, Billy Joel, Elton John, Tom Waits, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Simon & Garfunkel, and Meatloaf are the kinds of things that were often played through the speakers of my house, so with the help of my parents, I fell in love and became deeply inspired by many of the greats who came before me. As well, there’s Taylor Swift, Panic! at the Disco, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry (since I can’t be a musician of today without knowing anything about ‘today’ music!), but one of my most unique influences would have to be from a lot of Celtic music, the genre of music that, personally, I hold in the highest regard of all. Having grown up in an Irish household, I have grown up hearing the fantastic music of The Irish Rovers, The Chieftains, Sinead O’Connor, The Dubliners, The High Kings, and so many more. Obviously the music that I write can’t be clearly described as Celtic (or as any other clear-cut genre, for that matter!), I don’t think for one second that my music lacks this Celtic influence

Maddie: What are you next plans for your career, and where would you like to see yourself in the next few years?

Sambea: At this point, were I to carry on with music on a full time basis (which I very much hope to do), I’d definitely like to see some increased traction with regards to my work. I’m yet to lay out a detailed, structured plan of measurable and attainable goals, but I would hope to land myself a record deal, and see some progress in a few of the other projects that I’ve been participating in. Down the line, however, like every other 17 year old on the planet, I want to make it big time, and to have a long, rewarding career doing something that I love

Maddie: Where can we find you on social media’s, and where can we find your music?

Sambea:  My Instagram, Facebook and Twitter are all @sambeacochrane,but I’m also on Spotify, Youtube, Google Play, iTunes, and all of the other major music streaming/purchasing platforms, so be sure to check out my stuff!

Links to Sambea Cochrane

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/sambeacochrane/

Facebook: https://facebook.com/SambeaCochrane/

Facebook for mobile: https://m.facebook.com/SambeaCochrane/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/sambeacochrane

Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Lha3pLBpdpS9q6YI3wi5P?si=qRfj7C8rQ8iZ4tcFkFqP4w

iTunes:  https://itunes.apple.com/ie/artist/sambea-cochrane/791331606

Google Play:  https://play.google.com/store/music/artist/Sambea_Cochrane?id=Ac3qjpung4brxg5vcpghkkmg7oe

# The 17 Year Old Songstress With an Old-Rock’n’Roll Soul

 

The Future’s Looking Bright For Rising Star

toni clare


 Toni Clare is 17 year old singer/songwriter from Virginia and has been involved with music since the tender age of 10. 

Toni’s talent has taken her to heights beyond what most 17 year old teens could dream of.

Singer

In March, Clare released her debut album, ‘Country Home’, which is already making waves throughout the industry; with notable names  involved with in the making of ‘Country Home’ such as Larry Fridie, Robinson (Justin Bieber/Usher), Peggy Johnson, a member of The Board of Governor’s at The Grammy’s and Tanner Hendon of Atlanta Madison Records. 

Toni designed the album in such a way so teenagers have a place they can feel safe and can come to escape and submerge themselves within the catchy and fun melodies in which ‘Country Home’ offers.

Madison Mueller interviewed Toni about her music, inspirations, up coming shows and her album, ‘Country Home’


Maddie: How has the decision to record an album designed as a safe place for teens to be, change the way in which you recorded in the studio?

Toni: I wrote my album, Country Home, with a theme of high school experiences, young love, etc. I am a senior in high school, and it has been a crazy journey that has included hardships but also has opened so many doors. I really dedicate this album to my friends; we all helped each other get through high school together, and we have all supported one another no matter what happened. They have always been very supportive of my music, even though it brings out a unique lifestyle that most teens don’t go through. Now that we all are graduating in May, it has been very emotional, and this album is for them. I hope teenagers, and really everyone, can relate to this album. It will always hold a special place in my heart, and I hope people feel the lyrical connection in the songs.  

Toni Clare Album CoverMaddie: What was it like to record a debut album with some of the biggest names in the music industry?

Toni: Working with Tanner Hendon and Wyatt Oates was amazing, especially for my first experience in a recording studio. They were so easy going, and they made me feel very comfortable. They have worked with some of the most successful, widely-known artists, and they had so much knowledge and experience to share with me; I really enjoyed learning from them. I will also never forget how much we all laughed and had a great time during every recording session!

Maddie: Do you write your own music?

Toni: I have been writing my own music as long as I can remember, and I wrote all the songs for “Country Home”, my first album, which is available on all digital platforms including Apple Music and Spotify. I can’t wait to continue with my musical journey and to share so many other songs I have in store!

