Singer I Songwriter I Topliner

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

A: Yes!

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: One of my favorite projects I've worked on is called Ghost Monroe for Saint Rogue Records which I was the vocalist on. The 8 song project is signed to Sony Extreme and has had many amazing placements, but the sound is what I really love. It tows the line between dark country and roots, which was a really fun role to step into.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: My own project L'FREAQ - you can follow me on all socials @lfreaq to keep up with me. I also DJ using Ableton (and have even started experimenting with it in virtual reality!), and have also been working on my own YouTube channel under the same name.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: As much as I love digital, there's nothing like the warmth of analog. That's why I love it when there's a mixture of both - one of my favorite bands of all time is Portishead, and I feel like they really nailed the element of nostalgia by sampling old analog pieces but with modern beats.

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: I promise to always do my best, to take your needs to heart, and really listen to what you're looking for.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love being able to fulfill people's needs, feel their excitement when the project is close to being done, and then getting to hear my finished vocals on something that someone has worked so hard on. It's a beautiful journey from start to finish!

Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A: Clients usually ask me, "how would YOU sing it?" Which I love, because that means I can create a vocal pass that is from a place of genuine instinct. That being said if your project is very reference heavy, I have so much fun embodying that need completely.

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: Many people outside of the music industry just don't understand what I do or how! When I explain Ableton to them or how to comp vocals their eyes usually glaze over. So I keep it simple and play the finished product!

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What's the inspiration behind the project? What will this be for? What are your influences? What do you need from me to really bring out the best?

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: Go with your gut - usually when I hear the first 20 seconds of a vocalist I know at least how I feel emotionally when listening to them. Choose someone who can really bring your project to life and make it shine!

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: I would take my left handed Fender Telecaster, my vintage Vox amp, my Sure SM7B, my Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 interface, and my laptop to record it all in! Hopefully I'd have some kind of power source or solar panel, haha.

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: I have been gigging professionally since I was 16, and working as a hired vocalist since around the same age. My solo project L'FREAQ is my main focus, and I'm working on the second EP to be released sometime later this year.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My own music (under L'FREAQ) is inspired by dark R&B with an edge. I do love a wide range of music though, and would be remiss if I didn't say that my original style was influenced by the likes of Billie Holiday & Sarah Vaughan.

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

A: I would love to work with Beck because his music accompied my life growing up and I love how he evolves as an artist. The emotion in Sea Change, the playfulness in Guero, and the beauty in Morning Phase are all so different from each other but so profound.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Plugins are so fun and I have many I love to use, Little AlterBoy from Soundtoys being one of my favorites, but I think it's SO important to make sure you get the raw vocals right first before diving into the extra things. Paying attention to the littlest details will help massively in the long run.

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

A: I've done everything including pop, dance, electronic, jazz, roots, R&B, and country.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skills are the emotion in my vocals, the power at the top of my range, and the deep bass I can reach at the lowest part of my register.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I have been singing since I was four years old, have had 6 years of classical training, 8 years of jazz training, songwriting training, and Ableton & Logic training. I have been gigging professionally since I was 16, and I love adding a personal touch to the music that makes you feel the emotional intent behind it.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: If I'm writing a song I like to seed my voice notes for ideas - I'll record anything that comes to me during the day and keep it stored there for future use. If I'm recording vocals for a client I love to listen to the references and get some inspiration. From there it's all singing, comping, and fun!

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a Sure SM7B and Sure Beta 58A that I connect to my Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 and my Macbook Pro. I usually record vocals with either Logic or Ableton.

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

A: Right now from a listening perspective I'm a big fan of James Blake, Sevdaliza, Kali Uchis, and Daniel Ceaser. I did Ableton training in NYC under an incredible female producer named I Am Snow Angel (check her out on Spotify!). Female producers inspire me massively - I love Grimes, Tokimonsta, Bjork, and Imogen Heap, to name a few.

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: I love fulfilling my clients' visions, whether its through vocals, toplines, or song ideas. Mant clients come to me for a wide range of projects, from dance pop to aggressive rock to soft indie.