Prithvi Prakash Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Prithvi Prakash is a fantastic singer, who recently released a wonderful single "Balance". I was thrilled she wanted to visit with us and discuss her music, her time at Berklee, and more. I’m sure you’ll love everything she has to say.

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

I really enjoyed your recent single, “Balance”. What can you tell me about it?

I am so glad you enjoyed it! Balance was a song I started writing almost 6 months before the pandemic started. I read a friend's poem and instantly started hearing melodies to those words. I asked him if I could turn his poem into a song and he was more than happy to let me do so. There were many drafts of the song and I was trying to create a rough production of the song. A couple months later, I approached Aubrey Whitfield, an incredible producer and artist too! She has produced for some great artists like Little Mix. 

The song is about a partnership where two people balance each other out but don't necessarily complete each other.

You’re currently attending Berklee College of Music. What’s the biggest way that’s benefitting your career? 

Berklee has helped me meet some amazing professors and students. I have met some of my collaborators here too. Berklee is full of talented musicians and being here has grounded me and made me understand the importance of practice, discipline and curiosity. I don't think I would have started releasing music if I didn't come to Berklee. All my friends here inspire me to do things that I wouldn't have the courage to do otherwise.

You also host a podcast “Pochemuchka”. What is that all about?

As an artist, I always have lot of things to say and express but oftentimes don't have access to credible platforms that will help me express myself. I saw that a lot of other artists, especially artists that are still growing their audience might benefit from such a platform. In addition to this, I love talking to people and I love the creative industry. This was why I created Pochemuchka and I like to say that it is a platform that is 'by the artist and for the artist.'

Who or what would you consider your biggest musical influences?

It's always extremely hard for me to answer that question since, I can never seem to tell where my music is coming from. The music I listen to and the music I make aren't similar. Having said that, I think music from my south Indian culture that I grew up listening to has definitely unconsciously influences a lot of my music. I am trained in Indian Classical Music and I definitely think that has influenced how I perceive melody and harmony.

What would you say is your biggest career challenge? 

The biggest career challenge I have faced so far is making music that is authentic to me and finding an audience that enjoys the music I make.

What are your immediate career goals? 

My immediate career goal is to finish all the songs that have

been sitting on my laptop and put them out very soon and hopefully, continue to keep writing more! 

---

I definitely want to hear all of that music as soon as I can!

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

I know you’ll all want to follow along with Prithvi to see what she's up to. The best way is to visit her on Instagram It's the best way to keep track of everything she has going on.

You can also check out her Section 36 Music page. It's a perfect way to enjoy everything Prithvi has to offer all in one place.

Thanks again Prithvi, and good luck reaching your goals!

Chloe Collins Visits Section 36 Music

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Chloe Collins is an incredible singer, and I was so excited she was willing to visit with us and discuss her recent music, her time in Nashville, and more. I’m sure you’ll love everything she has to say.

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

I really enjoyed your recent single, “Someone’s Yesterday”. What can you tell me about it?

Thank you so much! “Someone’s Yesterday” is basically about being burned so many times in past relationships that you’re almost skeptical of the new person you are with. It takes a minute to get used to them actually having good intentions and wanting to treat you right without ulterior motives, because you’ve never been somebody’s future, you were always someone’s yesterday. This new person is thankfully proving you wrong at every turn since they don’t have any malicious tricks up their sleeve. 

You’re currently based out of Nashville. How is that benefitting your career?

I love living in Nashville. I was born and raised in New York, however my heart was always in country music and the Nashville scene. I was always flying down to record and write with different people. Now that I am finally living here I have met so many amazing cowriters and friends and I have had the opportunity to play some of my favorite venues in Nashville. I wouldn’t have been able to get to the place I am in my career now if it wasn’t for my move to the city. 

You’ve been able to perform at some well-known venues like The Bluebird Cafe and The Bitter End. Do you have a dream performance location?

My dream performance location was always Madison Square Garden, since I grew up seeing countless concerts there. However, The Opry and the Ryman are such legendary venues that they’re also on my bucket list.

Several of your songs have been featured in television shows. How does it feel to hear that happen?

It was so surreal the first time I heard one of my songs on a TV show. I was thirteen when I had a song on “The Vineyard” on ABC and I remember watching the episode with my whole family; we made it a big celebration. Having my song on the 100th episode of the show “Nashville” probably has to be what I still consider one of my greatest accomplishments. It also felt like a good omen for moving to Nashville.

