Session/Background/Demo Singer

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I recorded my debut album entirely in analog on 2 inch tape with a 24 track recorder. My second album was done digitally, but still with real musicians. Both analog and digital have their pros and cons.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love creating awesome music!

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: I'm able to work in a multitude of genres, not just jazz, hip-hop and R&B.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What is your timeline for the finished song? What is your budget for a session singer? What aspects of the song are already complete? What is the desired feel of the song? What is the purpose of the song (demo? jingle? hook?)?

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: I'm a joy to work with. I'm professional, efficient, creative, and extremely passionate about making quality music. I look forward to working with you!

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: My voice, my acoustic guitar, my MacBook Air, my keyboard, a pen and paper.

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: I've been writing songs since age twelve, and classically trained since 14. I took lessons with the Yale School of Music as an undergraduate, and sang with Shades, Yale's top co-ed a cappella group, eventually becoming the musical director. Upon graduation, I wrote pop and R&B songs for emerging artists, and sand background for multiple indie artists before becoming a solo artist in NYC. I released two solo albums, and continued my classical training. One of the songs from my latest album ("A Better Picture") earned me the title of Finalist in the 2012 Great American Song Contest. I trained with the New York Jazz Academy for a year, performing multiple concerts. I relocated to Houston, TX, where I continue to do hook and songwriting work from my home studio.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Soulful, smart, unique.

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

A: I would love to sing background vocals for Jill Scott. She is an amazing vocalist, creating very unique music, of which I'd like to be a part.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Be open to creative feedback and enjoy the process!

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

A: I'm classically trained in opera, and typically work in jazz, R&B, soul, funk, hip hop, folk, a cappella.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is writing unique melodies and lyrics that elevate a song beyond many others in its genre. I was a 2012 Finalist in the Great American Song Contest.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring a soulful and unique interpretation. I am classically trained, so I bring an expert knowledge of melodies, harmonies and complex song structure. I bring a sense of professionalism to the song structure, and efficiency, as I create takes and songs very quickly. I have a degree in English from Yale University, so I bring catchy and unique lyrical styling to songs in a variety of genres.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I try to get as much information as possible before recording. This would include song genre, purpose, and what specifically you need from me (melody, harmony, riffs, entire song, etc.). If you have a beat or instrumental with which to work, I request a track of this for recording purposes. Then I provide takes based on your initial information, and additional tweaks based on any notes you provide. I can provide takes and write fairly quickly (sometimes an entire song in two days, depending on the starting materials provided). Once we've achieved client satisfaction, I prefer a copy of the final song for my portfolio.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I record on Garage Band with a MacBook Air. I have three two options of professional compressor mics, a keyboard and an acoustic guitar. For song demos, I often create initial demos a cappella, with layers of vocal melodies/harmonies, before adding instrumentation.

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

A: I'm most influenced by Jill Scott, Anita Baker, Bobby McFerrin and Erykah Badu.

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: I have worked as a solo artist in jazz, soul, R&B, funk and folk. I have also done extensive studio work with MCs and rappers writing and recording hooks for hip hop and rap songs. I also have extensive experience as a background vocalist (live and studio). I have added harmonies for artists with a melody in mind, written vocal melodies, and written entire songs (pop and R&B) for myself and emerging vocalists. I am also classically trained in opera. I can apply more classical styling to my vocals if required. I have also written multiple a cappella songs and toured internationally with an a cappella group, as the musical director (pitch).