Describe your sound in 3 words
Fresh soul pop
Tell us a few things about your album ‘Recovery’? What is the story behind it?
All of us have been having to hit pause during the pandemic, and for most they’re also facing various injuries of some kind – lost time with family, lost jobs or work hours, lost opportunities to perform or travel – not to mention any hardships they’d been facing before the pandemic began. So I curated this tracklist of songs to soothe the listener – to remind them how strong they are even in their darkest hours. All of us have the ability to bounce back.
Which is your most personal and honest lyric?
Postcard is the most personal song on the album. I wasn’t sure I’d ever release it, since it’s a song about my dad passing. One of my collaborators who worked on it said it really spoke to him and resonated with him as he processed losing his own father, and to me that made releasing it worthwhile.
Artists and people who have influenced and inspired you?
I love people who are talented but also really make an effort to make a difference. Alicia Keys, Dolly Parton, Betty White, Matt McGorry, Justin Baldoni – the ones who really use their talent and their platform to reach people, speak up for those treated unfairly, and lend a helping hand. As musicians we always hope our music does that whether we’re in the room with that person or not, that our music can find them and reach them wherever they are now.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced as an artist so far?
Biggest – hard to choose just one. The main one I had to overcome, which really drove this album, was being hit by a car years ago in 200I had to have a major hip surgery and learn to walk again, and even years later I still have to wrestle with health issues that may turn up as a result of the surgery or some remaining weakness on that side. We all like to think that when we face a difficulty we confront it and move on but some things stick with us or return later in a smaller way. Recovery is cyclical, it’s not always a straight line of falling down and immediately picking yourself up again. Sometimes it’s taking small steps and just being thankful that you’re moving at all, and remembering you’ll return to the bigger and faster steps down the line.
When not writing music, how do you spend your time?
I love to review books for #NetGalley and Bookstagram. I’ve also started working with wellbeing and skincare brands on my social media now that I’ve amassed a following of about 70,000 followers and fans across my social profiles. I’m also working on a novel presently which we’ve begun to pitch to publishers and literary agents, and we started getting some great response in the first week. I love to have multiple projects going at once in various stages, so there’s always a new place to pivot your energy no matter what stage a CD, novel, screenplay, or charity effort is in.
Future plans?
I have a new single releasing January 11, 2022 that’s a remake of a 90s French hit that also did well in America in its English adaptation back then. We’ve given it an updated sound but kept a lot of the passion of the original intact, so it will be fun to see that one circulate both with fans of the original and new fans who are too young to know the first version. Snow on the Sahara is live now on SoundCloud and BandCamp and will hit all the other music platforms January 11th.
Thank you!
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