Maddie: What is your writing process?

Toni: My writing process varies everyday. The songs I write can take months, days, or even just one hour. I am very old school; I have writing journals where I jot down all my thoughts. But I also use my phone to write down notes from people, places, or things that inspire me. My friends and family will often find me humming a random tune that comes in my head on my voice memos. I enjoy adventures and traveling, for example: I like spending time at a river that’s 5 minutes away from my house (that’s where I wrote Country Home and others). I also take my journal whenever we go to the beach or on a long car or plane trip.

Maddie: Were you involved in music at school?

Toni: I am involved with music at my high school. I have been the secretary for the TRI-M music society, I sing and play bass for the jazz band, and I am apart of the choir group. I love playing at school functions for fundraisers, music nights, competitions, etc. and getting to see all my friends and family in the audience.

Singer with GuitarMaddie: You are doing some shows soon, do you have your own band?

Toni: I have played with many different types of bands, and I used to be the lead vocalist for a couple of bands in the past, but I currently enjoy jamming with other musicians and being featured in bands. Other than being mostly a soloist, I play a great deal with my younger sister who plays a mean fiddle and sings gorgeous harmony.

Maddie: What’s it like rehearsing with professional musicians? Do you have a lot of fun?

Toni: Ever since I started learning guitar at the age of eight, I’ve gotten to rehearse and perform with people that I never would have imagined. Music has opened so many doors, and I’ve gotten to meet, learn from, and play music with the most incredible artists. I have been so blessed to have musicians around me that truly desire to help me reach my goals. Events like songwriters nights in Nashville, Artist Development sessions in Atlanta, festivals, concerts, and more have given me the opportunity to meet incredible people and be truly inspired by them.

Maddie: How did you know that you wanted to be a country singer?

Toni: Even though I am open to and have been apart of performing so many different genres like rock, classical, pop, jazz, theatrical, gospel, and bluegrass music, Country Music will always be home for me. I grew up visiting Nashville’s music festivals and having so many popular bluegrass/country festivals in my area, so it is definitely my comfort zone, and I will never give up writing Country Music.

Maddie: Who are some of your biggest influences?

Toni: Some of my biggest influences include Maren Morris, the Dixie Chicks, and Chris Stapleton.

Maddie: If you could ask them a few questions, who would you ask, and what would you ask?

Toni: If I could ask them anything, I would ask them to co write a song with me. Some of their songs are on the list of my top favourites, and it would mean so much to me if we could collaborate. I love Chris Stapleton’s heartfelt lyrics, the Dixie Chick’s sound and harmony, and Maren Morris’s fresh new take on country.

Maddie: What do you do when you are not singing, or writing music?

Toni: Other than music, I thoroughly enjoy playing sports especially soccer, track, basketball, and swimming. I love anything outdoors including horseback riding, hiking, and fishing.

Singer Singing With GuitarMaddie: Do you have a favourite song on the album and why is it your favourite?

Toni: I can’t say I have a favourite song because they all relate to my life stories in different ways, but it’s interesting when people tell me how different songs from my EP impacted them, and it makes me feel so satisfied that all my listeners can connect to the pieces.

Maddie: What were you doing in music and singing before the album?

Toni: Before the album, I was playing mostly in Virginia and along the east coast at various venues like theatres, festivals, weddings, restaurants, and more, I was writing nonstop, and I was playing with bands. 

Maddie: What instruments do you play?

Toni: My main instrument is acoustic and electric guitar, but I also play bass, mandolin, ukulele, and piano.

Maddie: What is your dream venue to play? What has been your favourite venue so far?

Toni: I would love to play at the Grand Ole Opry stage as the best, legendary artists in country music have performed there. One of my favourite, intimate venues was playing at the Bluebird Café in Nashville. I also liked playing on the bigger stages including the Wharf Main Stage for the National Cherry Blossom Festival in DC, the Lafayette Music Room in Memphis, state competitions, and sold out shows at state theatres.

Maddie: What advice do you have for other young artists with similar dreams?

Toni: I want to tell other upcoming artists to always have the people around you that support and love you. It’s important to not get in your head about the people that don’t want you to succeed. Be confident in your abilities, and stay true to who you are. And remember that it’s ok to be different.

Maddie: Is there anything else you would like to mention?

Toni: Please subscribe to my Youtube channel: toniclaremusic, check out my website: toniclaremusic.com, and follow my socials media pages: Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!

