How did you start / How did you get into music?
I’ve been playing music shows since I was 13. My dad plays guitar and helped me learn early on. My mom helped me book some coffee show gigs when I was in middle school and I’ve been playing shows ever since. Even before I knew how to play guitar I liked to perform. I would sing at talent shows and family dinners and basically anywhere with a captive audience haha. Total ham.
Where are you based?
Denton, TX. It’s a small town but very musical and groovy (we have two universities, a couple music festivals, and a million coffee shops. It’s definitely got that college town vibe).
Please give an example of your music writing process?
My process is always a little different, but it usually starts with words or melody. I get something small stuck in my head and from that spark I try to build the rest. It feels like I’m walking along in my mind and I stumble upon a mysterious object. Then I try to imagine what world it could have emerged from and that becomes the song. I also usually try to find a theme that can ground the album. Something simple that can be expanded upon and interpreted a bunch of different ways.
What are you working on right now?
I’m working on a new full length album. The band and I recorded it last summer and we just got finished having it mixed and mastered. I don’t want to say the title just yet, but it’s all about human desire in its various forms. Also! I’m part of another project called Saudade Sisters. It’s my friend Jena who lives in Seattle and I. We’ll be releasing our first EP “Wrong Ones” in about a week, so that’s very exciting!
What is your gear setup?
My setup is fairly simple. My amp is a Vox AC15, my guitar is an Epiphone Casino. No pedals except for a tuner. I add a lil overdrive and tremelo and reverb on the amp, and that’s it really. I love to write on my acoustic which is a Gibson J45 from the 1960s. It has a beautiful tone and really makes songs feel so rich.
What do you like to do outside of music and does it affect your music?
I’m a freelance graphic designer for my day job. Learning to design has definitely affected my art. It’s made me think of creativity as something that you have to seize and exercise rather than wait around for. In design, there’s no time to be unproductive, so I’ve tried to take that same mindset over to writing songs and getting stuff done for my music. My relationship with art is I think different than a lot of other artists I’ve met. I do think of art as something magical and transcendent, but I also like to focus on what practical steps can be taken to move forward and stay productive. It’s good to have a mix of imagination and pragmatism in art and in business I think.
How would you describe your music genre?
Unicorn rock n roll. Dreamy, mythic, fuzzy, hazy, rock. I don’t know, I have a hard time with genre. It’s very vocally driven and that the lyrics are important. I’d say rock n roll with a singer songwriter background.
Do you know any music theory?
Not much! I have had very little training as far as vocals go (I was in choir in elementary school). I learned from a teacher in middle school and high school, and I learned lots of chords and songs and how to read sheet music. That’s about all I know.
What are your plans for the future?
Release the Saudade Sisters EP this May, release our full length album, tour a bit this summer, write more songs, mix, repeat.
What are you listening to at the moment?
The Ventures, The Modern Lovers, Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood.
Who are your top 5 influences and icons?
PJ Harvey, Angel Olsen, Sibylle Baier, Leonard Cohen and The Velvet Underground.
When are you playing next?
I’m playing this weekend with Doug Burr in Dallas.
Please feel free to include any extra info.
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