Lisa Chiodo Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Lisa Chiodo is a talented singer with recent single that you won't want to miss. I was so honored 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 Lisa Chiodo visits Section 36 Music!

Your recent single, “All Night", is just wonderful. What can you tell me about it? 

All Night is my latest single released September 20th 2025. It sits in the 80’s pop style and was just a lot of fun to write, record, perform and collaborate on. Lyrics by yours truly and the music co-written by myself and a mate of mine, Alon Schwartz. Featuring Mark Whitfield on guitar, and mixed by Henry Reinach (who are all Berklee Alumni).

You’re a graduate of Berklee College of Music. What’s the biggest thing Berklee did for your career?

One of the most valuable things Berklee gave me was its community — not only during my time as a student, but long after graduation. Many of the people I work with today who are also Berklee alumni weren’t necessarily in my immediate circles, ensembles, or classes while I was studying. Still, it’s no coincidence that we became aware of one another’s skills and eventually crossed paths professionally. That shared foundation has created an ongoing network that continues to open doors. 

Another major benefit of Berklee was the opportunity to pursue multiple disciplines at a high level simultaneously, while learning from true industry legends, provided you’re organized, motivated, and clear about your goals. During my undergraduate studies, I completed a double degree in Music Business Management and Professional Performance (with a dual principal in voice and trumpet), along with a minor in Recording and Production. I also was selected to participated in Harvard’s RAP program for four consecutive semesters, which led to an internship with an independent label that I was able to complete for academic credit.

Alongside my academic work, I was deeply involved in performance, leadership, and student employment roles. These included six Singers Showcase concerts, three Commencement performances, founding and serving as Musical Director of the Snarky Puppy Directed Study (2023–2024), and serving as Vice President of the Music Business Club from 2021 to 2023. 

I regularly performed in Caf shows, 1A recitals, BPC shows, Open Day performances, and other campus events and held multiple on-campus positions. From WTD Studio Booking Manager booking all of the available studios, to working in the Studio Maintenance office working hands-on fixing and learning outboard gear. I was an orientation leader and also worked in administration in the tour guide office. 

I got a lot out of Berklee because I put a lot into Berklee. The more you invest, the more you get to walk away with.

What would you say is the biggest challenge with your music career? 

One of the biggest challenges is being surrounded by people who aren’t aligned with your growth. It’s important to find your people — those who take care of themselves and, by extension, respect how hard you’re working on your own career. When someone understands the discipline required for self-development, they’re far more likely to support and value that effort in others.

Being around the wrong people can be limiting, often leading to unnecessary pauses, self-doubt, and uncertainty in your own progress. Learning to step away from environments and relationships that don’t support you is essential. Surrounding yourself with people who are committed to their own growth creates a shared understanding of the work, discipline, and sacrifice it takes to build a career — and that shared mindset makes all the difference.

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

It’s real. It’s raw. And it’s exciting. Performing live means getting to share something you created from nothing with people, in the hope that it resonates with someone who’s been through — or is going through — something similar. It’s experiencing people’s reactions in real time, whether you’re performing new music, revisiting older songs, or testing ideas in front of a crowd. That immediacy and connection is one of the best parts of being an artist.

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

Covering a Disney song is especially meaningful to me because one of my long-term career goals is to voice a Disney princess in a future film. Rather than choosing an existing song, I’d love to sing one that doesn’t exist yet — a piece written to capture my own story. It would follow an Australian girl who leaves home, crosses oceans, and takes a leap of faith to pursue her dreams, choosing growth over comfort even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed. That sense of courage, curiosity, and self-discovery is at the heart of my journey, and it’s the kind of story I hope to help bring to life one day.

What are your immediate musical goals?

My immediate goals are to continue releasing new music consistently while building toward a larger body of work that fully reflects where I am artistically right now. I’m focused on expanding my live performance presence through touring, deepening collaborations with artists who inspire me, and connecting with audiences in more meaningful ways. I’m also excited to continue working with pro-audio brands and creative partners such as Audio Technica, Eventide Audio and Black Lion Audio whose tools and values genuinely align with my process. At this stage, it’s about growth — refining my sound, broadening my reach, and staying grounded in why I create in the first place.

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Can't wait for those new releases!

As always, I want to thank Lisa 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, Lisa, and good luck reaching your goals!

Melanie Kristine Visits Section 36 Music!

Melanie Kristine is a is a fantastic artist. You'll want to check out her single, Espera, as soon as you can. You won't regret it. I was so excited she was willing to visit with Section 36 Music 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 Melanie Kristine visits Section 36 Music!

I love your single, “Espera (Live Version)". What can you tell me about it?

Thank you! Espera has a special place in my heart because it was actually the first song I ever wrote in Spanish. It’s about learning to enjoy every stage of your life. Sometimes we get so anxious about what’s coming next, or we’re so stuck on what already happened, that we forget to live in the present. I love performing this song because I get to express myself not only through singing, but also by playing bass. I had so much fun working on the arrangements and recording it with my friends back home in Ecuador.

