As I've been trying to catch up on my blogging while juggling school, I'm finally getting a chance to post up the articles that got published on Faze.ca from Canadian Music Week. Below are some screenshots, but feel free to click the links below for the full coverage!
I know, my Canadian Music Week coverage has been taking a while to get all up and posted, but here's the last one! I had the pleasure of sitting down with Victoria-based musician Georgia Murray at The Marriott Hotel in downtown Toronto.
Georgia's story is a little different from any of the others I came across during CMW. She actually got in touch with me a couple months ago, telling me about a unique situation she was involved in.
Back in 2010, one of her songs was plagiarized by one of Korea's biggest pop stars, Lee Hyori (actually, it was the producer/composer who passed it off as his own) and hit number one over in Asia. She received an email one day from a Korean law firm telling her that her song "We'll Never Know" was released as the leading single off Lee Hyori's fourth album.
Long story short, she ended up settling out of court and was able to fund her debut EP Just a Dream with the money she was compensated with. For a weird situation to be in, it turned out to be really positive for her career. She gained a lot of media coverage, from a feature in the Korean Elle magazine to an Indie To Go documentary.
A couple other career highlights include taking part in 102.7 The PEAK Performance Project, being a contestant on CBC's Cover Me Canada, and appearing in an episode of Boston Legal.
She was in town for CMW for the first time - check out some bits from our interview:
For
someone who hasn’t heard your music yet, how would you describe it to them?
That’s
always such a challenging question because you don’t want to pinpoint yourself
into a box and we all think we’re a bit of this and a bit of that. I try to
describe it as alternative dark soul with a bit of an urban influence. I grew
up singing a lot of classics like Johnny Cash and Simon and Garfunkel and like
Gordon Lightfoot and Stan Rogers, Canadian folk singers. And then really got
into a lot of Motown when I was younger through my parents’ influence. Then I
was influenced by underground hip-hop when I was 12-13 and all through my
teens. I was super into a Tribe Called Quest, The Roots, and
Jurassic 5, so that really influenced me as well. So it’s kind of the
combination of the two influences that creates my alternative soul,
urban-influenced sound. A hybrid of my
more organic side from my younger influences with the more gritty beats side of
my hip-hop passion.
You’re
in town for CMW, what were you most excited for leading up to it?
Thinking
that I wouldn’t have any turn out or nobody would show up, last night we had an
amazing turn out. A lot of industry people came out to support and a lot of
apparent fans I have in Toronto, which just warms my whole soul. It was the
most magical thing. And yesterday alone was the most stressful day. I woke up
at 4:30 and our flights were delayed and we got here late, our turntable broke,
half our system broke on the plane, so we had to find another turntable, it was
a whole mess. But it all came together and we played an awesome show. I felt
super great about it. I was like wow, this really worked out. Leading up to it,
I felt I wanted to be more on my Canadian Music Week game but it was just so
busy. I’m self-managed, so I don’t have other people doing things for me, I’m
really doing it all myself. It’s just me and my partner D Whiz.
We
really are a textural mixture of a few things. I really have a passion for hip
hop so I love playing with a DJ and having that performance element to the
show. We play with real technique 1200 turntables, my DJ is an old school,
legendary hip hop main stay from victoria, from way back. He had one of the
first radio shows in western Canada. I also play with live drums. And also
electric guitar and I use my live looping voice effect box. I combine organic
moments with gritty beats and soaring glistening synths. It’s a mixture of organic
and electronic, definitely with the heavy hip hop influence with the beats and
the DJ. I love ballads and acoustic performances too, but you can’t do a
45-minute set of acoustic songs in a club, no matter how good your voice is.
What’s
your favourite part of being a musician?
I
think it’s just the human connection. I find with music, a voice or instrument,
it sort of opens up a path from your soul to my soul. It’s a way to connect
with somebody without your own beliefs or your own insecurities or your own
idea of how something should be. It’s a pure form of connection. The way a
musical instrument or a voice can resonate internally in your body allows
people to connect on an emotional level and just open themselves up. In a way
that you can’t really do by meeting people and talking, people are shy or
awkward, but with music, you can just really connect with people.
Being
able to express my emotions and having people connect to it, for me, is an
incredible feeling.
And
the hardest part?
