2020 Year in Review

Of all the blogs in the Section 36 Suite, the Music blog is the one whose 2020 I'm most excited about.

I started the blog a couple years ago as a way to bring a bit more attention to the amazing Miss America titleholders who had visited with Section 36, and also were talented musicians. It stagnated that way for a bit until I started conducting separate interviews here on Section 36 Music about music specifically. Suddenly, a blog purpose was accidentally discovered. To help bring more exposure to the talented local female singers and musicians populating Red Sox nation...and maybe a bit beyond. With that undertaking, I was able to conduct nine such interviews over the last half of 2019. In 2020, that exploded! I was able to feature and interview an incredible 48 women! Just about every week I was able to feature a deserving artist. It has been such a thrill to be able to interview them and try to get as many people as possible to hear their music. I was even able to create some Spotify playlists to help more people find these artists. I'm definitely excited about a 2021 full of more interview opportunities.

Of course, the interviews are in addition to the other posts Section 36 Music had been sharing...things from single release announcements to show schedules. Even guest blogs! It's all part of sharing these talented women with more ears and eyes. In addition to the posts on the blog, it's been fun posting about all of these singers/songwriters/musicians on Section 36 Music social media.

Do you know where Section 36 Music exists on social media? Well, let me tell you about it.

Instagram has been the main social media focus for the blog. It’s been great connecting with fans and visitors through that site. It’s been a little slow to get the following, but it has steadily increased throughout the year. It posts any pictures that my Section 36 visitors have submitted. It’s another way to celebrate visitors and share these women with the world. Hopefully that follower count will continue to grow!

Twitter is still the old standby. As you’d expect, it tweets out music related posts made by the other blogs, or any posts on the Music blog itself. It also passes along info from music-related visitors. It's follower count keeps growing every day!

Facebook provides fun opportunities. It's really a nice combination of twitter and instagram. I can post links there for Section 36 posts. i can post pictures. I can share posts made by others. It's a little bit of everything, and I'm glad so many people have decided they like that too.

I love having all these ways to talk about these incredible women. I've been so flattered by the number of people who have reached out saying they saw the blog and enjoyed the content. That means it's working! I can't wait to see how much more it grows is 2021.

I hope you'll join me!

“No Parties" by Jackie Therrien (Release date December 31, 2020)

"No Parties" is the latest single from the incredible singer Jackie Therrien!

And you have to listen to it now!

What's is the song like? Well, here's what Jackie had to say about it...

"I wrote “No Parties” a few weeks ago, I got the idea and started writing it while I was supposed to be writing an English essay (oops). All I’ve been thinking about lately is how rough this year has been for everyone and what a mess it is, and how 2020 is finally coming to and end. I started kind of daydreaming about New Year’s Eve, and how if I could end this mess of a year in any way, it would be at a party with and in the arms of the one that I love. Obviously many people aren’t able to have parties this year and maybe aren’t able to be with loved ones (one of those people being me), so this song is basically me fantasizing about it. 

I wrote this song pretty quickly, I finished it within two nights and knew I wanted to keep it simple sounding with only some acoustic guitar, piano, and upright bass. I recorded the song in one day.

I didn’t really plan on releasing this so soon, but I felt that for this song specifically to be released the last day of this year was right."

This song is just fantastic. Jackie's beautiful vocals bring to life what many of us are thinking this year. Unlike 2020, I was disappointed when this song was over. You'll want to listen to it this year, and every year from now on. Go hear it for yourself!

You'll be able to find “No Parties" 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 absolutely suggest you do.
 
Right. Now!

Katrina Gustafson Visits Section 36!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Katrina Gustafson is a talented singer, and I was so glad she wanted to visit with us and discuss her latest single, her upcoming music, and more. I’m sure you’ll love everything she has to say.

So, let's see what happens when Katrina Gustafson visits Section 36!

I really enjoyed your recent single “Good Boys Finish Last”. What can you tell me about it?
Thank you! I wrote this song to highlight the little parts of a relationship that we forget to appreciate such as dancing like fools in public like no ones watching, unconditionally loving all versions of ourselves, and the realization that after all this time the people of the past don’t matter because it lead to this moment. The title is a bit ironic because it seems like it’s not a good thing when actually, it resembles your final match in life because after all, the last person you date is the person you share wedding rings with!

