Taylor Hurd Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 had another visitor! Taylor Hurd is a talented singer who is fresh off the release of her debut single "Virginia". You'll want to listen that as soon as you can. I was thrilled she was willing to visit with us and discuss her music, challenges, and a bit more. I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

So, let's see what happens when Taylor Hurd visits Section 36!

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

My first single "Virginia" is one of my favorite songs I've written. It came as an emotional sigh of sorts at a turning point in my life when I decided that sometimes a bitter goodbye is the only way to move on and find solace. The song is poetic yet blunt, talking about the metaphorical monsters that creep under the bed. It is an amalgamation of all the genres I'm inspired by; primarily indie folk/pop and rock. "Virginia" is a journey of self discovery that winds through the hardships of loving someone whose drugs of choice are just as toxic as they are, the song ending in a confident and angsty goodbye. 

The song also has a great music video. What was it like putting that together?

The process of the music video was one of the best of the whole song. I worked with a lovely creative director, Sienna Leone, on the project and we were able to bond throughout the process. We met multiple times to discuss the overall artistic vision and then filmed over a two day period. We filmed for an entire Saturday and most of the following Sunday, but so many more hours went in outside of that by the creative team. Set building, costumes, editing, animation, all of it took about a month and a half to come together entirely. The director and editor spent over 200 hours in the editing process to create the final product. I loved getting to combine my musical theater past with my artistic present and the video came out so incredibly well. Overall, it was a beautiful process and I was so grateful to work with so many other creatives. 

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

Berklee was the right choice for me because I wanted to get my bachelors degree somewhere I could also create music. All my family is educated and values schooling, so this felt like a really good way to pursue my passions. I also feel that there is no other school like Berklee that allows people to do contemporary music in a way that is truly applicable to the industry. For all these reasons, Berklee was the only place for me. 

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

My favorite part of performing on stage with an audience is getting to finish the process of each song. I love getting to put the finishing touch of emotion into my music. I adore songwriting and it has become one of my greatest passions, but performing feels like the finishing touch on telling the story. The songs don't come to life until I can breathe life into them. I also just adore getting to interact with people, it brings out the conversationalist in me. The back and forth between a performer and the audience is such a gratifying dialogue, I feel so lucky every time I get to share a space with listeners. 

What would you say is your biggest career challenge?

My biggest career challenge is pursuing music and finding the best ways to advance myself and my career without compromising my artistry. So many of the ways people find success in music nowadays feels so inauthentic to me and that is not what I want my brand to be. I want to be able to find success in a way that feels real and genuine to who I am. There are also so many challenges in the way the industry is built, getting the time of day from anyone is always a battle, but I have hope that my music will resonate with the people who it was made for.

What are your immediate musical goals?

My immediate musical goals are to grow my influence and fan base, finding fans who want to feel deeply and connect through music. I want an audience that feels like an extended family, people I can bring into my world and my emotions. I also want to continue releasing music and keeping my standards for my artistry high. I just want to keep growing as an artist and expanding my horizons, hopping off of each opportunity to the next. 

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Let's see if we can help that fanbase grow! 

As always, I want to thank Taylor 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 Taylor, and good luck reaching your goals!

Sarah Suarez Releases "Front Row"!

There's a particular kind of paralysis that comes with knowing exactly what you want but being too afraid to reach for it. That tension is exactly where Sarah Suarez lives on her new single, "Front Row," out on Friday, March 6th.

Equal parts alt-rock grit and jazzy introspection, the song drifts between horse racing imagery, a love left unspoken, and a shelf full of dreams collecting dust, which all circle the same quiet confession: I keep waiting, and I don't know how to stop. The production matches the push and pull at the heart of the lyrics: warm but restless, textured but never quite resolved.

Fans of Mitski's emotional precision, Wolf Alice's raw alt-rockenergy, The Last Dinner Party's theatrical storytelling, and Hayley Williams' confessional urgency will find a lot to love here, with a touch of Faye Webster's jazzier, more reflective sensibility woven through the edges.

"Front Row" is out March 6th. Follow Sarah Suarez at @sarah.suarezzz and stream Front Row on all platforms

Adia Clark Lay Talks about "Go Fish"!

Adia Clark Lay released her recent single, "Go Fish", on Feb 26. As expected, it is a wonderful song that you should listen to immediately. I know it always makes me enjoy a song a little bit more if I know more about it. I bet you feel the same way! Thankfully, Adia was kind enough to answer some questions for us about the release.

Let's see what she had to say!

What do you want listeners to know about “Go Fish”?

