"Running Out" by Elyse Chapski (March 30, 2021 release)

“Running Out" is the latest single from the amazing singer Elyse Chapski!

Go listen to it now!

If you're like me, you've been waiting for this song to be released ever since Elyse announced it. Now's your chance. Be sure to listen to it for yourself.

You can find “Running Out" 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.

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If you want to learn more about Elyse, check out her Section 36 profile page. It has samples of her music, links to where you can find her, and more.

You can also hop directly to her interview right here on Section 36 Music.

Be sure to give “Running Out" a listen!

"New Horizon" by Meghan Pulles (March 26, 2021 release)

"New Horizon" is the latest single from the incredible Meghan Pulles! 

And you'll want to listen to it right now! What is the song all about? Well here's what Meghan had to say about it herself…

"This song is incredibly special and started off in a dark place but through the journey of the song, we decided this song is about hope and finding the hope through the darkness, something we can all relate to in this pandemic.” 

This song is outstanding, and you can definitely sense that journey. You need to hear it for yourself!

 
You can find “New Horizon" 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.

"11 Days In" by Cat Lines (Mar 25, 2021 release)

"11 Days In" is the latest single from the talented Cat Lines! 

Do yourself a favor and 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 blurb…
 

"This soothing pop ballad has all the hallmarks of a Cat Lines original, from the full vocal harmonies to the sweet, yet powerful violin tracks and powerful message.

“11 Days in” draws on Cat’s inspirations; Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Sara Barielles, Garth Brooks and more. It is Cat’s third release, and she says it is meant to set the tone for this year’s releases; songs that are honest, healing, and inspire a conversation about mental health and self-perception. She wrote this song 11 days after the start of the COVID lockdown, and hopes people will be able to relate to the feeling of being stuck in a difficult situation over which they have little or no control.”

I think we should all be able to relate to that! 

You can find "11 Days in" just about everywhere you usually find your music, like Spotify and Apple. So be sure to listen to it.

As soon as you can!

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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 “11 Days In" a listen!

"Bad Words" by Christiana Berenguer (Mar 23, 2021 release)

“Bad Words" is the latest single from the incredible singer Christiana Berenguer! 

And you need to listen to it again and again!

I know I've mentioned before that I fell in love with Christiana's music the first time I heard her perform at Fenway Park. I was just blown away. I always get extra excited to hear her new music, and this is no exception. I'm sure you'll feel the same way when you listen to this song! The music in this one just grabs you and pulls you in. Christiana's amazing vocals add to it to make a complete experience you won't want to miss. I've already listed to it multiple times today. I'm sure you will too!

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You can find “Bad Words" 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.

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.

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 “Bad Words" a listen!

Riley Wells Visits Section 36 Music!

Photo by Holy Smoke Photography

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Riley Wells is a fantastic singer, and I was excited she was willing to visit with us and discuss her recent music, her future, and more. I’m sure you’ll love everything she has to say.

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

You just released a brand new single, “Every Language”. What can you tell me about it?
“Every Language” is my heart song...it’s a personal expression of the magic that is falling in love. When I sat down to write that story, I was feeling such wonderful emotions- that sense of being on a high and encapsulated by this elation. It’s a song that describes the kind of love that goes beyond our words- a language between our souls, our energy, even our body language. What naturally bloomed from that moment was this dreamy and ethereal feel-good wonderland of honest lyrics and soulful pop melody. 
 
Who/what would you consider to be your biggest musical influences?
It’s definitely a good mix! I grew up listening to motown and

Photo by Swell Productions

soul music- it was my mom’s favorite- and I came to love the way artists like Earth Wind & Fire and Marvin Gaye sang with a certain level of honesty and heart that resonated so deeply with me. In life, I’m inspired by the romance of it all- I’m big on finding what makes a moment romantic- even the mundane ones. I’m inspired by love, by vulnerability, and the intimacy that is the experience of being alive.
 
You are currently attending Berklee College of Music. What’s the biggest thing you feel that is doing for your career?
 Berklee has truly opened my eyes to many aspects of the music industry and being a creative entrepreneur, and I sometimes wonder if I would have ever known the things I know now had I not walked these halls. The experience of attending a music school like this one, goes beyond the physical classroom and really extends to the students and the relationships we build here. I’ve learned a lot from the people around me and my professors alike, and I feel really grateful to have had a place that fostered so much of my growth as an artist, songwriter and person. 
 
