THE POWERHOUSE POP VOCALIST
RELEASES OFFICIAL VIDEO FOR HER EXPLOSIVE
SINGLE – “ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE”
DIRECTED BY IN DEMAND PHOTOGRAPHER /
VISUAL ARTIST MALIKE SIDIBE
Recent work featured in The New York Times, TIME Magazine,
The Washington Post
Interview conducted on September 10, 2020
by Dan Locke
What was your upbringing like?
I grew up in a blended family with five siblings, so it was chaotic, fun, and messy.
How did you discover music?
I don’t think I can remember I time I “discovered” it. Since I was a toddler, I was wandering around the house singing gibberish, insisting I was going to be a singer. I’ve never known anything different.
How did you start to write music?
I was between the age of 7-10 when I started writing songs. I had random Betty Boop journals strung across my house with half songs scattered across the pages. I don’t know where it came from or what prompted me to start doing that. It was just happening.
You started to play guitar at an early age. How did you get your first guitar, and do you still have it?
I got my first guitar with my Dad when I was 10. I was visiting him at my Grandmother’s house in New Jersey, and he took my sister and I to a guitar shop to get one of his own repaired. I spotted a black and white electric guitar on the wall and would not stop harassing him for it. He bargained for it, which I’m sure he regretted once we got home because I cranked the pocket amp up to as loud as it would go and wouldn’t stop “playing” until they eventually took it away. I still have it.
What was your first performance like?
My first performance was a Leonard Cohen tribute at World Cafe Live in Philly. It was terrifying. I have stage fright, and that coupled with all my friends and family being there made me a nervous wreck.
What was the title of your first original song?
It was called “Camouflage,” and I wrote it when I was 10. It was horrible.
Did you record it?
Yes, I did. My guitar teacher had another student. He was 19 and had a home studio in his basement, so I went there and recorded “Camouflage” and a couple of others. This was pretty much the day I became completely hooked on recording and being in the studio.
How was your showcase at SXSW in 2019?
Despite the usual nerves, it was great. It was the first time I’d ever performed outside, and it was also the first time I wasn’t completely panicking before the show. I met a lot of really amazing people that trip.
Tell me about your latest single “All Hell Breaks Loose”?
“All Hell Breaks Loose” was the second song I wrote with Shannon Sanders, and it was a real game-changer for me. We turned all the lights in the studio to red and just went with a vibe. I didn’t know I had that kind of sound in me, and once we got it out it opened a whole different side of me musically. I’m really proud of that song.
How was it to work with Grammy winning producer Shannon Sanders?
It was and still is amazing. Shannon and I were set up on a co-write that I thought would be a one-off, but we immediately clicked. We bring out the best in each other, and I can honestly call him a good friend. Every time we get into the studio together, I feel so excited because I never know what we’re going to come up with. It’s really an amazing partnership.
In your opinion, what makes a good storyteller?
Honesty. Even if what you’re writing doesn’t directly apply to you, I think to be a good storyteller you must be realistic about your intention and what you’re trying to say. When I was younger, I’d catch myself writing about what I thought other people would want me to sing. Listening back to the recordings, you can tell I don’t connect with what I’m saying. You can’t expect other people to believe what you’re talking about if you don’t believe it yourself.
What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?
“Midnight Train to Georgia” by Gladys Knight & the Pips. I hadn’t listened to that song in forever but for some reason, it’s been on my mind a lot recently. There’s a line in there that goes “I’d rather live in his world than live without him in mine” that’s sticking with me. The melody isn’t exactly somber or dark, but the entire song is about someone giving up their dream in entertainment.
How was it to create your music video with Malike Sidibe during the Covid-19 outbreak?
It was a rollercoaster. Covid-19 has made literally everything difficult. In the beginning, filming a music video felt like a losing battle. Finally connecting with Malike was like the light at the end of the tunnel. He’s so creative and open, and such a good collaborator. We had a blast.
What is your favorite track on set up upcoming music?
If you mean my favorite track of my own, I’d say a song called “Feel My Heart.” It’s extremely personal to me, so every time I listen it’s a cathartic experience.
What are your feelings about streaming music?
As a listener I absolutely love it and how accessible all my favorite music is. As a new artist, I’m starting to learn just how unfair it can be. All music is basically free now, which is a double-edged sword. On one hand, now everyone has access to art, which can never be a bad thing. On the other hand, most new artists are paying a lot of money out of pocket to make their music, just to put it out and need over 300,000 streams just to make minimum wage. Over 30,000 songs drop on Spotify per day, with almost all of them getting lost in the algorithm. It’s really hard to get your music to its intended listeners without paying for promotion, which most can’t afford in the beginning. It’s a hard system to crack.
Digital vs. vinyl?
I love both. Vinyl is classic, Digital is now. It just depends what your vibe is in the moment.
Do you remember what you did this year during International Women’s Day?
I was likely working, which is a celebration in and of itself, I guess.
What are your feelings about the social uprising going on in the United States?
I think it’s both extremely necessary and sad. It’s hard to feel hopeful right now when it feels like no matter what anyone says or does nothing is changing. I hope people start listening.
At the beginning of the pandemic, where did you flee to?
I was in Nashville when Covid really hit, and I ended up getting stuck there. The morning of my flight home I felt really sick and went and got a Covid test, which took ten days to get back. I was sleeping on the floor of a recording studio for weeks up until that point, but those last ten days were brutal. My results came back negative, but we found out weeks later the testing had been botched, so when I came back negative for strep and flu, I pretty much accepted id had Covid. It was a miserable experience.
How do you feel the Covid-19 virus is going to affect the music business in the future? Will it?
I worry most about concerts. I wonder if it will ever be the same, or if people be scared to go into big crowds forever. I think it’s changed the game streaming wise. People couldn’t do anything but stay home and go online. I think it created a huge opportunity for new artists, and it may stay that way.
What have you been doing during your quarantine? Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
I’ve been working social media pretty much the entire time. I’ve discovered my Netflix addiction knows no bounds, that shitty reality TV really is escapism at its finest, and that I can’t wait for this to be over.
What is your favorite drinking game?
Beer Pong. I will be playing beer pong until I die (but instead of beer I fill the cups with water and just sip on vodka or tequila on the side).
You made the statement on Facebook, “In remembrance of Coachella may she Rest In Peace #tbt.” Were you thinking that live music may never come back?
I know it will, but I don’t know if it will ever be the same, and if it does go back to normal, I think that won’t happen for a long time. I don’t even like thinking about it.
For smaller bands who do not play large crowds, this is not really an issue. How do you see bands going back to smaller venues and doing things like play for the door, with no guarantees?
I think that will be the first thing to come back normally performance wise in music. People will probably be more comfortable in more low key venues, and with big shows not opening up for a while, I think people who wouldn’t have usually be interested will start showing up, which is always a positive thing for new artists.
With Social Distancing being the norm, do you feel that it may be the end of music festivals for the next couple of years?
I do. I hope I’m wrong though.
Why did you say on Facebook “Mount Everest Doesn’t have sh*t on me, but quarantine sure does”?
Because quarantine sucks and has made me along with the entire planet miserable. In the very beginning, it felt almost nice for the whole world to hit pause together like that. It was like a big exhale. That quickly changed and now it’s a struggle just feel okay most days. It’s just bad.
Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
Hopefully touring and meeting people and just having fun. Maybe even earning a sustainable living for myself? Fingers crossed !
Anything you would like to say in closing.
THANK YOU!!!!
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