Rebecca conner is a Golden-voiced, singer-songwriter and jazz-trained guitarist out of Portland, Oregon. Rebecca Conner's music joyfully blends together urban and traditional styles from around the world. After ten years playing in bands, Rebecca Conner is now emerging on the scene with her own debut single "Lotus in the Mud".
There’s just something about “Lotus In The Mud” that had me feeling as if I escaped my day to day life. Rebecca Conner's voice is so enchanting that it lifts you up and carries you through the song. Rebecca's vocal control, tonal quality, and resonance are so smoothly connected that it sounds like she doesn't have to try. Rebecca Conner's voice floats out of her register beautifully, and you feel every note she sings. Alongside this light reggae production, with a comforting acoustic guitar, Rebecca Conner is nothing less than a vibe you might need to catch! “Lotus In The Mud” is one of those songs where regardless of whatever your mood may be in, you can still get hooked with her style and sound. “Lotus In The Mud” is a lush song with prepossessing melodies and extravagant displayed of instrumentation. If you need a relaxed tune to enjoy, we recommend this gaudy record.
Listen to "Lotus In The Mud" here!
Thank you for sharing your music with us Rebecca Conner! How was your past experience performing with a band! In what ways have the lessons with the band impacted your career as a solo artist?
My last project was a live electronic band that melded traditional swing with electronic dance grooves. Coming from my jazz background, a lot of what we were trying to do felt taboo and at odds with my musical training. Also, because it was the combined voice of 6 people trying to meet in the middle, I constantly had to let go of my own aesthetic. I think that process was really good for me at the time. I learned to open my mind to other creative possibilities and let go of some of the rigidity I was holding onto from music school. Anything that challenges the “rules” of music is good for creativity. The unfortunate pit-fall of intensive musical training is an imbalance of making music from the head and not enough from the heart. What that looked like for me was writers block that I had to shake. Being in a collaborative project gave me an avenue to practice being creative while taking the pressure off.
Knowing you get your inspiration from all over, how would you describe your songwriting approach?
Most of my inspiration comes from my own spiritual journey. Often I write a song that I need to hear: a message of hope to my inner-child. As someone who has struggled with writers block, ultimately to quiet that voice of critique, I have learned to trust the feelings of cathartic release. No matter the lyrics, if I get choked up singing it, I know there’s something there. Melody is usually my starting point and then I see what words fit. As an instrumentalist, sometimes I find a groove on guitar and then sit with my emotions to find out what I feel I need to sing about.
Speaking of songwriting, we loved the lyrics in “Lotus In The Mud”. what was this song about?
This song is about my own path searching for peace and authenticity and the answers I have found along the way. Delivered as a prayer that all of humanity will find the relief they are looking for, it’s a reminder that our hearts break only to be broken open, that forest fires occur to make way for new growth, that our struggles exist to teach us our greatest lessons.
Were there any challenges you’ve faced in the creation of “Lotus In The Mud”? In what ways were you able to overcome these?
The greatest challenge in recording is coming up against your own limitations and having to face them. Finding your truest creative expression is a lifelong journey that can only be refined with practice. With little experience recording under my own name and direction, I could have easily gotten caught up in the endlessness of analyzing and perfecting. It was important for me to finish the song and put it out when I did as an act of acceptance of myself as an artist always in process, not perfection.
Any exciting announcements you may have?
This track is a sneak-peak into my debut Album that I’m currently working on. The album spans many genres but draws a lot of influence from Neo soul, pop, West-African music, and jazz. Stay tuned for much more music!
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