Kylie Joy Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music had another visitor! Kylie Joy is an immensely talented classical soprano. Her performances on stage are not to be missed. I was so honored that she was willing to visit with us to discuss her music, her future goals, and more! I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

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

When did you first realize music was going to play an enormous part in your life?

I first realized music would be a huge part in my life after I was cast in my first show! I remember little 8 year old me writing on the audition sheet that I only wanted a small part because I was so nervous, but after being a part of the Music Man (which FUN FACT was written about my hometown Mason City, IA,) I was completely addicted to all things music and theater! 

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

I think what I love most is the energy of a live audience. You can rehearse something a hundred times, but the moment you step onstage, it becomes something completely different. There’s an electricity that comes from sharing that moment with other people, and I love the challenge of being fully present and letting the performance unfold organically.

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

I chose Berklee because I didn’t want to put myself in a box. My classical training will always be a huge part of who I am, but I also love musical theater and exploring different styles of music. I’m excited to cross-train my voice, expand my skills as a performer, and become a better voice teacher while learning from some of the best in the industry!

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

I’ve been influenced and inspired by so many incredible artists, including Kelli O’Hara, Kristin Chenoweth, Julie Andrews, Nadine Sierra, Renée Fleming, Sabine Devieilhe, Diana Damrau, Audra McDonald, and many more of the greats! However, my biggest musical influence has been my fabulous voice teacher, Gail Pearson. She has completely transformed not only my voice, but also my artistry and the way I approach music. I owe so much of who I am as a singer and artist to her, and I’m incredibly grateful to have had her guidance throughout my journey.

What is the biggest challenge with your musical career?

One of my biggest challenges is learning how to create a sustainable career while still pursuing all of the things that excite me artistically. There are so many opportunities and directions you can take as a musician, and I’m learning how to balance ambition with taking care of myself so that I can have a long, fulfilling career.

What are your immediate musical goals?

My immediate goal is really to give myself permission to explore. I’ve spent so much of my education becoming a stronger classical singer, and now I want to see what happens when I take that foundation and put it into different musical worlds.

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I'm excited to hear the results of that exploration!

As always, I want to thank Kylie 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. Here are the best places to find her:

Instagram

Website

YouTube

TikTok

Facebook

Rita Valldeperas Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music had another visitor! Rita Valldeperas is an amazing singer, who just release a single, "No me hagas volver", that you will not want to miss. I was so thrilled that she was willing to visit with us to discuss the song, her future goals, and more! I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

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

Your recent single, “No me hagas volver”, Is absolutely outstanding. What can you tell me about it?

Oh my god! Thank you so much. It means a lot. “No me hagas volver” is such an important song for me. It talks about the doubts and pressures I had while deciding whether I wanted to pursue music as a career. There are so many opinions that can get in the way, and I think it’s really important to trust your gut and know what you want.

Do you have a favorite memory from the recording process?

It’s kind of a fun fact, but since we were running out of time in the studio, I recorded the vocals in just one take, which is something I’m sure all producers would not recommend, haha. I’m so glad it happened that way, though, because I felt so connected to my lyrics, and I sang every single word with the intention it deserved.

You have some live shows coming up. What do you enjoy most about performing on stage in front of an audience?

I absolutely love connecting with people. I love playing my songs and feeling like they have a place in people’s hearts. I have written in a diary every night for as long as I can remember, and my songs are literally all those feelings put into music. Being able to see how people can relate to them heals something in me.

I would love to see you at one of my next shows! On September 21st, I’ll have my second recital at Berklee in Room 1A at 7 PM. I’m also so excited to share that I got the opportunity to have my Berklee Caf show on November 12th at 10 PM.

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

I have so many musical influences, but I would say Alejandro Sanz and Pablo Alborán are two of the artists who have influenced me the most. I really admire the way they tell stories through their music and how emotional and honest their songwriting is.

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

“Let It Go” from Frozen. I absolutely love that song and that movie. It reminds me of my sister Diana, (“Didi”). She is the person I love the most in this life. We would always watch Disney movies together, so that song brings back a lot of really special memories.

What are your immediate musical goals?

