I recently got the opportunity to interview a very talented canadian singer/songwriter. Julie has over 6,000 subscribers, over a million views and has done over 50 videos on youtube.

Check out the interview, hope you enjoy it.

Hey Julie, Thanks for taking your time to do this interview with me on YHP, how you doing?

Hello Joseph! Thanks for having me! I am doing wonderful!

How did this whole singing career get started for you?

I have been singing in my bedroom since I was a kid, once I got over my shyness to sing in public thats when it became something real. Started recording my original songs and getting my music out there for the world to hear!

If you weren’t a singer, what would you be doing?

I am not sure. Can’t imagine doing anything else. Maybe open a restaurant

Where do you find inspiration for new songs?

If something is bothering me the only thing that helps is writing about it and singing about it. The majority of my songs are out of heart break. My favourite songs have come out of the deepest pain I have ever felt. I am so thankful for all of my heartache.

How did you get involved in posting covers on youtube and how do you pick your covers?

I got involved with youtube after seeing some amazing artists on there. I thought it was a great opportunity for Artists to put themselves out there for the whole world to see.
Covers that I sing at the moment usually the ones that are most requested or ones that really grab me. Like Bruno Mars Im thinking of covering his whole album haha

Are there any artists/musicians whom you want to work with in the future?

I would love to work with Gwen Stefani, Bruno Mars, Nelly Furtado, or Alicia Keys

Who are your greatest influences, musically and personally?

I am influenced by amazing singers and songwriters who make me fall in love with music over and over again. Personally I am influenced by my Mom and Dad. They are both amazing strong and kind.

What do you think sets you apart from other artists in your genre?

I’ve never really thought of setting myself apart from other artists. I love to sing and write love songs, and am thrilled when people like it

What are your musical plans for the year ahead?

The year ahead in 2011 I will be releasing a new EP on iTunes of my new music I have been recording. Plans for a Canadian tour as well, can’t wait to do more live shows!

What is the best and worst part about being a musician?

Best part of being a musician is being able to do what I love & sing all the time. Meeting new people at shows is amazing as well. I have yet to find a negative thing about it yet, when I do I’ll let you know

What has been the highest point of your career so far?

Having my song “Been through the fall” added to rotation on Ottawa’s Hot 89.9 & other radio stations across Canada was the highest point of my career so far. It was a dream for it to play once but when I heard it 7 times a day for months on the radio- that was just unreal. It was a huge boost of confidence for me to try even harder to get further in this music life

How do you enjoy passing the time?

Hanging out with my loved ones, singing, play guitar, watch movies, and check out new singers on youtube

You’re currently working on your new album, how is that going so far and what is the inspiration behind it?

It is going well, it’s an amazing process to write a song on the piano or guitar and then go into the studio work with a producer and something more amazing comes out. It’s one of the best feelings in the world! Inspiration behind the album is all about love and heartbreak

Do you write all your songs?

Yes! I am doing some co-writing as well, and hope to have those on my album too

How do you want people to describe you ten years from now?

I want to be remembered as a good person.

Is there anything else you would like to share with your fans, and are there any new songs that they should keep an eye out for?

Thank you to every one who supports my music, if you’ve ever voted for my song on the radio, requested it, watched my videos anything! Thank you so much! I love you guys!!! Lotsa new songs will be posting them on youtube very soon

What tips do you have for artists out there still trying to build and develop their craft as an artist?

With the internet these days the opportunities are amazing, but you have to work hard at it and put effort and dedication into it like everything you do. Don’t say no! Say Yes! Face the fear and go for it!

Thanks for your time Julie.

Thank you so much for asking me I enjoyed it!! Take Care!

Dont forget to connect with her on her website www.juliecorrigan.com

Or say hi to her on twitter or facebook

Hi Guys, I had the opportunity of interviewing an aspiring music artist, Justin aka Jvoqalz.
Justin is filipino music artist that moved to the U.S when he was 15 and currently reside in Hayward, CA

Hi Justin, Welcome to YHP, how are you doing?

Hello there. I’m good and thank you for having me.

Before we jump straight into the interview, can you quickly give the YHP readers some background information about yourself?

Sure. Hi my name is Justin aka JVoqalz. That’s my alter-ego when I’m on stage. I am an aspiring singer coming out of the Bay Area. I am Filipino. Lived in the Philippines for 15 years, so I guess you can say I was born and raised there. Move to the U.S. when I was 15. And now I currently reside in Hayward, CA.

When did you get involved with music?

Been in love with music since I was 2 years old. My Mom (I LOVE YOU MOM!) showed me a picture of me when I was 2 years old, holding a mic and already singing. And pretty everyone in family are musically affiliated so it wasn’t a surprise that I would be involved with music.

When did you began doing covers of other artist’s songs and how do you pick which songs to do cover’s of?

I began doing it just this year’s summer. And I like to do covers of songs that suit’s my voice. And that’s pretty much any kind of song as long as you can sing it because I try to versatile.

Who would you said influenced you to become a music artist?

My auntie Lerma dela Cruz. I remember when I first heard her sing, I got goosebumps and I told myself I want to make people feel the same way she makes me feel everytime she sings. And from then on I wanted to be an artist. To show and make people feel the music that I bring and the songs that I make.

Being a artist, you must face different opinions, both good and bad. What are some of the things that help you motivate yourself to do better when someone criticizes you?

I LOVE MY HATERS!! Seriously though, without them it would be boring because I have no one to please anymore. So yah haters, do your thing!

After doing so many cover’s of songs, can fans expect an album from you in the future?

Yes I am currently working on album as we speak that hopefully will drop this winter.

What are your rehearsals generally like? Do you have a set time each week in which you practice or are rehearsals more spontaneous?

I rehearse and warm my vocals up everyday after I work out.

What has been your biggest challenge as an artist? Have you been able to overcome that challenge?

The biggest challenge have been TIME!! I wish I have more of those. Its hard to juggle a lot of things: music, social, school and work.

You recently shot your latest music video “One night”. Describe how it was working on that video and the response so far?

The experience was fun. I love making music videos. It brings a whole another aspect to the song. It brings my own opinion about what the song really is about. The responses were great. The people seem to like it.

Out of all the covers you’ve done so far, which one is your favorite?

I would have to say “Just the way you are” by Bruno Mars.

All good artists evolve musically. How do you feel that you’ve improved since the first time you started doing covers?

I think ive improved on my range and control and song choices. But there’s always room for improvement.

Being so young, what do you believe are your individual strengths that will allow you to outweigh your musical competition?

That I am VERSATILE. Give me any kind of genre in music. Country, R&B, Ballad, Rock, Hip Hop doesn’t matter. I will write something on it.

Out of the songs that you released publicly, which of those songs can you relate to the most? Why?

All of them actually. Because all of my songs came from my own experience so I would say I can relate to all of them.

You’re still young, so where do you see yourself progressing in the next 5 years?

“I just wanna be SUCCESSFUL” – Trey Songz

what tips do you have for upcoming artists such as yourself?