I have a country pop album coming out in January 2021 called “Unspoken” with over 10 songs that I have written and produced. They include stories of a girls night out, overcoming an emotionally abusive relationship, the struggles of being female, getting over someone but not wanting to let go, two people falling in love, the butterflies of a first date, the friend zone and so much more! 

You were able to perform at The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville. What was that experience like?
I never in my wildest dream thought that I would perform at the Bluebird Café  (Especially as a freshly graduated high school student!) That’s where everyone had their start it seemed; From Faith Hill to Taylor Swift, excited was certainly an understatement. My brother, Chris, treated me to a trip to Nashville, Tennessee as a graduation gift, which I am so grateful for. We saw that the Bluebird was accepting people to perform who aren’t locals! It almost seemed like it was fate so we called early in the morning to get a spot. I called on my cell phone, Chris called on his, and my mom all the way in Massachusetts called in as well. Hilariously, my mom scored the spot for me which was amazing! My brother and I rented a guitar out last minute so I could use it for the performance that evening. When the time came for me to sing I sang two of my songs “Everyday” and “Like You”. I was in so much luck because typically the artist can only sing once that night but they picked out of a hat for the second half of the set and I was called! I loved this experience so much because not only did I get to share my music, but I got to connect with another musician who performed there named Lauren Paley who has been my online friend for years!

Who/what would you consider to be your biggest musical influences? 
My strongest musical influence is Taylor Swift since I was 13. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a die hard Swiftie. I could probably write a book about why she is so important to me but to summarize, she is such a clever songwriter and the way she can match it to a catchy melody is something I can only wish to emulate. Throughout the years, I have gained new inspirations such as Shania Twain, Kelsea Ballerini, Kacey Musgraves, Ashley Munroe, Sam Hunt, Jake Owen, and more recently, Lainey Wilson. 

What do you miss most about performing in front of a live audience? 
I miss connecting with the audience the most. At the venues I sing at, I would tell a little story before I introduce a cover or my song. That is something I have learned to do over time since I was so shy as a teenager. 

Other than COVID, what would you say is your biggest career challenge?

My biggest career challenge at the moment is spreading the my music to a large audience. Another is balancing the production and songwriting aspect of being a musician while also completing grad school to be a teacher. 

What are your immediate career goals? 
My immediate career goal is being an elementary teacher. I adore children and the way they think and how they develop their own little personalities. However, I will never stop writing, performing, and reaching for the dream that my younger self wanted so badly. 

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I definitely want to hear her upcoming album! 

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

I know you’ll all want to follow along with Katrina to see what she's up to. The best way is to follow her online on Instagram and Facebook, and visit her website. They're great ways to make sure you don't miss a thing!

You can also visit 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 Katrina has to offer all in one place.

Thanks again Katrina, and good luck with your upcoming album! 

“Coffee Table" by Moni Grace (Release date December 23, 2020)

"Coffee Table" is the latest single from the talented singer Moni Grace!

And you need to listen to it now!

What's is the song like? Well, here's what Moni had to say about it...

"Coffee Table is the latest single from Boston Based Alternative Pop artist, Moni Grace. With a December 23rd, 2020 release date — Coffee Table dives into the concept of appreciating what you have in the moment, and reflect on its importance and impact before it disappears and becomes a memory. 

This is a present theme of discussion in the artists song writing career thus far and has a greater emotional depth and intent, while touching on subjects like leaving abusive environments or mindsets and healing from / or evolving into the people we were meant to be. Often times, we revert back to reflecting on our childhood selves while attempting to rediscover self love and appreciation in the process of evolution. Overall, this catchy, upbeat, powerful/ alternative hit with a pop-punk heart has the accessibility to reach many. 

This is the second single being released from Moni Grace’s highly anticipated second studio album, “SAFER UNDER THE COVERS” (January 2021). With the first released single from this project, “Hudson Road” has reached over 10k streaming numbers across platforms in its early weeks of its release."

This song is absolutely wonderful. Powerful is a great word for it, as the music grabs you right away. I know I had to listen to it over and over. I'm sure you will too. 

You'll be able to find “Coffee Table" 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.
 
Right. Now!
 
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If you want to learn more about Moni, 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 interview right here on Section 36 Music. That will give you an opportunity to learn more about this amazing singer.
 
