To sum it up: Warm-toned alto vocals gliding over personal lyrics and simple guitar.
Someone once described my style as a "beautifully sad" approach and I think that is the core of all my songwriting. Nothing innovative, but I don't mind. I write what I know, and that's that - honesty is the key. I used to have fears about people not responding to such sad music, so I'd fight it and try to be more upbeat or poppy, but I've learned that if you be yourself (musically/personally), true fans will tune in and in turn bring more listeners. And I'm happy to see that it worked; over the months I've had more and more listeners come out of the woodwork. I'm definitely open to experimenting with more genres. I'd like to get more instruments involved and different rhythms and such. I've been very attracted to the bossa nova sound lately, so you may see that crop up in my newer music.
I can play guitar, bass and a little drums and piano, but hestitate to say I play multiple instruments because it implies I do it well, which I really don't haha. I'd say my two main instruments would be vocals and bass guitar. I love singing and harmonies and do them almost excessively. I love the way a bass guitar can hold down the rhythm and accent it like drums can but still be melodic. I play acoustic guitar out of necessity to back up my songs, but if I had to choose, I'd let someone else play guitar, so I could play bass.
I started playing music seriously in 2000 as a vocalist/bassist in an indiepop/rock band called Vortex479. It was a great time, to say the least. As fate had it, that same year I got the chance to move to Seattle. I loved Vortex, but I wanted to break the comfort zone and experience a new city and a new life, so I left. We kept a quasi long distance relationship, but Vortex eventually disbanded for good in 2002.
After that collapsed, I stayed in Seattle and started writing songs in my spare time. I had a short stint playing bass for a local community musical. That spun off into a latin/jazz/funk band, where I played bass w/ one other girl my age on keys and the rest 40+ year old men, including classical guitar virtuouso Angelo Pizarro. However, another member of the band (the self-imposed "leader") was crazy and also using us girls as trophies/novelty items, so I once again called it quits. I continued to write and record, finally playing a gig in a tiny coffeehouse on Capitol Hill and recording vox my friend Brian's band, Every Other Second's upcoming album.
Eventually, the homesickness caught up, which coincided with me getting engaged to someone from back home. So in May 2003, I moved back home. Since then, I got married, had a baby, and quit working for the Man, so I could focus on things that I was passionate about: music/arts/business dev and of course, my daughter. I haven't made real money in months, but I love it. I'm blessed to have a well-behaved daughter plus a husband that supports me 100% financially, emotionally, spiritually. Being with my daughter all day plus doing what I love on a daily basis - the greatest thing in the world.
Currently, I'm the Business Manager of DelaCruz PhotoGraphics, a photograhy and design business I co-own w/ my hubby and bro-in-law. I'm also developing an Arts Syndicate, but that won't take flight for a while. Once I have a little more time, I eventually want to start an all-girl band too, but right now I'm just whoring myself out to anyone who may need a vocalist and/or bassist and trying to write new songs in the meantime. I like working with a lot of people 'cause I think more creativity flows from a collaborative effort between talented individuals. I admire the talent of those one-man DIY artists, but I know where my strengths and weaknesses are. I think, for me, success in both business and music comes from knowing when I'm the best for something and when someone else is.
Not as often as I should, but I'm open to doing more shows. If I do play, it's locally here in Hampton Roads - Virginia Beach or Norfolk. I hope someday to do more out of town shows.
I also hire myself out for vocals or bass, so you may catch me occasionally filling in with someone else's band.
Whether you hear it or not: life, love, anger, heartbreak, faith, revenge, lust, loyalty, betrayal, neglect, despair, hope, mia alma, mendell, starving artists and not starving artists, relative theory, vortex479, the veiling grey, the cardigans, joss stone, jeff buckley, the stills, the cure, stars, memphis, supercaks, soul lyric, the beatles, ivy, gerry and the susu creases, the sundays, amel larrieux, bic runga, astropop 3, sybarit, alicia keys, stevie wonder, the cogan's clown, emm gryner, jessica millete, the better assasins, coldplay, self destructors, denali, jiggly werewolves in capris, engine down, jimmy eat world, jaci velasquez, the v8 love affair, josh verdes, grains of rice, jumprope, julie plug, silverscene, astroblast, martina mcbride, lauryn hill, ice_blink, tomo nakayama, asahi, terra naomi, the velvet teen, eisley, smashing pumpkins, the smiths, morrissey, tricia concepcion, angelo pizarro, leila canlas, the rocking horse winner, paxil rose, mon chi chi, kristine sa, holiday flyer, red house painters, esthero, noise for pretend, camera obscura, longwave, blonde redhead, 65 film show, belle and sebastian, innocence mission, rainer maria, ted leo/pharmacists, zolof the rock n roll destroyer, trembling blue stars, eisley...i could keep going, but i'll probably end up repeating myself. haha.
Currently playing: Ovation Celebrity and Epiphone PR-5E acoustic/electric guitars and Epiphone Viola bass
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