Keep doing what you LOVE!! Do not let anything stop you. If you think you got and they don’t then prove them wrong.

Thanks for your time justin.

It was a pleasure.

Dont forget to check justin out on:

Youtube, Twitter, facebook and tumblr

Kina Grannis is a 25 years old singer/songwriter from Orange County, currently based in Los Angeles.

She was only 15 when she started playing the violin and later on got into music fully. She started experimenting with song writing and composing which eventually led to her falling in love and teaching herself how to play the guitar.

Although she claimed to have written her first song when she was only 5 years old.

She is of Japanese, English, Irish, French, Dutch, Welsh and Scottish descent.

She said that she draws inspirations for her music through her life, friends, family, strangers, dreams, nature, and art and classifies her music between folk, pop and indie.

In 2008, things couldn’t have gone better when kina decided to enter her first video “Message From Your Heart. The song won the Doritos Crash the super bowl contest in 2008 which resulted in her getting a recording contract with Interscope records.

In 2009 she decided to leave the label to stay independent in an attempt in keeping her creative freedom after the label wanted her to spend time writing and developing new songs, working with songwriters in the industry rather than completing her nearly finished with her original writings and songs.

Her video has been played during the commercials of Super Bowl XLII. She also sang the national anthem for the Auto Club 500 NASCAR race in Fontana, California. Her songs “Never Never” and “People” were used in episodes of MTV’s reality series College Life.

Her songs have been featured regularly on General Hospital and was in an episode of the ABC Family’s mini-series Samurai Girl in September 2008.

Her latest album Stairwells was released on February 23, 2010 has received huge reception, debuting at No. 139 on the Billboard 200, No. 5 on the Billboard Top Internet Albums chart, No. 2 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, and No. 18 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart.

Her single valentine already has over 3million hits on youtube and not to forget that she has over 45million views on her youtube channel.

She has continued to show that she doesn’t need to be signed to major label to make it in the music industry. She has continued to use online tools such as facebook, MySpace, youtube and twitter to keep in touch with fans and showcase her music and talent to the world.

She is currently touring around the U.S. she has just finished her performance in Vancouver.

Hey Guys, I finally got the chance to do an exclusive interview with daniel mazano, the oldest brother of the Rock band – Boyce Avenue.

I tried to leave the conversation very raw to keep it engaging, It really has a lot of information on how they started up to the right now, i think all fans of boyce avenue will find a lot of details, value and juice from this interview.

Anyone really looking to start a musical career, a band, trying to breaking in the music industry especially as an unsigned artist and also through youtube.

Did you know Daniel Mazano is a law graduate from Harvard Law School and was working 40-50 weeks on a day job before he quit to join his brothers to start up the band.

Enjoy the interview.

So yes finally

Yes seriously sorry, we’re actually shooting a video today for our youtube channel, we’re starting to get back into it, and it’s been a while since we posted some fun videos, some covers, and blogs so we’re just starting to ramp things back up and post some original videos.

We’re at some shoot in a studio in Orlando, so i just wanted to make sure to get away for a little bit for somewhere quiet so we could chat.

No problem, so what video is it?

Umm…It’s a secret i guess {Laughter}

So you’re not going to tell us what video it is

No{Laughter}, it’s not a big deal; it’s just something we’re looking to drop this weekend so i don’t know if you’re subscribed to our channel so you could just check it so we’ll probably post it on Sunday.

Yeah course I’m subscribed, I like what you guys are doing

Thanks

Yeah, I’ve been following you guys from 2007 when you started, i think the first video that got my attention was the your cover of OneRepublic / Timbaland – Apologize, i think that was first video that really made me stick to you guys and i just kept following what you guys were doing.

I think you’re going to love the video that we will be posting this weekend

Nice

It doesn’t feature either of those artists, but it’s got piano and its a fun song that we’ve been vybzing to on the radio and we think it will be getting some VMA love, as in the artist that originally wrote the song, not our cover, we think they’ll probably take away a VMA or perform on the VMA so we’ll see.

Oh nice, I’ve been doing some research on your background before this interview and one of the first thing i want us to quickly get into before we head into the interview properly was that how does someone that graduated from Harvard with a law degree just go into the music industry, i mean are you using your degree or anything?

You know i practiced law for a little bit but all along i was doing music with my brothers and i always knew that was what i wanted to do.

There are a lot of things that come that require you to use problem solving skills and to use people skills and my degree and my experience in school have actually really come in handy.

For a long time, i was the acting manager for the band, we have a whole team around us now but there was a time when i really had to make sure we were ok with the contracts and figure out how to do certain things on iTunes, so a lot of research and education skills came in handy it hasn’t been a waste.

But i wouldn’t change anything for what I’m doing now, i really love performing for fans, and creating new music you know, it feels like I’m finally doing what i was meant to do but the path that i took to get here has served me well.

Ok that sounds good, how were you able to balance studying in school and still having the time to push out music, covers on youtube and let’s not forget practicing with your brothers?

It was really tough man, the hardest part was when things started picking up for us as a band from 2006 onwards, trying to run a big youtube channel and i was working about 40-50 hours a week at my day job.

WOW!

Yeah so it was a really big moment for us in oct of 08 when we were all finally able to quit our day jobs and able to focus on music, it will be almost “OMG” it will be 2 years October of 10 because our first European tour ever was in October 09 and I’ve stopped working for almost year at that point, but anyways it was a really big deal, because fabian was also working a day job so it was such a relieve to focus full-time on the fans, music and videos.

So let me get this right, you and Fabian were working full-time and trying to run the band at the same time?

Yes there was a period for a good while then that we were working because we had to do everything on our own, which means we also had to fund all of our recordings, our projects, buying cameras, so we were working really hard also with having families, doing everything basically, but on top of that we were still rehearsing, you know writing new music.

Going to recording studios on weekend and it was just this crazy process, we almost finished the entire album like that and it wasn’t until the album was pretty much done and things have gone on like that until the point where we could just focus on touring and the youtube channel but its been great.

I’m going to come back to you guys touring in a bit, but i just want to go back a bit to when you guys started, how did you all get into music, i mean three brothers playing instruments and singing, how did that happen? Was it something your parents kicked into? What’s the story behind that?

Music is always been a part of our lives, we’ve always loved music, my mum has a pretty singing voice and my grandfather would always play classical guitar and sing, classic Hispanic song, Puerto-Rican folks songs and stuff at family gatherings and on holidays.

So music was always something we were around but it dint really grab on in a really intense way till alejandro was about 13 or 14, he just started playing the guitar like 10 hours a day.

Oh wow, that’s crazy!

It was crazy, he’ll get home from school till the wee hours in the morning he would just play and play and teach himself and learn songs and fabian started playing the guitar about the same time, you know we’ve always been best friends so we all just started playing together for whoever would listen, we kept on and we knew that is what we were meant to do.

How long would you say you guys spent practising, for a newbie how long would you say they should spend learning and practising every day?