It’s
a grind. Nobody does anything for you, it’s all about making it happen for
yourself. You just have to believe in yourself and stick to your guns and
continue on to pursue your dreams. The music industry is a really tough
industry on so many levels. A lot of it is luck and super-stance and networking
and who you know, but all these things can align and things can really happen
for you – but when you’re an independent artists, it’s hardcore. The challenge
is so essential in life. It’s what makes you get up in the morning. I think
it’s the element of challenge is what keeps me going. When you actually do a
good show after the worst day of your life and get great feedback, it’s what I
live for and it makes it all worth it.
What
are your thoughts on the Canadian music industry?
I
think it’s incredible. I’m so proud to be from Canada. Being a Canadian artist,
it’s awesome and I wouldn’t change it. It feels so special and I just cherish
that so much and being a part of a music community in Canada. I think it’s an
amazingly strong scene. Look at who we have, two of the biggest pop stars,
Justin Bieber and Carly Rae Jepsen, who I’m friends with and went to school
with. I actually went to school with Carly Rae Jepsen. We both went to the
Canadian College of Performing Arts together. There’s so many amazing artists
from Canada that are dominating internationally. I’m so proud to be part of it.
What
is the one factor that pushes you to continue making music?
I
love performing. I crave that attention. I want people to like me and want
people to think I’m cool and good at something. It’s so lame to admit, but that
validation from other people, as humans, we all kind of look for that. For me,
performance does feed my own ego. It’s bad, but I can’t deny it. I crave that
spotlight moment and that connection with an audience and that feeling on
stage, the adrenaline rush. Being able to express myself through songwriting
too. It’s something I’m addicted to and it’s a huge part of why I do what I do.
It’s just what I’ve always wanted.
One of the artists I was most excited to see perform live during Canadian Music Week was BOY, a German/Swedish pop duo made up of Valeska Steiner and Sonja Glass. I discovered their catchy songs earlier this year and they have earned a permanent spot on my iPod. Their music is fresh and positive and I got hooked.
So when I heard they were going to be in Toronto for CMW this year, I was stoked. I got to interview half of BOY, Valeska Steiner - probably one of the sweetest people I've ever met. Here's a glimpse into our interview:
How’s
the tour been going to far?
It
has been such a great adventure. It has always been my personal dream to tour
in North America and it’s really just as nice as I imagined it to be. We are
really appreciating every minute of it and also we’re very surprised and
overwhelmed by how many people come to the shows and already know the songs and
sing along. So that’s really quite amazing to be so far away from home and play
the songs you’ve written there and see people on the other side of the world
already know them. So we see that as a big presence somehow.
Your debut album Mutual Friends was just released in North America - what went into the making of it?
It
took two and half years to make the album. It’s been out for a while in our
hometowns, in Germany and Switzerland. We started writing in 2008 and then we
had two and a half years of not being in the studio. It took us a while to find
a record label. In the beginning, we sent it to many different record labels.
We got rejected by so many of them and that was a time where we had to have a
bit of faith and just believe in what we do. We were so sure in that we want to
do it no matter what, or how big or how small, so we just kept going. In the
end, we found a really great label that we’re working with right now.
What’s
it like working with Sonja? Could you tell me about your dynamic as a duo?
It
took us quite a while to find out how. We met at a music workshop and that was
all about meeting other musicians. We clicked really quickly and felt there
was a really good musical and personal connection. And then it took us a while
to find out how it worked best for us to write together because when we were
sitting in one room with one guitar, it didn’t work at all. Nothing came out.
Then we figured out a way of working separately. It always starts with
instrumentals that Sonja records at her place where she programs drums and
plays the bass and guitars. Then she sends me this instrumental track via email
and I find lyrics and a melody to fit at my place and send it back, so it goes
back and forth. Then we sit together in one room and think it’s an idea that
already has some sort of substance and we put it together.
You were also at SXSW this year - how was that?
It
was a big chaos but it was nice. There was a lot of running around with all our
instruments and we played seven shows in four days, so it was very busy but it
was nice. There were some shows with big technical difficulties because you
have 10 minute changeovers and line checks. There was one show where we had
line check and the audience was already in the club and nothing worked really,
it was just feedbacks all over and the guitar signals weren’t coming out of the
PA. And we were worried because there were many people waiting for the show to
start. We somehow knew that there wasn’t going to be a good show with that kind
of sound, so there was a courtyard in front of the club and we thought we could
just take it outside and take the people with us. That turned out to be the
greatest and most magical show we’ve probably ever played. It was really nice
and people were sitting around us and it felt like a campfire somehow. It was
nice to turn a difficult situation into something special. So that was
definitely one experience that stuck out and there have been many great moments
like that and just sharing special times with the audience.
