Maeve Zamuner Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music had another visitor! Maeve Zamuner is an absolutely amazing artist, whose single "Snow in July" should be on all of your playlists. I was so thrilled she was willing to visit with us to discuss the single, her musical goals, and more!

So, let's see what happens when Maeve Zamuner visits Section 36 Music!

I absolutely love your recent single, “Snow in July”. What can you tell me about it?

Thank you so much! I wrote Snow In July just under a year ago. Coming back home to my childhood bedroom after being away for my first semester of college was kind of a weird feeling. Obviously my hometown was still home, but all the sudden I had these different ties to different people and places. It sounds a bit cliche, but home really is a feeling, and this song is about navigating that. It was produced and mixed by Danny Rivera who did an amazing job, and mastered by Harris Newman who has been mastering my music for over a year. My neighbor and good friend Benedikt can be heard on backing vocals and another one of my good friends Jorden Amir is playing violin on the track. It is truly a labour of love filled with the talent of so many people that I love. 

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

I grew up doing Musical Theatre and so it was always such an adrenaline high to be a character and put on a show for the audience. As I have transitioned to performing my own music live, I feel that I have found a new rush of joy through being myself on stage. Connecting with audiences has proved itself to be my absolute favourite thing about being in a room performing with people. It’s all about the people, whether it's 5 or 500, if you can connect with at least one person in the room, then that’s a small victory to carry with you. 

You currently attend Berklee College of Music. What made Berklee the right choice for you?

I applied to Berklee as an early applicant, meaning I got accepted in October of my senior year of high school. I knew I loved Boston and I knew I loved Berklee so it was meant to be that I was accepted and didn’t apply anywhere else. It’s kind of a strange thing, pursuing a degree in an art form, for many reasons. It’s easy to get lost in comparison and swept up in an impending sense “oh my gosh I’m turning 20 and I am not headlining TD garden” when you are surrounded by people who have decided to pursue music for a living. But it’s really all about the perspective and flipping that narrative to an outlook that centers on the fact that I get to be inspired and motivated and learn from people who are masters at their craft. I am so unbelievably lucky. It’s so cool to be sitting in a history class next to a lifetime trombone player and a singer who played a sold out show last night. It’s unconventional and super weird which is why I love it. 

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

I love listening to anything and everything. I always say I'll try anything at least 3 or 4 times (one time surely isn’t enough). Artists like Lizzy Mcalpine, Holly Humberstone, Phoebe Brigders, Maggie Rogers, and Madi Diaz have inspired me to see music through a lyrical perspective and like hello they are all geniuses. I saw Raye perform this summer and that changed my life. I feel like everytime I find a new artist or see a new show I am newly inspired. 

What is the biggest challenge you face when it comes to your music?

I feel like a big challenge I have faced, that I think a lot of small artists are facing right now, is trying to cut through the wall of noise and stand out. I love the music that I make and I hope that it will resonate with people, but getting it to the right ears to hear can sometimes feel impossible. I feel so lucky that I have a wonderful group of family, friends, fellow artists, and a small but mighty following that have been so lovely and supportive. 

What are your immediate music goals?

That’s a tough question. I feel like I have a million ginormous and minuscule goals swirling around my head 24/7 365. Just taking it one day at a time, playing live when I can, and keep writing music that I love that hopefully falls into the loving hands of others so that they can love it as well. 

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Might I suggest letting "Snow in July" fall into your hands ASAP?

As always, I want to thank Maeve 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. I would follow her on Instagram, and Spotify to make sure you don't miss a thing. 

Thanks again Maeve, and good luck reaching your goals!

Lilly Bedard Visits Section 36 Music!

It's time for another visitor to Section 36 Music! This time Lilly Bedard, whose EP "Winter" is simply incredible, visits with us to discuss the EP, her musical goals, and more!

So, let's see what happens when Lilly Bedard visits Section 36 Music!