Oh gosh, it’s hard to say, it’s hard to put a number on that, the most important thing is to really put care on it, you know you have to be really passionate about what you do, you know the thing that matters most to you.

I think for us , what we did was to take every spare moments we have because we knew we were busy, we know we have degrees and families and other things that we need to do, but every spare second we have, we try and get together and play for people, we try and write music and do the best we can with it, it was just that passion.

You know it’s like i talk so much about leaving behind the day job and being able to solely focus on music but one of the things that was really good about having other distractions was that you realise how much you really like the music thing that when you get home at 7pm from your law job and you find yourself spending about 3-4 hours working on music or lining up studio to go and record or filming a video then you realise wow i would do this even if i wasn’t getting paid, you say to yourself this is fun i really do like this because a normal human being wouldn’t be doing this.

I think it’s the same with other people you have to really spend some time with it and make sure it’s what you love.

Ok, Alright, i want to go back to when you guys were starting up at 13, playing and praticising for 10 hours straight which is crazy, especially at such a young age, what motivated you guys, what was the inspiration behind that, waking up in the morning knowing that you going to have a structure to play the piano, learn the guitar, to do your vocal training, what was the push behind that?

You know alejandro was the one, they was a phase in his life when he just threw himself into it in such a way where i have never done, that’s just the way he is, he’s our lead singer,he just loves music so much, he goes to sleep listening to music, he wake up wanting to figure out whatever song he was into at that time, he just spends hours figuring it out.

I don’t know what drove him other than he just loves music that much, i dint have the luxury of being in high school or college when a lot of this stuff really picked up for us and became like our big driving force, i had a hard time because i was really trying to not get kicked out of Harvard law school, i was married, I am married, alejandro is single and i just had to be as efficient as i could with my rehearsals.

What i really cherish is when we all got together as a band and just make something come to life together, but alejandro i know there was a phase where he spent a lot of time just on his own really working on his acoustic guitar, i don’t know, i don’t know where he got the discipline, i would love to bottle some of that myself.

So you’re married now, how is the married life going?

Good, I’ve actually been married for 8 years now, i got married when i was 21 to my high school sweetheart, it’s amazing, she’s been really supportive of the music thing, it’s funny because everybody ask, you know adults usually why are you doing this music thing, you could have been a successful attorney.

What’s funny is that if anybody should be asking this question, it should be my wife but she has never asked because she understands that it’s a family thing, it’s something that we love, it’s our passion, she’s been a rock for sure.

That’s great; i can’t even start thinking of marriage right now {Laughter}

I dint mean to scare you

It’s cool, I’m not that scared {Laughter} Going back a bit again, when did you guys decide to form the band, when did you all sit and say to yourself, we’re going to take this serious and form a band and come up with the name ‘Boyce avenue’ how did that come about?

The name is the combination of the two streets that we grew up on as kids and since the band is the three of us, the three brothers it just felt right to use something that was personal and was a statement of where we come from and as far as when things started picking up for us or when it got serious It’s a really difficult question but if i had to answer it.

I would say around 2003-2004 we finally found ourselves in the same city, in our hometown, in Gainesville Florida where my brothers were studying and where i studied at some point, so we were back in Florida and we all were essentially together , we were able to play live shows and start recording music so in about 2004-2005 things started to get more serious and by 2007 when we started our youtube channel and it had taken off that was another level for us.

So would you say it helped that you guys are brothers? Did it make things easier for you?

Absolutely, i think it goes both ways, sometimes people prefer to not be with families or people that they know so that they could be forced to get out of their comfort zone, so they can try new things.

For us, it was the complete opposite it was one of those cases that it really really helped a lot and worked because we were family and we get along so well, we’re not like the oasis type situation {Laughter} where we always at each other’s throat i know its sexy to say that we’re beating each other up and fighting but we really don’t.

We respect each other and all of our respective talent and it’s a comfort zone to really be working towards something with people you trust that you know are going to be around forever and its really when we go on tour especially because we all share a room, we get along, i couldn’t imagine touring with strangers, so it’s been great, it’s been a huge positive for us.

I know we kind of skipped this when we started talking, but i wanted to know who the eldest was?

I’m the oldest

Ooh wow, so you’re the oldest, then Alejandro and Fabian

Actually no, Fabian is the middle brother

Ooh wow, so Alejandro was the youngest and that passionate

Yeah it’s crazy

Anyways, how did get onto the youtube bandwagon so early, how did you know it would be the next big thing, how did you get started, especially posting covers?

Its crazy, its crazy man, everybody is doing it now its insane, its funny its like we got the itch, its like we got the itch to get back in it and do some videos and get back in touch with those crazy youtubees man, so we’re doing some collaborations coming up so we’re going to get back into posting a lot more videos but to answer your question, its crazy to see that its the 3 year anniversary pretty much since the day we posted our first video, its a whole new world on youtube now.

We weren’t the first to post cover videos or sorts or music videos on youtube as an unsigned artist/band not getting radio plays but we got in early enough to notice that people were doing it and they was an audience for it.

People were enjoying seeing some of the early early youtubers posting videos of themselves doing interesting stuff, doing songs and stuff like that and we thought hey we could do this but do it differently, lets be the first band, lets be the first group of 3 or 4 people that actually do a video together as oppose to just one person with a webcam and lets actually make this professional, not like sleek and impersonal, still personal.

You know we filmed in our house, we’ve filmed in our bedrooms, we’ve filmed in warehouses, it was all about bringing people in and letting them see who we are, not having the lack of quality distract them from the performance and the music, having it easy on the eye and it really worked.

You see it everywhere now but at the time it really worked, im glad that a lot of people still remember that that it was our fresh approach and it was a way of doing things.

How would you describe the impact that youtube has had on your musical career, collectively as a group? What would you say has been some of the advantages and opportunities that came from posting up covers of songs on youtube? I mean the possibility of doing that becoming an overnight celebrity?

Oh Gosh, {Speechless} Its huge, its just been so big for us, we always wanted to get our message out worldwide we dint want to just do things locally, we knew they was a whole world out there that loves music and we really wanted to get to everybody and youtube has been the vehicle that has allowed that to happen.

We’ve been able to play shows in the Philippine, in Canada, all throughout different continents, Europe, the uk, Ireland, you name it and we’re getting request everyday to play in places like Australia, Latin America and we’re trying to find the time to get out to see everybody but none of that would have being possible honestly without youtube.
In this day and age, it’s just encouraging to know that you could go and on your own you could do something like that.

SO talking about youtube, i know you guys use other social network and tools to reach out to people, i was going through your facebook fan page and you have over 180,000 people on there, your twitter is well connected, your youtube subscribers is crazy, how do you leverage all those tools?

You know it’s crazy, people are spread out all over the place and that can be kind of a difficulty trying to make sure people know about your tours and the music that you’re putting out but i think they are all pieces of a puzzle, you’ve got your people that like twitter, facebook, MySpace, youtube.

