Sean, can you share with us a bit about your upbringing and how it influenced your music?
Well, I definitely grew up in a very music-loving family. I had so many different genres around me at a young age, someone was always playing something. My Grandpa was big on Sinatra and my Grandma had “Sound of Music” on for us every day practically. Car rides with my Mom ranged from Celine Dion, to NSYNC, Barry White, to Faith Hill. My Dad played a ton of 80s, 90s and early 2000s Country in and around the house and on our boat. I loved it all.
I was always a part of some sort of choir in school and church and eventually that led to many years in musical theater productions, which helped me find my voice and the confidence to share it.
I think my own musical sound is truly a combination of everything and everyone that influenced me growing up. The artists, and the people in my life that were playing those artists.
You can definitely tell that there is some musical theater influence in my style of country music and I never intended for that to happen, but it’s really interesting how and what shapes you over time.
What was the defining moment in your life when you knew you wanted to pursue music professionally?
I know that I always enjoyed singing, but I was pretty shy growing up. I was never brave enough to go for the solo or really try and stand out, but that definitely didn’t stick. As I got older I became less shy and more confident. It felt like something shifted overnight but really it was always building. I started hitting notes I hadn’t hit before, I started projecting my voice in ways I didn’t know I could, and from that point on it kinda became hard to get me to stop belting everywhere at all times, and still to this day I kinda just nonstop sing. I think realizing for myself that I had something there is what really made me take the dream part of it and start truly viewing it as a career path. There’s a ton of things I love and would enjoy doing but there isn’t anything I love more than singing. I seriously have not considered anything else since then.
What challenges have you faced in your career, and how have you overcome them?
Being an independent artist is a true double edged sword. It definitely has its perks, as I have full creative control over every aspect of my career, but at the same time I have full responsibility over every aspect of my career. I wear every single hat simultaneously. I’m grateful to have a few core individuals like my Producer who allow me to feel like I have a team. But, one of the biggest challenges thus far has been navigating my way through being independent and lacking key resources and funding. Though I do not have it all figured out by any means, so I can’t answer it from an overcame perspective, but I can say that every day, little by little, I am overcoming the challenges as I get closer to making those dreams a reality.
Who has been your biggest support system throughout your musical journey?
I am blessed beyond measure to be surrounded with an abundance of love and support. I have a huge, big-energy amazing family that reminds me constantly that I have what it takes and that even when they are not physically beside me, they are always behind me in everything I do.
That encouragement is truly what keeps me going.
I am so grateful to have a chosen family of incredible friends as well in Nashville and other cities that keep my vibes high and love on me.
Lastly, to have collaborators become genuine friends that truly root for my success and make me feel seen and established and talented is probably the biggest form of support I have from a musical standpoint. My co-writers, my Producer, my band and studio musicians, they put their names on my projects and allow me to tell my story with trust and passion for the work and that to me is more than I could ever ask for.
You cannot get anywhere in music without people believing in you, including yourself, and I’m just so grateful I have people that do.
Can you walk us through your creative process when writing and producing music?
Yeah, well my creative process for writing and for producing are definitely different hats and different gears, usually.
One thing about me in general that my co-writers have gotten accustomed to is that I am an “idea machine”. I’ll come up with a concept for a new song and instead of writing that song and completing it I’ll come up with 4 more concepts. So, I am constantly coming up with new ideas which is why I love co-writing so much because I intend to write all of those ideas at some point, so instead of choosing what we’re gonna write that particular day I’ll throw out some options and let them choose. A co-writer getting excited about a particular idea of mine gets me pumped to focus specifically on that one idea.
Being a songwriter is like being a professional eavesdropper. You can’t turn it off, you hear everything and everyone around you and your subconscious is always at work. I’ll hear someone around me say a phrase or word something in a unique way and I’ll just think in my head, “that’s a song”, and I’ll discretely write it down in the notes on my phone. Everything else comes from my real life experiences, something I saw or heard on TV, I take inspiration from truly everything. And it very much depends on what I’m currently growing through or what mood I’m in that day. Sometimes I try to write the opposite of how I’m feeling which could be good, but other times you just have to give in to your raw emotion that day.
I use my voice memos app probably more than anything. I’ll be driving or doing anything and will just sing an idea into my phone and revisit it later. Every song I’ve ever written and released has started that way.
It’s crazy to look back on the life of a song, starting as a little (sometimes incoherent idea) to a worktape, and then a demo, and then ultimately bringing it to life in full production and mastering. It truly is like creating a music child.
I’m a total sucker for a good turn of phrase. Hooks and titles that have a double meaning are my absolute favorite. I am constantly pushing myself to get better and more creative at that. It’s truly thinking outside the box. Sometimes, you’re using so much brain power and creative power that you’re just totally exhausted.