Go Fish is the excuse you need to walk away from a relationship that is no longer serving you! YOU are the catch.

Do you have a favorite lyric from the song?

I would say my "favorite" part of the song is more a section as opposed to a lyric. The bridge has a very fun surprise for those who haven't listened to the full song yet!

How did you come up with the cover artwork?

The cover art took me a long time to come up with! I was trying to figure out a really creative way to show what the song was about. After hours on Pinterest trying to come up with an idea related to cards, I thought of the idea of having a fishing pole instead. That completely changed the idea I had in my head, so I spent a few more hours on Pinterest. Eventually I came up with the idea to merge the two and have a pool of cards beneath my feet with a card on the hook of the fishing pole (shoutout to my producer, Grable, for lending me the pole).

What was the biggest challenge when creating the song?

This song was actually written as a challenge to begin with. I write a lot of sad songs, so I was tasked by one of my favorite teahesr at Berklee College of Music, Isabeau Miller, to write a happy song. That's when I wrote Go Fish... not sure if it's happy but it's definitely upbeat! I also wanted to make sure I got both the "card game" and "fishing" references across without it being too much. 

Do you have any favorite memories of the writing and recording process?

This project was made entirely with my extremely talented friends! The co-writers on the song, Grable Howie and Kate Brink, helped me bring my silly little idea to life. My best friend, Alexa Givens, helped me record the vocals. Grable also produced this entire track, playing every instrument, as well as arranging all the background vocals. The track was mixed and mastered by someone who has been my friend since the first semester of college, Griffin Tomaino. I am forever grateful for the hard work and dedication of my friends, this project wouldn't be what it is without them.

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I could not love this release more!

As always, I want to thank Adia for taking the time to share this with us. It's always nice to be able to learn a bit more about a song.

Be sure to listen and follow along with her to see what she's up to. I would definitely follow her on Instagram, and/or Spotify. In fact, go do both right now! 

Thanks again Adia Clark Lay!

Alex Skye Releases "Less Sharp"!

By Alex Skye

Less Sharp is a euphoric indie rock anthem that tells the story of how easy it can be to lose yourself in an unhealthy relationship, whether that be one of romance or friendship. This was one of the first songs I wrote that I felt encompassed an entire relationship (or lack thereof) into one sonic story. Less Sharp is a song you can sing along to, burn your ex's hoodie to, and head bop in the car too. With influences like Lizzy McAlpine, Phoebe Bridgers, and Madison Cunningham, I wanted to write a song that had emotional weight to it just as all my favorite artists have done. The writing process for this song was simple and fast. It felt like every word I wrote came directly to me and fit like puzzle pieces exactly how I imagined it. 

I recorded this song with Chloe Appel and Shab Nourishirazi in my sixth  semester at Berklee and I have never had more fun creating a track. Chloe Appel is a young female producer at Berklee who I greatly admire and who I was honored to work alongside of. She has worked with Mark Ronson, a prominent producer in the music industry, and her talent never ceases to amaze me. Additionally, being at Berklee allows me access to some of the most gifted musicians in the world. I am so grateful for the time and creativity they put into this song. Recording with friends in studio sessions that have us coming in at dark and leaving as the sun rises felt symbolic of leaving the pain from the story and letting the song now speak for itself. I am forever grateful to musicians Max Globokar (Guitars), Chase Behar (Bass), and Diego Castrillo-Vilches (Drums) 

The process of taking and editing the cover art was very silly and fun but I learned a lot about my own ability as a graphic designer. I worked on the cover art for weeks and I gained a new appreciation for people who spend their time making every little detail perfect and for those who are wizards at photoshop. My two amazing friends Sacnicte Arriola and Nina Kauderer turned their home into a home studio and helped me bring my vision to life. The original idea was to create an image of a doll with dozens of pins stuck in (like a pin cushion) and it took me a painstakingly long time to edit this photo to get close to that vision. So much of the process of recording and producing this song felt personal to me, more than any other song I've written to date. 

Less Sharp will be out on all streaming platforms on February 28th and I can’t wait for you to hear it. 

Hollow Creek Talks About Their Single "Nightlife"!

Hollow Creek recently released their first single, "Nightlife". It's an amazing debut offering that you need to stream as soon as you can. Group members (Alexa Picillo, Jaxon Maciel, Curtis Colantonio, Logan Boucher, and Aidan Connell) were nice enough to answer a few questions for us about the group and this amazing release. I know it always makes me enjoy a song a little bit more the more I know about it. I bet you feel the same way!

Let's see what they had to say!

