GRAMMY EDM Topliner/Performer

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

A: I am very proud that my second ever solo release was considered for a GRAMMY®. I couldn't imagine that I'd gain recognition so early into my career as an artist.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: My album and marketing myself as an artist.

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

A: Dean Korso is a fantastic producer who I've worked with on many of my own songs.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Depends on the genre. Both have their place.

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

A: I promise to execute on your precise instructions, but if you give me creative license to experiment, you will not be disappointed.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love helping people realize the concepts of their songs and help bring their visions to life. Taking a song from a loose idea in a voice memo to a completed structure with pre-production is a great joy.

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

A: They often ask me whether my lyrics come from personal experience. I say that while some certainly do, I love to put myself in other people's shoes, and tell the stories of those who move me in some way, even if I haven't necessarily lived their experience.

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

A: People don't understand vocal processing. Casual listeners claim they don't like vocal processing, yet producers often flatten vocals too much. It's a delicate balance and vocalists need to understand this while recording, that proper mic technique can alleviate many issues in the mixing process and result in clean vocals that require minimal processing.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What genre are you looking for? What vocalist do you want this to sound like? What's more important to you, lyrics or music, and why?

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

A: Try to have a vision for what you are looking for before work begins, unless you are open to the provider providing their unique style and vision to your project. Provide references and be specific, unless you are actually looking for someone's unique take.

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

A: Solar panel, solar to electric converter, charging cable, laptop, and novation launchkey.

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

A: Growing up, I believed I would be a professional performer, having been enrolled in musical lessons and performances my entire life. I enrolled in NYU Tisch's School of the Arts with the expectation that music and theater would be my career. However, fear of financial instability overtook me, and I opted for a career on Wall St instead. After a few years in the meat grinder, I decided that I should pursue my creative and artistic ambitions while I am still young, and launched my artist career in 2022, releasing 4 singles in my first year, one of which was selected by the Recording Academy for consideration for a GRAMMY® award.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I would describe my style as eclectic, borrowing influences from a myriad of genres that have inspired me over my life as a lover of music.

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

A: It would be a dream to work with Elton John, who's style of songwriting is very close to my own, giving equal complexity to lyrics and music.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: If you're not into your hook in the first 30 seconds of a song, you will not have as many monthly listeners on Spotify as you would if you prioritized hooks.

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

A: I usually work on contemporary music in pop, rock, and electronic styles.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest asset is my voice, which I have meticulously honed over 20 years of training and performance experience. I have a 3 octave range (Db2 to Db5), but shine as an alto/mezzo soprano with a strong belt (E4 comfortably).

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: As someone who loves all genres of music and has experience performing in styles as varied as rock, musical theater, opera, jazz, and pop, my sound and songwriting is varied. I love blending genres to create new and innovative sounds and always aim to surprise with my music.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: When writing topline, I analyze the track to identify optimal opportunities for hooks and build them first. Then I build verses around these hooks, often draft lyrics and melody simultaneously, until I realize a concrete vision/story with a beginning, middle, and end. When writing originals, I usually write lyrics first, often beginning with verses, and conceive a melody and chord progression around the lyrical idea. Once the tone is set, I determine what type of song it will be (ballad, rock inspired, pop song) and write the hook accordingly. When tracking vocals, I typically take songs in sections, recording lower register parts (typically verses) first and ending with higher register parts (typically hooks and ad libs). I'll then thicken the sound with doubles, harmonies, and other backing vocals.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a home studio designed for tracking vocals and pre-production. I use a RODE NT2 Condenser Mic with a pop filter in a sound booth. I use a Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 interface with Logic or Ableton for recording.

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

A: Currently, Rina Sawayama is my favorite artist. The combination of her powerful vocals paired with her earnest songwriting are a great inspiration to me. I am also greatly influenced by classic acts such as Pink Floyd, Queen, Madonna, and Elton John.

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

A: I provide vocalist services including lead vocal tracking, back vocals, and harmonies. I also provide songwriting services including music, topline, lyrics.