My main goal right now is to keep writing lots of music and releasing it as much as I can. I also want to do as many shows at Berklee as possible and keep growing as an artist and performer. Most importantly, I want to enjoy the process and keep creating music that feels honest and true to who I am.

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If you can be at one of those shows, you definitely should attend!

As always, I want to thank Rita 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. Here are the best places to find her:

Instagram

Spotify

Website

Thanks again Rita, and good luck reaching your goals!

Donna-Marie Smith Visits Section 36 Music!

Donna-Marie Smith is a fantastic photographer focusing on concert photography. And she focuses extremely well. I'm so excited she was willing to visit with us so we could all learn a little bit about her. I'm sure you'll love to hear what she has to say.

So, let’s see what happens when Donna-Marie Smith visits Section 36 Music!

When did you realize that photography was something that you loved?

I've always had a love for taking photos since I was a kid. My aunt used to give me her camera just to keep me busy. Then getting older taking photos and videos helps me remember the moments I was in, it helps especially that I don't have the best memory sometimes. 

How did that lead to specializing in concert photography?

I love going to concerts and just capturing the moment of things, whether that's photos or videos. Like I said I like remembering the moment of things, and watching a video or looking at photos from the show helps me remember what that day was like.

How would you describe your photography style?

My style is raw photos. Maybe because I haven't learned 100% how to edit my photos yet but they come amazingly unedited. I would like to know how to fully edit photos soon. 

What has been your favorite photography experience thus far?

I have a few; capturing Tate McRae at her last Boston show, getting my first paid gig for a small artist I met at another show and making friends with his opener and hanging out with them both and the band after the show. Lastly, going to a show on my birthday this year might have been the best because I was in my element on my birthday and it was the best birthday ever. I have too many memories from shows, it's hard to pick just one.

What would you say are your biggest photography career challenges?

Some of the biggest challenges in this career in general is just trying to find gigs, and finding that one person that will take a chance on you. Another one is learning how to edit photos so they come out cool but that's something I'm not worried about right now. 

Do you have any specific photography career goals?

Learning more about how certain cameras work, finding that one artist that will take a chance on me and it working out in the end. And just living the life I dreamed about; working as a photographer for an artist. 

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That would definitely be a great opportunity!

As always, I want to thank Donna-Marie 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. Here's the best place to find her:

Instagram

Thanks again Donna-Marie, and good luck reaching your goals!

Katie Joy Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music had another visitor! Katie Joy is an incredible singer, with a single, "Reliving You", that you need to listen to right away. I was so excited that she wanted to visit with us to discuss the song, her future goals, and more! I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

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

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

Reliving You came from a really hard place. For a long time, almost all the music I wrote was about grief. A year after they passed, I realized I was still stuck in that same headspace, like I couldn’t write about anything else. So I decided to write about being trapped in those feelings instead. The song is about the exhaustion of feeling like you’re going in circles. I wanted people who’ve been through something similar to hear it and feel less alone, even if only for a second.

Do you have a favorite memory from the recording process?

The highlight of my experience was working with my producer, Gabby Harwood. She is a Berklee alum, and she made the entire process nearly stress-free. In addition to providing great advice about Berklee, I appreciated the late-night texts and brainstorming sessions we had. Gabby really understood what I was trying to express in my music. She not only helped me enhance the song's sound but also significantly boosted my confidence in my artistry. This is something I will always remember about the recording process for this song. 

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

I didn’t even think about music seriously until a couple years ago. I was listening to Lizzy McAlpine’s “Older”, and it completely changed how I saw my own path. Then I found out she went to Berklee, so I applied on a whim. When I got in, it felt like the universe was pointing me in this direction. I wasn’t even looking at other schools because it never occurred to me that something like this would just fall into place. Now that I’m going, my goal is to grow as a musician, learn from people who’ve been where I want to go, and just soak it all in.

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

Lizzy McAlpine is my biggest influence. Her album “Older”, and the deluxe, “Older and Wiser” showed me that music can be both beautiful and honest at the same time. She writes about hard things in a way that makes them feel okay, like she’s giving people permission to feel those emotions without shame. Watching her process in the documentary about the album, how she worked with her friends and other musicians, it lit something in me. I realized that’s exactly what I want to do. Create music that helps people feel seen while pushing myself to grow.