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

Thank you! This EP started for me in October of 2022 when I wrote the title track, "Winter." At the point of writing this song, which I did at basically a whisper in my dorm room my freshman year of college, I had recently decided to "quit music." I had been releasing music since my sophomore year of high school, but had decided it was embarrassing and time consuming as I approached college. However, something in me had other ideas. I put this song on the back burner for a long time because I didn't feel ready to share this kind of honesty and vulnerability in my writing with the world yet, but I released other singles like "Untouchable You" and "What Could've Been" and received so much support from my community that I eventually decided to construct a project. Something I realized when I moved from Florida to Boston was how inspired I am by the seasons. Maybe it is because I never truly experienced them, but something about the dread and cyclical nature of the weather and the emotions associated with it has become a consistent metaphor for my own life that I draw upon frequently. In tandem with my realization of the seasons, I also moved away to college, and with that came its own challenges and realizations. The six songs on the EP are a time capsule of the last two years of my life and explore themes of identity, coming of age, and struggling with love and relationships. Each song represents a season to me, and I have carefully selected certain visuals and sounds in the project to try to communicate that with my audience. The brutal honesty that I put into the writing of the project was frankly terrifying for me, but a lot of my personal growth has been about letting go of worrying about what anyone else thinks of my music, and just putting what I believe is my best work out there. My hope is that any person of any age can listen to the EP and be transported to the universal experiences that accompany coming of age and feel validated in that. 

Do you have a favorite song from the EP?

This is a tough question, and it changes depending on the day! I would say my favorite at the moment is "You Ruined This, You Ruined Them." I will always have a special affinity for the songs I write in less than 20 minutes that are like a time capsule to a very specific, and very emotionally charged point in my life. My producer, Cathy Ponce, also did an amazing job of capturing my exact vision for how I wanted this song to sound and feel. The structure differs from my normal style of writing, and it is definitely the most honest and searing song I have ever written to date. The repetition of the line "you ruined this, you ruined them" in a variety of different contexts feels very poetic to me, which is always the goal of my songwriting.  

You also made a music video for the title track “Winter”. What was it like putting that together?

Making the music video for "Winter" was so exciting to be able to bring my entire vision of the project to life. My cinematographer, Daniel Botton, who also worked with me on my first music video for "What Could've Been," was also incredible at guiding the creative interpretation of my music. It was a very low budget two day shoot on Hutchinson Island, FL, where we used my grandparents house and other natural scenery for the set. The different settings are supposed to represent the four seasons, the leaves area being fall, the house being winter, the grass and bridge being spring, and the beach being summer. Each setting was actually color graded by Daniel in a different way to represent this! I have always been so inspired by nature, so it was really meaningful to have so many scenes of my home in the video. Like the project, I wanted to video to convey the cyclical nature of a tumultuous relationship- fall being the beginnings of love, fear, and expectations, winter being difficulty and emotional abuse, spring being "defrosting" and healing after finally leaving the relationship, and summer being the beginning of a new relationship and version of oneself. Fun fact, when we shot the fall scene in the leaves in jackets and jeans, it was 90 degrees in the middle of Florida summer!

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

My biggest musical influences when I was younger that got me inspired were Sheryl Crow and Stevie Nicks. I love them specifically because of the amount of emotion they put into all of their music, regardless of whether the songs are happy or sad. More recently, I am being inspired by folk-pop artists such as Lizzy McAlpine. I absolutely adore her style of writing, and there are very few songs of mine that she hasn't influenced both lyrically and through production. Lately, 70s folk artists such as Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell have been inspirations because of the poetic nature of their writing and my desire to write about different things in the future. 

What is the biggest challenge you face when it comes to your music?

The biggest challenges I face are being so damn busy! I am a full time college student, student-athlete, and much much more, so it is difficult to also be a full time creative, music marketer, and performer. It is an essential part of my life and my happiness, but I definitely wish I had more time to put towards it. That is why all of my major songs and projects come after the summer!