Country Home Available on 

iTunes SoundCloud | Spotify

Links to Toni Clare

Website:  https://www.toniclaremusic.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toniclaremusic/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/toniclaremusic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toniclaremusic

The Future’s Looking Bright For Rising Star

COUNTRY HOME – TONI CLARE

 

Shakira Winning Her Way With Debut Single


Shakira


Shakira Lea Fauser, 19, of Whyalla released her Debut Single “I MISS YOU” to the world on Sunday 24th February  thanks to the Whyalla Recording Scholarship.

Shakira Lea reached NUMBER 18 on the Australian iTunes and has been voted

“Song Of The Week” on national radio programme “Oz Country DownUnder

Single cover

A “who’s-who” of musicians feature on the song including Grammy Award Winner Andrew Synowiec, Jim Riley from platinum-selling group Rascal Flatts and mastering in New York by Randy Merrill, who has been recently acclaimed for the “A Star Is Born” Soundtrack.

“I Miss You” is dedicated to anyone who’s experienced loss and found a way to heal.

This power ballad showcases her emotive vocals and sincere message.

Shakira Lea was announced as one of the WRS winners in September last year, entitling her to a year of free management from Stormfront Productions and a professional recording studio package worth $10,000.

Danielle had a chat with Shakira and this is what she had to say.


Danielle: Tell us about your creative journey. How long have you known that you wanted to be a professional singer? 

Shakira: I’ve been interested in singing and music my whole life. I’ve been writing songs since I was 6 and since then I’ve always been interested in recording a song – but there was never really a song I wrote that I fell in love with as much as “I Miss You”. I worked so hard on perfecting the lyrics and writing the music because it was important to me – and I did feel as if it could be a song I could use to push me in the direction of becoming a professional singer. 

Danielle: Your latest single is “I Miss You”. Can you explain the meaning and significance of the song? How does “I Miss You” fit into your brand or current creative direction?

Shakira: This song was written after several people in my life had experienced child loss. One of my closest friends went through it and to work through it she’d listen to the same few songs on repeat and I wanted to be able to help, and express the emotions I saw in them through a song. I did dedicate my song to my Aunty and her daughter who was sadly a victim of child loss.

This song fits into my creative direction as I love to write songs about life experiences. When I was younger I wrote songs about bullying and as I grew up it evolved more into wider personal experiences and experiences of those around me. I feel that’s when my songs are at their best. 

Danielle: Congratulations! How does it feel to know that “I Miss You” climbed to NUMBER 18 on the iTunes Australia Country Chart.  How has that impacted your music career?

Shakira: It was such an amazing and surreal feeling. When my managers were talking about the release we agreed we would be thrilled if a fully Independent Single like mine could break into the top 200 – so to get to #18 in Australia was just so exciting. 

It had a great impact with my music reaching a lot more people than I could ever imagine – and the pure excitement and joy that came along with that was amazing. 

Danielle: You were honoured with the winning of the Whyalla Recording Scholarship. How has that changed your music career?

Shakira: It has given my music career an amazing boost that I don’t think I could have achieved without the Scholarship. It gave me the opportunity to work in a recording studio, learn the whole recording process – and experience a whole new side to this industry that I love so much.

I learned about the processes of mastering, artwork and marketing which is all so fascinating – most people never see that work and don’t think about because it is all behind the scenes. 

 

Danielle: Do you have a favourite quote or message you’d like to leave with your fans and if so, what would that quote be?

Shakira: There are two quotes that I have always kept in mind.

The first isn’t music related but is definitely important and that is “None of your scars can make me love you less” 

The other is “Good music doesn’t have an expiration date”. This quote is important to me as I’ve had a few people judge some of my music tastes. I really do enjoy older music that’s more from my grandparents generation than mine – but if it’s a good song that you relate to and feel something from, then others opinion won’t matter. 

Danielle: At 19, how do you manage to balance life with your music career? 

Shakira: It can be hard at times to juggle everything from work, my music and also be social but I find that it’s easiest when I focus on what’s going on in the moment instead of overwhelming myself by trying to figure out everything I’ve got going on that day.

Danielle: Besides music, what other passion do you have that you would like your fans to know about?

Shakira: My other passions aside from music are my pets and making candles. Both really relax me and in times of stress calm me down! 

Danielle: What has been your favourite performance and why? 