Who/what would you consider your biggest musical influences?

I have so many musical influences, ranging from The Rolling Stones to Hannah Montana (one of my original influences when I started writing songs at eight years old), but I’d have to say my current influences are Taylor Swift, Maren Morris, and Dua Lipa. I love putting pop melodies with country lyrics. I listen to pop music almost as much as I listen to country and I think that has really helped me develop that skill.

What are your immediate career goals?

My fans on TikTok have been asking me to go on tour and it was always a dream of mine to tour and play my music in hundreds of different cities. I also want to keep releasing more music because there are so many songs I have written that people have not even heard yet and I can’t wait to get them out in the world.

---

I agree with her fans. A tour is a great idea!

As always, I want to thank Chloe for visiting, and for sending along the picture to accompany the interview.

I know you’ll all want to follow along with Chloe to see what she's up to. The best way is to visit her socials like the TikTok she mentioned, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. They're all great ways to keep track of everything she has going on. Of course, you can always find her music on Spotify.

You can also check out her Section 36 Music page. It's a perfect way to enjoy everything Chloe has to offer all in one place.

Thanks again Chloe, and good luck reaching your goals!

“Balance” by Prithvi Prakash (July 2, 2021 Release)

 “Balance" is the latest single from the amazing singer Prithvi Prakash!

And it's simply amazing! I couldn’t get over how the melody flowed and carried me along with it throughout the song. It was an incredible listening experience.

You can find “Balance" just about everywhere you usually get your music like Apple and Spotify. So, there's no reason you won't be able to find it.…which I highly suggest you do.

Right Now!

Really. Right now.

And stream the rest of her music while you're at it!

“Settle" by Victoria Barral (July 16, 2021 Release)

"Settle" is the latest single from the talented singer Victoria Barral! 

You're going to want to listen to this song as soon as you can! What can you expect from the song? Luckily, Victoria was willing to answer a few questions about it for us.

What was the inspiration behind “Settle”?

The inspiration for ‘Settle’ came from life experience and my personal beliefs as a christian. I can’t stress it enough- do not settle for just anyone. Wait for the person God has for you. I have been single my whole life, and while sometimes I feel left out, I know in the future, I will be glad I waited. For years, I’ve seen my friends or people I didn’t know very well settle in relationships, and I kept quiet. I’ve seen so many people get their heart broken and waste their time with people that didn’t even love them. I’ve seen people try to get out of toxic relationships, but would try to numb the pain. So one day I decided to put my feelings into music. I started to sing some words that popped into my head. Then I got the chorus to the song in less than 5 minutes: “Why do people settle just to fill a void, it’s sad that people settle for the wrong people.” I sent this to my co-writer Audrey Bussanich and she absolutely loved this concept and resonated with it.

When we started to write the song, we took this idea and decided to write in third person. We pictured these different songwriting ideas like movie scenes. We created this character- a young woman who gets home late one night, goes to her room and sees her boyfriend is asleep. In the beginning of the song, she is having trouble sleeping that night and she’s staring at the ceiling. Throughout the song, she starts to have this realization like, “why am I doing this to myself. Why am I in this relationship that I know is wrong for me.” Throughout the whole song she is having these thoughts and remembering what her mom told her- “You’re walking down the aisle for something more than happiness.” These are some lyrics in the 2nd Verse that we came up with. The rest of the writing session went so smoothly and the message we wanted to get across is hopefully clear. Audrey and I think a lot of people can relate to this concept, and we hope that we’re spreading light and a good message to young women specifically. As an artist, I hope this song will touch people and maybe open their eyes to something they never have thought out before. 

What was the experience of putting the recording together like?

The experience of putting the record together was so much

fun, but also time consuming and challenging later in the process working virtually. We started writing the song in September of last year and started to record a rough demo. We kind of went for an alternative pop/ folk vibe and spent a few months getting everything together. Initially, Audrey and I did a home recording with her on acoustic guitar and me on piano and vocals. We sketched out an arrangement for bass and drums, but originally they were recording digitally. Months after that, we decided we weren’t satisfied with our version, so I decided to have this professionally recorded in the studio in Boston. Months later, I reached out to Connor Wang, the head of the Audio Engineering Society at Berklee who had an amazing vision for production and mixing and he loved the demo. He was so helpful with the recording process and helped me find session recording musicians. Everything went so well, and the musicians did an amazing job matching up to the original arrangement. The session players on this track include: Adam Saah on drums, Eli Schildkraut on piano, Diego Cortez on guitar, and Kari Estes is on bass.

