Singer-Songwriter/Topliner

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

A: I am currently developing my solo project, which is definitely the project I am already the most proud of. I have always put too much pressure and expectation on myself during other projects. This one feels truly authentic, with no expectation to be anything else other than what I want to be. In this project I am writing and composing every song and working with a couple producers to make them come to life.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm working on several topline projects for producers in the EDM/Dance genre. I'm also working on a solo project that I'm really excited about.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Analog if you can afford it, only because digital in the music world is typically an attempt to recreate something that is originally analog.

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

A: My promise to my clients is I will do all it takes to get whatever song they wish for me to write over the best that it can be. I will put in days of work to make sure whatever is created is the best it can possibly be.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Being able to be creative knowing it will benefit others in one way or another is an invaluable feeling.

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

A: The biggest misconception about what I do is that it’s not a “real job.” While it is certainly not a 9 to 5 job, it is a ton of work to craft something out of nothing. It requires knowledge, time, experience and energy that is often fleeting since it requires creativity.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I will usually ask what kind of feeling they want the song to bring to the listener. If I am top lining, a lot of that already has been established in the production, but it has to be finished through lyrics and melody, which is typically the forefront of the record.

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

A: Do not be afraid to communicate. To be safe, sometimes it is best to over communicate so that everyone is on the same page.

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

A: Assuming cables and microphone stands are not pieces of gear, I would take my computer, my microphone, my interface, my acoustic guitar, and studio monitors. Those all seem essential in creating and writing a great song.

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

A: I have been pursuing music actively and publicly since early 2018, but writing songs in my bedroom on an acoustic guitar since I was in 6th or 7th grade.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I would describe my style as bedroom pop mixed with elements of singer-songwriter.

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

A: One of my biggest dream collaborations would be with Julia Michaels - in my eyes, she redefined how songwriting in the pop world sounds and I would love to see her writing process.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Besides certain obvious technical requirements, do not conform to any rules you think you must follow because you saw another producer do it. There is no right or wrong way that something should sound - if you think it sounds right, even if it is made or played unconventionally, that is all that matters.

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

A: Typically I work on pop, singer-songwriter and EDM.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Melodies typically come to me the quickest, the easiest, and is what I am usually the most proud of in a song.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I can bring accessibility while staying original, a well told story, vulnerability, and the vocal control that I have worked on over the years.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: When I get an instrumental from a client, it starts out with me scatting or mumbling over the track, working out different patterns and melodies until it sounds right, then facilitating lyrics into whatever melodies I’ve come up with. I try to have the concept of each song match with what it sounds like.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My setup is extremely minimal - I record using Logic Pro X with a Warm Audio WA-14 condenser mic, a Focusrite Scarlet 2i2, and M-Audio studio monitors, which I plan on replacing soon with Yamaha HS5’s.

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

A: A few of my biggest inspirations are JP Saxe, Alec Benjamin and Ed Sheeran. The lyrics in their songwriting are streams of consciousness and feelings presented in an artistic yet accessible way. They tell stories and paint vivid pictures in your head with every lyric.

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

A: All the clients I've worked with have been incredible. Until I've worked with someone I feel I can't recommend this will remain my answer.

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

A: Can I get the project done earlier than the first agreed upon timeline? And the answer always depends on the time of year and what other projects I'm working on. However, recently that has not been a problem.

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

A: I tend to work as a topline and featured vocalist/artist. That means I write the lyrics, vocal melody, perform and record those on an instrumental track.