I love your song "Little Numbers," and the video for it! What went into the making
of it?
It
was a lot of fun to make it. We had a Danish director for the video and we just
contacted him because we really like another video he made for a Danish band.
And so we sent him the song and he sent this idea he had to just go to
Barcelona where he had lived. He said the light there is so beautiful and
we’re just going to walk around and find situations that are worth being
filmed. In the beginning we were like okay, let’s just go there but what is
going to happen, because we had no script or no plan. But then we found so many
nice people and moments where you just had to film and in the end it was hard
to choose and eliminate scenes because we had so many nice moments and
encounters. So it was just two days of walking around in Barcelona and filming
whatever happened.
What’s
your favourite part of being a musician?
It’s
difficult. It has so many different sides to it. I really enjoy the part of
creating music very quietly at home in a very private space somehow. And the
moment where ideas come to you and you don’t have any idea where they come
from. It’s like a little gift from somewhere. And then of course there are the
moments when you share this music with other people and you feel like it makes
a connection or it means something to other people. So I think the writing and
the playing are really magical sides to this profession of being a musician.
I’m very happy that I get to do that.
What
pushes you to keep making music?
I
think Sonja and I really push each other somehow. I think it’s really nice to
be two people in a band and if times are hard or if situations are difficult,
you always have another person who is in the same place with you. Sometimes one
is weaker and one is stronger, and you can always pull each other out of
difficult situations. Also for the good parts, it’s nice to have someone to
share them with you. It’s really nice to do this together.
What’s
up next for you both?
For
this month we’ll just be playing more in Canada and the US. For this year, we
might come back; we’d love to, maybe with our whole band. And we started
writing for the next album in January. We’d like to slowly keep writing and
have some time to do that as well.
Their first official performance on Canadian soil was at HMV in downtown Toronto for a special acoustic set and autograph session.
Later that same day, they played at the El Mocambo for a CMW showcase. They had a huge turnout and despite some technical hiccups, they were a hit! I was definitely singing along....
Overall, I'm so glad I got to experience them live - their feel-good music is so pure and effortlessly uplifting.
Jesse Labelle has taken part in many Canadian Music Weeks in the past, but this year has definitely stood out from the rest. Not only did he get to perform at the Canadian Radio Music Awards at the Kool Haus on March 22, he also walked away with the award for Best New Artist.
Born and raised in Toronto, singer-songwriter Jesse Labelle has been in the music industry for a long time and has been working on creating music that truly shows the world who he is. We met up at a Tim Hortons in downtown TO to chat about his musical evolution, his recent win at the CRMAs, and his favourite spots in the city. (These are just selected tidbits from the full-length interview)
You
just performed at the Canadian Radio Music Awards, how was that?
It
was awesome. I think that was the best single-song show I’ve ever played. It
was like as if they took the MMVAs and they put it inside a concert hall. I’ve
wanted to play the Kool Haus my whole entire life. To me, as important as it
was to play the Radio Music Awards, it was a chance to play at the Kool Haus.
It’s where I’ve seen all my favourite bands. It was amazing.It
felt like playing The Grammys, the way it was all set up was really cool.
And
you won an award – congrats! How did that feel?
I
won an award for "Heartbreak Coverup" and that was for New Artist or Group of the Year at Hot A/C Radio. I wasn’t sure I was going to win it, but they asked me to
perform that song. And right before I had played, Victoria Duffield played and
she won the award for that. I was a little nervous and I was like oh shoot, if
I’m going to win an award, the performance has got to be bang on. But it was
awesome. To win an award is really nice. I’ve never won, and I’ve got a gold
record for this song, but never won an actual award in front of a group of
people. I was a little speechless and I didn’t really know what to say, but it
was great to have my peers in the industry to recognize that song. I’m really
proud of it.
You mentioned "Heartbreak
Coverup" even went gold – how did you feel when you got that news?
That
was crazy too. I’ve been doing this for 15 years and I’ve always wanted
something like a gold record. I’ve always thought that if you work hard enough
at anything, you should succeed in it and this last year I’ve finally started
to feel that I have some success in what I’m doing. It feels really good.
How
has your sound evolved from your first record to your latest album, Two?