I sent the best vocals I could to Connor, and the final mix was beyond what I expected. By the end of May, the final step of mastering came and Josh Sebek did an amazing job balancing out the dynamics in the master! The rest is history! This project was by far the biggest collaboration I’ve done it’s really taught me to be teachable, professional, and hard-working. I could be happier with the recording process.

Do you have any goals for the song?

I just hope this song speaks to people. As an artist it’s important to write music that has meaning and value. Above all, I hope anything I do as a musician glorifies God. I understand it’s important for the song to do well in streaming, but it’s all in God’s hands. I’m just here to sing and write what comes from the heart and follow my dreams as a songwriter and recording artist. 

***

Hope she can meet that goal. You'll be able to find “Settle" just about everywhere you usually get your music like Spotify or Apple! So, there's no reason why you won't be able track it down…which I highly suggest you do. In fact, go pre-save it on Spotify RIGHT NOW!

If you want to learn more about Victoria, check out her Section 36 Music profile page. There you can find links to her full interview with Section 36 Music, her social media accounts, as well as more samples of her incredible singing.

You can also hop directly to her recent interview right here on Section 36 Music. That will give you an opportunity to learn more about this amazing singer.

Be sure to give “Settle" a listen!

Priya Mani Visits Section 36 Music

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Priya Mani is an incredible singer, and I was thrilled she was willing to visit with us and discuss her recent music, her time at Berklee, and more. I’m sure you’ll love everything she has to say.

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

I really enjoyed your recent debut single, “SHE”. What can you tell me about it?
Thank you! The initial inspiration for ‘SHE’ came from a show I watched, where I saw the story of a single mother who gave everything up for her children. She was brave, loving, and selfless. Her story touched my heart, and inspired this song. I hope that 'SHE' represents the strength and resilience of mothers and mother figures, inspires all of us to appreciate them, and give them the love and support they deserve. 

Musically, 'SHE' is a fusion of western pop and Indian contemporary music. I wrote the first demo of this song in English, I just had a verse and chorus at the time. As I wrote the rest of the lyrics and the arrangement, I thought of all the amazing mother figures in my own life as well. I added the Hindi lyrics to the song because it felt more personal, relatable, and made it feel whole!

We worked on this project completely remotely. After multiple zoom calls and sending tracks back and forth, we were finally able to complete the song! I would especially like to thank Snehal Pandey for mixing, mastering, and producing. This wouldn't have been possible without the incredible artists who were a part of this project, and I'm beyond grateful for the genuine dedication and passion with which they worked on 'SHE.’ 

You’re currently attending Berklee College of Music. What’s the most important thing you see that doing for your career?

Berklee has given me so much more than I ever imagined

possible! Since being here, I’ve been able to learn and gain invaluable experience in the fields of vocal performance, music technology, arranging, songwriting, and composition. I’m currently beginning my fourth and final year at Berklee- majoring in Performance, and double minoring in Mediterranean Music, and Recording and Production. I feel like I’ve been introduced to the world of music in a whole new way through the courses I’m taking, and the overall experience of studying here. Personally, I highly value Berklee’s focus on different styles and genres of music from around the world. I have done live performances in over 10 different languages, and worked with professors from over 8 different countries. I was also able to study abroad at the Berklee Valencia campus in Spain, and it was a beautiful experience. 

I believe that my college experience will help me transition into the music industry. The best part about studying there is the people I've met, the professors I have learned from, connections made, and the lifelong friendships. I hope to be able to stay in touch with the musicians I’ve met, and collaborate with them as well in the future. It's truly a special place!   

At Berklee, you’re a member of the phenomenal a cappella group “Treble Threat”. What is that experience like?

Being a part of Treble Threat was one of the best experiences I have ever had. Even though I haven’t had the opportunity to meet some of the members in person yet (due to COVID), we’ve all gotten very close over the past year. These women are beyond talented and each of them bring something unique that creates the 'Treble Threat sound.’ It’s fun, and a great learning experience. I had the opportunity to be the assistant music director for the group and arrange some tunes as well, and it was some of the most enjoyable and rewarding work I’ve ever done. The best part about being in the group, especially in a remote setting, is seeing our final product come to life! 

