Can you share a bit about your background and how your journey led you to pursue a music career?
I was born and raised outside of Chicago and spent much of my early life as an athlete. I grew up playing night games, like flashlight tag and kick the can. I picked up a guitar at twenty-five and knew I was supposed to write songs. So, that is what I have been doing for the past twenty years. That and working with teens and families in an array of different clinical settings. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, by profession. Songwriting has been mostly a private craft, with a few collaborations and small live performances along the way. My struggle has always been that I felt I didn’t have the songs I needed to launch a real music career. But I hit a creative patch these last few years and wrote some of my best material. I also had the great fortune of finding the right studio and a group of musicians who really helped shape my sound. I would not be in this position without my producer and the amazing artists you hear throughout this album.
Who were your earliest musical influences, and how did they shape your artistic identity?
My earliest music influences were probably bands like The Smiths, Echo And The Bunnymen and The Cure, as I grew up with older sisters. Today, I really love a lot of the Jazz greats like Miles Davis, Eric Dolphy, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker and Lennie Tristano and draw songwriting inspiration from artists like Bob Dylan, Mark Sandman, Nick Drake, Nico Stai, Elliot Smith and Scott Hutchison.
What was the inspiration behind your single “Falling Alone,” and how did the creative process unfold?
I broke the D string on my guitar and was messing around with a simple bass-line on the first two strings. I liked the groove I came up with and heard a melody that I began attaching words to. I think the restriction of missing a string opened up a creative doorway. It reminded me of a Morphine song and one of my favorite songwriter’s Mark Sandman, who actually played a two-string slide bass. I wrote it over the course of a week. The song recalls a lost relationship with a woman from Chicago and the difficulty I had moving forward in my life. The song is effective because it navigates dimensions of both anguish and loss as well as transformation, healing and redemption. It was a cathartic piece for me to write. The recording process was really smooth. My producer/guitarist/bassist and drummer executed their roles perfectly. I recorded the vocals and guitar first and then we laid down the drums and the other instruments.
Could you delve into the meaning behind the lyrics of “Falling Alone” and the emotions you wanted to convey?
The lyrics are based on a true story, like all my other songs. I went through a difficult break-up and had a hard time forgiving myself for the pain I caused. So, the lyrics are very much about that. I think the lyrics are relatable and evoke feelings of regret, emotional anguish, repentance and ultimate redemption. The song has two voices. One voice is a meditation on the painful experience and its memory, while the other offers encouragement, forgiveness and a way forward.
What challenges have you faced in the music industry, and how have they influenced your growth as an artist?
The biggest challenge was always finding the right studio and musicians to help me realize my songs. That was always the biggest obstacle. Since writing the record, it has been smooth. Playlist curators have been very supportive, I am working with a group that is helping me organize and distribute the songs and I am making some cool new connections in the sync world. I have been really happy with the amount of positive feedback I have received. I would love to get my songs into film, as I think they would work really well on the big screen.
How do your personal experiences and emotions find their way into your songwriting and musical compositions?
My personal experiences and emotions weave their way through all of my songs. My songs are one in the same with my personal experiences and emotions.
What would you consider as the most significant milestone in your music career so far?
The completion of this album is definitely the most significant milestone in my music career.
How do you navigate and adapt to the evolving trends in the music industry while staying true to your artistic vision?
I’m kind of out of touch and listen to old Jazz, mostly. I don’t follow trends but I do listen to what people are doing. A lot of the new music I hear sounds like it is repeating itself. It seems like there is a rush to write the next big chart-topper. However, I do like some of the popular stuff that is happening. I think Post Malone is pretty great at writing melodies. As an artist, I will always be true to my nature and create songs that meet my expectations for what I think sounds good and honest. I couldn’t imagine doing it another way. I hope my work reminds people of a sound that feels familiar, yet totally new.
In what ways do you see yourself evolving as an artist in the coming years?
I would like to keep evolving as a songwriter and know I have a lot more songs in me. I hope to find more people to collaborate with, especially a lyricist. I have tons of unfinished pieces that just need some words! I would like to learn the piano and write some songs that way also. I hope to travel the world and pick-up melodic ideas from faraway places. And I really want to play shows. I believe I am a good performer but definitely need to refine that skill.
Can you provide a sneak peek into any upcoming projects or collaborations you have in the pipeline?
I will be going into the studio in March to record a couple more songs. I just wrote a new one that I think is really great. It sounds uniquely different from the songs on my album and I think it has great potential. I sense a new collection of songs on the horizon.
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