Olivia Zegers Visits Section 36 Music!

We have another visitor to Section 36 Music! Olivia Zegers is an outstanding singer, with a music catalog you won't want to miss. Go listen to the whole thing. You won't regret it. I was so excited she was willing to visit with us and discuss her music, her goals, and a bit more. I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

So, let's see what happens when Olivia Zegers visits Section 36 Music!

I love your EP, “In My Head”. What can you tell me about it?

Thank you so much!! I’m really glad you like it :) I released it last year as a sophomore in college, but interestingly enough, I wrote most of the songs as a sophomore in high school! Safe to say, this EP has come a long way, but I learned so much in the process and truly wouldn’t have done it any other way. In 2022, I was lucky enough to meet and collaborate with incredible producers and engineers in Chile (my home country), which led me to record in a professional studio for the first time. In doing so, I was able to record multiple instruments for this project, including acoustic guitar, pianos, and all violin tracks. It was so rewarding to finally release it all last year, and even though I felt like I was a completely different person to who initially wrote them, I felt myself relating to each song in a different way, which was a really cool thing to experience. 

You’re a member of the Northeastern University a cappella group The Nor’easters. What is that experience like?

Being a member of the Nor’easters has been the most insane and amazing experience at Northeastern. A Cappella has taught me so much about my voice, in ways I never expected. Not only that, but I have also been lucky enough to meet my closest friends and share my love for music with people who feel as passionate as I do. Moving to the US for college was so scary and daunting, but this group of people made Boston feel like home, so I couldn’t be more grateful for them.

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

Recently this past semester I have been gigging a lot and I’ve been starting to appreciate the uncertainty of performing. Not knowing what vocal run/flip I decide to do in the moment, not knowing what I’ll say in between songs, and just reacting to the energy of the audience to guide me wherever I decide to go. I used to be so obsessed with achieving perfection, but I’ve been trying to let go of that inclination and embrace everything in the moment. 

Who or what would you consider your biggest musical inspirations?

Lizzy Mcalpine is always the first artist I think of, particularly because her lyricism was really what propelled my songwriting back in peak quarantine, and I still see her as a huge musical inspiration. I still remember listening to her song “I Don’t Know You At All” on Soundcloud before she officially released it, and immediately being hooked. 

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

This is an awesome question. I think the song “She’s So Gone” from Lemonade Mouth would be so fun to cover! I’ve been trying to convince some of my friends who I play in a band with to add it to our setlist… we’ll see how that goes:)

What are your immediate musical goals?

My main musical goal at the moment is to record a bunch of my songs and work on releasing music soon! I’m hoping to dedicate a lot more time this next year to getting music out on streaming platforms and to keep a constant creative musical flow going. I want to get to know myself more as an artist and push my boundaries a little more with my music, so I’m excited :))

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I can't wait to see where she pushes those boundaries!

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

Getting To Know Treble on Huntington: The Surprises

Northeastern University's first all-women a cappella group, who "showcase the unique styles of their soloists along with the hard work and artistry of the entire group." 

Does everyone know what they're getting into when they ju]oin such a fantastic group? Is there anything that surprises them? I asked the members of the Treble On Huntington that very question to try to find out. 

Sometimes the biggest surprise should be no surprise. As Alyssa mentioned, “I was initially intimidated by the time commitment of joining a group, but now I really look forward to rehearsals and performances, and I'm super excited about future trips!” Eve had similar thoughts when she added, “The biggest surprise about being a member of Treble on Huntington has been how close everyone is and how we really are 'best friends who sing'! I never thought I would have such a strong friend group in college, but through Treble, I have made amazing friends, had such inspiring and cool experiences, and even found the best roommate!” Mika even pointed out that it should have been surprising by saying, “It's not really a surprise but I love how everyone in Treble is so welcoming and always brings positive energy to everything we do.”

Edom echoed that sentiment by saying, “The biggest surprise about being a member of Treble on Huntington is having the ability to grow not only as a singer but also as an individual. I feel like I have changed so much and learned so much about myself since joining Treble and I am really grateful for that.”

