Haley Montelaro Visits Section 36 Music!

We get to hear from another visitor to Section 36 Music!  Haley Montelaro is a fantastic singer. You'll want to check out her entire catalog, including her recent single, as soon as you can. You won't regret it. I was so excited she was willing to visit with us and discuss her music, her goals, and a bit more. I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

So, let's see what happens when Haley Montelaro visits Section 36 Music!

Your recent single, “Compulsive Cleaner” is just outstanding. What can you tell me about it?

Thank you so much! It’s a really special song to me because I’ve been holding onto it since senior year of high school. I would perform it on occasion and finally decided that it would be the perfect song to release as the first single in my EP project. I wrote it during a time where I was super overwhelmed with college applications and finals and it felt like anything I did would make or break my entire future. I tend to be a little bit of a control freak sometimes, so I got really scared by the idea that I didn’t know what the future held for me. It’s extra special because it was the first song of my own that I got to do production on. We recorded all of the instrumental live in Berklee studios, as well.

You attend Berklee College of Music. What made Berklee the right choice for you?

Towards the end of high school, I was extremely torn between coming to Berklee to study songwriting or going to another school to become a choir teacher. It was a hard decision for me because I had been planning on being a teacher for all of high school, but when I learned about Berklee, I was super excited about the opportunity to get into the industry and focus on my artistry. The biggest thing for me was the campus tour, getting to walk the halls and see classroom upon classroom filled with students learning about music. I thought it was the coolest thing and I knew that I had to come here. Getting to move from the west coast to the east coast was a plus too, because I really wanted to experience something different.

What do you enjoy most about performing on stage in front of an audience?

I would say my favorite thing about performing on stage is having the opportunity to connect with a live audience. It’s great to have an outlet to speak personally to a crowd, explain the heart behind my songs and artistry.

Who or what would you consider your biggest musical inspirations?

My current biggest inspiration is Claire Rosinkranz! I love how playful and light-hearted her songs are. For my current EP project, I’m quite inspired by Lizzy Mcalpine, Sabrina Carpenter, and Olivia Rodrigo. Moving forward, though, I’m looking to move into more of a jazz-inspired pop sphere that resembles artists like Beabadoobee, Lindsey Lomis, Olivia Dean, Eloise, and Laufey.

If you could cover any Disney song, which one would you choose? Why?

I would cover "I See the Light" from Tangled! It’s my favorite Disney movie and I think it’s such a sweet song.

What are your immediate musical goals?

I have several musical goals at the moment. Currently being at music school, I’m really trying to sharpen my songwriting skills, as well as my performance and production skills. In addition to that, I’m collaborating with as many people as possible during my time at Berklee. Lastly, I’m working on recording and producing my debut EP, which we’re aiming to release sometime in the spring.

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I am definitely excited for new music!

As always, I want to thank Haley for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to accompany the interview. 

I'm sure you’ll all want to follow her and see what she has going on. I would follow her on Instagram and Spotify to make sure you don't miss a thing. 

Thanks again, Haley, and good luck reaching your goals!

New Music From AYĖL!

 

"Unapologize (Acoustic Version)" - by AYĖL

Release Date: November 29, 2025

What You Should Know: "A year ago, I released the original so we could dance. Today I’m sharing a softer and raw version of my truth"

Find It: Everywhere, like Apple or Spotify

Her Spotify Playlist Inclusions: "It's 2025 in Section 36", "Women Going Places, from Section 36", 

Alex Brown Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music is thrilled to have another visitor! Alex Brown is a talented singer with a single you need to check out as soon as you can. I was so excited she was willing to visit with us and discuss her music, her goals, and a bit more. I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

So, let's see what happens when Alex Brown visits Section 36 Music!

I absolutely love your recent single, “Save Face”. What can you tell me about it?

Thank you for listening! I wrote “Save Face” last year after a close friend went through a breakup but didn’t tell anyone for weeks. I tried writing from her perspective, but of course no song is fully from someone else’s eyes. I pulled from my own similar experiences too.

The first line I wrote was “I can’t even tell my friends, that’s when it’s real, that’s the end.” Sometimes the hardest part of leaving something that isn’t working isn’t the letting go, it’s admitting that you have to start over. That emotional limbo really inspired the song.