Which Disney song would you most want to cover? Why?

Photo by Swell Productions

I love this question! A Disney song that I’ve always been extremely taken by is ‘Reflection’ from Mulan. It gives me chills every time I hear it. Self-awareness and personal reflection is such a huge part of my life, I’m always finding more ways to discover what brings me joy and what feels true to me. I think what I really love about this tune in particular, is the fact that she asks herself the question, “When will my reflection show who I am inside?” Though it is a moment of painful expression, it’s also really freeing- there’s freedom in her asking the question itself. It suggests that she is starting to really know who she is on the inside, and is seeking change in her outer world to be reflective of that. It’s a lesson we can all take for life, because the greatest feeling is when we realize our power to change our external reality, by first starting with our internal one. 
 
Other than COVID, what would you say is your biggest career challenge?
Being a solo artist and just beginning a creative career can have its challenges, just in the way that it requires a certain strength, resilience and responsibility to the self to keep motivated and on top of things. It can be hard to feel like I need to be the strongest one I can lean on, but at the end of the day- it is incredibly rewarding. I feel proud when I continue to show up for myself and move forward towards the pursuit of my career. 
 
What are your immediate career goals?
Creating, expressing, and living in my truth as a solo pop artist and songwriter in the commercial pop industry! I love to sing, I love to write, and I plan to continue expanding my presence as a pop artist in the music industry throughout my life.

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I'm definitely excited for what comes ahead!

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

I know you’ll all want to follow along with Riley to see what she's up to. The best way is to visit her website, and follow her social media accounts like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. 

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

Thanks again Riley, and good luck reaching your goals!

Claudia Lee Horna Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Claudia Lee Horna is an incredible singer, and I was thrilled she wanted to visit with us and discuss her recent music, her future, and more. I’m sure you’ll love everything she has to say.

So, let's see what happens when Claudia Lee Horna visits Section 36 Music!

I really enjoyed your work on the animated short film “Blooming Cycles”. What was that project like to put together?

It was very fun! The creator of the short; Allison Power, and I met during a Berklee – MassArt collaborative mixer where every animator had a project they were currently working on, so she pitched to me her short, which is heavily inspired from the Women’s Movement of the 1890’s and 1960’s. The short looked amazing even from just looking at the concept art at that point and then we started talking about the mood and atmosphere that she wanted in the short and I gave some input on what I would probably compose for it. 

Afterwards, we had a few more meetings where we settled on the vibe of the music being rock with psychedelic elements and I got to composing a few theme pieces. We were fortunate enough to have the initial meetings before the pandemic hit in full force in Boston, since we got the basics done and I had a solid idea on what to compose without needing to meet face to face. 

We then kept communicating with each other, with me sending Allison drafts for the music and her providing feedback until we arrived pretty shortly to the final draft.

I love the final animation and I am so glad that the short is doing so well, it has been selected for a few international film and short festivals, and it certainly deserves the praise! 

You’re a graduate of Berklee College of Music. What’s the most important thing that has done for your career?

Coming to Berklee really taught me how important andmeaningful collaboration can be, especially when it means stepping out of your comfort zone, because it brings new perspectives and ideals, thus creating something that otherwise you wouldn’t be able to create alone. I came to Berklee wanting to focus on one specific style of composing, but being surrounded by musicians from all over the world and teachers with a lot of experience encouraged me to try new styles and new approaches to composing, which only made my music better. 

Is composing for a video game different than composing for a movie or television show?

There are for sure some different aspects between the two, but they are more technical than composition wise. When I score for a scene and sometimes you need to use different software in order to sync music to a game, rather than with movies, where you can just use your DAW of choice to sync and compose to picture. Additionally, my experience in video game scoring has leaned a little bit more towards a sequential and layering approach. However, at the end of the day, you are telling a story and enhancing the feelings and atmosphere with your music, regardless of whether you are scoring for a video game or a film. So composition wise there isn’t much of a difference. 

Who/what would you consider your biggest musical influences?

Joe Hisaishi and Yoko Kanno have been very big musical influences for me in the scoring world. Growing up and listening to their compositions through anime series and movies made me really appreciate the music in film and TV, which eventually led me to pursue Film Scoring as a career. Their music always inspired me and I was amazed at how versatile Yoko Kanno was at writing in different genres of music.