Be sure to give “Coffee Table" a listen!

Cat Lines Visits Section 36!

Photo by
Nora Grace Albinus Photography

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Cat Lines is a wonderful violinist and singer, and I was so glad she wanted to visit with us and discuss her latest single, her goals, and more. I’m sure you’ll love everything she has to say.

So, let's see what happens when Cat Lines visits Section 36!

I really enjoyed your holiday single “It’ll Still be a Merry Christmas”. What can you tell me about it?
Thank you! I think that this year has presented so many challenges, and one of the biggest ones was not being able to travel and see loved ones. It really started to hit me in late October, how likely it was that I wouldn’t be going home for the holidays. I haven’t been home in almost a year, so that was pretty terrifying, and this song was my way of dealing with it in the most positive way possible. I wrote it in two days, recorded it in a week, and now it’ll be out December 11^th on all music platforms. I really hope this song can bring comfort to people who are in the same situation, and offer some hope in an otherwise very difficult year.
 
I also loved the video for your other single “Let ‘Em Talk”. What was that like to put together?
“Let em talk” was my debut single specifically because I

wanted something that came off as very positive and uplifting. I play for a band, Raquel & the Wildflowers, and my singer, Raquel had a lot of experience with music videos, so she and I drove around upstate New York and filmed in various places outdoors. My sister is an incredible dancer, and I actually wrote this song for both of us, so I had her choreograph and film a large section as well. My wonderful friend (and wildflowers drummer) Tommy edited the whole video together. It was magical, it got such a wonderful and positive response, and I can’t wait to do it again, hopefully soon.
 
You’ve been able to work with several other artists in the past. Do you have a dream collaboration you’d love to do?

Photo by Richard Killian

I am first and foremost a violinist, so I love working in studio settings creating string parts for people’s projects (my own included). I really love Ed Sheeran and I think his music is really suitable for violin and dense vocal harmonies. However, if I could be mentored in songwriting by Taylor Swift, I ABSOLUTELY would. I think she’s brilliant and really knows how to tell a story that reaches everyone on some level. And if I could take lessons from Jimmy Mattingly, Garth Brooks’ fiddle player? That would be the coolest.
 
Who or what would you say in your biggest musical influence?
Probably Taylor Swift. However, I did grow up listening to a fair amount of Garth Brooks, Sting and the Police, and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, so those definitely play in.
 
Right now, what would you say is your biggest non-COVID career challenge?
Navigating social media is a challenge; deciding which

Photo by
Nora Grace Albinus Photography

platforms to invest my time in, figuring out the best way to reach people in such a digital age. It’s easy to get caught up in a numbers game and forget that the most important thing isn’t how many people you reached, but how many people actually cared and were positively affected by what you created.

What are your immediate career goals?
I want to create and release great music on a regular basis. I want to continue to create and hone my technique and make music that people really feel, and relate to, and are comforted by. I have some big plans for 2021, so hopefully that’s within reach no matter what else happens.

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I definitely want to find out what those plans are! 

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

I know you’ll all want to follow along with Cat to see what she's up to. The best way is to follow her online on Instagram and visit her website. They're great ways to make sure you don't miss a thing!

You can also visit 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 Cat has to offer all in one place.

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

“Mi Propia Religión" by Mar Fayos (Release date December 18, 2020)

"Mi Propia Religión" (translated as My Own Religion) is the debut album from the amazing singer Mar Fayos!

Photographer: Berta Tiana Stylist: Carmina Camps Graphic designer: Bey Rodríguez

And you need to listen to it as soon as possible! 

What can you expect from the album? Well, here's what Mar had to say about it during her interview with us: 

"For many years I have been working actively on finding my identity as a human-being and as a musician, developing my sound, improving my musicianship skills and writing and performing actively, both in Spain and in the US, and soon throughout Europe. The last few months of quarantine became a great opportunity for me to connect with my inner self and to find this identity I was looking for - I think that I couldn't have done it otherwise - and, although it was pretty hard, I feel I understood and accepted who I am and what I have to say right now through music and I tried to turn it all into an album that will be composed of eight original songs in Spanish and English. To me, releasing this music album has always been one of my biggest dreams, and it is both exciting and scary, as I suppose that may happen to many artists when they are releasing their opera prima independently, coming from zero and being completely unknown, but for many reasons I feel that now it is the right time for me to take this big step and put myself out there with the biggest respect for the audience and for music, which results in exposing myself through my lyrics, melodies and harmonies with the utmost honesty and transparency I am capable of."