Do you have a favorite memory from the recording process?

Most of my recording process happens virtually actually! I’ve barely recorded in a traditional studio. All my producers have been remote, so my favorite memories are actually when I finally get to meet them in person!

What do you enjoy most about performing on stage in front of a crowd?

I mean I love attention (kidding, kinda). But really, performing hits two completely different sides of me. Singing covers at bars is always a blast. When the room is full and I get to be the one bringing the energy, or playing someone’s favorite song, it’s the best feeling.

And then performing my own music? That’s a whole different level. It blows my mind every time that people care about my songs. It feels really cathartic to sing something personal and watch people connect with it. Lyrics are everything to me as a writer, so seeing them resonate with an audience is one of the coolest experiences ever.

Who or what would you consider your biggest musical inspirations?

I’ve been branching out a lot the past few years listening to a little bit of everything from pop to folk and everything in between. Recently I’ve been especially inspired by Finneas, Maisie Peters, and Carol Ades.

My long time inspirations though have always been Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran. They shaped so much of how I think about songwriting and storytelling.

If you could cover any Disney song, which one would you choose? Why?

Easily “The Best of Both Worlds” by Hannah Montana. As someone who spent years living a double life as a corporate worker by day and singer by night, the song just feels accurate. And it would be so fun to cover.

What are your immediate musical goals?

Right now, I just want to keep writing. Every song makes you a better writer, and I really want to push myself to create lyrics that feel unique and interesting.

I’ve also been teaching myself music theory, so one of my goals is to feel more confident with the technical side of songwriting. Up until recently, if someone asked me “What key is your song in?” I had no idea, even for my own songs. So I’m excited to grow in that area too.

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Excited for that growth!

As always, I want to thank Alex for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to accompany the interview. 

I'm sure you’ll all want to follow her and see what she has going on. I would follow her on Instagram and Spotify to make sure you don't miss a thing. 

Thanks again, Alex, and good luck reaching your goals!

Kaylen Shae Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music is thrilled to have another visitor! Kaylen Shae is a talented singer with a recent single you have to check out immediately. I was thrilled she was willing to visit with us and discuss her music, her goals, and a bit more. I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

So, let's see what happens when Kaylen Shae visits Section 36 Music!

Your recent song, “It’s a Reflex” is just outstanding. What can you tell me about it?

Thank you so much! It’s A Reflex has been in the works for quite some time.  I wrote this song in January of 2024 and recorded a demo a few months later.  Originally it was a jazzy, Eloise like song.  It completely changed, however, when I started recording the demo and one of my teachers recommended I try a funk drum groove.  Shortly after recording the rhythm section with an incredible band I got laryngitis for the first time, putting the whole project on pause.  It sat on my hard drive for another year as I healed up but then got laryngitis for a second time.  The recovery was lengthy and frustrating but finally after months of rest I was able to get back in the studio and record vocals. It was a long journey to get the song where it is today but I am so happy that “It’s A Reflex" is finally out in the world and that I’m at a place where I can be releasing and performing again.  

What was it like shooting the cover art?

This shoot was done in the bedroom of my tiny Boston apartment with my bed, night stand, dresser and everything else I own pushed to the other wall.  It was truly a mess to clean up but the cover came out perfect so I can’t complain.  The pictures from this shoot, including the cover art, were shot by one of my best friends Elia Ma who is an incredibly talented photographer. It’s always such a blast shooting with her.  We get boba, sit on my floor, look at reference photos, throw on some Sabrina Carpenter and a few hours later we’ve got the shot.  

You are attending Berklee College of Music. What made Berklee the right choice for you?

I only applied to two schools my senior year of high school.  Berklee and Belmont.  I went and visited both and ultimately went with Berklee because of the community.  I loved the idea of being at a school entirely centered around music.  Having talented musicians that wanted to do the same thing I did around me all the time was super exciting to me. 

What is your favorite thing about performing on stage in front of an audience?