It’s
changed exponentially from the first album. The first record was one that I
wrote mostly when I was a teenager. And I got signed to a record deal in my mid
twenties, and most of the songs on that first record were written from the time
I was 18 til I was 25. They were songs that I wrote in my bedroom and I didn’t
really co-write many of them with anybody. They were really honest, but they
weren’t developed quite so much. In between my first and second, I toured a lot
and got comfortable with my own voice. I got comfortable with a couple
different instruments too, like I play a ton of piano on the second record as
where the first record was completely guitar based. So the second album is a
step in the right direction and I don’t even think it’s where I need to be yet,
but it’s getting there. It’s like climbing a ladder and I feel like I’m
comfortable climbing the ladder now. I’m really excited to make the third
record because I feel like I’ve been continually growing. The second album was
the first time I really got a chance to go into myself and pull out who I was
at that time instead of who I was at 18.
Favourite
part of being a musician?
My
favourite part of being in the industry is probably the life that comes with
it. You’re allowed to create and make a life around creating. And when you’re
lucky, going to work, you get to be celebrated for it. You get to play for
crowds of people who connect with you and sometimes they know the words to your
songs. They make you feel like the stuff you created out of nothing is
validated and it means something to them and that’s an awesome feeling. I used
to love the studio, but now I love the performance aspect. I love performing in
front of the crowd and seeing them react with you because if you can elicit an
emotion or a feeling out of them that they otherwise might not have had, you
may do something that can enhance their life. Even if you can enhance it for a
moment, you’ve done something good.
What’s
up next for you?
"Heartbreak
Coverup" was just released in the UK and it’s playing on BBC Radio now, which
has a huge listener-ship. I think there’s going to be a lot of European stuff
going on.It’s a whole other part of the
world and it’s a market that most Canadian musicians don’t go over to. A lot of
people stay within the boundaries of Canada and I’m really big on spreading the
music further. It’s a huge world out there. I love Canada and being from
Toronto, but we’re not the only people out there who want to hear music so I’d
really like to focus on the UK and see where that ends up taking it.
Check out his latest single "How Long" -
Fun
Four:
1. Where are some of your favourite Toronto hotspots? If you were to give me a tour of the city (as someone from Vancouver), where would you take me?
I’m
big into food. There’s a restaurant, my favourite restaurant in the entire
city, its called Playa Cantina. It’s Mexican and it’s in the
area called The Junction and I actually made friends with the owner. I went there
so much, I had to have an ‘in’ there. That place is a must-go. You also have to
walk along the entire waterfront, especially being from Vancouver. Right down
by the CNE Exhibition Place, there’s a path and there’s one of those rock
statues, an Inuksuk statue that feels just like English bay. When you walk down
there, for a second, you feel like you’re in Vancouver. I really like it down
by the water. There’s also a castle called Casaloma, it's a real castle, something
worth checking out.
2. Top three artists you'd love to work with:
Bono
/ U2
Coldplay
Paul
McCartney
3. Something
you can’t live without:
My
instruments.
4. If I gave you 1
million dollars right now, what would you do with it?
I’d
give a quarter of it to a school I work with in Africa. I’ve always wanted to
do something in my life where I’ve given something that will last far beyond
the lifespan that I have. I’d like to create something or build something,
something that will last. I worked with a school in Africa and to this day I
raise money for them. So I’d give a quarter to the school there. Then I’d pay
off my home so I’d own my home. And I’d probably have half a million dollars
left and with that, I’d travel a lot. I’d build a larger studio that wasn’t in
my living room. I’d save the rest.
During Canadian Music Week, I got to meet Eli T. at The Marriot hotel in downtown Toronto, where we chatted about his world travels, his musical inspiration and who he's love to work with someday. Eli was born in Singapore, but he attended York University here in TO and he now lives in New York.
His debut album, Revolt, came out last March and since then he's been touring and spreading his electro-pop sound with the world.
Check out some of our interview:
How
would you describe your music?
It’s
electronic with a lot of pop sensibilities. The vocals and melodies are really
R&B inspired but the production is fully electronic. It’s almost like Monarchy gossip meets Usher.
Has
electronic music always been your main focus?
Yes,
but I also wanted to go darker and deeper into the soundscapes. There’s a lot
of depth into what you can do with different sounds. If you pick different
samples, you can layer it and texture it, so I’m trying to do a lot more stuff
that is darker and deeper.
When
did you get started in music?
I’ve
always been into music. My mom used to work in a church recording studio so
when she was pregnant she used to put the headphones up to her tummy and stuff.
And for as long as I can remember, she tried to make me play piano and I was in
band. So it’s been forever.