Furthermore, another big, but more recent influence has been the Silkroad Ensemble. I only learnt about them when I came to study at Berklee, but listening to their music was a key factor in me realizing that collaboration and willingness to learn from fellow musicians and their traditions, can go a long way. 

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

Self– confidence. While I have gotten much better about it inthe past few years, I still have moments of struggle where I don’t think I am good enough to be a violinist or composer. As a result, the lack of confidence affects my creativity and performance, which in turn makes me doubt myself more, becoming an endless cycle. Thankfully, I am lucky to have a great support system in my friends and family, who keep encouraging me and taking me out of my own mind when I am too deep in. It has been very helpful, not only career-wise, but also it has helped me be happier as a person too, which in turn also affects my music. 

What are your immediate career goals?

I am currently working on my first EP. It is still in the composition and arranging stages but it is meant to be a collection of original pieces and arrangements that draw inspiration from the different genres that I have been studying in the past years. I want the instrumentation to mainly be composed of strings, since string instruments have often been categorized as only being able to play chamber or orchestral music, a myth that I have thankfully realized to be false. As I mentioned earlier, I am still finishing up the composition stage but I am very excited to begin recording and mixing!

Additionally, I’m going to keep performing, as well as scoring for film and media, further growing my network and meeting great people to collaborate with.

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I definitely want to hear that EP!

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

I know you’ll all want to follow along with Claudia to see what she's up to. The best way is to visit her Section 36 Music page. It's a perfect way to enjoy everything Claudia has to offer all in one place.

Thanks again Claudia, and good luck reaching your goals!

Brenna Larsen Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Brenna Larsen is a wonderfully talented singer, and I was flattered she wanted to visit with us and discuss her recent music, her future, and more. I’m sure you’ll love everything she has to say.

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

I really enjoyed your latest single, “What Can I Say?”. What can you tell me about it? 

What Can I Say was a song I wrote about feeling alone and stuck during the beginning of quarantine. I wanted the song to be a reminder of how much we need each other and rely on each other. As we head into another year of this new reality it's more important than ever that we reach out and stay connected.

You were able to do some marketing and intern work for The North End Music Performing Arts Center. What was that experience like? 

I loved working for NEMPAC because they have always been so supportive of the Boston and Berklee community. My official role there was Social Media Coordinator- updating all the sites and sending out newsletters and information on all upcoming classes and events. But I was also given lots of other responsibilities including helping set up the Summer Concert Series in the Greenway and teaching youth music camps at The Prado in the North End. Overall it was an amazing learning experience and everyone there rocks!

You are a recent graduate of  Berklee College of Music. What’s the biggest thing you feel that did for your career? 

Going to Berklee gave me the confidence to find myself as an artist and a person. More than anything I think of all the wonderful people that I met and the beautiful music we made together. Being around so many creative people has shaped my love and understanding of the industry. The musicians at Berklee are real and true and are changing the industry from the inside out! 

Who/what would you consider your biggest musical influences? 

I am so thankful that my parents introduced their music taste into my life at a young age. I always found myself looking for new music and finding one artist that led me to another-  I feel like I have a really big music catalogue in my head that I pull ideas from and that inspire my music. My biggest classic songwriter influences are Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Simon and Garfunkel. Some more modern influences are Young the Giant, The Black Keys, Courtney Barnett, and of course, Taylor Swift (but more so her earlier stuff).

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

As someone who is most passionate about live music and events, my biggest challenge has been understanding and creating a new meaning and experience of live music. It has been difficult but also so amazing to see the creative and innovative ways you can share your music.

What are your immediate career goals? 

I am planning to move to Nashville and continue growing my songwriting career within the year. I am currently living in Vancouver, Washington saving up and waiting till the Nashville is safer and more open to live music. I am excited to grow and continue my lifelong journey with music in the Music City! 

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I definitely want to hear that growth!

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

I know you’ll all want to follow along with Brenna to see what she's up to. The best way is to follow her online on Instagram. It's the perfect way to make sure you don't miss a thing! 

You can also visit her Section 36 Music page. There you'll find more links, music samples, and pictures. It's a perfect way to enjoy everything Brenna has to offer all in one place.

Thanks again Brenna, and good luck reaching your goals!