My favorite thing about performing on stage is the audience.  I love watching their faces when I play specific songs, as well as getting to talk to them afterwards. It’s truly a unique experience to be able to connect with people I've never met through songs I wrote for myself in my bedroom.  

If you could cover any Disney song, which one would you choose? Why?

This is such a hard question.  There are so many good ones.  The first one that comes to mind is “I Wan’na Be Like You,” by Louis Prima.  I absolutely adore Louis Prima. He is one of my favorite jazz artists and I have covered this particular song of his many times at restaurant gigs back home. 

What are your immediate musical goals?

There is lots of new music in the future.  There will be a full EP coming very soon that I'm super excited to put out, so stay tuned for that!

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A full EP? Say less!

As always, I want to thank Kaylen for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to accompany the interview. 

I'm sure you’ll all want to follow her and see what she has going on. I would follow her on Instagram and Spotify to make sure you don't miss a thing. 

Thanks again, Kaylen, and good luck reaching your goals!

Imi Flint Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music had another visitor! Imi Flint is a wonderful artist who just released a single you'll want to listen to as soon as you can. I was thrilled she wanted to visit with us and discuss her music, her goals, and a bit more. I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

So, let's see what happens when Imi Flint visits Section 36 Music!

I absolutely love your recent single “Hypnotic”. What can you tell me about it?

Thank you so much! This song felt very different for me in terms of my production and the topics I sing about. Usually I am guilty of writing songs about love and heartbreak, which I love doing, but after a while I kind of got tired of it. Hypnotic is about the events of a night out with your friends, party hopping, dancing and late night train rides. The title hypnotic came from the feeling you get when you’re dancing under club lights, the heavy bass from club speakers, and how you become kind of hypnotised by the music. For the production I felt like I landed on some really cool and unique sounds and I felt super excited when I first made the beat. I’m definitely trying to experiment more with different sounds in hopes of finding my solid sound. 

Do you have a favorite memory from the recording process?

Coming up with the initial melody in my dorm room at Berklee was probably my favourite part.  After I laid down the main bones of the instrumental, I picked up my mic and started to freestyle the line that you hear at the very start of the song. I kept this first take in the song because it felt so natural and free. 

You are attending Berklee College of Music. What made Berklee the right choice for you?

I always knew I wanted to attend music school, the real challenge deciding whether to stay in the UK or go abroad to Berklee. But once I received my acceptance letter, the other options completely left my mind. I knew if I didn't take the opportunity, I would have regretted it later. 

I realized it was the right choice for me as soon as I saw the students here shared the same excitement for music as I do. I also love Berklee’s cultural diversity, being introduced and learning from new genres and people is truly inspiring. There is so much musical freedom here and I think it has really helped me experiment more and take more creative risks. 

What do you enjoy most about performing on stage in front of an audience?

I love seeing people’s reactions to the music and the arrangements that we play. It's such a heartwarming feeling when you notice someone really likes a specific part of your song or when people start dancing along in the audience. I did a performance last Sunday for Live from the Lab at MIT and there was such a welcoming and fun energy in that room. I can’t wait to perform more. 

If you could cover any Disney song, which one would you choose? Why?

Recently I’ve been hearing Remember Me from Coco a lot. That song is so heartbreakingly beautiful and I would love to try and sing the Spanish version. I’ve been trying to learn Spanish, so I would choose that one. 

What are your immediate musical goals?

I want to perform so much more. I’m still thinking about my performance with my friends on Sunday and how fun it was and I will be chasing that feeling with every performance I do from now on. I aim to release a lot more music in the new year, potentially make an EP and truly solidify who I am as an artist. 

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Those are definitely goals I can support!

As always, I want to thank Imi for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to accompany the interview. 

I'm sure you’ll all want to follow her and see what she has going on. I would follow her on Instagram and Spotify to make sure you don't miss a thing. 

Thanks again, Imi, and good luck reaching your goals!

MacKinley Bourne Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music is thrilled to have another visitor! MacKinley Bourne is an outstanding artist with a recent single you'll want to stream as often as possible. I was so excited she was willing to visit with us and discuss her music, her goals, and a bit more. I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

So, let's see what happens when MacKinley Bourne visits Section 36 Music!

