ChloA- a 16-yr old musician/singer/songwriter, Unsigned Only teen winner who luvs jazz/soul/chill music.
Interview conducted on June 02, 2020
By Dan Locke
Chloe started singing at a young age and recorded her first original at age 10 at the OC Hit Factory with Thomas Barsoe. Two of her originals made it to the semi-finals of the International Songwriting Contest and two of her covers were Unsigned Only teen winners. Chloe has been featured in local publications and performs around Las Vegas at local festivals and charity events.
What is your upbringing?
I was born and raised in Las Vegas and have two older identical twin brothers, a mom and dad, and two dogs. I went to a combination of public, private, and online schools. I spent a lot of time reading during my childhood and teenage years.
How did you discover music?
My grandma was born in the 1920s and I hung with her a lot when I was little and was influenced by her generation of music. And also liked to play the piano, guitar, and cello for fun and would make up my first song at age 7.
How did you start to write music?
I did a music piano program called Simply Music out of Australia that emphasize playing the piano and composition and accompanying oneself with singing. This got me started and I would write and sing all kinds of songs. I took some of these songs and entered them into my local PTA “Reflections program” where music could be entered to win recognition and that kind of got me started into entering my music in contests and encouraged me to write more. Songwriting to me has always been me fooling around on the piano or guitar and just having words spill out of my mouth. I’ve never been able to sit down and write the lyrics out, so when they just come out, I think it becomes more personal because in some way it’s subconsciously how I’m feeling to an extent
How did you record your first original song at the age of 10?
I recorded my first original song with Ava Domini about being bullied and how to not let it get you down at Thomas Barsoe’s songwriting camp at the OC Hit Factory.
What was the name of the song?
Don’t Take from Me
Do you remember how you got your first guitar?
It actually started out being one of my brother’s Guitars at first as he was the one to start guitar lessons. But then I got interested in guitar and kind of took it over.
And do you still have it?
Yes, it’s a mini Taylor guitar, and it’s currently sitting in the corner of my room.
Tell me about your song “Reality”?
I released “Reality” in March on all platforms including Spotify and iTunes. Paired with an elegant piano, I tried to keep “Reality’ natural with just a modest background for the voice to be put on display. Lyrically, I tried to normalize common emotions and feelings, making “Reality” a relatable song for anybody. I try to keep my vocals raw combined with the gentle piano background in hoping that “Reality” will translate into an authentic, heartfelt song helping people get through whatever may be going on with them during trying times.
And how it began as a song you used to enter a songwriter contest to get it recorded?
I wrote my song “Reality” at home on my piano and took it to my friend AGT finalist Daniel Emmet’s house who helped me record a rough version for submission to a composer showcase. I performed it live at the Smiths Center’s Composers Showcase. After hearing it with live instruments like the cello and bass I knew I had to get it professionally recorded at the Palms Studio. I had my cello teacher Lindsay Springer and her violinist boyfriend Dmitri Jiyrja, Dax Theiler on bass, Reese Rosebeck, and Daniel Emmet as back-up vocalists and Rob Katz as a producer and then released with proceeds to help benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma society from my iTunes profits.
How do you stay healthy while touring?
I always try to sleep as much as possible and get lots of vitamin C.
What are you’re feeling about streaming music?
I am up for whatever can get the message out to the most people. Music should be accessible to everyone. It’s the one universal language that can help heal the world.
Digital vs. vinyl?
I have a collection of vinyl so I am biased but can’t argue with the convenience of digital.
Any plans to tour?
Touring honestly sounds like so much fun when you have fans that love your music so much in a variety of different places. I find it such a cool concept and would love to be able to experience it one day if I’m lucky enough to build a fan base like that. I would also love to open for a cool new band. I just did a telethon with a new band called Silversage who I wouldn’t mind touring with or I would love to sing at Nomads at the Park Hotel with Brian Newman.
What song from the past is in your mind right now?
“What a difference a day makes” made famous by Dinah Washington is currently on my mind at the moment. It is one of the very first songs that I sang that got me so interested in the Great American Songbook.
