01 November 2012
Some of you might remember me introducing Heather Laveaux to you when she released her 3 Octave Martini EP. It was a fun party and we had a lucky winner, Miki, who had the pleasure to get to know Heather's wonderful music. Head on over here to preview 2 of Heather's songs or go over here to listen to even more of Heather's music.
Well, now it's time for Heather's album 'The Lounge of Laveaux' to be released and I have the pleasure of having Heather as a guest on Whimsical Poppysmic once again. Heather and I did a little interview for you to get to know the person behind the music. Enjoy reading:
1. Heather, where do you come from? Where were you born and where do you live now?
I'm a Southern Belle, from deep in the Mississippi Delta region - born and bred in a small town in the northeast corner of Louisiana. I lived in Monroe, La. until I graduated from college and set my sights on Florida. Although I have lived in several parts of the sunshine state, I currently call Orlando home.
2. When did you start making music/ singing?
Like most good little children, I started singing in church. I continued singing in plays, musicals, and school productions until the acting bug bit me. My primary focus shifted away from music, but my dream was to be on Broadway, doing musical theatre. Being able to feel the audience's energy and feed off their reactions created an immense rush, and that is what hooked me at an early age!
3. Do you play an instrument?
No, but I wish I did. There was a brief time in elementary school that I took piano lessons. It unfortunately cut into my afternoon cartoons, and the instructor was rather mean. Needless to say, it wasn't a difficult choice to quit, but I regret it now. (Damn you, Tom & Jerry!)
4. Do you write your own music?
Yes, I started writing music about a year ago. I've always written, but I had never tried to put my words into a lyrical format with original melodies. It was a fairly smooth transition, and yielded three originals on my debut EP "3 Octave Martini" released earlier this year. Hearing my creations come to life was an amazing experience!
5. How is the recording process of a song? Where do you record it and how long does it usually take from start to finish?
The process was at opposite ends of the spectrum between this album and my debut. For my very first project, I flew to Los Angeles and recorded at the boutique studio Radio Hill Recorders with Dan Garcia. Some of the most accomplished musicians in the world played on it, and I was in awe the entire time. I was there for less than a week, and came home with a 5-song debut. It was a character-defining experience and changed my life.
This time, I decided to take a more intimate approach. I initially didn't plan on recording another album so soon, but I put together a couple of jazz covers as part of a contest entry and realized how many jazz covers I wanted to do. After discussing it with Emma Wallace (who is an amazing talent and my mentor), the song list started coming together, and "The Lounge of Laveaux" was born. Emma and I discussed arrangements and she provided all the accompaniment for the album. I recorded the tracks at my leisure, in my home studio, and I sent the raw vocals to Emma for mixing. Dan Garcia mastered the album, and the result is an intimate lounge collection for a "spotlight concert" experience. I was able to apply the knowledge I gained in Los Angeles and became more confident in the process.
Unlike the LA experience, I was operating on my own schedule this times and found the recording process depended largely on my emotional signature in the song. If I knew exactly how I wanted to feel singing it and how I wanted the listener to feel hearing it, the process was pretty short. I could get the desired result in a couple of takes. The most time-consuming thing for me was all the distractions in my home and everyday life. There were some definite advantages to being at home, but I would never pass up a chance to record in LA again!
6. Are you very self-critical when it comes to your art? Do you strive for perfection?
As an artist, I recognize my abilities and am very grateful for them. As a perfectionist, however, I am my own worst critic. Sometimes I have to walk away from what I'm doing, so I don't criticize it to death. The passion for perfection drives me to constantly grow and improve my craft, but the real challenge is knowing when to stop making changes. Just enjoying my creation before anyone else hears it, is sometimes difficult. Finding that balance without feeling like I settled is the hardest part for me.
7. My dream is to record a song of my own one day and I bet others share this dream. What advice would you give someone like me? How can one achieve this dream?
Don't give up on your heart's desire, and don't think that dreams have an expiration date. If I hadn't followed this path exactly as it unfolded, I wouldn't have the unwavering certainty that I am doing exactly what I'm meant to do. Find others who are already doing what you love and become a part of that world. You must actively pursue your dreams. The doors never open if you don't look for them.
8. What is your biggest dream regarding your music?
I would love to be featured in a movie soundtrack. Music is such a powerful tool when creating a mood - filling in the blanks, adding to dialogue, or replacing it entirely. Since movies have always inspired me, it would be a dream to true to be a part of that and return the favor.
9. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What would you like to have accomplished by then?
I can certainly see at least 7 solid albums based on the amount of material I already have. I would love to have a tour or festival or two under my belt by then, and some collaborations with other artists in other genres. The icing on the cake would be a principle role on Broadway! I would also be a happy little lady doing voice acting, in addition to my music.
Heather, thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions. It was very interesting reading your responses and getting to know you better! Wishing you all the best for the release of your album - wow, what an amazing accomplishment!!
I hope you enjoyed reading this interview just as much as I did. And since this is a party, hop on over here to Christianna's blog 'The Girl with the Blue Bow', she organized this whole party, thanks so much Christianna, to read her review of Heather's album or over here to Krysten's blog 'Why Girls are weird' to read about Heather's writing process, where she gets her inspiration and how she gets from an idea to a song and over here to Christie's tumblr 'Bedsidesign' to see what she has to say about Heather and her music!
This is the cover of Heather's album 'The Lounge of Laveaux'. And with a little luck, you will soon be able to listen to the whole album, as often as you like. Why you ask? Well, Heather is giving one of you the chance to win a free download of her album. Awesome, right? Good luck!
You can also find Heather on twitter here and on myspace over here. Heather's music can be downloaded on the usual sites such as iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby and anywhere digital purchases can occur. You can find all the links on Heather's homepage.
Enjoy!
Hugs,
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Hi, I'm Chrissy - a part-time working mom and wife trying to navigate life by taking the pup for a walk while the pasta is cooking, so that lunch is ready on time. My spare time is for blogging and knitting - give me a precious skein of yarn and I am in heaven! Thanks for stopping by - enjoy! xxx
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3 comments:
That's so awesome! She's everywhere now!
Great interview lady!
Oh darn, I missed it. That is what I get for being busy and not checking my favorite blogs for a few dyas. sigh.
Awesome interview though! I totally get what she is saying about having to walk away from your work so that you don't criticize your own work to death. Such good advice.