for the record

ezelle frees

a billie eilish fanatic

Ezelle is one of my very best friends in the world. She is 15 years young, and lives in Santa Barbara, California. In her free time, she is a ballerina, she takes care of her insane amount of pets, and fangirls over her all time favorite artist: Billie Eilish. One of the reasons why I think me and Ezelle instantly became very close friends is because we bonded over music. Ezelle makes it clear that music is one of the things in her life that makes her truly happy… this is the reason why I chose to ask her some questions:

Q: When did you first realize that music is something that you really enjoy?

A: My whole life I have loved and listened to music at pretty much any possible minute, but it was only this past summer that I really started playing the Ukulele and singing.

Q: I know you’re a really good singer, but you don’t like people knowing this about you, why is that?

A: Pretty much just because i’m not that confident in my singing, even though I love to do it.

Q: Would you ever be interested in pursuing music as a career?

A: Yes.

Q: What is it about Billie Eilish that you love so much?

A: Oh god don’t get me started Sydney. I love how no matter how big she grows, she always stays humble. Each of her songs are specifically so different from each other, each one having their own mood and emotion. She is constantly using her platform to open up about climate change, and global warming, being a vegan herself. Overall she is hilarious and so loving, and the best role model I could ask for.

Q: What is your favorite song by Billie and why?

A: I personally don’t have a favorite, but see them all individually because they’re all so different from each other. I feel like each song represents a different mood. Do you really think I have a favorite c’mon.

Q: What message is Billie trying to spread through her music, and why do you think this message is so important?

A: When in interviews where Billie is asked what her songs mean, she has said it’s always up for interpretation. Her music can mean one thing to one person, but a completely other meaning to another person. Some of her songs like “listen before i go” or “idontwannabeyouanymore” can really show that you’re not alone. From when she was 13 to early seventeen, she truly hated herself, almost constantly being down whenever she was alone. She slowly but strongly grew into happy person, and you can clearly hear the message through her music.

Q: How did you discover Billie and what was your initial reaction when you first listened to her music?

A: When I was just in seventh grade, I had first heard ocean eyes through social media, such as Instagram or musical.ly. I loved the song, but never really questioned who wrote it. A whole year later when I was in Eighth grade and was watching Maddie Ziegler on Youtube, her intro had Billie’s song, bellyache. I immediately loved it, looked up the lyrics to find the song, and realized she was the same girl who had written ocean eyes. That summer was when I really started to fall in love with her music, and her newly released album, don’t smile at me.

Q: What is music to you? Why do you listen to it?

A: To me, music is everything. Every extra minute that I have to myself, I’m secretly blasting music in my earbuds, even between classes during school. To me, listening to music is like enhancing your current mood. When I’m happy, I listen to upbeat songs. When i’m angry, maybe a more loud, and bassy song. Music holds so much range of emotion and for that, I love it

Ezelle after dying her hair to match Billie’s *aesthetic.*

Q: Why do you think that Billie is such a popular young artist all around the world? Why do you think so many people idolize her?

A: I think the reason why Billie is so popular because she is so herself. Her music is so different. Being made at home, and published by her brother, Finneas, it seems to have a different, more detailed quality. Not only her music, but her fashion style is very unique. She is almost always wearing baggy, designer clothes, like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada and Burburry– especially during her live shows, and red carpet events.

Q: Other than Billie, who is another musical artist who inspires you?

A: Clairo is also really inspiring to me as a person and a musician.

Q: How do you plan to further incorporate music into your life in the future?

A: In a perfect world, I would love to be a singer, performing in small venues, and writing songs with closer friends.

miles tobel

“dreaming as always”

Miles Tobel is 16 years old and lives in Los Angeles, California. I met Miles at a 1-week Berklee College of Music songwriting program last June. We instantly connected over our love for music and songwriting. Miles has over 10 songs out on Spotify and is creating his mark in the music industry. Miles plays multiple instruments and spends most of his free time songwriting, singing, performing live, and networking with other musicians. Mile’s determination, persistence, and talent has inspired me everyday to keep going and to chase my dreams…which is exactly why I chose him to be my interviewee this week.

Q: Why is music such a big part of your life?

A: I’ve been playing music since I was four when my dad taught me to play the piano. For me, there’s nothing more magnetizing than an amazing song, and nothing more rewarding than writing one. Because of this, I’ve made music a huge focus in my life.

Q: Which musical artist or group has inspired you the most?

A: Bob Dylan is definitely my biggest inspiration.

Q: When did you start singing and songwriting?

A: I started signing when I was 11, and I released my first EP when I was 12.

Q: When did you begin to produce the music you wrote?

A: I’ve always produced my own music. When I first started, my guitar teacher helped me, as he had a bit of background with Logic Pro, but now I do everything by myself in a little studio I’ve built in my room.

