Claire Donzelli Visits Section 36!

Photo by Greg Bjurman

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Claire Donzelli is an incredibly talented singer, and I can’t stop listening to her debut single. I was so glad that she agreed to visit with us and discuss her music, her past experiences and more. I’m sure you’ll love everything she has to say.

So, let's see what happens when Claire Donzelli visits Section 36!

You just released your debut single “Together Apart”. What was that like to put together?
At first, I wasn’t thinking I’d release “Together Apart” to the world. I originally wrote it for a class at Berklee, and I recorded it in my bedroom with my mic and MIDI keyboard. A month or so later, I sent “Together Apart” to some friends and family and it started getting some positive reactions. It even made a few people cry (in a good way). To me, that’s what music is all about — making people feel something and eliciting a shared experience. I started thinking, maybe this is a song people need to hear right now. 

Then the hard part started. I didn’t know anything about getting my song mastered, getting the cover art, going through a distributor, or promoting my music, but I’ve learned a lot. I’m really proud of how “Together Apart” turned out, and I think it’s a song a lot of people can relate to, so once I made the decision to release it, I was highly motivated to get it out there and learn everything I could about that process.

Do you see more studio work in your future?

Absolutely. I’ve been writing songs ever since I was little and before I even knew that was what I was doing. Even at points in my life where I was working in retail and music wasn’t the main focus, I was still writing music in my car on the way to work. My phone is filled with hundreds — maybe thousands — of voice memos of song ideas. Now it’s just a matter of finishing my unfinished songs and recording them with a quality mic so I can get them out there to people. 

How would you describe your musical style?

My musical style varies, but right now I think a lot of the songs I write would be considered pop/singer-songwriter. I’ve also written songs that have a more electronic, rock, or R&B sound. When I first started taking singing lessons in middle school, I sang classical and opera music mostly, with some musical theatre here and there. While that’s very different from the music I write now, it’s taught me a lot about different composition techniques and how to use my voice. 

You are a student at Berklee College of Music. What’s the most important thing that experience is doing for your career?

Attending Berklee College of Music has made me a better musician in a lot of ways. I’ve learned so much about performing, songwriting, and production, and it’s also forced me to actually finish a bunch of songs I started writing. But as corny as it sounds, the people I’ve met at Berklee have made the biggest impact in terms of making me a better musician and person and setting me up for success. I’ve had the privilege of meeting people from all around the world and from many different backgrounds. As a 20-something transfer student who took some time to work, I’m slightly older than a lot of Berklee students, but I’ve learned so much from my caring and ultra-talented younger friends. 

What is your favorite part about performing in front of a live audience?

My favorite part of performing is when I finally get up there on stage and can really connect with the music and the audience. I get nervous sometimes before performances, but once the music finally starts and I get going, I love using music to tell a story and seeing how the audience reacts. 

Your Instagram account has several informal videos of you singing. What do you enjoy about creating and sharing those?

I’m one of those people who buys a gift for someone and gets so excited I want to give it to them early. Sometimes when I’m writing a song, even if it’s still in the works, I’ll get to a part of it where I’m like oh yeah, I love this part and I need to share it with everyone immediately! It’s great to get different perspectives and share something I’m so passionate about with other people. Other times though, I’ll work on a song in private because I don’t want the original emotion or intention to be altered, so I guess it depends. 

Who/what would you consider to be your biggest musical influences?

When I first heard the song “Clocks” by Coldplay, I was like, I need to learn how to play piano so I can play this song! I also listened to a lot of Adele, Seal, Sam Smith, Lily Allen, Sia, Philip Glass, Chopin, and many other artists who influenced my music and what I write. I have a very eclectic taste in music.

What are your immediate career goals?

I’m going to keep writing, creating, and becoming a better musician because I still have a lot to learn. Right now, I think it’s important that I keep taking that extra step to release my music because like I said, I have a lot of songs that are just sitting on my phone.

---

I know I can’t wait for those songs to be released!

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

I know you’ll want to follow along with Claire to see what she's up to. You should definitely check out her Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube accounts and give them a follow. They’re great ways to make sure you don't miss a thing.

You should also check out her Section 36 Music page. There you'll find more links, pictures, and samples of her music. It's a great way to enjoy everything Claire has to offer all in one place.

Thanks again Claire, and good luck in reaching your goals!