This album is simply magnificent. Mar's beautiful vocals add perfectly to the music to create a sound you can't help but marvel at. Each song in the album plays off each other perfectly, telling Mar's story as it goes along with jazz like you've never heard before. You have to experience this album for yourself!

You can find “Mi Propia Religión" 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.
 
As soon as you can!

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If you want to learn more about Mar, check out her Section 36 Music profile page. There you can find links to her social media accounts, as well as more samples of her incredible singing.
 
Be sure to give “Mi Propia Religión", and the rest of Mar's music, a listen!

Singing at Fenway - A Guest Blog from Christiana Berenguer

A guest blog by Christiana Berenguer. 

So I have always really wanted to sing at a stadium because it’s an easy way to get in front of such a big audience, and Fenway Park is legendary so that was a dream in itself. I saw a posting on the Berklee hub (an email every Monday about opportunities around Boston) and I just applied. 

Dan Lyons and the rest of the team had me come in for an interview and they said I was one of the 8 people chosen and to send them clips of me singing some of my favorite crowd pleaser songs that everyone would know. So I sent a couple and they liked “Walking on Sunshine” the most. I was super excited because me, my mom and uncle surprised my dad with tickets for him and my mom to come to the game since I got four free tickets. My dad is a HUGE baseball fan and was living his dream. 

So the day before the show I went to soundcheck and was on

the field ready to go and there were some delays due to meetings with the Yankees and Red Sox and so they asked me to soundcheck the day of the game at noon. However, it was POURING that day and long story short they ended up canceling  me singing because I didn’t get to do a soundcheck before the doors opened. I tried every loophole possible and Dan even tried to get me to sing at the game on Sunday but nothing worked out. We still got to go to the Yankees Red Sox game and my dad got to live out his dream so I’m happy about that. 

Fast forward to the day they reschedule me for the Astros and Red Sox game and I was super excited. I did soundcheck, and then me and a group of friends went to the game. I remember being SUPER nervous because I couldn’t hear myself singing so I wouldn’t know what I sounded like, but I was SO ready. I went out there and was just my quirky, awkward, bubbly self. The whole time I was just reminded over and over about how much I want to tour stadiums one day and how much my music career means to me. Taylor Swift is a huge role model for me, and I long to perform in front of thousands of people five days a week. I’m super grateful for all the compliments and love that I received from singing at the Red Sox game. I’m really proud of myself and hope that they ask me to come back one day! Red Sox are the BEST team no matter what anyone says ;)

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If you want to learn more about Christiana, 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. 

Brittany Rogers Visits Section 36!

Photo by
Kyle Olthoff Photography

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Brittany Rogers is a wonderful singer, and I was so glad she wanted to visit with us and discuss her upcoming single, her goals, and more. I’m sure you’ll love everything she has to say.

So, let's see what happens when Brittany Rogers visits Section 36!

I really enjoyed your covers of “Into You” and “Ocean Eyes”. What were they like to put together?
Ocean Eyes was a special cover, because I got to work with my mentor and friend @arielchobaz. His skill and insight is invaluable to me, and he suggested I look into covering Billie Eillish. That song became very important to me in the process of recording it- lyrically and melodically, that song really hits me. Ariel did the final mix down of that song, which really brought the cover to life in my opinion!

As for “Into You,” I’ve never spent more time on a production, mix, vocal performance (or energy in general) on a project in my life! I’d like to think the love and effort that went into attempting to do the original justice, shows through the final product. That was one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences of my musical career. I would love nothing more than to someday approach the quality and genius of a Max Martin production or the vocal prowess of miss Ariana Grande. I know those are big dreams, but big dreams take big time commitments- and the journey will always be worth it to me, regardless of the outcome. 