Miles (on keyboard) performing live with his friends

Q: What does the songwriting process usually look like for you?

A: It’s different every time, but normally I start off at the piano or guitar and come up with a little chord progression or melody. I’ll build a whole song around that, without lyrics, and record and produce the whole thing. Then, I write the lyrics, which normally come from poems that I write. That part takes the longest time, but I think I enjoy writing lyrics most.

Q: What has been your biggest accomplishment so far when it comes to music?

A: Ooh I don’t really know, I’m pretty proud about winning Young Arts this year, but I think I’m most excited to release a full length album, which is coming in June.

Q: What are you currently doing to help yourself move forwards in the music industry?

A: I’m really just trying to write new songs and play as many open mics and shows with as many bands as possible.

Q: What are your goals for the future when it comes to music?

A: I just hope to be able to make a living off of being a musician in some way shape or form.

Q: What does music mean to you, and why is it important to you?

A: Music means everything to me, and it’s important because I feel like it’s an opportunity to express my opinions and feelings; an opportunity that I might not have otherwise.

Q: If you could collaborate with any musical artist or group, who would it be?

A: Probably Bob Dylan because his lyric and music writing skills are incomparable.

Q: Why do you enjoy performing so much? Do you ever get nervous?

A: I think there’s just a rush that you get from performing that you don’t get from anything else, and I used to get nervous, but now it just feels like second nature.

Q: What usually inspires you to write music? And what do you find yourself writing about the most?

A: Recently I’ve been writing a lot about love, but I really just write about things I see at school or around town that inspire me.

Miles performing live at a coffee shop in Los Angeles

Q: What genre of music do you find yourself the most attracted to?

A: Recently I’ve been really into folk rock.

Q: What instruments do you play and which do you find the most useful?

A: I sing, play piano, saxophone, and guitar. I think piano is the most helpful because it’s a very visual instrument, so I can see the chords in front of me and really plan out every part of my song. Guitar is also pretty useful.

Q: Where do you get most of your musical inspiration from?

A: All the music legends from back in the day, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Simon and Garfunkel, people like that. Also my dad, he plays piano and sings, and is very inspiring.

Q: Last question; what is one word of advice that you would give to aspiring music artists?

A: I know this sounds corny, but I think it’s just important to remember to hold strong to what you believe in, and there will be always be people who dislike your music, but those people aren’t important, because even if only one person likes your music, that means that your music can be liked, and will be liked by many more people, you just haven’t found them yet. Side-note: I myself am an aspiring music artist, so I’m not sure I’m in a position to give advice.

sofia schuster

“i write songs when I’m sad”

Sofia Schuester is 16 years old and lives in Santa Barbara, California. Without hesitation, I can easily say that Sofia is one of the most talented people I know. Sofia and I formally met at a 1-week songwriting summer intensive at Boston’s Berklee College of Music. We instantly connected and bonded over our passions for music. Music has taken up a big chunk of Sofia’s life. She won the Teen Star singing competition in 2019, and went off to compete on the international show “American Idol,” which will be airing this February. Sofia’s strong passion for music and the accomplishments that she has had and are yet to have, assured me that she is someone that I would like to interview for my blog.

Q: How old were you when you really started to become serious about music?

A: I became super serious about music when I was in second grade after being cast in my first musical theater production.

Q: Which musical artist can you say has impacted you the most and why, and why do you like this artist?

A: Barbara Streisand was my idol for most of my childhood years. I liked how versatile she was as an artist.

Q: When did you start singing?

A: I started singing when I was four years old.

Q: What does the songwriting process look like for you?

A: My songwriting process happens naturally. I usually hear melodies and that’s how I come up with a new song

Q: What have been your biggest accomplishments in the music field?

A: Probably winning teen star and competing in American Idol.

Q: What are your goals for the future when it comes to music?

A: I would like to release some more music soon.

Q: What does music mean to you, and why do you think it is so important to you?

A: Music is my life and it manifests in every aspect of my day-to-day life. I think the reason why it’s so important to me is because it has such a large presence in my life and because i’ve spent so much of my life doing it.

Q: What made you want to audition for American idol? Were you nervous?

A: I’ve been watching American Idol since I was like three years old so when the opportunity presented itself there was no question of whether or not I would audition. I was more nervous for my audition in front of the producers than my celebrity judge audition because the producer audition determined so much, but I was still very nervous for my celebrity audition.

Sofia and her mother at the American Idol building in Los Angeles

Q: If you could collaborate with any artist who would it be?

A: I would love to collaborate with Maggie Rogers because she’s not only an incredible songwriter, but also an extremely talented producer, so it would be really cool to work with her and understand her musical process.