How did the group “Hollow Creek” come together?

Jaxon - It all first started with 2 guitarists and one drummer. Aidan Connell, Logan Boucher  and I. We all kind of played together but nothing serious. Then at True Music Studios Aidan got an opportunity to record with Alexa. They stayed in contact and ended up getting a band together with just Aidan, Logan, and Alexa. They played a few gigs together. I saw them playing at a festival one time and I mentioned to Aidan how his solos sounded empty without the rhythm guitar. Aidan referred me to Alexa and we talked a bit and then I went to band practice with them. A few months later we played at The Alchemy in Providence, RI and the sound guy mentioned that it would enhance our sound drastically if we had a bassist.  We ended up finding an exceptional bassist - Curtis Colantonio. That's how we all came together.

What do you want listeners to know about your single “Nightlife”?

Alexa -  I want to reach all types of people with this song. The people who connect to the lyrics on a personal level or the people who just simply love the guitar solos. This song is about wanting to be a better version of yourself, the one you only see in your dreams. I hope people can feel seen and realize they can make the change they want to see in their lives.

Do you have a favorite lyric from the song?

Curtis - A favorite lyric? My personal favorite would have to be the first lyric of the chorus, "I see her in the dark" which just sounds so badass with the sudden change from an upbeat, happy song, to a dark and gloomy one that comes in like a punch in the face. I think the imagery that comes from that lyric really MAKES the song. That part of the song is the funnest to play on bass as well. 

How did you come up with the cover artwork?

Alexa - The artwork for this song is a photo I took at one of my first ever gigs in Newport, RI. Little did I know I would be using this very photo for my band's debut single. Full circle moment for me. “ 

What was the biggest challenge when creating the song?

Logan - The largest challenge for me personally was the process of drumming to a metronome. The song has segments like the chorus which play in half time or slower compared to the main groove, which is a faster shuffle rhythm I created. In general, though, playing to a click track was a new experience to me, and I’m new to studio drumming which had a much different feel to live drumming, where the former needs to be tight and precise while the latter focuses on feel, groove, and keeping the band together with less rhythmic precision.

Do you have any favorite memories of the recording process?

Aidan - One of my favorite memories from the recording process was probably after we had finished recording. We had been there for about 5 hours and were all tired and hungry. Jaxon and I were sitting in the hallway waiting for the delivery guy to arrive. When he finally showed we ended up running through like 8 inches of snow to get it and yelling “he’s here!” The rest of the time was just spent talking, fooling around, and trying not to be too loud so we didn’t annoy our producer .

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I want to thank Hollow Creek for taking the time to share this look at their single with us. And special thanks to Alexa for helping arrange everything.

Be sure to follow Hollow Creek on Instagram, and Spotify to be sure you won't miss anything! You can also check out Alexa's solo interview here on Section 36 Music!

Thanks again Hollow Creek!

Victoria McDougall Visits Section 36 Music!

Victoria McDougall is the latest visitor to Section 36 Music! She is a talented singer who is fresh off the release of her second single. You'll want to give that one a listen as soon as you can. I was so excited she wanted to visit with us and discuss her music, challenges, and a bit more. I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

So, let's see what happens when Victoria McDougall visits Section 36!

I really love your recent single, “Commonwealth”. What can you tell me about it? 

I wrote Commonwealth last year sitting on a bench outside my dorm building on Commonwealth Avenue during my first year of university. I was kind of just reflecting on life and how hard I had worked to get where I was. My first couple months of university were really pivotal for me as an individual, and I started to realize there’s not one distinct path I had to follow in life, and it felt so freeing. Then there was the other side of the coin, constantly comparing myself to the people around me and what they were all doing, that created this constant internal struggle for me. This song was my way to express the constant back and forth of “am I good enough? Is this the right place and path for me?”, but also how I knew deep down that I was exactly where I wanted to be and was where I was supposed to be. It’s about not letting yourself sweat the small stuff, and having faith that you can pursue your dreams amidst all the second guessing and doubts. 

Do you have a favorite memory from the recording process? 

I recorded this song back in my hometown on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia at Lakewind Sound Studios. It was an August afternoon, we had spent a couple hours recording, it was all going great. Then, after we were pretty much finished recording guitar and vocals, the producer, studio owner, my friend who was playing guitar on the track and I just sat in the studio for about an hour talking about Berklee, our aspirations for the future, and everything music related. There’s something so special about being able to connect with other musicians, and I will always cherish that whole day and the conversations we had. 

