What is your name?
Carey Renee
What is your genre of music?
R&B, with an emphasis on the blues for this first single. But overall my music is a bit of a blend so I have a hard time defining it. My next single is more upbeat pop R&B.
Give us a little bio about you.
I spent my childhood steeped in music, beginning with formal violin training at the age of three. I turned down a scholarship to study violin and vocal performance to instead pursue my desire to care for sick children. I was born with a serious congenital heart defect herself, and really wanted to give back so I spent over a decade working as a nurse and nurse practitioner in the neonatal and pediatric ICU. After my second child was born, I got really busy restoring and opening a historic theater venue in my hometown, and I was also suffering significant health care burnout, so I left my career. After some soul searching and with encouragement and support from my family and friends, I decided I really wanted to try pursuing music. I started off thinking maybe I would just record a few cover songs for my dad as a gift for Christmas, but one thing led to another and I ended up meeting several musicians and producers to start working on original music. I don’t know if I’ve ever been as happy as I have been the past year formally working on music again after so many years away. Currently, I’m working on releasing several singles, as well as the development of a modern vampire-inspired musical production, which will debut with a theatrical performance of a concept album this fall at the theater I helped to restore, The Howard.
What made you go into music?
I’ve always loved music, I was singing before I could talk and started formal violin training at the age of three. I took a bit of a hiatus (18 years!- although I’ve always been an avid shower singer and love some good late night dive bar karaoke) but I’m so happy to be writing and recording music now. It’s just a completely different form of self-expression and communication that I had really been missing.
Who are your influences?
I started my formal music training as a violinist at age three, so my earliest influences were classical music and also the 70s folk rock music that my dad loves. But I love so much music across so many genres- major influences for me have ranged from Sade to Jonny Lang to Mariah Carey. I also love musical theater and am an avid consumer of pop music and EDM.
Are you signed?
Not yet!
Your new single ‘House is Burning’ is out, tell us more about the single and what is the meaning behind the single?
I was going through a tough time personally, and had reached out to a friend of mine, Erin Boheme (an accomplished jazz singer and songwriter), and asked her if she wanted to help me start making some music. She was similarly going through a rough patch and we started doing these songwriting/therapy/wine sessions. After one of those sessions, Erin had the inspiration for the concept for this song based on a bunch of notes and things we had talked about, and she started a good chunk of the lyrics. The song is super personal for me and is about a specific situation where I felt betrayed and abandoned by some people that I really love. But it really can speak to anyone who has felt that way, in any situation where you have to acknowledge the pain but rise above your sadness and disappointment and start over again.
Who did you work with on the single?
Erin Boehme, Dru DeCaro and Adam Kobylarz
Describe the track in two words.
Painful freedom
What was the writing and recording process like?
It was so fun, I was nervous at first because I haven’t been in a songwriting/recording situation before, but I didn’t need to be! Our group has a natural collaboration – this song was written and recorded the first night we all met up to work together.
We also see a music video for House Is Burning, what was the creative process like?
I wanted the video to be really raw and show the behind the scenes process of me transitioning back to music, from writing/recording in the studio to finally taking the stage again.
Will we see an EP or Album and if so, what can we expect from it?
The album and music that I am most focused on right now is for the musical production that I am working on, so eventually that will be released as an album. I have a few more singles coming soon and hopefully an EP at some point!
What else can we expect in 2021?
We are working on a full musical production that will be coming in October 2021!
Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
Hopefully still making music and producing shows!
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
To those who much is given, much is expected.
When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
It’s been a long while since I have done a gig, but I’ll be starting this fall so I’ll have to let you know once I get back into the groove! I can say that for the studio, I drink TONS of water! And a little bit of wine too 😉 Those will be stage staples as well, for sure.
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
Sure do! Instagram is the platform I use the most