For us, its about going out and making sure everybody has the opportunity to say hi, to let us know what they are thinking and maybe to listen to some of our music and so we try to use as many of them as we can, I’ve been more and more active lately on facebook, twitter in particular, I’m really loving twitter from the road, a lot of people don’t get the concept of it but i encourage people to join because we have a fun time on the road posting pictures and letting people know where we’ll be and so we can meet with fans.

Its just a fun way of networking with other artist and also to get in touch with the fans and then facebook which is huge because pretty much everybody uses it or knows about facebook so that really fun, I’m on facebook like daily.

Before the whole youtube phenomenon, were you guys getting any radio plays, or shows, concerts opportunities?

Before we started the youtube channel, we’ve won couple song writing competition, we also were getting some buzz on MySpace for our original music but to be honest, as far as the ability to do shows worldwide and all that other stuff, to really sell your music, it really wasn’t possible, it really i dint take off until the youtube channel took off.

How would you guys describe your music?

Our music is essentially pop rock music which really means its rock music with interesting drum arrangement, alejandro does our drum arrangement actually, he‘ll map it all out in his head.

Wow..He’s like the little genius in the group right?

Yeah yeah he really is, he has a good production mind, we produced the whole album together, we do that as a group but he really has a good mind for that kind of stuff but you know its a very electric guitar-drum driven sound, its rock music but very melodic acoustic influence and feel to it

A lot of times the easiest ways is to say its the kind of things that will sit with the fans of coldplay, train, goo goo dolls you know stuff like that.

During all this period, did you guys ever have a downtime where as a group things weren’t going well?

With youtube like a down period?

No, a down period in general, as for the whole group..Boyce Avenue, if there was ever a period and how you guys dealt with it?

Fortunately we haven’t too much of that, it’s been a steady journey we dint want to rush things so we took time to finish the album the way we wanted, we took to start touring so that it was an organic build and the only thing i would say thats been some what of an obstacle in this day and age is that it’s very difficult to get radio plays as a new band especially, but that takes a little bit of patience londontour and time educating people on who you are and what you’re doing and that’s sort of the thing that we’ll be working on soon.

Other than that everything has flown very well we feel very good about the growth we’ve had with the fans and how nothing’s been too fast, too slow, it all worked out pretty well so far, so we’ll just keep building.

What do you think has been key to your success so far?

Honestly i think its hard work, especially when we were putting out a lot of videos and also to finish this album, i will definitely say hard work and I’d like to say us been grateful to the fans has paid off, i hear from our hardcore fans who say that part of the reason that they care so much about us is because we care about them.

What would you say has been some of the key lessons you’ve learnt as a band since you started up?

One thing that we are just starting to realise is that you can never let up, you can never let your guard down and you should never stop working, we’ve gone through phases every once in a while when get a little comfortable, we’re in a down face, we’re not working as hard as we could or as we should to connect everyone, to post videos, to stay in touch.

I’ve learnt over time that you really do need to fight through those patches and make sure to always be there for everybody and try to be active. I feel like it keeps your music better, it can get crazy but i feel its a very important ingredient to doing well.

I was trying to remember something whilst you were talking{PAUSE}, yes i got it, they was a show you guys performed at and managed to draw a crowd of 20,000 and this was before you got signed, can you tell us about, what’s the story behind that?

Actually what happened was that we went to the Philippines for the first time ever in February 2009, the promoter brought us over and they set up four shows and we weren’t really sure how it would go but over the course of those four shows we ended up playing for, i guess everybody estimated close to 20,000 Filipinos fans.

It was just insane to have had that experience and to have that kind of turnout as an unsigned artist and band was really mind-blowing for us and that’s just an example of a country that really gets youtube and appreciate acoustic music, we’re starting to see that as we tour more and more around in Europe that a lot of the fans there are very similar.

They get it, they like the music, they love the show they keep coming back and it’s been exciting to see it keep growing in Europe as well.

That does sound amazing, 20,000 people

Yeah the show was just really mind blowing.

How did you guys get a manager or get some management, how it happen?

He actually found us on MySpace and reached out and we stayed in touch and since there they were from Florida, they just came to couple of our shows and we just have a really good feeling about them and since we’ve done a lot of things on our own for long enough we felt like a manager can help take it to the next level and so we signed up with them and it’s been really good ever since.

Ok that sounds good, what country has been your best place to perform so far?

It’s really hard to say because every place is different, every place we’ve played has their own flavour and the fans bring their own personality to the show, it’s really hard to say i know i can definitely say there is something very uniquely fun about uk and Europe shows, there’s something about the passion that the Europeans have for live music that you don’t always get everywhere else and that’s been our favourite thing about touring in Europe for sure.

So what would you say has been your most memorable experience so far?

You know that first show we did in the Philippines is one that always stick with me just because to go from doing smaller shows in your own country to just being in a totally foreign territory and have the people turn out in such big numbers, with such enthusiasm for your music and when you get on stage with that level of intensity and screaming and cheering, it was a very memorable moment.

Who are your musical inspirations?

The goo goo dolls, john mayer, cold play, train, oasis – a lot of these band have really been big influences for us.

Ok, so what do you guys do for fun, to take the edge off?

You know we work out sometimes, we’re not really great about that {Laughter} but we play basketball or fabian and i will play poker, we like to spend a lot of our time with our family, watch movies, TV shows, DVDs and stuff like that, you know just the usual kind of stuff.

What TV shows are you into at the moment?

We’ve been really into Dexter lately, fabian got all into lost and you know that finished quite recently we were into that a couple of tours ago, someone just got me into the tudors, im just starting and i really like it and we’re all really into entourage.

Entourage, I’ve had a few people telling to watch it so anyways let’s talk about you guys getting signed by universal, i know earlier this year you guys got signed by them, how did that come about and what are the benefits of getting signed to a major label?

You know they have been following us for a while and we wanted to wait until we have established our touring base and had done more things for ourselves and had finished the album, but at some point we were about to release the album on our own under our label 3peace records they just decided that wanted to work with us, they seemed to really get our music and where we wanted to go with everything so we signed up.

The thing with major labels is that honestly it’s very radio driven so again that’s part of the whole thing that we’re working on right now, is to just build the radio presence and that takes time, takes patience but really we’ve mostly being doing what we’ve always done until the radio story starts kicking in.

People think that a major label does a tone of stuff for you but they really don’t so yeah we’re pretty much just doing our own thing.

Getting signed by a major label doesn’t it help with your distribution, getting press, getting shows, concerts, TV and stuff like that?

It helps but they are really hesitant to do anything these days until something starts really really working at radio, so until the radio story picks up a lot of label won’t do physical cd anymore, they just do digital releases, so it depends on what label you’re with and it depends on the deal, it depends on what the situation is, i just think that it’s very inflated what people think that label actually do or how instrumental they are.

I think that if you got something going on your own that you’ll find that sometimes they don’t actually do a whole hell of a lot but they are still the best means of still getting your music out there to the masses especially if you don’t have a whole lot going on internet-wise, but it’s been good i just think we just have to keep at it and see where it goes.

So i just wanted to move on to talk about your new album and the reception it’s been getting so far?