I adore your recent song, “UGLY”. What can you tell me about it?

Thank you, I’m really glad you liked the song! With UGLY, MACKEN and I wanted to dive into the raw, unfiltered side of relationships—the side where things get messy and emotions clash. Breakups aren’t clean or tidy, and the song embraces that chaos. It’s about finding honesty in those imperfect moments. Sonically, it’s also a departure from my usual style — I really pushed myself to experiment with new sounds and textures. It definitely feels like the start of a new era for me, and I’m really excited to keep exploring this direction. 

Do you see more studio work in your future?

100% yes. I definitely see more studio work in my future. Right now I’m really focused on building up my catalog and creating as much as I can. I actually have two new projects coming out soon that I’m really excited to share. I’ve always leaned naturally into the ‘sad-girl breakup’ lane — and I think that’ll always be a part of me, haha — but lately I’ve been really inspired by more playful, fun sounds and different ways to express hurt and hard feelings. It’s been refreshing to explore that and push myself in new directions.

What do you enjoy most about performing live in front of an audience?

What I enjoy most about performing live is getting to truly connect with people and seeing the direct impact music can have on an audience. With social media and the pressure of being a smaller artist, it’s so easy to get caught up in the importance of an online persona and the constant grind of self-marketing. And while that definitely matters, live performance is where everything feels real again. That’s ultimately what I want to do — I want to grow to a point where I can sell out venues and have people connect with my music in a way that makes them feel heard and healed.

I also have to say, playing with my guitarist, Zach Saunders, has been a huge part of that joy. He’s really pushed me to become a better live musician, and he constantly reminds me why live music is so important. There’s just nothing like that energy and connection you can only get in a room full of people experiencing the same moment together.

Who or what would you say are your biggest musical influences?

Ever since I was young, my mom would put me to bed with the CD player running. Artists like Stevie Nicks, The Beatles, and Queen were always on repeat, and I think growing up with music like that really shaped the depth and emotion I try to bring into my own writing. Those early influences taught me how powerful storytelling and feeling can be in a song.

The artist I look up to most, both musically and in terms of songwriting, is Olivia Rodrigo. The honesty and depth in her lyrics is something I’ll always admire. If I had the power to write my life like a book, opening for Olivia one day would be the ultimate goal — like a real ‘I made it’ moment, haha.

If you could cover any Disney song, which one would you choose? Why?

Honestly, I’d choose anything from Hannah Montana, High School Musical, or Camp Rock. Those were the soundtracks that shaped my childhood. I was that kid who’d grab the TV remote, pretend it was a microphone, and jump around the living room giving full concerts while absolutely torturing my family, haha. I had such a big imagination, and those shows had this narrative about how important the arts are and how possible your dreams can be if you chase them. Covering a song from any of those productions would feel like a full-circle moment for little me.

What are your immediate musical goals?

Right now, I’m putting everything I have into fulfilling my musical goals. I really want to grow my following and reach more people with my music. Another big goal for me is playing more live shows and hopefully opening for touring artists. As a small artist, it can definitely feel overwhelming trying to figure out the ‘right’ next step, especially when you’re working with a tiny team — or no team at all — to help guide you through the industry. But for me, the focus is simple: keep growing, keep learning, and keep pushing myself. Every song, every show, every opportunity is a step forward.

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Let's see if we can help that following grow!

As always, I want to thank MacKinley for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to accompany the interview. 

I'm sure you’ll all want to follow her and see what she has going on. I would follow her on Instagram and Spotify to make sure you don't miss a thing. 

Thanks again, MacKinley, and good luck reaching your goals!

New Music from Imi Flint!

 

"Hypnotic" - by Imi Flint

Release Date: November 21, 2025

What You Should Know: "Hypnotic" is the perfect title for this song. The genre-busting music will draw you in, and won't let you go. Before you know it, you'll have listened to the song multiple times, and enjoyed every note. The techno-feel of the music is the perfect compliment to iMi's melodic vocals. The two parts come together to make a magnificent whole. You need to listen to this song as soon as you can. And then put it on repeat over and over. You won't regret it.

Find It: Everywhere, like Apple or Spotify