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

I’ve honestly always dreamed of coming to Berklee. In Ecuador, it’s the school every musician talks about, it’s kind of the ultimate goal. Thanks to God, I had the opportunity to attend the Aspire Five-Week Summer Program in 2024, and that completely confirmed everything for me. Experiencing the classes, the environment, and the community made me fall in love not only with Berklee, but also with the city. After that, the only thing I wanted to do was apply and come back!

Do you have a dream venue where you’d like to perform?

I think every stage is beautiful in its own way, and each one has its own story. I’m grateful for any opportunity to perform anywhere. But since I’m in Boston… why not dream of the TD Garden? Hehe.

Who or what would you consider your biggest musical inspirations?

My biggest inspiration is Esperanza Spalding. She’s not only an iconic jazz musician and a Berklee alum, but her ability to sing and play bass simultaneously, doing completely different things, is incredible. She’s also a songwriter and composer. She’s truly a role model for me.

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

I would choose “Circle of Life” from The Lion King. I absolutely love it. It’s a beautiful song with really deep meaning, especially in the female vocal version. It’s also a piece that challenges you vocally. Also The Lion King is one of my top three favorite Disney movies ever.

What are your immediate musical goals?

Right now, I’m working on my next single, which is coming out in January, so heads up! It’s actually my first worship single. My biggest dream is to release worship albums and eventually go on tour with that music, and I feel like this next release is the beginning of something bigger.

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I am obviously excited to hear there's new music!

As always, I want to thank Melanie 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, Melanie, 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!

Svitlana Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music had another visitor! Svitlana was kind enough to visit with us fresh off the release of her latest single, "I Need a Reason", and talk to us about the song, future goals, and more. I'm sure you'll love what she had to say

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

Your recent single, “I Need a Reason” is just incredible. What can you tell me about it?

Thank you so much! It's a very special song for me. I started writing it at the end of my first semester at Berklee, and was inspired by -and dedicated to- one of my best friends. I consider myself a very sensitive person - I feel things quite intensely. It applies both to what I experience and to what my family, friends and people close to me went through. My best friend was in a quite toxic relationship for a long time and I got to see it go from absolute heaven, her being in love, in that magic land to absolute disaster where she was emotionally abused, mistreated and manipulated into staying in a relationship by being told she would never find someone who could love her more. It was devastating to see and my heart was aching for her. As much as I wanted her to leave and advised her to let go of this person, we all know that it's up to the person to do so  when they're ready. 

The name of the song reflects how she was always looking for a reason to prove her partner right and to hope that one day they would love her the same way they did in the beginning. Over time, she started realizing that this place was bad for her, this person was bad for her, and she couldn't let herself be treated that way any longer. The outro of the song shows her decision to finally leave, even when there was a part that still wanted to believe things could be fixed. She couldn't find any more excuses and forgiveness. Even though it was extremely hard at that moment, it was her happy ending. Lyrics of the song reflect the whole story. 

Musically, I wanted to express that love, hope, and belief mixed with sadness, anger, and nostalgia for how things were in the beginning. It's a constant push and pull - an emotional rollercoaster. With the dynamic growth of the song, I wanted to express how suppressed emotions and trauma surface through anger and devastation, and in the end turn into acceptance, and a bittersweet decision to leave. I wanted to make this a powerful ballad, with an emotional arrangement that would support the story so that even if there were no lyrics you could still feel it through the strings, piano, harmonies, and dynamic growth. At its core, I Need a Reason is about reclaiming your strength and that's a topic I try to explore in a lot of my songs - finding beauty and hope even in painful moments.

I really hope this song reaches people who might see themselves in it. Sometimes we stay in places that no longer help us grow simply because they once felt safe. We love so deeply that we forget we deserve to be loved just as much in return. In a healthy relationship, you shouldn’t feel constantly drained or uncertain of your worth. It takes courage to leave, but it also takes self-love to recognize that real love is shown through actions, not promises. I’m so happy this song is finally out and hope it speaks to those who need it most and maybe it helps someone feel understood.

Do you see more studio work in your future?

Absolutely!! I would spend 24/7 in the studio recording and creating music if I could do so. It’s one of the most fun parts for me. I love getting into the emotion of the music and just capturing it in the recording, experimenting, trying things. I love the creative process, making things up on the spot, trying out new sounds, capturing moments you didn’t plan and coming back to comping later, finding tons of creative ways to use it. It’s such a great feeling when I’m singing or playing myself, but also I LOVE to collaborate with other musicians and experience how they connect with what I wrote. There’s always something magical happening in the room. 

You’re a graduate of Berklee College of Music. What’s the biggest thing Berklee did for your career?

I am beyond grateful for Berklee because it definitely got my skills on a whole another level. First of all, I did CWP which taught me variety of different skills, from arranging and composing to producing, mixing and mastering. Those skills allow me to create independently as well as collaborate with other people and be able to explain exactly what it is I want to capture and express, using proper terminology and being professional. It gave me a great strong base that I use in my career and I am looking forward to developing it further. Second of all, it's amazing friends and fellow professionals I met. It’s a pool of like-minded and extremely talented people, and I feel honored to know them and to have had the opportunity to collaborate with many of them - featuring them on my songs, producing for them, or writing arrangements. I’m continuing to work with many of the same people, and I know those connections will last a long time because there’s already so much trust and understanding between us. There are so many people I’m sure we’ll soon see on big screens and hear about everywhere - I’m certain of it, and I can’t wait for their talent and the heart they put into their work to be heard.  And last but not least, a huge shout out to the incredible professors who guided me through and constantly inspired me to keep writing and growing as a musician.