And what is the meaning that song means to you?
As I said before it was basically the beginning for my love of jazz and songs in the great American songbook. Not only that but I feel like it’s been more on my mind lately with everything that’s going on. Although this song has more of a romantic meaning behind it, the line itself – “What a difference a day makes”- is symbolic in itself with Covid-19 and now the fight for equal rights.
How do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
Honestly, it will probably boom the music business in the sense of online selling. Such as for streaming and such. But it will take a drastic toll on how most musicians make money- touring. Without live performances for them to sell out on such as music festivals and their shows, it will only go downhill. Yet – going back to the digital sense – songs about Covid-19 and the struggles we’ve had will surely bloom during this time because of how relatable they will be. I also think once we are past this it will make touring and live performances even more valuable to audiences for so much time spent in quarantine deprived of said performances audiences will be that more eager to buy tickets to see their favorite artists and have fun.
You performed at a telethon to benefit The Actors Fund. And you helped raised over $100,000. How do you think the virus will affect the film industry around the world?
Yes, I was really happy to help with the Actor’s Fund especially with my hometown being affected so much by this pandemic. Tourism is our main industry and so many of my peers and friends are out of work because of it so I wanted to help any way I can.
You were part of a tribute for the new heroes. How did you become part of this?
For the past 13 years I help give shoes to the homeless at the Zappos campus with my family and recently was filmed performing for the homeless as well and the filmmakers Sandi and Jimi Fallon remembered me and asked if I could help which of course I was honored to since my dad is also a health care worker.
Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
When I was younger, I was obsessed with reading, and I’ve recently taken it up again. Moreover, I’ve been reading like a crazy woman. I probably read 3-5 books a week. My favorite genre is historical romance fiction or just romance in general. I could read forever.
Lots of people are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. You have started to do creative quarantine songs. How often are you making new songs?
Yes! I just did a cover of “the world is ending” and actually just recorded two new songs called “YOU” and “GHOST” but neither are really quarantined songs as I would like to move away from this framework and think to the future and try to stay positive.
Do you think it will be possible to make a living doing concerts this way?
I definitely think established artists may be able to make this work but not sure if this trend will continue for new artists. It is already hard to get people to listen for free to indie artists, but I am hopeful songwriting will continue to be able to make a living for some.
First, it was an article in the New York Times, then Rolling Stones talked about it and finally, Live Nation CEO said that concerts may not start again until the fall of 2021. Do you think this could happen?
Yes, I do but probably will be in a different format. I think once we have a vaccine anything will be possible.
You just turn 17, and you are going to school. How do you think about how the virus will affect the school year next year?
I think they will have to make online an option as not everyone may feel comfortable going back so soon. I’ve heard some schools starting early and finishing at thanksgiving until after winter break which isn’t a bad idea to help avoid escalating flu season.
With Social Distance being the norm. Do you feel that it may be the end of the music fest for the next couple of years?
Probably most social distancing will be the norm until we get a vaccine.
What about Holographic concerts in our living room?
That might be fun! Especially if I have a small group of my best friends with me to enjoy it with.
How do you see yourself in the next five years?
I definitely want to be college-educated and have that experience because you are only young once and of course will continue with songwriting and trying to find a connection with my fans.
Anything you would like to say in closing?
I currently have four more originals, two of them “YOU” and “GHOST” are recorded and will be released soon. All are more guitar-based versus Reality was more piano. I go back and forth between the two. I tend to write more ballads and slow songs on the piano and more upbeat ones on the guitar. I thought after how heavy Reality was, I could switch it up a little. But, not only are my new songs more upbeat, but they are all so completely different from Reality. One is bluesy with the compliment of the electric guitar, another is more intact with modern music with hopefully lots of bass and authentic music effects, and the last is very coffeehouse but with a modern touch. So, I hope the listeners that like my music now are also a fan of a little diversity in their music! I’m so excited to explore at only 17 years old what I’m capable of as I journey through these songs, and I’m even more excited to release these songs too. I can only hope for the same luck Reality has had in terms of getting a great response from listeners.
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