You were the soloist on Treble Threat’s virtual performance of Kelly Clarkson’s, “Underneath the Tree”. What was that like to put together?

Christmas is my favorite time of year, and virtually putting together our Christmas cover was very enjoyable! Our performance of ‘Underneath the Tree’ was really fun to sing, especially because we felt the Christmas spirit with this one. We also had fun filming the videos and incorporating the red and green color scheme!

Who/what would you consider your biggest musical influences?

I grew up listening to music of many different styles, genres, and languages! Here are a few of the artists who inspire me- Mohammed Rafi, Shreya Ghoshal, Ella Fitzgerald, Jessie J, Coldplay, and Adele. My family is very musical, and growing up I was majorly influenced by their music taste as well.

What are your immediate career goals?

As of now, I would like to continue performing, writing, and releasing more music. I am also focusing on obtaining my bachelor's degree at the Berklee College of Music. I have been freelance composing, arranging, and teaching music, and I hope to be doing that in a greater capacity in the future! Lastly, I would like to collaborate with professional artists from around the world and gain experience performing world music.  

---

Sounds like she has a lot of exciting things in store for us. I can't wait!

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

I know you’ll all want to follow along with Priya to see what she's up to. The best way is to visit her website, and follow her social media accounts like Instagram and YouTube. They're all great ways to keep track of everything she has going on.

You can also check out her Section 36 Music page. It's a perfect way to enjoy everything Priya has to offer all in one place.

Thanks again Priya, and good luck reaching your goals!

“The Waves" by Melissa Mills (June 21, 2021 Release)

“The Waves" is the latest single from the incredible singer Melissa Mills! 

And you won’t want to miss it!

I’m sure you remember Melissa from her interview with us, where we discussed her single “Blueberry Daydream". Or, like I am, you’re a fan of her wonderful single “Lose My Cool”. That’s why I was so excited for this new release, and was not disappointed! I know you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

You can find “The Waves" just about everywhere you usually find your music, like Spotify, Apple, and more! So, there's no reason why you won't be able track it down…which I highly suggest you do.

***

If you want to learn more about Melissa, check out

her Section 36 Music profile page. There you can find links to her full interview with Section 36 Music, her social media accounts, as well as more samples of her incredible singing.

You can also hop directly to her recent interview right here on Section 36 Music. That will give you an opportunity to learn more about this amazing singer.

Be sure to give “The Waves" a listen!

"Back to the Basics" by Cat Lines (June 25, 2021 release)

"Back to the Basics" is the latest single from the amazing Cat Lines! 

You'll want to listen to it as soon as you can! 

What can you expect from the song? Well, here's what Cat had to say about it in the release…

Ringing in the Summer with this joyous hit, Cat Lines says her newest single, “Back to the Basics” is the best song she’s created yet. Previously featured on Southern Fellow and a Starbucks Official playlist, the young singer/songwriter and fiddle player is making waves with this tune about the struggles of being a creative person in an overcomplicated world.

“My mind’s a labyrinth desperately in need of street signs” is her favorite line in the song, a testament to how easy it is to overthink when trying to create something beautiful. “I came up with the main lick while I was at work one day, and my co-workers probably thought I was crazy because I could not stop dancing around to it” she says. “This was one of those songs that felt like it wrote itself”.

She’s especially proud of the fiddle solo after the second chorus, something she says she’s been waiting for the right song to create. It adds a unique, fun element to a song that in places feels almost like a musical number. All in all, “Back to the Basics” is a reminder to us all to take a breath, rewind, and, when in doubt, think simple.

I think we all need to be reminded of that sometimes! 

I absolutely loved this song. She Cat was right to be proud of the fiddle solo, but that's far from the only incredible section of this song. You need to hear the rest of it for yourself. You can find it just about everywhere you usually find your music, like Spotify and Apple. So be sure to listen to it.

As soon as you can!

---
 
If you want to learn more about Cat, check out her Section 36 Music profile page. There you can find links to her social media accounts, as well as samples of her incredible music. 
 
You can also hop directly to her interview right here on Section 36 Music. That will give you an opportunity to learn more about her.
 
Be sure to give “Back to the Basics" a listen!