You’re a graduate of Berklee College of Music. What’s the biggest thing that opportunity has done for your career?
Berklee gave me so much. I’ll touch upon 3 main aspects that

Photo By
Jon Cárdenas

helped me grow the most. First of all, validation. I know that may sound silly, but having credible validation from someone outside of your own ears is a good way to open up someone’s potential. Berklee did that for me just by accepting me into the program- and I hope that all musicians get some form of validation or encouragement early on! Secondly, Berklee gave me top level education, and I take opportunities like that very seriously. It’s easy to overlook the value of education and to just meet deadlines (I fall into that sometimes), but then I try to refocus on how special it is to grow the musical vocabulary necessary to make impactful music. Lastly, Berklee gave me deadlines! Like it or not, sometimes to meet our potential we need people who give us “more than we can handle” to realize we CAN in fact handle it (and maybe even more!)

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

Photo By
Jon Cárdenas

Mix Engineers: Ariel Chobaz, Jon Rezin 
Producers: Finneas, Tom Misch, Kygo
Artists: Ariana Grande, Tori Kelly, John Mayer, Eloise

You are currently the singer and producer for the band Turtlnck. What is that experience like?
I have always loved singing and writing melodies, and my best friend is an insanely talented guitar player. We started playing shows together and it just felt so good to focus on our biggest passions, collaboratively. Since then, the band has grown to a total of 5 people. I feel really lucky to get to play music I truly love, with my favorite people. 

Other than COVID, what would you say is your biggest career challenge?
I know covid has been very challenging for musicians and my

Photo by
Kyle Olthoff Photography

heart goes out to them. I feel fortunate in that I am very introverted and love the creative process even more than performing. So mixing, producing and songwriting has given me the time I need to better prepare for future performances to come! I would say the greatest challenge I have faced is over committing my time and learning that if I THINK something takes 1 hour, it will most likely take 6+ in reality.

What are your immediate career goals?
My immediate career goals are to release my ep and upcoming singles in January 2021 for my personal project, finish mixing and producing Turtlncks new ep by February, and to help promote and release a few albums for the artists I’m currently working with. And as always, to take on new clients in need of mixing & production. ️

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I definitely want to hear that music! 

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

I know you’ll all want to follow along with Brittany to see what she's up to. The best way is to follow her online on Instagram and visit her website. They're great ways to make sure you don't miss a thing!

You can also visit 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 Brittany has to offer all in one place.

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

"It'll Still be a Merry Christmas" by Cat Lines (Release Date December 11, 2020)

"It'll Still be a Merry Christmas" is the new holiday single from the talented Cat Lines! 

This is a wonderful song that will be sure to brighten your holiday season. What is the song all about? Well here's what Cat had to say about it in the blurb…
 
"Having just released her debut single ”Let ‘em Talk”, which was featured on Southern Fellow and UK radio, Hudson Valley-based singer/songwriter Cat Lines is following up with an acoustic country/pop Christmas ballad that hits home for many this year. “It’ll Still be a Merry Christmas” brings all the nostalgia of past holiday seasons while touching on some very recent fears; such as the inability to be back with loved ones due to COVID-19. This song draws on the styles of Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks, and Ed Sheeran, with its personal, powerful lyrics, enchanting violin moments and choral harmonies.

Cat says about the writing process that “I realized there was the very real possibility that, due to the risks and restrictions associated with COVID-19, I would not be able to travel home to Texas for the holidays, making this almost a full year since I’ve visited my family. As an exercise, I began writing down a list of all the things I love about the holidays, and the song sort of grew out of that, out of a desire to still make this year something special. It touches on a feeling that I think a lot of people are experiencing right now, and tries to spin it in the most positive light.”
 
This song does exactly that. While it was written with this year in mind, I'm sure it will resonate with everyone every year. It should be a mainstay of your Christmas playlist for years to come!
 
You can find “It'll Still be a Merry Christmas" 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.
 
And enjoy it all season long.

“Christmas X 12" by Michelle Rose (Release date December 11, 2020)

 “Christmas X 12" is the latest Christmas single from the incredibly talented Michelle Rose! 

And you'll want to listen to it again and again!

Added to Michelle's previous Christmas cover of "Last Christmas", "Christmas X 12" will be the perfect addition to you holiday playlist. The fantastic melody and catchy beat will have you humming it to yourself the rest of the day. It will be sure to make the holiday season even better...along with every other season of the year.

You can find “Christmas X 12" just about everywhere you usually get your music like Spotify! So, there's no reason why you won't be able track it down…which I highly suggest you do.

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If you want to learn more about Michelle, 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 “Christmas X12" a listen!