What are your immediate music goals?

I want as many people to listen to Winter as possible and really connect with the music and the story. Right now, I am focusing on playing shows, getting the word out, and connecting with my fan base trying to build real connections and relationships. I am working on some more songs right now to release, so hopefully I can maintain steady growth in the future and continue to strengthen my craft as an artist and a performer!

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Let's see if we can get a few more people to stream "Winter"!

As always, I want to thank Lilly 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. I would follow her on Instagram, and Spotify to make sure you don't miss a thing. 

Thanks again Lilly, and good luck reaching your goals!

New Music From Ashley Leyva, Asmi, Whitney Doucet, Riley Wells, Abby Kenna, Matilde Heckler, and Coco Colette

"Ghost Stories" - by Ashley Leyva

Release Date: November 15, 2024

What You Should Know: "if you know me, you know how many songs i have written that are just sitting, taking up space in my notes app but when i wrote this song a few weeks back and knew it had to be released. this is for anyone who has had someone become your ghost story. can’t wait for you to hear it"

Find It: Everywhere, like Apple or Spotify

Her Spotify Playlist Inclusions: "What 2024 Sounds Like From Section 36", "Women Going Places, from Section 36"

Previously on Section 36: "Ashley Leyva Visits Section 36 Music!"

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"Met Me First" - by Asmi

Release Date - Novmber 8, 2024

What You Should Know: "what if….is always on my mind, best forgotten or was it a sign?"

Find It: Everywhere, like  Apple or Spotify

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"Til It Don't" - by Whitney Doucet

Release Date: November 15, 2024

What You Should Know: This is another must-stream release from this amazingly talented artist.

Find It: Everywhere, like Spotify and Apple

Spotify Playlist Inclusions: "What 2024 Sounds Like From Section 36", "Women Going Places, from Section 36"

Previously on Section 36: "Whitney Doucet Visits Section 36 Music!"

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"supermoonlight" - by Riley Wells

Release Date: November 15, 2024

What You Should Know: Every song on this EP is absolute magic.

Find It: Everywhere, like  Apple or Spotify

Her Spotify Playlist Inclusions: "What 2024 Sounds Like From Section 36", "Women Going Places, from Section 36"

Previously on Section 36: "Riley Wells Visits Section 36 Music!"

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"I Can be Your Girl" - by Abby Kenna

Release Date: November 15, 2024

What You Should Know: "My little song of delusional adoration. I love her so much"

Find It: Everywhere, like Apple or Spotify

Her Spotify Playlist Inclusions: "What 2024 Sounds Like From Section 36", "Women Going Places, from Section 36"

Previously on Section 36: "Abby Kenna Visits Section 36 Music!"

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"bodybag" - by Matilde Heckler

Release Date: November 15, 2024

What You Should Know: "one of my favorites of all time ever"

Find It: Everywhere, like Apple or Spotify

Her Spotify Playlist Inclusions: "What 2024 Sounds Like From Section 36", "Women Going Places, from Section 36"

Previously on Section 36: "Matilde Heckler Visits Section 36 Music!"

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"We Were Girls" - by Coco Colette

Release Date: November 15, 2024

What You Should Know: "this song is for all the women in my life, my mom, my grandmothers, my late aunt, my best friends and now for you"

Find It: Everywhere, like Apple or Spotify

Her Spotify Playlist Inclusions: "What 2024 Sounds Like From Section 36", "Women Going Places, from Section 36"

Previously on Section 36: "Coco Colette Visits Section 36 Music!"

Sarah Perkins Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music had another visitor! Sarah Perkins is a fantastic singer, whose recent single "wanna be her" is one of my new favorites. I was so honored she was willing to visit with us to discuss the single, her musical goals, and more!

So, let's see what happens when Sarah Perkins visits Section 36 Music!

What can you tell me about your single, “wanna be her”?