Shakira: My favourite performance would be one of my performances at the world famous Tunarama Festival in Port Lincoln because my great grandad came to see me. He meant the absolute world to me so seeing him there supporting me meant everything.

Danielle: Do you have any upcoming performances that you would like your fans to know about? 

Shakira: Two of my upcoming performances this month are the official “Launch Party” for my Single – and I’ll be performing the National Anthem at my hometown’s Anzac Eve Vigil – Anzac Day is Australia’s most sacred moment to remember all who’ve given their lives in war for our Country.  

Danielle: Is there anything else you would like to tell your fans?

Shakira: I would love to say a massive thank you to my family and fans for all the support I’ve received since releasing my Single, and also for all the help provided by Alison Hams and Mark Tempany. It’s been an amazing journey so far and I can’t wait to see where else it takes me. 

Links to Shakira

Facebook: www.facebook.com/shakiraleamusic

Website: www.shakiraleamusic.com

LISTEN TO “I MISS YOU” on Spotify here:

https://open.spotify.com/album/2ra8bYdL3Y0FpBM0rSjtr0

Shakira Winning Her Way With Debut Single 

I MISS YOU – SHAKIRA

 

Jaylee Daniels Aims For The Stars as Reality Hits with Debut Single

Jaylee Daniels


15 year old JAYLEE DANIELS from the South Australian Outback has released her Debut Original Single to the world, thanks to sponsorship from STORMFRONT PRODUCTIONS and the Whyalla Recording Scholarship.

Single Cover Jaylee Daniels

In an amazing achievement for South Australian music, Jaylee’s “Papa’s Song” has reached NUMBER 7 on the iTunes Australian Country Music Chart and is receiving radio airplay across the country. 

“Papa’s Song” is a tribute to Jaylee’s beloved late grandfather as she follows his footsteps with a passion for country music. This bluegrass song will have everyone singing around the campfire as soon as they hear it.

Danielle Haskell caught up with Jaylee and asked a few questions.

Danielle: Tell us about your creative journey. Your latest single is “Papa’s Song”. Can you explain the meaning and significance of the song?

Jaylee: I was lucky enough to be born into a family that loves music, from my Papa to my older sister who also sang and performed. I started lessons at a young age and have worked hard to be the best I can be at something I love. I enjoy the challenges of singing, and playing guitar, performing and songwriting.

I wrote “Papa’s Song” as a tribute to my late Papa and all the memories he created with our family. He taught us to love music and he was a big Country Music fan himself. He loved to listen to us sing and he really enjoyed following the other country musicians in my hometown of Whyalla.

Danielle: Tell us about how “Papa’s Song” fits into your brand or current creative direction?

Jaylee: Until I won the chance to record my Debut Single I didn’t really think I had a brand, although Country Music has been a big part of my family’s music influence. I like listening to a variety of music, but it wasn’t until I started writing my own music that the Country style came out in my writing. I have always enjoyed putting words to paper, and seeing my songs come to life. My songs tend to be life-related and very family-focused, which is how “Papa’s Song” was born.

Danielle: HUGE Congratulations! How does it feel to know that Papa’s Song, on its first day, climbed to NUMBER 7 on the iTunes Australia Country Chart where you are one of only two South Australian artist among a predominant Major American field (The other SA Artist was fellow WRS Winner Shakira Lea at NUMBER 18!)? How has that impacted your music career?

Jaylee: Number seven, WOW! I never thought that Papa’s Song would be in the top 100, let alone Number Seven. “Papa’s Song” is so special to me and I’m so proud that others loved it too. To see my Debut Single in the charts has shown me anything is possible and it’s been an awesome start to my music career as it’s given me an amazing platform to begin my journey on. It is something that I know Papa would have been super proud of too.

Danielle: Your Single was part of your prize in winning the Whyalla Recording Scholarship. How has that changed your music career?

Jaylee: Being awarded a Whyalla Recording Scholarship prize has allowed me to not only record and release my Debut Single, but it’s shown me how songs are recorded and produced, and given me a big insight into the music industry. To me the WRS is so much more than just winning a prize, it’s the guidance and mentoring that I have received from Alison and Mark at Stormfront Productions that has allowed me to achieve my dreams of becoming a recording artist. This Scholarship is huge to young musicians like myself, giving us this amazing platform to start off our own music carers with our Original music.

Danielle: Do you have a favourite quote or message you like to leave with your fans and if so, what would that quote be?

