Singer and songwriter

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 computer (with my software already downloaded), a piano, my mic, my headphones, and my interface (does an XLR count as 6? haha). The most important piece would definitely be my piano because just playing and singing is my outlet for all of my feelings, and I would certainly have a lot of feelings to get out if I was stuck on a desert island.

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

A: I have always been singing since I was a baby. In middle school I started as a vocal major at an arts school. I attended the school for five years. During my time there I was in choir every day for almost two hours, sometimes I was in vocal for five hours a day followed by a private lesson once a week. We had required solo days and juries as well as multiple concerts a year. All this training really shaped how my voice is today. I started writing music constantly when I was 13 as an outlet and had soon a collection of many songs. I had a flash drive with a few demos and I slipped the flash drive to Michael Franti's guitarist. A week later, his guitarist called me and I flew out to California to work in a studio with him and another producer. We met multiple times in California and I had gathered more polished demos. They also taught me how to record my own music on Logic. I then got all the equipment I needed and have been recording myself for four years now. I have worked with other artists since then and during COVID, have collaborated with producers from around the world (A lot of EDM producers).

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My style really varies between multiple genres. I will like any song if the chord structure catches my attention, and if it generates a distinct mood that I vibe with. In terms of the music I sing and write, I mainly do pop and emotional ballads, but I am very interested in pursing R&B pop or alternative R&B as an artist.

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

A: I would like to work with Dua Lipa because I am obsessed with her chord structures and the way her music is produced. Her music has a way of sounding retro but so fresh at the same time. My dream is to write for her one day.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: In terms of vocal music production, I understand wanting to achieve a perfect sound, but adding too many effects and going overboard on the autotune emotionally disconnects the listener. The occasional grit and imperfect notes are human and add so much more depth and meaning to the song. In terms of mixing, sometimes EQ, Compressor, and Reverb are all that you need to maintain the rawness.

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

A: I usually work on commercial pop, and singer/songwriter. I mostly write top lines for pop music although my favourite genre is R&B Soul which my voice sounds best on. The majority of my experience has been writing for EDM Beats though.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is shapeshifting my voice and adjusting to various techniques and styles in order to achieve the sound i'm listening for. Since I was professionally trained, i've learned how to control my voice and use it to my liking.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: When I write a song to a beat that has already been made, I will listen through the instrumental while recording a voice memo on my phone of me improving and riffing. I will make two or three recordings of improv and then listen back for melodies or phrases that stand out to me. I will then begin to shape and structure the song. Usually certain lyrics or words will stick out to me immediately from the feel the of the song and I will create a story from the feelings that the instrumental gives off using my intuition.

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

A: I am very inspired by artists like H.E.R, Ruel, Bruno Major, and Mahalia. I look up to them because their music is expressive. Their lyrics are simple by clever. The melodies they sing to accompany the lyrics and highlight the story they are telling.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring vulnerability and emotion to music. I have a way with connecting to music and using my voice in order to express the feelings. I've noticed that some artists have beautiful voices, but the listeners struggle to connect because the artist didn't fully deliver the emotion in the music which stripped the song of it's purpose.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My studio setup is very standard. I have a Rode microphone and a large sound shield. I have a large PC with Logic Pro x and Abelton installed. My preamp is a Komplete Audio 6 and my yamaha keyboard is connected to it. I also have very nice Audio Technica headphones and two high quality JBL speakers. My headphones and speakers are good quality which is very important to me because I can hear my vocals much clearer and have learned how to achieve the perfect sound for them.

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

A: I most commonly sing and write top lines for my clients. Sometimes they are only looking for a singer or other times they are looking for both a singer and songwriter.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: At the moment I am working on collabs with artists from around the world, and really focusing on perfecting my writing skills for different genres. I am also working on recording my own music to hopefully release very soon.

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

A: My promise to my clients is that I will not stop until they are fully content. I also promise that I will put all my effort into making it perfect.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: What I love most about this job is by helping people create something they're proud of. There's nothing that makes me happier than sharing my passion for music with others who are just as passionate. When there is so much excitement about a project, it is even more motivating to to the job when you know that person feels so proud of their work and your contribution.

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

A: The biggest misconception about what I do is that my voice can do anything. I am human and do struggle with certain riffs or belting certain notes, so anything I can't achieve vocally will be substituted for something equally as good just with a slight twist.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I like to ask clients if they have a vision for the piece so that I can get an understanding of what they want. I will always ask them if they want my voice to sound a certain way or if they want me to write about a certain subject and I will keep asking questions until I know exactly what it is they're looking for.

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

A: For anyone who hires me, I want to ensure that they know that I will record vocals for them or write and make as many corrections until we are both 100% satisfied and they should never be afraid to ask for anything or worry about critiquing me. Just clear communication of ideas is all I need.