You’ve
moved around a lot, where do you call home?
Toronto
for sure. Always Toronto. It’s been a while since I’ve been back but we had the
luxury of coming back for Indie Week in October and were back again in November
for a fall tour. We played Lee’s Palace. It’s been a while since I’ve seen my
friends and stuff.
You’re
here for CMW, what are you most looking forward to?
Playing
the show. I want to meet other artists and talk to them and see what drives
them. Sometimes it inspires you when you talk to other artists and you get a
bit of their story. It drives you a little harder and pushes you a little
harder.
Have
you noticed any differences in the music scenes of all the places you’ve
traveled?
Just
Asia and North America alone has a huge divide, with what they’re looking for,
what they like, and the fans are completely different. Like in Asia, the fans
would wait for me by the hotel if I tweet. It’s weird, I’m not quite used to it
yet because the album just came out last year. They wait and figure out where I
am. They’d have presents. We went to Bangkok and they know I like mango sticky
rice so they traveled and bought mango sticky rice for me. But out here in
North America, they treat me like a friend, which is great too. Either way,
that’s fine, because I serve them music. But as far as that divide, and that
difference, that’s that.
Some
cities are a little different. LA is really weird, I can’t really get used to
it and I can’t quite put a finger on it. It feels like a movie set.
Where
do you get your songwriting inspiration?
I
think I’m one of those weird people who has too much drama in my life. I’m
never without inspiration but it comes at a huge cost. Also I think
there’s inspiration all around. Everyone has a story to tell so sometimes I tap
into that.
Any
songs that you have a stronger connection to?
"Imaginary."
For a while, even before I went into production, a lot of people with a lot of
power were trying to convince me to do Chinese music because that market would
be a lot more viable for an Asian artist. I guess you don’t really see a lot of
Asian artists in North America. I tried it because it makes business sense but
after working on some of the demos and stuff, it just wasn’t me and I couldn’t
connect. I’m not inspired by it and it just doesn’t influence me in any sort of
way.
What
pushes you to keep making music?
The
fans. Some of them tweet me on a daily basis just to remind me to eat. I look
to them for help more than the other way around. They encourage me to keep
fighting. I make music for them and if they are encouraging me to fight harder,
it’s a big blessing.
Best
words of advice you’ve been given?
It’s
okay to be you. Your best chance at succeeding in life is doing what you’re
good at. That’s just who you are. You
have to be proud of what you’re doing.
Top
3 people you’d love to work with someday?
Monarchy.
Kimbra. Robin Thicke, that man is a genius.
Kicking off my Canadian Music Week hecticness, I had the pleasure of chatting with Emily Reid, a talented singer-songwriter who is originally from Victoria, BC, but has been living in Nashville. Her bubbly and positive personality was refreshing and our interview in the Marriott Hotel lounge was very casual and laid-back - or maybe that's just a west coast thing we've got going on haha. We talked about her current tour, making the move down south, and her songwriting inspiration.
She was playing at CMW for the first time and she was excited to get more involved in the Canadian music scene. She played two showcases, one at Annex Live on March 20th and another the following night at Tattoo Rock Parlour. I was able to check out the second show.
Check out a bit from our interview:
For
someone who hasn’t heard your music yet, how would you describe it to them?
Emily Reid: I
would describe it as Northwestern indie pop meets the fusion and class of
Nashville.
You
released your debut album this past August – can you tell me a bit about what
went into the making of it?
ER: So
basically it was a chronology of all my experiences my first two years of
college. All the songs I wrote, all the heartbreak I went through and all the
struggles of being from Victoria and being transplanted into the south. It was
the journey of me getting situated in a new country and a new environment. It
was really cool to take all the friends that I had made - and everyone is so
freaking talented - and we just came together and made a great first album. We
did six songs with two friend producers and four songs with another set of producers
and mixed it all to sound the same.
Being
from Victoria, how has the west coast influenced you as a musician?
ER: I
think it’s just in who I am. I’m 100% a west coast girl in my carefree, chill
nature. And that sort of plays into my songwriting. But going to Nashville and
classing it up and understanding the true intricacies of music and all that
goes into it has really made a really interesting blend of the carefree and
serious.
What
was it like to make that transition from Victoria to Nashville?