Mya recalled the whole experience as something she didn’t expect. “how comfortable and safe I felt so quickly. Usually it takes me a really long time to get to this point with new people, but it's such a genuine and great group of people that let me be myself. I also feel like I would be more scared to sing in front of others within my own group (idk why I find it easier to perform for crowds over sending videos of me singing/individual exercises with my own group) but I don't feel as much of that sense of fear anymore which I did not think I would get past. I also was surprised to feel special to a group of people. I'm used to being less involved and quieter in group settings but I feel appreciated and that people enjoy my company as much as I enjoy theirs.”

Sometimes the singing style itself can be new and different. Sarah mentioned, “I was not expecting to sing alto all the time as i’ve been a soprano my entire singing career, but I’m really enjoying it!” Shir also mentioned the singing itself by adding, “The biggest surprise so far has been that even though our rehearsals can be lengthy at times, I still get excited for every rehearsal we have! Being in the group is certainly a time commitment, but it's worth every minute.”

Abigail really summed it up by adding, “I think it's been that I've been able to connect with so many incredible people on such a deep level through just a shared love for singing. I love each and every Treb with my whole heart, and I'm so grateful to have shared my college experience with them.”

And that’s what it’s all about. It's so wonderful that I'm sure every member expected to be joining something pretty special, but were still surprised by what the became a part of. It doesn't get much better than that.

Thanks to all the members of Treble on Huntington for sharing their thoughts with us.You definitely owe it to yourself to check out this group as soon as you can. Follow them on their socials: Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube. Also be sure to visit their website. And if you get the chance to see them perform in person, don't miss out. It's an experience you need to take in for yourself. 

And be sure to say you saw them in Section 36!

Coco Colette Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Coco Colette is a fantastic singer, with a recent single, "Grown", that absolutely needs to be on your playlist. I was so excited that she wanted to visit with us and discuss her music, future goals, and more. I’m sure you’ll enjoy everything she has to say.

So, let's see what happens when Coco Colette visits Section 36 Music!

I absolutely love your first single, “Grown”. What can you tell me about it?
Thank you <3 I wrote this song back in the summer of 2022 - I was living in an apartment with 3 of my friends and was going through a really hard time. As the song alludes to, I was falling behind on things like my dishes and laundry, but those were just examples of a bigger struggle. I was coming face to face with growing up - being away from my family and, at the time, working a fulltime job for the first time. I was so overwhelmed and what helps me the most when I feel that way is writing music. So “grown” was born, and now I look back on it and things haven't changed all too much, but, in all of its irony, I really have grown and I’m trying to take each day one at a time. 

Do you see more studio work in your future?

I hope so!! I thrive as a writer, singer, and performer, so everything that goes into recording is very intimidating to me. I have some great friends who helped me with “grown”, and I hope I can continue to find collaborators for more recorded music in the future. 

You are a member of The Downbeats, a Northeastern University a capella group. What is that experience like?

I love it - The Downbeats have been a huge part of my college experience. Being a part of this group really encouraged me to pursue my own music as well. We have had so many incredibly talented musicians in our group and I learned so much from them. A few of our graduated members make music as well, and they made me feel like it was possible for me to perform on my own too. My confidence and voice have benefited so much from being in this group and I’m very proud to be a part of it. 

Who or what would you consider your biggest musical influences?

This is a tough question for me! My music has really evolved over time, but I think right now the Lumineers and Noah Kahan have definitely influenced my musical style. I’m finding my voice in a more folky indie sound, and I am so excited to explore that more. I'm also really influenced by so many singer-songwriters, I love listening to a wide breadth of musicians because there is so much to be inspired by and experiment with.

What would you say is your biggest challenge with your music career?

I would say my biggest challenge is the fact that I don’t have recording, producing, mixing, or mastering experience/ability. Because I have to depend on others for these aspects of recording music, there is a pretty large barrier between me writing the song and performing it, to actually getting it out on streaming platforms. I hope that in the future I become more confident in asking others to help me through this process.

What are your immediate music goals?

I would love to just get out there and perform more! Booking isn’t the easiest in Boston, especially for smaller acoustic artists, but I am trying to get my foot in the door. Hopefully you will see me doing more open mics and shows around Boston in 2024!

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Would definitely be great to see her around Boston in the year to come!  

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

I'm sure you’ll all want to learn more a 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 Coco, and good luck reaching your goals!