Ethereal Metal Webzine

Interviewed by Joshua Becker
3/14/2014

I see you have been an artist for many years
without the help of a record label. Is it by choice you are not signed,
or have you not had your “big break” yet?

It
is by choice I remain independent. Unless there was a great offer which
could accommodate my first career of being a stay-at-home mom, I can’t
see myself signing anything. Most labels want a touring artist, which I
am not at present. Maybe one day. Never say never.

I see
you have become quite a success with social media. How exactly did you
get the fans you have now? What I mean to say is how exactly did you
market yourself and your music to get to where you are now?

For
social media, I’ve just tried to be consistent. I post every day, or
whenever possible. Since I’m not currently touring, I rely on
interaction with my fans to spread the word and fan the flame. There’s
only a few platforms I use, mainly Facebook and YouTube. There isn’t
much time for more. It’s tricky because things constantly change and it
seems like you have to learn how to use these platforms all over again
every six months. But consistency has helped. And knowing that if the
music is good, the cream will rise to the top and people will hear about
it. So I have to relax, knowing that after I give 100% in my music and
100% to my fans, that’s really all I can do.

What are your hobbies when you are not singing?

When
I’m not writing music, I’m usually reading or studying something.
Sometimes I get creative in other ways, like sewing, or costume-making
(I made my attire for the Otherworld promo photos). I also enjoy just
chilling with friends and family.|

What do you hope your music will bring to listeners far and wide?

I
hope they like my music! I think those who liked the music I made in
the past will love my new material. I’m going into deeper waters now. 🙂

I
also hope it will give people a new “soundtrack” of their lives. That’s
what my favorite music does for me. I’m usually playing the same album
over and over for a while and it becomes the soundtrack of my life. 🙂

Do you think that there is a market in your native land for metal, specifically celtic-type metal?

In
Canada here, there’s isn’t a huge metal scene, as far as I’m aware.
There’s a few more metal fans in Vancouver and Toronto, and other
smaller cities. Celtic music, yes. I think many people here enjoy Celtic
music. So maybe the fusion will open a new door for people here.
Luckily, with the internet, it doesn’t matter which country listens to
what – everyone has a chance to hear one way or another!

How long have you been singing? Did you ever have lessons?

I
sort of discovered my voice around age 11 or 12. I did take some vocal
lessons in high school, mostly classical. I felt somewhat frustrated
with those, since it didn’t teach me the power I really wanted in my
upper range. It just wasn’t the style or technique I was looking for. So
I eventually quit. But more recently I have found much better vocal
training, through my friend Brett Manning’s program, “Singing Success”
which I highly recommend for any style of vocal training. It’s amazing.

Was singing always a dream of yours?

Yes, I always wanted to be a singer!

Do you have any ties to music in your family?

Yes, my mother’s side is quite musical in their background and she still leads choir at her church.

In terms of your fans, do you feel you have more fans here in the States, or more so back in your native land of Canada?

It’s
hard to say, but yes I probably have a few more fans in the US. I think
even more so in Europe and other countries as well. I hope to gain more
Canadian fans as I continue to get my music out there.

You
mentioned earlier that you were a fan of “Lacuna Coil.” Out of
curiosity, how long have you been a fan, and how did you discover them?

I’ve been
listening to Lacuna Coil since their first album! I don’t remember who
introduced me to them, but they thought I sounded like her (hmm… what do
you think?), so they said, “you need to hear this band!”

They’ve often
been the soundtrack to my life. They’ve changed and grown over the
years, but you know, some bands just stick with you no matter what.

Do you see singing as fun, or do you see it as a creative, emotional therapy?

All
of the above. Song writing is “work” in many senses. Sometimes songs
just fall out. Other times I have to shed blood and tears to achieve the
song I wanted. But I think work is therapy more than we know,
especially if the work you’re doing is your passion. I’m very blessed to
be able to do this from my home, where I can pursue my passion while
keeping my family career #1.

🙂