Once a song is truly written, to get to shift gears and start focusing on the actual sounds and establishing the world that the song lives in sonically is such a different and fun process. For me, it has always come down to a Producer who truly understands my vision.
I know what the song sounds like in my head and what songs it’s similar to but it’s not always easy to put that into words. Finding someone I trust to convey those sounds and bring the song to life in a way that exceeds my expectations is something so magical.
How has your music evolved over the years, from your first release to now?
Every artist and writer strives to grow and evolve at their craft. You never want to go backwards. You never wanna feel like you’ve done the absolute best you’re ever going to be able to. And what would the point be to keep doing the exact same thing?
Songwriting and singing both require muscles, and those muscles just like all muscles get stronger over time the more they are used and exercised.
The muscles I have built in my songwriting and my vocal range and control are stronger now than they ever have been. That makes me proud when I hear the progression over the years, and the different projects I’ve done. It also excites me for where my music and my abilities are headed.
I’m proud of everything I have released over the years, but I am most proud of whatever I am currently working on because of the growth and evolution that has taken place.
More so than the physicality of it all and the practice of it, it’s also the emotional maturity and the bigger life experiences that take place as you get older that in turn are going to affect what you’re writing about and how you perform. The emotion that is behind your music is coming from every emotion you’ve felt leading up to that point.
What inspired the title of your latest EP, “25”?
Turning twenty-five was a big deal for me, it was a year full of changes and challenges and growth, it all just felt bigger. Naturally, I took everything I was feeling and put that to music. So, when we wrote “When You Turn 25” it just sorta encapsulated all the emotions that are found in the other tracks. Instead of calling the EP “When You Turn 25”, I just shortened that to “25”. I guess it’s my Adele moment, haha.
Which track on the EP was the most challenging to create and why?
Hmm, I’m not sure that any one particular track was “challenging”. We took so much care and time with each track that maybe there were challenging moments with each.
For “Water Rises” I think it was finding the balance between allowing the song to really build and grow without taking away from the emotion behind it. I’m so proud of the balance we achieved with that.
With “Rhinestones”, writing it was a bit challenging when deciding exactly how and what to say because it was such a specific subject that means so much to me. Sometimes you feel limited when the topic is really honed in on. In production it was getting the piano right. We wanted it to feel as old school country and as authentic as possible, that definitely took a few tries.
“Alright” was a bunch of different instruments at play, so any challenges with that were from deciding which instruments to use and which to leave out. We wanted it to feel really full and fun and busy but not too busy and too overwhelming. Also, aside from the instruments being used is also choosing how those instruments will sound. We pulled inspiration and reference from a bunch of different style songs in different genres to bring a cool dynamic and something original.
“When You Turn 25” wasn’t the easiest track to record vocally. The chorus is big and it’s high, so after a bunch of takes it’s a challenging song on the vocal chords. It definitely felt like a workout some days. I like big songs though, that push me and force me to get better. I love where the song sits in my range, but I know that it’s one I have to be properly warmed up for.
What message or feeling do you hope listeners take away from this EP?
Each track really brings something different, and I hope that listeners can see or hear themselves in some part of it. Whether it’s relating to leaving home and the challenges that come from your past, or it’s having a deep rooted love and appreciation for traditional country music and its traditions, or that exciting and thrilling feeling of being in the right place at the right time with someone you’re into, or all the feelings and emotions of nostalgia and bittersweetness that comes with getting older. Most people, I think, can relate to all of those if not most.
I hope audiences feel they listened to something authentic and original, and someone that represents a new but familiar voice for country music and music in general.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your music career so far?
Well, to segway from the previous question, as cliche as it sounds, hearing the direct response or impact someone felt from hearing your music is unbeatable. Especially when it’s from a complete stranger and not a bias or obligatory complement. Music is so subjective so for someone to truly like or love what you created is so darn cool, and then to be able to hopefully make them feel something on top of that is just beautiful. None of that connection is lost on me.
How do you connect with your fans and what does their support mean to you?
The support is everything. If I had no one listening or caring I would probably still do it for myself, but that only lasts so long. Having the support and love from others is more than just encouragement to keep going, it’s our life line as artists.
I tell people all the time, they truly have no idea how much hearing their feedback and their genuine excitement for me means, it means absolutely everything. It’s what allows us to do it and to do it on a professional and sustainable level.
What are some goals you have for the future of your music career?
So many goals, so many dreams. In the here and now, what I’m currently working towards is the re-release of my former projects collectively making my debut Album. That release and a mini tour to accompany it is what I would like to accomplish by the end of the year.
Eventually, making my Grand Ole Opry debut and signing some sort of management deal is definitely on the list of bigger goals I’m working towards.