Jaylee: “Dreams don’t work unless you do, aim for the moon and if you miss you may hit a star “

Having one of my own songs come to life and be presented to the world is definitely hitting my star. I never imagined it would become my reality.

In 2016 I was honoured to finish in the top 5 of the WRS and thoroughly enjoyed the experience – so I decided to enter again in 2018 with “Papas Song”. Winning my prize shows me dreams really do come true so dream big and never give up!

Danielle: How do you manage to balance life with your music career?

Jaylee: Being only 15 and still studying in High School, life at the moment is a juggle as my schooling is still my main priority. But the WRS team provide great guidance and encouragement with my music and with massive support from my parents, I still get to do the things I love with my creative arts of Music and Dance.

Danielle: What has been your favourite performance and why?  Do you have any upcoming performances that you would like your fans to know about? Is there anything else you would like to tell your fans?

Jaylee: My favourite performances so far would be Whyalla’s LIONS “Carols In The Park” in front of 5500 people. I’ve volunteered as a member of the “Carols Community Choir” for many years and feel privileged to be able to perform at this charity event which has been a huge success for so many years. I enjoy singing and performing at all my events but do love singing at charity events within our community, such as “McHappy Day” and “Jamm for Genes”.

 Links to Jaylee

Website: www.jayleedaniels.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jayleedanielsmusic
Twitter: www.twitter.com/JayleeDMusic
Instagram:  www.instagram.com/jayleedanielsmusic

Jaylee Daniels Aims For The Stars as Reality Hits with Debut Single

papa’s song – jaylee daniels

 

Natalie Shay Performs to Sold Out Audiences and Smashing it as an Indie Artist

Natalie shay


Already performing to sold-out audiences in London, Natalie Shay, at 19, is already a recognized force within the music industry. With a single out that climbed the iTunes singer/songwriter charts all the way to number 4, there is no doubt this award winning artist’s career is going to continue to rise!.

Singer

Danielle: Your song “Yesterday” is generating a lot of buzz. Can you explain the title, story behind the song and how this song reflects your music style?

Natalie:  I suppose the song is basically about a short lived very one sided relationship I was in. I wrote this song essentially the day after I realised I could do so much better than chasing someone who never wanted to completely commit to me. I suppose the title is because at the time of writing it, I’d had my epiphany ‘yesterday’! I wanted the song to still be upbeat because it wasn’t something I’d gotten too down about, I hope others can relate to the lyrics and it can maybe uplift them enough to also walk away.

Danielle: You have performed for sold-out audiences at some of the iconic places in London. Can you tell everyone where you have been performing? What has been your most memorable performance and why?

Natalie:  Yes! so my most recent awesome show was my first headline earlier in Feb in London which we sold out!!! It was such an incredible but super fun evening, I’m so grateful to everyone who bought a ticket and made it down. This was probably my most memorable performance because as far as first headline’s go I think it was so fun, and will always be a special memory.

Danielle: If you had to pick three words to describe your personality, what would they be? Besides music, what do you like to do that might surprise your fans?

 

Natalie:  hmmmm, crazy, loud & stressed (lol).

My no.1 main hobby outside of music is musical theatre, I love seeing musicals and taking part in as many as I can, they’re so much fun and act as such a lovely way to break up a week full of music work.

Danielle: Do you write all of your own songs? If there was one message you would want your fans to take away from your music, what would that be?

Natalie: I write all of my own songs in some capacity. Some of my songs for example, ‘Whole of me” and ‘This Feeling’, I wrote solely by myself and worked with incredible producers to take them from just me and an acoustic guitar to what they have become. But of course I often write with other people too. I really enjoy writing my own lyrics because that’s what I feel most comfortable performing, but I love working with new people and seeing what we can write and create.

Danielle: At 20, you have already been recognized by the music industry with more than one award. Can you tell your fans about these awards and how winning has helped move your career forward?

Natalie: The awards I won were a few years back. I’ve always said that without winning these, I would never have ever had the confidence to pursue music as a career let alone full time. One of the main ones was the ‘Best undiscovered talent’ award at the 2015 London Music awards. This was such an incredible evening and it’s definitely changed my life.

Links to Natalie Shay

Website: http://www.natalieshay.co.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/natalieshay_

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NatalieShayMusic/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natalieshaymusic/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/NatalieShayMusic

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6pDapjUwN36LXMdYk0WKuQ

Natalie Shay Performs to Sold Out Audiences and Smashing it

yesterday – natalie shay