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

I’d cover “I See the Light” from Tangled because Rapunzel has always been my favorite princess. I loved her as a kid; she’s curious and determined. I sang this song a lot back then, and it's definitely a favorite of mine. Plus, it has a theme of hope, which connects with what I want to express in my music.

What are your immediate musical goals?

Right now, I’m focused on releasing more music. I recently signed a distribution deal, so I’m hoping to put out more tracks while figuring out how to produce them affordably. Performing live is also a big goal. I want to get more comfortable on stage and connect with audiences in a real way. I’m also hoping to meet other musicians who vibe with my style and maybe collaborate with student producers who can help bring my ideas to life. Mostly, though, I want to improve my lyrics and gain confidence performing. It’s intimidating, but I know it’s where I need to be.

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Those are goals I can get behind!

As always, I want to thank Katie 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. Here are the best places to find her:

Instagram

Spotify

TikTok

Fiona Marais Makes 36 Decisions!

I'm sure you all know Fiona Marais from her incredible music, including her single "Dear New Girl", which I assume you have on all your playlists to listen to over and over.

I thought it would be fun to learn a little bit more about this artist, by having her make a few decisions for us! Let's see how it goes.

Which would you prefer…

Brooklyn or Golden Gate Bridge: Golden Gate 

Red Sox or Yankees: Red Sox 

Disney or Pixar: Pixar

Tank top or tee shirt: tee shirt

French fries or onion rings: French fries

Ice cream or iced coffee: ice cream

Cake or Pie: cake

Breakfast or Dinner: breakfast

Pizza party or pool party: can I combine them 

Formal attire or Casual wear: casual

Beach vacation or Mountain retreat: beach

Too hot or too cold: cold

Going to a water park or amusement park: amusement park

Adventure travel or Relaxing vacation: adventure

Night out or Night in: night in

Concerts or Movie nights: concerts

Playing video games or reading books: books

Football or baseball: football

Hiking or Rock climbing: hiking

Fiction or Non-fiction: non fiction 

Driver or passenger: passenger (I hate parking)

Pizza or tacos: pizza 

Asia or Europe: never been to Asia so probably Europe 

Sunbathing or swimming: swim

Tattoo or piercing: tattoo 

Animation or Live-action: animation 

Superheroes or Princesses: princesses 

Unicorn or dragon: dragon

Shopping in-store or buying things online: in store

Sending text messages or calling people: texts

Podcasts or YouTube videos: YouTube

Getting lost in the jungle or in a vast city: city

Fruits or vegetables: fruits

Ability to read other people’s minds or ability to fly: fly

Puzzle or Crossword: crossword

Host a party, or attend a party: attend

Finding Fiona Marais

 Instagram

Spotify 

Apple

Previously on Section 36

"Fiona Marais Visits Section 36 Music!"

Playlists with Fiona Marais

Songs that Cover the Bases

It's 2025 in Section 36

Women Going Places, from Section 36

Thursdays With Una - Writer's Block

By Una

I want to talk about writer’s block. I’ve seen a lot of people talk about writer’s block, as I’m experiencing one myself these days, and so many songwriters that are on this app and might be reading this. I think as an artist as well as a songwriter, it’s really important to have a period of time where you just sit with your thoughts in silence. People might think that that’s bad and you’re running behind, but also you have to realize that things come at their own pace. You can’t rush a process. You can only trust it. As seasons change we do as well. And as night comes after the day, that’s also the cycle of life that we will experience in songwriting. There’s this constant pressure is on us to be the best and always on top of things. But there’s beauty in silence and that just means that new chapter is opening. Not only opening, but this silence and night is preparing for a new day and sunshine. I think one message would be just view this as something that will pass, but don’t try to rush yourself out of this silence and writers block. Accept it. It’s important for us songwriters to let this creative energy circulate through us.

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Una is a Serbian born singer-songwriter based in Boston, where she studies at Berklee College of Music. 

Be sure to follow along with all of the "Thursdays With Una".

To keep up with everything else going on in Una's life, check out her Section 36 Music Homepage.