The album is called “all we have left” and it’s something that we’ve been working on for a few years, we produced the whole thing ourselves, wrote every single song, every word, every drum part, string part, it’s a very personal personal project.

I’m really starting to wonder why you guys really need a major label, you guys are touring by yourself, making music yourself, taking care of the expenses yourself, i really don’t see necessity or the value of getting signed nowadays, i think the value of getting these day and age has decreased.

Yeah you’re absolutely right, i mean the problem is that we really believe in our original music, we feel that it has the potential to affect people in a very big way, we want to get our music out to as many people as possible unfortunately they are still a few things like radio, syncs and TV and movies that are still a good way of helping to do that but you’re absolutely right to point out that we’ve been very successful on our own and we’re grateful for that and we’re going to keep doing that honestly.

We’re actually going to make a big thing at the end of this year, to do some cool collaboration with other youtube artists and do some fun stuff so that our youtube fans can still feel the love but you know the album is still an important thing for us.

For us doing cover videos and doing blogs or whatever is great but at the end of the day, a lot of what we play at live shows and a lot of what our fans keep coming back and wanting to hear is the original music because it’s really personal and they know how much we care about it and so the album was just a completion of that.

We did the music video for every breath, and we did some videos in the studio. We did some live videos that people have really loved so we’re just going to keep doing things like that so that people can appreciate the original music

So quickly when are you guys going to be in the UK?

We’ll be in the UK in November, we’re doing UK from nov 16th to nov 23rd, we’re playing London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast and then we’re playing in Dublin.

Great, will definitely see you guys at the London event, But Before we wrap i just wanted to know if you have any tips, techniques that you could share with upcoming artists and bands out there?

I would just say to work very hard, make sure that you are genuine with your fans and appreciative and to use the internet as much as possible, it’s a great resource its competitive and its tough and it’s not the answer to all your or every other’s problem but it is a good way to get your music and your message out to a broader audience so i do think people should give it a shot.

Thank you so much Daniel for your time i know it’s been crazy taking time to do this with the shoot going, really appreciate it

Thank you so much i really appreciate it

Not a problem

Don’t forget to follow, network an get in touch with them on the following networks.

http://twitter.com/boyceavenue

http://www.facebook.com/BoyceAvenue
http://boyceavenue.com/
http://www.myspace.com/boyceavenue

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Sometimes i just wonder what age do we/you start taking our kid/nephew/cousin to the studio or getting them a private music teacher, the time to get them interested in learning a musical instrument or some vocal lessons.

Yesterday whilst browsing the internet, i came across an article with willow smith, will smith’s daughter getting to jayz’s record label and she is just nine years old {PAUSE} Yes just 9 years old, anyways moving on, today i have with me the talented and beautiful carmen reece who also started playing the flute and the piano at age 7, did i mention she was already in music from the age of 5.

Enjoy the interview

Hey Carmen, welcome to YHP, how are you doing today?

Im great thanks.

Can you quickly give the YHP readers some brief background information about yourself?

I’m a 23 year old singer/songwriter from England/UK

You said you started playing the piano and flute at the age of 7/8, how did that happen? What was motivation behind learning those instruments? Was it parental or personal?

From the age of 5 at primary school i took a huge interest in music and that stayed with me through the rest of my childhood. My parents were always very encouraging but never pushy.

How many instruments do you play?

I play two instruments, the flute and piano.

Would you say having a family that is musically driven has helped in your development as an artist?

Definately, all of my family members grew up playing an instrument so it was a very natural path to follow, they have a great interest in music and have always supported me.

Who are your musical inspirations?

My biggest musical influences growing up would have to be the ‘Divas’… Mariah Carey, Whitney Housten, Toni Braxton and Celine dion… i was a big fan of Boyz II Men also and later found Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and Brandy.

How would you define your music? Would you class yourself as a soulful artist?

I would class my music and myself as a pop/RnB artist…. iv grown up listening to soulful music so id like to think that shows through my music.

When did it all become real for you, when did you realise that you are becoming more popular and people are starting to notice you?

I’ve been on a national radio tour this last year and its been amazing to see and hear the feedback that has come from people listening to the music on the radio…. its a dream! of course having the songs and performances uploaded on social network sites has really boosted the exposure and allowed for different audiences to experience my music.

So how does a girl from the UK find herself working with mark feist? How did you guys meet each other?

Mark and i met about 4 years ago, i was signed to a company back in London and they flew me out to work with some producers, Mark being one of them. We had a great couple of days then i went back to London.

Fast Forward 4 years, Mark was looking for some singers to demo his songs so he reached out to me, i was really excited about coming out to LA to work with him again as i had a few songs id written back home that i wanted to show him. The first day we worked together i played them to him and the rest is history.

So are you are currently signed to his record label REAL MF LTD right?

Yes thats correct.

Have you moved to the U.S now or you’re still in the UK?

No i’ve moved to the US. Been here over a year now.

What was the experience like in the brit school? How did that help your music career?

Brit school was one of the best experiences of my life so far. I am so grateful for that amazing experience it really paved the way for what was to come. I still have such fond memories.

Let’s talk about your forthcoming album – love in stereo, what was the motive behind it?

Love in Stereo is really a great pop/RnB album… it takes you through all sides of love – in Stereo form.. coming from all angles.

You recently released your 2nd single off the album called Raindrop, what has been the response so far for it?

There’s been a really great response to Raindrop i think people like it because it not only makes you want to move but is moving at the same time.

Do you have any plans in touring anytime soon?

Of course, We’re just finishing the album right now, Marks in the final stages of production with it, im sooooo excited for everyone to hear! so im sure once thats finsihed i will be on the road again touring.

What else do you like doing apart from singing and songwriting? What do you do for fun?

Now dont laugh (cause everyone else does)…!! but im a huge fan of playing badminton, i just love it, it really is a great game and a way for me to relax. I also have an unhealthy obsession with makeup. Love the stuff!

Do you feel the U.S gives you a better opportunity to showcase your talent better rather than doing it in the UK?

I love the UK so much its where im from… and i love the music that is made there, but working with Mark has brought me to the US and im not complaining! i love America and im so grateful for the support.

What opportunities do you think the U.S offer to music artist, or advantages it gives or do you think it doesn’t matter?

I think each to its own, for me i feel my music really sits well within the American market, i’ve grown up listening to so many american artists so maybe thats why… i dont know.

What would you say has been key to your success so far?

Keeping my friends and family very close by, im so lucky to have such a great support system, they really keep me level headed, and of course Mark and the Real MF team have been so focused and have continued to believe in me and give me this amazing opportunity.

What has been some of the most valuable lessons that you’ve learnt so far on your musical journey?

To never give up!! you just dont know whats around the corner…. stay true to yourself and keep believing.

What has been your most memorable moment so far?

My favourite moment so far was when we recorded the live performance footage for ‘Right Here’ – directed by the incredible Billy Woodruff. Every time i watch it back it gives me goosebumps and makes me so proud and excited for whats to come!