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

Lana del Rey without a doubt!!! I am a huge fan of her music and lyricism. I’ve been obsessed with her music for years. There’s just something about the way she writes that is emotional, poetic and honest. Her music really influenced the way I write and think about songs. She always has a mix of beauty and sadness in the same space. I’ve learned a lot from her about letting things breathe, not rushing, and just allowing emotion to lead instead of trying to make everything perfect. I admire the "imperfections" in her production like a slightly untuned vocal or uneven layering. It adds honesty and highlights what she’s trying to say. Vocally too - I love how she uses her voice, soft and vulnerable, almost like an instrument. I try to do that in my songs too, to let the emotion come through naturally. I also love love love how visual her world is. Every song feels like a little movie: you can see it, it's very vivid. That’s something I think about a lot when I write or produce, how to make people feel like they’re inside the song. Definitely the biggest inspiration and influence.

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

Immediate answer - "Part Of Your World"! First of all, I just have an obsession with mermaids:) I always connected with any mermaid story in a special way (that's exactly why I have a song about it). Stories, legends and myths about them always drew my attention, and it, of course, includes "The Little Mermaid". I loved it as a child but also fell in love with it watching live action - which I think was brilliant. And I always connected to the song - the longing of Ariel to get to the place she has never been before and have these new experiences. 

What are your immediate musical goals?

Right now, my main focus is finishing and releasing my upcoming singles and album. I’ve been working on it for a while during my studies at Berklee, and I really want to make sure every song feels true to the story and emotions behind it. There’s a blend of different genres and topics on the album, so I’m trying to find the best way to approach the promotion and really show how everything connects. Right now, I’m just focused on all the last touches and making sure it feels complete. In my plans, I want to release two or three more singles and then launch the full album. At the same time, I’m continuing to write new music, collaborate with other artists, and grow as a producer and a composer. I want to keep developing my sound and keep learning with every project I do. 

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I am so excited about this new music!

As always, I want to thank Svitlana 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, Svitlana, and good luck reaching your goals!

Photos by Anzhela

Nejma AlKoor Visits Section 36 Music!

I am thrilled to have another visitor to Section 36 Music! Nejma AlKoor is fresh off her latest single "False Promises", and talked with us about the song, and a bit more. I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

So, let's see what happens when Nejma AlKoor visits Section 36 Music!

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

False Promises was honestly something I wanted to record for a while because it's a very painful experience I had to go through. I just wanted to put my feelings out there so if anyone else is feeling this way or if they’ve been through something similar they can relate to it. I also tried not to make it super sad. I tried to add some major chords in there to show how I had hope for something that was not really what I thought it was going to be.

Do you have a favorite memory from the recording process?

I remember being in the studio and the producer is telling me to feel what I'm saying. The lyrics are very intense, and I could not really feel my feelings at the time because it’s kind of hard in a studio setting to put your feelings out there. So I think my favorite memory is him telling me to just close my eyes and just to live the present moment and to just forget about like technicality or anything like that and just focus more on how I’m feeling and portray that in the song. That’s exactly what I did and I felt very free as I was singing it, especially the chorus

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

I’m in my fifth semester at Berklee. As a professional music major, I focus mostly on music business and performance and a minor in production. I think, to be honest, Berklee is the right place for me because it's not just a music school. It's more of a community. I get to see a lot of different cultures, a lot of different backgrounds, religions. I just love learning so much from other people here. Also is like the education I gained here is a lot. I didn’t know I would gain this much. Another thing would be the experience and just exposure in the music industry. I’d say that Berklee finds you as an artist, and that's why I think like Berklee is the place for me.

You have twice appeared on MBC The Voice. What were those experiences like?

I appeared twice on The Voice Kids, the Arabic version. The first time I was 10 and would only sing western and the second time I was 14. I would say both experiences were good and bad. The good reason was gaining the exposure and the experience. I would say it was just a lot of pressure for a 10 year old or 14 year old. You, with these shows, kind of have to be in their point of view “perfect” condition, and that’s a lot of pressure to put on someone at those young ages. But I'm just very grateful for the experience overall because it was something I needed to do.

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

It would be Almost There from Princess and the Frog. It’s a powerful song but yet beautiful and upbeat. I love it.

What are your immediate musical goals?

It would be just to keep making music as much as I can and reaching people who can relate to the music I do and people who can feel safe from listening to it or watching me perform it. And also, because I am studying business, in the future I’d like to do something for music like teaching Middle Eastern music specifically for women. Just, honestly, the music I do is filled with love and I would always love to portray that and to make people feel loved and comfortable with everything I do.

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I'd say that's a wonderful goal.

As always, I want to thank Nejma 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, Nejma, and good luck reaching your goals!