2019 saw 15-year-old pop artist Joanna Gabrielle release two amazing songs! Artistically, Joanna attempted to establish a name for herself within the pop music scene with her 2019 creations! Recording her music in Nashville, TN, Joanna Gabrielle is synthesizing the harmony she feels resonates with her the best. Joanna is currently in the midst of manifesting a 5-track EP, set to release sometime in 2020. For now, we have illustrious singles such as "Maybe" and "Time and Again" to look over! Both singles showcase the artistic reach Joanna Gabrielle possesses regarding her listeners, and each provides a different general mood when listening. Ultimately, she'll leave you feeling rejuvenated by her soft and calm stylings!
Joanna Gabrielle's voice is well refined and balanced, which as a fairly young artist, you wouldn't have thought would've been a prominent feature. Tracks like "Maybe" were released late this year, and it exposed the soft and flowing aspect of the natural voice Joanna Gabrielle has. Shortly after the release of "Maybe", Joanna released "Time and Again" which highlights the same features we know Joanna Gabrielle to have--innocent, pure, captivating and refined. You can tell she sets out to really connect with listeners during her music, and that musical passion is undoubtedly there within her! Joanna Gabrielle is hoping to release more music during 2020, and so there's more to come with Joanna's matured and structured sounding!
Listen to Joanna Gabrielle here.
Hello, Joanna Gabrielle! 2019 saw the release of "Maybe" and "Time and Again"! Out of the two single releases, which one do you favor more? Hey Buzz! I’m so glad to be working with you again. As partial as I am to “Maybe” since it was my very first release, I’d have to give this one to “Time and Again”. This was the very first song I wrote after getting “discovered” through Instagram, and also happens to be the only song on my -still unreleased- EP that was actually based on a real experience of mine, but that’s a story for another time :).
It was easily distinguishable that "Maybe" was filled with thoughtful lyricism. Can you tell our readers more about the intentions behind the track and the overall takeaway message?
I’d say that all five of the tracks I recorded in Nashville were heavily centered around different aspects of love, but the recurring theme throughout is really uncertainty, and “Maybe” is certainly no exception. As the title suggests, “Maybe” explores the wonder and curiosity that accompany the early stages of a relationship. It deals with simple questions at first, asking about trust and reliability in the verses, while circling back to the question of, “Maybe it’s you?” Leading up to the bridge, there begins a sense of urgency, a need to answer the harder questions, with my favorite being, “Are you gonna show up?” It’s such a simple question, but it encapsulates all the basic things a person needs to know before committing to someone. The song finally ends with the question that’s repeated throughout, “Do I?”, leaving the song open-ended. I think this song is important for anyone in a similar situation, that sort of “in-between” state in a relationship. Trust me, I love a good love song, don’t get me wrong, but it’s nice to let people know that love doesn’t have to be as simple as we’d like to believe.
How was the recording process in Nashville?! What travel in order to record your music! Does the music scene there inspire and/or help to shape your sound at all?!
Thinking about it now, telling people that I went to Nashville to record an EP has become so routine in the whole explanation of my story and my career, that I tend to forget that at this time last year if someone had told me that I’d be doing just that, I would’ve said they were crazy! Going to Nashville was certainly a surreal experience, and it all happened so quickly. When we planned it all back in June, I had about less than three months to get my songs in good enough shape to go straight into recording, and before I knew it, it was August and I was on a plane to Nashville. I headed straight into the recording process with my producer, Shannon McArthur, the next day. I was insanely lucky to be working with a producer as laid-back and easy-going as him, and he really made the whole process so easy and enjoyable. Though as fun as the recording was, I had more fun watching the production process. It was definitely one of the most educational experiences I’ve had.
Now onto the music scene in Nashville, I’ve got to start by saying that Nashville was almost the last place I thought I’d be starting my career in. I’d never been a huge fan of country music, but to my surprise, Nashville was so much more than that. I’m still not very fond of country, but the infectious energy and storytelling of the songs that fill the downtown streets and well-loved local bars of the city definitely impacted my way of viewing my music. I admire the way that country music stays so true to its roots. It’s as if each singers sings with the sentiment of, “This is who I am, here’s my story, take it or leave it!” There’s a true sense of heart and genuineness in country music that you can’t find anywhere else, and if anything, that’s what I want to apply to my music.
What aspect of your sound do you think you couldn't survive without as an artist?
Gosh, well seeing as I’m pretty new to the scene, I’m still in the process of experimenting with various styles and sounds. I’ve never been the kind of singer whose voice got people raving about rawness and raw emotion, and I’ve gotta say that’s probably due to the fact that for the past two years I’ve been used to singing choral and classical arrangements. But with that, I also have a background in musical theatre, which taught me a lot about conveying different emotions without compromising technique. For the most part, the songs on my EP have a sort of lightness to them, even as each song navigates different narratives and emotions. I’m not a huge fan of defining an artist’s music under one genre, so I’d hesitate to call my music strictly pop or indie, but as an artist, I couldn’t survive without that mix of balancing emotions while staying true to my technique. My first voice teacher used to always say that there was this natural beauty to my voice and that even with “crappy technique”, that beauty would shine through. Save for the crappy technique part, it’s always been important that I let that natural beauty shine through whatever I’m singing, whether it be arias or pop ballads.
Are there any elements to your hopeful 2020 sound that differ from your 2019 one?
One of the great things about being a new indie artist is the fact that I’m free to experiment with any new sounds and styles at any given time. With my first EP, everything was bright and shiny and new, and I think my sound really reflected that. Behind each song, there’s a kind of wonder and brightness, which was sort of perfect for my introduction to the music world. But a significant time has passed since I wrote/recorded the songs on that EP, and at that time, I’ve had the pleasure of really listening to various singers and deciding what aspects of my favorite songs I want to translate into my own music. I’ve learned so much more about songwriting and popular music trends that I’m really looking towards shifting my sound in 2020. With the new year, I really want to try out a different, slightly more mature sound, while trying new trends that I’ve seen across today’s chart-topping hits. In a way, there’s still the same newness that came with my first EP, but it’s a different kind of newness, a desire to reflect in my music the way I view music now, as opposed to then.
We appreciate the time Joanna! We hope that 2020 sees the release of more music! Where are you hoping the evolution of your music continues onto in the new year?
Of course, I’m so glad I had the chance to do this! Everything is so new right now, that I’m willing to take every opportunity I can get. I definitely want to record more music, possibly a new EP if I can. But overall, it’s more important to me that I continue working on my songwriting and evolving my sound to reflect how I’ve changed and continue changing as an artist. I especially want to dive deeper into newer topics for my songs, as well as different sounds. I’d really like to just try as many different styles as I can before I find the one that “fits”. Thank you so much for having me! Here’s to more music and to 2020!
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