What advices would you give to upcoming singers/songwriters or instrumentalists out there looking to break into the music industry?

keep writing! its the best way of discovering yourself and who you are as an artist, it may not come straight away but perseverance is the key. Dont get knocked down pick yourself right up, noone else will do it for you….

Thanks Carmen, before you go, the million dollar question, when is the album coming out?

No set date just yet but real soon!!! i promise

Enjoy her latest cover of usher – DJ GOT US FALLIN IN LOVE AGAIN” FEAT. PITT BULL

Don’t forget to Follow her on Twitter and Like her on Facebook

Why not take something also to check out her website

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Hey Guys, Check out the interview I did with niccolo brandes, an upcoming music artist, he’s only 20 years old and he’s got a great future ahead of him, hope you enjoy the interview.

How are you doing Niccolo?

I’m doing well! Glad to be doing this interview with you!

Can you give us some background information about yourself?

HI! My name is Niccolo Brandes I’m 20 years old and currently attend California State University Long Beach (Go 49ers!) where I am majoring in Computer Engineering but my hope is to get into teaching music so I could share my knowledge to inspire others to play music.

Out of all the instruments you play, which one is your favourite and why?

I would say the piano because it is where I can express myself the most. I play the guitar and ukulele as well and I love you playing those instruments, but there is something about the piano that when I sit down, I feel like myself.

How did you get into playing the piano? Why did you want to learn how to play?

I got into playing the piano through my mom. My grandmother and mother both played piano as well so when I was young they suggested that I should learn how to play to see if I would like it and sure enough I did and the rest is as they say, history.

How difficult is it playing than ear rather using sheets?

I don’t think it is that much harder to play by ear than use sheets because the only real difference I believe is the memorization. With sheets if you forget a note, or a segment of notes, you can always go back and find the part you forgot. With playing by ear, if you forget a part, then you have to go back and listen to find the part you forgot.

Are you looking to learn how to play using sheets?

I’m able to play using sheets but I feel like it slows me down somewhat because I’m so used to just playing by ear.

Who are musical inspirations?

Of course have to start with of course my family, without them I would have never touched a piano or any instrument. My friends who support what I do and are always there for me. Finally my girlfriend who provides the love and gives me the drive to keep trying to be better.

Who would you point to that has been an inspiration to you in your musical career?

I believe my parents inspired me to keep practicing and be the best not only musician but person I could be by laying a good foundation and keeping me down to earth. Also, taught me to have fun with what I do because there’s a time to have fun and a time to be serious.

What are your immediate career goals? Where do you see your career going?

Well I am focusing on finishing school and would like to see where my degree could take me or what other opportunities will arise.

Did you have any difficult moment, when you just want to quit, what was your inspiration to fight back and keep going?

There was one point where I stopped playing from middle school to the end of high school where I just grew a disinterest in playing finding it boring somewhat. I guess I have to give credit to Youtube for inspiring me to get back into it because I was seeing that normal people like me were getting famous for showcasing their talents and I wanted to see if my talent could get some exposure.

Can you give me some of the key moments so far in your ongoing career?

I have performed in a Benefit for the Blind concert, which was a benefit concert for blind people which included a performance by Americas Best Dance Crew season 2 winners Super Crew . I have been featured on artists websites such as B.O.B., Mike Posner, and Charice Pempengco. Of course I consider this interview to be a significant moment in my career as well!

How would you say YouTube has helped in sharing your passion and also connecting with people?

Youtube gives hope to the average person that if you have talent, you will get discovered one way or another. Whether it’s playing music, singing, being a comedian, making movies, your talent will be discovered.

What do you outside music? Any other hobbies?

I enjoy playing basketball in my free time (Go Lakers!) and basically just hanging out with my girlfriend and close friends. I’m a pretty normal guy outside of Youtube.

What are key fundamentals that you think anyone looking to learn how to play the piano or want to make a career out of it needs to have or know?

PRACTICE and MOTIVATION. A lot of people ask me this question a lot and the first thing I tell them is to keep practicing because you can’t get better without it. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don’t practice, that talent is just going to stay hidden.

What would you see yourself doing apart from music as a career?

I would really love to teach either at the high school or college level because I enjoy sharing what I know with other people and in turn I learn more because of what someone else has learned.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

Hopefully have finished school and started my career whatever it may be and just being happy with my life and the people that are in it.

Thanks for your time Niccolo

Connect with him:

Twitter
Twitter.com/nicoflow

Facebook!
facebook.com/NiccoloBrandes

Hey Guys, I had the opportunity to interview the beautiful and multi-talented media artist Sheena, Sheena has used social media to share her passion for music, TV and film.

She just finished her new video on youtube, check it out!

Hope you enjoy the interview.

Hi Sheena, How are you doing?

I’m doing great thank you!

So can you quickly give us some background information about yourself?

That’s an easy question (laughing)! In a nutshell I would say I’m a Media Artist, with roots as a singer-songwriter. In today’s digital age, I find myself attracted to various areas along with music, like TV/Film, and of course the Internet has been good to me as well!

How would you describe your style of music?

My music is really an amalgamation of many different styles. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been influenced by different corners of the world. I grew up in Canada, studied jazz, and opera and always loved R&B/Pop music.

My grandfather, who was a composer in India taught me to appreciate Indian classical music from an early age. And, to add to the mix, I lived in Tokyo a few years ago and that really opened my ears and my heart to a whole new musical world.

What type of music do you listen to?

I love any kind of music that speaks to me. The message can be found in a catchy beat, a beautiful storyline, or even something weird and quirky that catches my attention. I love music that is moving.

Doesn’t matter what the style is, as long as I can feel the passion behind the beat or words, I’ll keep listening.

Who are your musical inspirations?

I cannot just name one or two people who have inspired me. I am really lucky that way because my inspiration stems from everything and everyone around me.

We all have music in us. Of course, my family and friends contribute the most to my songwriting, because I write from my experiences (or theirs!); and, in terms of inspirations to sing, the list starts with my first choir director and range to my favourite singers and songwriters today.

A person can be inspired just about anywhere and I think the trick is just to be receptive to it. I once heard that songs are already written, we just have to find and share them. I believe that 100%.

At what age did you realise that singing was a career path you wanted to pursue?

I’ve never really wanted to do anything else to be honest. Of course, I’ve had bad days, weeks or even months, but when music hits me hard I shift my focus to screen projects (nothing that I can reveal yet I’m afraid!) or to the SheenaMelwani.com world! How can you really complain when you do what you love every day?

What will you say has been some of the benefits of posting your videos online, especially on YouTube and the power the internet has given individuals and talents to be able to share their passion with the world?

I was in Japan when I posted my first video on YouTube, and thought it would be a good way to stay connected with my friends back home. It was my way to share my voice and music with my circle of friends and family (and I thought a few others might watch as well, and that was fine by me).

Now, two years and over 10 million hits later, people from all over the world are encouraging me every day to finish my album, to sing another song on SheenaTV, to help guide their own budding careers. I get messages in English, French, Spanish, Hindi, Japanese, German, Portuguese – the list goes on and on!

