I was interviewed by Vents Magazine and you can read the whole interview HERE!
- How would you classify your music?
My music is quite pop heavy and it falls mainly into that genre, but occasionally there is a slight country vibe mixed in!
- Who are some of your top 5 musical influences?
I’m always very influenced by musicians that preform and write their own songs; my top 5 musical influences would have to be Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Sara Bareilles, Adele and Ed Sheeran. I can play any one of their albums and be inspired.
- What do you want fans to take from your music?
I want my fans to feel good when they listen to my music! I like to write songs from situations and experiences I’ve been through, and my goal is for my fans to relate to them. I want to make music that makes people feel good!
- Can you tell us a bit about your latest album? When will it be released and how does it differ from your previous work?
I am so excited and proud about my latest album Shine! I love the songs on it, because each one tells its own story lyrically and sonically. I have a self-love/anti-bullying song, a pop-rock-dance heavy song, and a song with a real country vibe. It was released in June 2015 and is currently on iTunes. It has had lots of college radio airplay and is even charting on 10 stations, which I’m so thrilled about! It’s different from my previous EP’s because I am a few years older, and every instrument was recorded live by seasoned Nashville musicians.
- What do you love and hate about the Music Business?
My favorite thing about the music business is the creativity! There are always so many new songs being released, and there are always new ways to be inspired with your songwriting and production. The hardest thing about the music business today is trying to figure out the best way to get your music to your fans and audience. There are so many various ways for listeners to access music: YouTube, SoundCloud, Spotify etc. As an independent artitst, it’s sometimes hard to know exactly where to put your songs, but it’s great that there are so many options for fans and listeners!
- What is the best concert you have been to? What do you like most about playing live?
Favourite concert was Ke$ha! It left a real impact on me, the whole night was just so much fun! I love her music, she is really talented and was so engaging and surprisingly really funny! As an audience member I sang along, laughed, and danced the whole time. It was a night I’ll never forget, I think that’s what makes a good show… I want to create an experience like that when my fans see me play live! The best thing about preforming live is that you can really interact with the audience, and feel their energy. I love seeing my fans sing along, clap, and even get up to dance!! In a recent show I taught the audience a repetition part, and they all sang along with me, which was so much fun for all of us!
- Is there a song on this latest CD that stands out as your personal favorite, and why?
My favorite song off my latest EP is the title track, Shine! I love the meaning behind it, it’s a song that I wrote to inspire and empower my fans. It’s got a bit of an anti-bullying theme and I love the message that it has!
- How have you evolved as an artist over the last few years? What made you decide to come back into the music business?
I think I’ve evolved as an artist over the last few years from the experiences I’ve had. I’ve written and recorded each of my EP’s in a different city… Love, Claudia in my home town of Edmonton, Canada, Hello, Hello while I was living in Los Angeles, and my latest EP Shine in Nashville. Each of these cities has such a different vibe and music scene; I think you can hear that reflected in my music. I’ve also had the opportunity to song write with other musicians which has expanded my songwriting process and influenced how I think about music.
- If you could meet, play a gig, co-write a song, have dinner, get drunk with any band or artist (dead or alive) who would it be?
I love this question!! Let’s dream!
Meet: Adele
Play a gig with: Taylor Swift
Co-write a song with: Meghan Trainor
Have dinner with: Cher
Get drunk with: Lana Del Ray
- So tell us what’s next?
I’ve recently been in the studio in Nashville working on and recording new singles which will be released over the next few months! My personal favourite is a song called Stranger. I love it so much because it’s a bit of a departure from my current sound. The lyrics are really raw and emotional, so we kept the production on it simple, but big. Stranger is also one of my favourite songs to sing live and I can’t wait for my fans to hear it!
Interviewed by RJ Frometa