Studio Vocalist, Songwriter

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: I am proud of my song/ single that I released in cooperation with dutch Singer/Songwriter Mark Stouwdam in 2020 named "Don't Give In" and "Guided by My Soul" as my latest single "Never Alone" and "Like Water". I wrote the lyrics and sang on all of the songs, arranged all background vocals on my own songs, and helped with production ideas in the studio. I had so much fun bringing these ideas to life and hope that these songs will inspire my listeners!

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

A: Please listen to my vocal samples to determine if my sound and style is right for your project! Every project is different, and every voice is unique and beautiful in its own way! Feel free to listen to my latest singles on Spotify - @Merlin Waves

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

A: Since I was a little girl, I have always loved making music. I began taking singing lessons at the age of 7, and have been working on my craft ever since! I performed professionally for singing auditions and at private events, bars and restaurants through high school and college, all while gaining valuable experience writing and recording music in Münster and Hamburg/ Germany. After studying music at the Hamburg School Of Music and University of Music and Theater in Hamburg/Germany (Eventim Course for Popular Music) I continued to live and work in Hamburgs thriving music industry. I went on to record my singles of original music and have had songs cut by outside artists in Germany. My path led me to this amazing city, where I have carved out a career for myself that includes recording, performing, writing, music directing, and teaching music. The goal was always to make a living making music in some capacity, so I am very blessed and grateful to be living my dream and passion. I´ve been working international as a professional and trained Vocalist, Singer and Singer-Songwriter and composer for over 10 years.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My voice naturally has a bit of a country and folk inflection, as I was raised on country and folk music. My love for (tribal-) folk music and my training in several other styles allows me to add some flair to my voice when the song warrants it. I am comfortable with recording sweet, simple performances and also comfortable with more showy, pop-oriented vocal demands.

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

A: I would love to work with Sara Barreiles, Nessi Gomez, Birdy and Lana Del Rey! I very much respect their work as singers and songwriters as well as artists. I am moved and inspired by their music and art work.

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

A: Most of my projects are folk, country and pop songs, but I am comfortable singing in several genres! Folk-Rock, Irish-Folk, Country, Gospel, Soul, Acoustic-Music, Singer-Songwriter.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I have a good ear for harmonies and am comfortable thinking outside the box creatively! Writing lyrics and songs comes naturally to me. My creativity, and attention to detail are my strongest skills! I also pride myself on being an effective communicator, which is necessary in working with clients in a creative setting.

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

A: Most of my clients hire me to record their lead vocal, as well as harmony parts to go with it! I am comfortable learning pre-written harmony parts or writing and recording my own. As far as ad-libs and improvisation goes, I love adding my own flair to a track and filling in empty spaces with vocal accents, runs, etc. I have also written several songs for clients who have produced amazing tracks but need help with the lyrics, melody, or both. Essentially, I write lyrics for your song and / or commercial music jingle. I do recordings for demo songs. I write and sing the lead voice or harmonies to your songs.

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: I promise to give every project my absolute best effort! I promise to read through client's notes carefully, to be thorough and detail oriented, and to communicate clearly and effectively!

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love making music in any capacity, so this is my dream job! It's my life´s passion, comes from an honest point of view and fulfills me every day. I also love the flexibility of being able to determine my own hours, which is important as a full-time musician with new gigs and sessions being scheduled from week to week.

Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A: Customers often ask me if I feel comfortable taking artistic liberties and creating my own harmony parts as arranging background vocals. I love being creative in this way! I am also very happy to follow a reference track and copy parts as is if the songwriter has a specific vision in mind for the vocals!

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

A: I believe that the biggest misconception about being a musician and singer/songwriter is that you need to be famous to be successful. I believe that if you hustle and work hard to put your talents to good use, you can make a difference in the world with your creativity, no matter how many people know your name. I am so grateful to be able to do what I love for a living!

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I make sure to talk to the clients about their own vision for the project! I ask questions about feel, dynamics, simplicity/complexity, and personal taste in regards to vocal delivery/songwriting style.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Always keep all of your takes! You may "mess something up" when recording, and that take could end up being your accidental favorite part of the song!

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: My musical background is very diverse, allowing me to bring something unique to every project. I am classically and commercially trained with extensive experience performing, writing, and recording in the music scene. I also have a background in acting and musical theater, which sets me apart from many commercial recording artists. This theater background has prepared me to really connect with songs on a deeper level and deliver a performance that is not only vocally appealing, but that has heart and feeling, as well!

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Vocal Projects: Once I have received all of the materials needed to begin working on a song (vocal guide, instrumental track, lyric sheet, and bpm), I begin getting into the material. I record the lead vocal first and send the track to my clients so that they can listen through and confirm that we are on track. Once the client has had an opportunity to listen to the lead vocal track, I will go through and add in harmony parts and lead vocal ad-libs to really bring the song to life and add more interest. Songwriting Projects: Each songwriting project is different, which is what makes this process so much fun! For clients looking for lyrics, I will chat with them about their vision for the song's story and the emotion they feel when they listen to the track they built. I will then spend some time on the lyrics and send a rough draft over to the client so that they can read through and approve the content. Once this lyric is approved, I will begin the recording process. For clients with lyrics and a track, but no vocal melody, I will record a rough draft of my melodic ideas before working on the final, polished vocal. The goal is to bring the client's vision to life with every project!

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Logic Pro X

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

A: I am "vocally" inspired by a variety of singers, such as Birdy, Wailin' Jennys, Sara Bareilles, Luke Sital-Singh and Carrie Underwood to name a few. I admire singers who have an extensive range, but also taste and tact about when to keep the song simple! It's all about bringing the song to life and allowing your vocal to deliver a message that will move listeners. As a songwriter myself, I always keep this in the forefront of my mind when recording a vocal for a client's original work. I am deeply inspired by songwriters like John Mayer and Tori Amos. I aim to write songs that are written from the heart and say something in a new and exciting way! Some more musical inspirations are musicians like, Norah Jones, Bonnie Raitt, Imagine Dragons, Coldplay, U2, Fia, Lana Del Rey, Alanis Morissette, First Aid Kit, NEEDTOBREATHE and Laura Marling.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I always have several projects in the works for clients all over the world! I just finished writing and recording my 7th Single and am out performing these original songs and covers several times a week in several locations and venues in Germany. Right now I'm working on 5 singles that will be released as an EP within the next few month.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: A little bit of both! You can't fake the warmth of a tube mic, and you can't replace the convenience of digital work.

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

A: A microphone, Logic Pro X, Focusrite Scarlett 18i20, MuseScore, and a computer, of course!