The internet has literally brought us all together and it’s thanks to YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and such sites that independent artists now also have direct access to a worldwide fan base.

Why did you decide to start SheenaTV?

I first started SheenaTV because I was contacted by Yahoo! to be one of the very first broadcasters for a beta project called Yahoo! Live. I thought it would be a nice way for people to get to know the real me and agreed. Ironically, the Yahoo! program died but SheenaTV went from an average of 50 viewers an episode to close to a 1000 – thankfully not everyone chats at the same time!

People enjoy connecting in ‘real-time’ and SheenaTV allows me to do so directly with my fans. Apart from playing the part of the ‘Human Jukebox‘ (people don’t seem to care if I know all the words to their favourite songs), I also sample some original music, discuss issues the group wants to discuss and sometimes give everyone a ‘behind-the-scenes’ view of a video being filmed.

What do you outside music, what other projects are you involved in?

I’m into a lot of things other than music! Music may be my heart, but it is not the only thing in my life! I spend almost every morning at the gym, enjoy practicing yoga, love to cook, and most of all – love to eat!

What should we be expecting from you in the near future?

Many wonderful things I hope! I have an album in process, an iPhone app in the making, some screen ideas somewhere in the mix and I’m just going with the flow. Its not about the destination, but the journey, right?

What has been your greatest challenge?

When you handle everything independently, it really takes discipline and motivation to keep moving forward. I think this has been my biggest challenge thus far. Somedays, you can wake up and feel like you’ve moved backwards, and that’s not a nice feeling!

Lucky for me, that doesn’t happen too often, and when it does the people in my life are great at getting me back on my feet. And, when that doesn’t work I just get on SheenaMelwani.com or Facebook and seeing people commenting from around the world, at all times of the day and night reminds me immediately why I do what I do.

What advice do you have for those who want to pursue a career as a singer?

Don’t take no for answer. If you want to be a professional singer, then keep singing and don’t be afraid to put yourself and your music out there. Not everyone is going to like your voice, but you have to keep pushing. And in this day and age, with all these social media tools right at your fingertips, there really is no excuse anymore. Sing because you want to sing, not because you want people to listen!

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

A lot can happen in five years! I hope I’m doing more of what I’m doing now. Working on various media projects for a wider audience. I am a big believer in destiny, so I too am excited about what destiny may have in store for me!

Any last words for your fans and the readers of YHP?

Of course, I always have something else to say! Thank you for watching me, listening to my music, visiting my website, and simply for believing in me. It makes all the work much easier to do when you see people enjoying the final product, so a big “Thank You” – from the bottom of my heart for making my experience such a wonderful one.

Thanks for your time Sheena

You are very welcome. Thank you for your time as well!

Connect with Sheena

SheenaMelwani.com
Facebook.com/SheenaMelwaniMusic
YouTube.com/SheenaMelwani
Twitter.com/SheenaMelwani
Myspace.com/SheenaMelwani

Just recently done an interview with Zae, a young music artist from Philadelphia.

Hope you enjoy the interview!

Hey Zae, How are you doing? So cool of you to join us on YHP

Hey, I’m doing great! Thanks so much for this opportunity.

So before we move on, tell us a bit about yourself?

My name is Zae, and I’m an aspiring singer from Philadelphia.

How did you get into music?

I never really known how I got into music, all I know is it’s something that always caught my attention. Whether it was records, tapes, instruments, I was always around music stuff as a young child.

How long have you been singing? Who inspired musically as a child?

I’ve been singing ever since I could remember. I was always inspired by artist such as Brian McKnight, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson.

Do you have other siblings who are into music?

I do have an older cousin that also sings. She is amazing, might I add. When I was really small, we always sung together. I was always bugging her to help me sing. After she got me started, she couldn’t stop me. Not even until this day! (Laughter!)

How do you classify your music?

I like my music to speak for itself, but if I had to choose a genre, I would say Pop/R&b.

Why did you start posting cover songs on YouTube and how has that helped your music career?

I started posting videos for fun. I never really knew how many people watch other people sing covers. I didn’t expect to get famous off it though, just to create a buzz for myself. YouTube has brought me many opportunities such as management and also a chance to sing the national anthem for the Philadelphia Phillies.

What’s the best thing about doing what you do now?

The best thing about what I do is just making people happy. I’ve noticed that many people appreciate what I love to do, and that’s what keeps me going. Also getting to know new people is awesome!

What’s the downside?

The downside is the music industry is a very crazy business. There are a lot of barriers you have to face, but you have to go in with a strong mind and thick skin.

Who are your inspirations in the music industry?

My inspirations in the music industry today are all the young artist doing their thing such as Lady Gaga, Justin Beiber, Charice, Travis Garland, Karina Pasian, and many others making a name for themselves.

What’s been your most memorable moment so far?

My most memorable moment had to be singing for the first time at my middle school. It was the first time I told them I can sing. I sung “I Believe In You and Me” by The Four Tops, and they were scared to death for me. They were pleasantly surprised and they gave me a standing ovation. It was an amazing feeling.

What are your current projects? Upcoming ones?

As of right now, I am working on my demo for the Record Labels. That’s the main goal. It’s almost done and it’s sounding great! I can’t wait for you guys to hear it! Then off to shop to the Labels!

What is your opinion about the state of music today?

I believe music today is basically about making you feel good and keeping you entertained. Everyone now-a-days want to be entertained, so the biggest artist today are those entertainers thinking outside the box.

What do you do outside music for fun?

Outside music, I basically like to do regular things like hanging out with friends and family, going to the movies and the mall, i love swimming, and I really enjoy travelling to different places. Oh, I also love texting!

When can we expect a full length album from you?

Maybe by next year, maybe sooner I’ll keep you guys updated!

Thanks for your time Zae

No problem, Thank you! & don’t forget to stay following me via YouTube

Follow him on twitter and subscribe to his youtube channel.

Here’s a quick interview i done with a very cool music artist, Tyler Ward

Tyler was influenced by boyce avenue and started posting up his videos on youtube like they did, he was also inspired by his mother Susan Ward, who is a classically-trained musician.

Hope you enjoy the interview

How are you doing Tyler? Welcome to YHP

Today. I’m great! lol

Can you give some more information on yourself

Sang in the opera for two years in College.
Play with the fray three times (those shows are what gave me vision for success)

How long have you been singing?

I’ve been singing for 6 years

How many instruments do you play and how long have you been playing them for?

Drums (not good, learned in 6th grade), Keys, Guitar (main instrument), slide guitar (really suck at this)

Who are the biggest musical influences to you?

My recording partner Jeff Hendrick: The guy has a knack for hearing details and I think he tought me most of what I know today. My mom cause she has always encouraged me. I love the Goo Goo dolls. I really enjoy the way Johnny writes his songs.

Also, I’ve got to thank Boyce Avenue for creating a you tube revolution.

How would you describe your style of music?

Pop/Rock/Top40

What venue would you love to perform in and why?