“Wanna be her” is a song about loss, longing, and jealousy. It has a very bitter edge, tackling the feelings that may arise when your ex gets a new significant other, but you haven’t yet gotten over them yet. It is new territory for me sonically and I still love the way it sounds, even after hearing it a billion times while I was writing and editing it and when my producer Alex Vaccarello was working on it. It has gone through a lot of different versions to arrive at the point it’s at now. Originally there was no second half to the first verse or a bridge, but adding those sections really helped complete the story I was trying to tell. The main emotion and message of the song honestly scares me a bit to have out in the world - it feels vulnerable and a little bit ugly - which is how I knew it was the right song to push forward with and release. 

How would you say it compares to your previous release, “again”?

I would say “wanna be her" is definitely a bit of a 180 from “again” in terms of feel/vibe. I had written “again” 3 years before I had even started getting it produced, at a time when I was really struggling mentally. The song went through a lot of modifications before it was released. I learned a lot about myself as an artist through creating and releasing “again”, which I am so grateful for, as it has allowed me to better understand my vision for what I want my music to sound like and the story I want to tell - which I think is clear with the sonic and lyrical palette “wanna be her” has. While “again” is acoustic, “wanna be her” takes on a more biting edge, leaning into distorted electric guitars and uptempo drums. Though I still resonate with and love “again”, “wanna be her” feels like a positive progression in my sound - it feels even more like me. 

You attended Berklee College of Music. What did Berklee do for your music career?

Berklee gave me the space to hone my sound, vision, and goals, understand the music industry, and grow my technical skills. Before Berklee, having a music career felt like this big, mystifying thing - essentially unattainable. I didn’t even know where to start in order to achieve my goals. But as I began to learn more about the craft and the ways that I enjoyed creating music, I started to understand where I could fit in, in all of it. I learned that I could create my own little pocket of the universe where my music could live, a place that people would hopefully resonate with and find comfort in. There is space for everyone in the industry, but it definitely takes a lot of hard work, perseverance, and self reflection to get to a place that you are happy with. Berklee made me believe I could achieve what I wanted and gave me the tools to begin. Now is the fun part, where I use and modify those tools for the rest of my life. I’m in it for the long haul. 

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

I always struggle to answer this question because I listen to a lot of different styles of music, and my musical influences are always changing. At the end of the day, my musical style is a culmination of everything I’ve ever listened to - from High School Musical and Camp Rock when I was 9, to Victorious when I was 13, to musical theater when I was 16, to the many indie/pop/rock artists I listen to now. Currently, some of my favorite artists (in no particular order) are Lizzy McAlpine, Ben Platt, Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, and Conan Gray. I think I am a pop girlie at heart haha. The people I am most influenced by musically are artists who write deep, thought provoking or clever lyrics and clearly put a lot of love and care into their sound and message. I think it’s clear when an artist truly loves what they do and the process of creation, as it makes their music so much more personable and relatable. 

What is the biggest challenge you face when it comes to your music?

The biggest challenge I face when it comes to my music is deciding on a direction to take thematically, aesthetically, and sonically. Not that one always has to decide on one specific thing, but I find that it really enhances my sound and message when I do so. I just always have so many ideas and things I want to try out! I think there is a time and place to go all out and have things be a bit messier versus fine tuning and making really polished work. I think “wanna be her” really captures the balance in between the two. The song has a grittier, raw feel to it, while maintaining thought out and edited lyrics and cohesive sound.

What are your immediate music goals?

One of my immediate music goals is to start performing live more. There’s nothing like the energy of live music and being able to see people resonate with your music in real time. I really enjoy performing and am looking forward to getting back on stage and having fun with it. I also want to consistently release new music. There was a pretty large gap in between my first single “again?” and “wanna be her”, but I have so much lined up in the new year that I am really excited about. 

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I can't wait to see what she has planned!

As always, I want to thank Sarah 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. I would follow her on Instagram, and Spotify to make sure you don't miss a thing. 

Thanks again Sarah, and good luck reaching your goals!