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

Attending Berklee was a hard choice for me. I’m from Canada, so it was a pretty big move, I knew I wouldn’t know a soul here, and I didn’t know if I was ready to make that big of a change in my life. A couple weeks before I had to make my decision, my parents and I decided to drive 13 hours and visit the school. I knew as soon as I got there it was the right place for me. I already felt a strong sense of community and passion oozing out of the place, but what really drew me in was the range of options at this school. They did a tabling event with all the different majors to choose from, and there were more than I had ever imagined. I never realized how many directions you could go with music, from film scoring to music business management, which is what I’m majoring in now! I’m someone who likes to try a bit of everything, so I knew it would be perfect for me. 

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

The connection I have with an audience is the absolute best part of performing. When someone comes up to me after a performance saying it has made some sort of impact on them, I know my job is done. There was this gig I played at a bar over the summer, and the only people in there were this couple from a cruise ship that was in town. They were absolutely loving it, I played some of their requests and they sang along, they even got up to dance twice. It was a truly amazing experience, and goes to show it doesn’t matter if you're playing for 2 or 200 people, it matters the impact you make on them. 

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

I would love to do a cover of “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana. Moana has been one of my favorite princess movies since it came out, and this song especially has always felt particularly special. The message of the song speaks so deeply to me, about feeling like there’s something bigger, that you have a calling that you just need to follow. It is also just such a beautiful song that I’ve always loved singing! 

What are your immediate musical goals? 

I definitely want to put out more music soon, I’m in the process of planning some releases for the summer. As of this semester, my goal is to work and write with as many artists as possible! I think working with other writers is one of the best things you can do to improve and expand your artistry, and it’s always so cool to create something that you would have never created on your own!

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I'm very excited about even more music! 

As always, I want to thank Victoria 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 Victoria, and good luck reaching your goals!

Nicole Ash Releases "Never Finished"

Saving the heaviest and hardest-hitting tracks for the ‘Never Better’ EP release, Nicole Ash starts 2026 with an unexpected, screaming, rebellious anthem, “Alter Ego”. Right out of the gate, “Alter Ego” sets the tone for how frustrating a lifelong internal conflict can be delivering amplified energy. The highly relatable songwriting reveals a division between two worlds, where Nicole Ash often feels torn between “the creative, emotional, rebellious side of herself, and the more polished, business-driven version that shows up in professional spaces.”

Nicole shares, “The song isn’t about being authentic, but rather about self-protection. I’ve learned to show different parts of myself in different rooms because not every space feels safe for all of me.” 

The intensity of “Alter Ego” is infectious, carrying the listener through a darker, more intimate experience, with massive guitars, an angsty chorus, an unexpected screaming bridge, and gritty production. Lyrics like “be yourself, but not too much, ”reflect the pressure of being misunderstood and the instinct to hold back the pieces that matter the most.

“Alter Ego” explores a familiar push and pull between being a creator or artist, navigating dual identities while questioning if you’re ever fully understood.

The ‘Never Better’ EP comes to a close with “Better Off Alone.” Nicole Ash describes it as the most vulnerable song she’s released to date, writing it during a period of upheaval.

“Better Off Alone” touches on feelings of watching yourself slip away, feeling disconnected from what you love, and coming to terms with depression. Nicole recounts, “What usually connected me suddenly made me feel more distant from myself. This song became the moment I admitted I might be depressed...that maybe I really did feel better off alone.”

“Better Off Alone” suggests that not everything needs an immediate resolution. It’s an acceptance of where you are, even if there isn’t a clear path forward. The earlier releases from the ‘Never Better’ EP explored themes of love, confusion, anger, and longing, while the EP closes on the revelation of deeper, more internal struggles.

‘Never Better’ addresses the chaos and turmoil in between seasons of your life, as you grow, let go, and learn to honor every version of yourself, even the ones that feel unfinished.

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Nicole Ash is a solo artist originally from New Jersey and now based in North Carolina. She started her musical journey as a songwriter and guitarist, gaining recognition for her guitar covers on social media and her band, Wayne Avenue. Her social media following has now surpassed 85k followers, thanks to her signature energetic guitar covers and alluring performance personality. In 2022, Nicole took a bold step into singing with her solo project, a true testament to her dedication and artistic evolution.

Her influences of pop punk and alternative rock are evident in her music, particularly from artists such as Avril Lavigne, My Chemical Romance, Green Day, and Blink-182. Nicole is set to release her debut EP in 2025, a milestone in her journey, and hopes to inspire others with her mantra of relentlessly following her dreams.

Be sure to look for her other appearances on Section 36!