Madison Square Garden. Well…cause it’s Madison Square Garden.

Laughter..cool!

Describe yourself in three words:

Quirky, Swagger, Smiles

Do you write the lyrics for all your song?

I write all the lyrics

What is your favourite song at the moment?

Right this second? (Yes) Cause it changes every day. A song called Doubt – by Eppic

Why and how did you start posting videos on YouTube?

I saw Boyce Avenue’s success and thought I could utilized my studio equipment to start doing the same thing they did, but with a less serious attitude and involve a whole lot more people!

The internet has become an important vehicle for many musicians. How are you leveraging this resource and what are your thoughts on music piracy?

ITunes is my main source of income so I’m not a huge fan of music piracy. However, my opinion is not going to stop people from doing it. If a fan likes me, I just hope they don’t know how to illegally download music. Lol.

What have been the key lessons you’ve learnt so far as a music artist?

To stay at it, no matter what. I’ve also learned that I’m am very very fortunate to have music be my full time job, and I’m thankful for that every day

What would you say has been your most memorable experience so far?

Playing in front of a sold out arena show with the Fray!

What can you say to any singer out trying to make it big?

The more you create, the better and more creative you become.

What should we be expecting from you in the future?

A short EP in a few months and a Full length Album in 2011…I’m very excited about the full length, we have some big names working on this one!!

Thanks for the time, Tyler..I wish you the best of lucks.

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Quick Lingo is a professional translation and interpretation service provider to the corporate community and public sector.

Today, i have an amazing pianist, who started as a 10 years old playing soundtracks from the Lion King, Which all started when his Grandmother gave him a keyboard for Christmas.

David Sides takes us through memory lane and his journey so far as a pianist, i suggest you read what he has to say, I’m sure you will find it inspiring in some ways.

I would like to thank Tony Nguyen for making this interview possible.

Hope you enjoy the interview.

Hello David, Thanks a bunch for doing this, how are you feeling today?

Thanks for the opportunity, I’m feeling well, just a little sore from my workout yesterday. I’m trying to keep in shape.

Many give up playing a musical instrument in their youth, but few return, let alone to forge a career. Can you describe discovering not only your talent for, but also your passion for music and the ways in which music has impacted your life both tangibly and intangibly?

Well I discovered my talent at a young age, like most musicians. I was about 10 when I got started on the piano, but I didn’t really consider my ability to piece music together a “talent” until people around me told me it was a talent.

I figured if I could learn to play the piano, anyone could, so I didn’t really see the big deal about it initially. I’ve always had a love for music and the sound of the piano. Now days especially, music is my life. I also accredit my optimism to music. There’s just a special feeling that comes with music that keeps me optimistic about life when I listen to it.

Who were some of the significant musical influences from your youth?

Well when I was younger and just got started on the piano, I listened to a lot of music from The Lion King soundtrack, which featured Elton John. One of the first songs I learned, “Can You Feel The Love Tonight,” was the version he recorded for the soundtrack. I also listened to classical music from Bach and Beethoven. My parents were positive musical influences as well. I come from a very musical family.

Would have imagined your career so far from the time your Grandmother gave you that keyboard during Christmas?

Actually, I never saw any of this coming. I never really took music serious enough to want to form a career out of it until I was older. At a younger age, I saw playing the piano as more of a hobby than anything else, just something I liked doing whenever I could.

Going down memory lane, you said you’ve been playing since you were 10 and were inspired from The Lion King movie soundtrack, please explain, what made you as a 10 years old connect to that particular track?

Looking back on those days, I realize that I always had an understanding and a love for harmonies. Although I didn’t know what “harmonies” were at that time, I recognized them and fell in love with them instantly. I love the sound of choirs and collective voices, and those were prevalent all throughout that movie’s score.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

To always pray for and about things.

They must have been days you probably felt like things weren’t working out, what or who gave you that believe to keep going on?

You know what? I always felt optimistic about things in my life, so I can’t honestly say that I’ve ever had that feeling.

What inspires you to play music?

The love for the sound, the ability to connect with music, and the positive inspirational influence that comes with making music are what inspire me to play music.

What have you sacrificed for your art? Is it/was it worth it?

I think the thing I’ve had to sacrifice the most for my art has been a social life. Music definitely keeps me busy and demands a lot of my time, so being able to step away from projects and just go out and do a lot of things that most people my age do doesn’t come around too often for me. And yes, I feel it’s worth it.

Do you feel sacrifice is a part of become an artist or a musician, is it something anyone looking to become a successful musician have to go through or have in mind?

Yes.

What has been your greatest challenge?

Now days? Trying to balance everything that I have to take care of so that I’m making the most of my time and being efficient in all of my projects.

Is there something you would change if you could turn back the hands of time?

Actually no. I believe that everything happens for a reason, so I’m where I am now because of everything that’s happened in my past, and I have no complaints.

There’s been a marked shift in commercial thinking in recent decades away from making what people want, to making people want what is being sold. With art being both a form of self expression and a source of commercial profit, how do you balance creating music for your tastes with catering to the market’s?

I try not to think too much about that. When it comes to making music and songs that I choose to cover, I try to just stick to what I like. I figure, if I like it, I’m sure others with similar taste will like it as well and ultimately music is for them. I try to give people what they want, through what I want… Does that make sense?

Of course, i get what you mean.

How do you feel about listening to your own musical recordings?

Honestly, I like them, but I can’t listen to them for too long after I’ve recorded it on Youtube or on a CD. It’s a little like asking an artist how they feel about singing or listening to a song they’ve had to perform for the past 10 years while on tour. Eventually you get to a point where you’d rather not listen to it as often.

A lot of pianists I spoke to, make analogies between their pianism and singing. Do you sing along with the music, or hold the intention of creating a “singing line.”

Oh no, I don’t sing along with the music. I create a “singing line.”

What are your strengths, and are there places where you’re still striving to communicate or achieve something? Where would you like to see improvement? I’m asking for criticism/self-criticism here.

I’ve been told that I’m pretty good at capturing the little intricacies from the songs that I cover and include them into my renditions. Over time, I’ve also gotten pretty decent at learning songs quickly. In terms of improvement, I would love to get faster at getting songs perfected, and I could use a lot of work in sight reading. I’m not too good at that.

How do you balance the balance between down time and performing time?

That is a constant struggle. I am somewhat of a workaholic, so I’m always looking to work on music. I just feel like there is a lot to be done so there’s no time to stop grinding. My family and friends have been trying to talk me into scheduling in some down time so I’ve been trying to do that on weekends. So far it’s been working well.

What can people ultimately get from music?

I think that above all, music gives people a sense of inspiration and sense of community unbound by geographical borders.

What advice would you give to a young musician?

Practice, practice, practice, and be yourself. I think that a lot of people fall into the mistake of trying to be like this person or that person. No matter what you do, even outside of music, be yourself.

What are your thoughts about your future in music?

I am very optimistic about my life, especially when it comes to music, so I am looking forward to a very successful and bright future.

Thanks for your time David.

My pleasure.