ER: I
found the school, called Belmont University, at the back of a Rolling Stones
magazine. I was in grade 11 and I didn’t really know what I wanted to do in
life, but I loved music. And the program was music business and it totally
caught my eye. I literally applied and went and didn’t even think about it. I
didn’t know Nashville was what it was. I was totally in way over my head. It
was a super strict southern college and I thought, what have I got myself into.
But it ended up working for the best.
Emily Reid at Tattoo Rock Parlour | Christina Dun
When
did you discover that music was your ‘thing?’
ER: My
whole life, I was always that nerdy music kid. I was in every choir, in every
band. I couldn’t play sports to save my life. Put a soccer ball in front of my
feet and I’d trip and fall, die, break my nose, it’s so embarrassing. So I was
super involved in the musicals and I always managed to write songs. It’s just
something I’ve been able to do ever since I was five or six. I’d sit at the piano
and write on coloured pieces of paper and store them on my shelves and my dad
would find them, read them and tell me that I can’t just quit this and have to
keep it up. So it followed me my whole life.And when I got to Nashville, I had friends in commercial voice or
songwriting and I’d hear their songs and hear them sing and I thought, wow, I
can do this too. I may be good enough and have the potential to do this.
Once
I got turned onto this, I just couldn’t stop and I thought, okay this is going
to be the path for the next little while.
You
just came from SXSW, how was that experience?
ER: It
was so great. I’m 21 and I would never have imagined that I’d be playing SXSW
on my own with my own music at that time in my life. We played at the rooftop
of Whole Foods at the Whole Foods headquarters and it was such a cool dream
experience. I’ve only been at it for a year and these things are happening and
it’s just so cool. I couldn’t have asked for more, it’s just awesome.
How
has the tour been going so far?
ER: It’s
been super great. We’ve done it all ourselves, which is a lot of work but it’s
so much fun. I get really sick of being in the car with three boys, but it’s
really really fun.
Emily Reid @ Tattoo Rock Parlour | Christina Dun
What
are you doing to stand out from other musicians?
ER: I
work my ass off. I work really hard night and day and really believe in the
power of a song and really believe in the power of music. I think that anyone
who works hard at anything will be successful, whatever it is you want to do,
as long as you are all in it, guns a-blazing. I just don’t think people can be
stopped. And also, just trying to create. Every time I write a song it has to
be better than the song before, and not settling and really flushing out my
craft. And I know I won’t be my best person and write my best song until I’m 60,
but focusing on writing the best song I can now.
Where
do you get your songwriting inspiration?
ER: It’s
cheesy to say, but love and those challenges of relationships. And I’ve also
found my niche is that I was a little bit of a wilder younger girl, when I was
18/19 in high school. I grew up really fast and capitalizing on those hard
girl experiences of wanting to be loved and by wanting to fit in. And then my
friends going through those things that I went through at a younger age, and
writing songs for them. My close relationships affect my writing the most.
Dream
collaborations?
ER: I
would love to open for just about everyone. I want be an opener on a Feist
tour. I want to be an opener on an Ingrid Michaelson tour. Those are my dreams.
And I’d love to write with everyone but I want to keep Emily and just keep
getting better at being Emily. But I want to open for literally everybody. Just
let me be on your tour and I’ll go with you.
Emily Reid at Tattoo Rock Parlour | Christina Dun
How
would you describe your live performance?
ER: It’s
super positive and really fun. It’s really genuine and heartfelt. It’s like
taking me and just letting my energy out. I’m a super hyper, off the walls kind
of person. And the band, because we’ve been playing together for such a long
time is really tight. And they all have their own character and it’s just so
much fun.
I
love the music video you did for ‘The River,’ it looked like a lot of fun – can
you tell me a bit about the filming of it?
ER: You
only live once, so I really wanted to do a music video. You have to these days.
And my friends are these amazing videographers who have their own company. My concept was all my friends in my backyard having a party. So we got a keg
of beer, had a bbq and decorated my whole backyard and filmed it. But you’ll
never believe this, that whole day it rained, I’m talking downpour Nashville
torrential rain. I was like what are we going to do? It literally stopped raining
from 4 until 8:30, and then it started to downpour again. It was like the skies
opened up, so it worked out really well. It was so fun and how it all should
be. Music is fun and about connecting with people.
Do
you have a moment you’re most proud of so far in your career?
ER: I’m
proud to just be here and I’m proud to just say that this is what I want to do
because it took me a long time to admit that I really want to be an artist and
a songwriter. I’m just proud to stand on my own two feet and know that this is
what I want to do. And to all the things coming is just a by-product of hard
work and luck.