Q: What genre of music do you find yourself most attracted to.

A: I find that I write mostly pop music but I listen to Motown more than anything else.

Q: Why do you enjoy performing so much?

A: I enjoy performing because I love presenting and sharing my work, especially when I’ve worked hard for a long period of time.

Q: What is something that you are very passionate about that just makes you want to write? And what do you find yourself writing about the most?

A: I write a lot about issues like women’s reproductive rights and beauty standards but I also write about the typical and cliche things like love and heartbreak.

Sofia and famous musical pop star *Katy Perry,* after Sofia performed onstage at Katy’s show in Santa Barbara.

Q: What instruments do you play and which do you find the most useful?

A: I mostly play guitar cause it’s mobile and because it’s also so versatile. I play piano sometimes if i’m writing a song that would sound better on piano but because it’s so hard to change the key in which you are playing, I usually stick to guitar.

Q: Where do you get most of your music inspiration from?

A: I get most of my inspiration from the world around me, but I used to get inspiration from TV shows and movies.

Q: Last Question: What is one word of advice that you would give to aspiring music artists?

A: I wish I could’ve told myself to be more confident in myself and in my work. Another piece of advice is to understand that you’re constantly growing and improving so don’t limit yourself.

true jackson

“lover of groovy music” -ayla

True was one of the first friends I ever made, I met her when I was 2 years old. She lives in Los Angeles, California, and spends most of her time pursuing her passion for music. Ever since she could walk and talk, True was singing and making up little dances. As she grew older, she started developing a strong skill of songwriting, and the ability to play many instruments: bass guitar, guitar (electric and acoustic,) piano, the keyboard, and ukulele. True’s whole world seems to revolve around music, and that is exactly the reason why I decided to interview her.

Q: How old were you when you really started to become serious about music and what made you know that that was what you wanted to do with your life?

A: I was probably around 11-ish, and I knew I wanted to pursue music because it was after I wrote and recorded my song, and i enjoyed learning and the process of hearing it come together.

Q: Why do you love music so much?

A: I love music because it relieves stress and helps me cope with things also it can bring people together.

Q: When it comes to songwriting, what do you find yourself writing about the most?

A: I enjoy writing about things i’ve experienced and like what’s going through my brain so others can relate.

Q: If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?

A: I would want to collaborate with Benee because she writes about really cool things and uses tech and real instruments.

Q: What inspires you to write music?

A: Musicians that I listen to mainly have inspired me, but I write about things that I have experienced and those things are usually caused by my friends and family.

Q: What instruments do you find the most useful to play?

A: Since i’ve played the guitar the longest, personally I would choose that one because you can play it alone and it still sounds good.

Q: Who is your favorite artist of all time and how have they affected you?

A: Hmm depends. I wouldn’t say that I have one favorite, but i love Calpurnia, Twin Peaks, Billie Eilish, Dominic Fike, and Spend Time Palace. They have all helped me grow with my music and the way I write chords and lyrics.

True and one of her favorite musicians and actors, Finn Wolfhard

Q: What does music mean to you?

A: In a way, it means expressing your emotions. Or maybe just for me, it’s my way of expressing my emotions. So it’s just truly my thoughts.

Q: In the future, do you think you are going to continue doing music for fun or do you plan on making it into a career?

A: My hope is for it to be my career but no matter what, I will continue music.

Q: What keeps you going? What makes you not want to give up?

A: Probably what makes me keep going are the musicians that I listen to and my family. But mainly musicians. If I get like a writers block then I want to give up and never come back to the song but in the end, I always do.

Q: If it wasn’t music, what would you be pursuing?

A: Honestly I don’t know, but maybe like something going down the lines of being a therapist or a little kid teacher but I have no idea though.

Q: What has been so far, your biggest accomplishment in terms of music?

A: Probably having two original songs and producing my own song with a big producer to come out as a single.

Q: What is your main goal for the future?

A: My main goal is to pursue my original music and get it out in the world for people to hear.

hey, i’m sydney.

Hi. My name is Sydney Lurie-Firestein. I am 15 years old, and I live in Santa Barbara, California. Let’s get straight to the point. I am obsessed with music. Ever since I could open my eyes, I immediately gravitated towards music. Once I developed the ability to speak, my love of music developed into a love of singing, playing the guitar, bass, and ukulele. Whenever I meet people, one of the common things that we tend to bond over is our favorite types of music.

Whether it’s rock music (my personal favorite), indie music, pop music, or rap, there’s always something to amuse me. I can easily say that I spend about 80% of my time playing instruments, singing, or digging deep into the internet to find new artists or songs that I’ve never heard before.

The goal that I have for my blog is to be able to express how anyone can like music, while having extremely unique taste and styles. Each week, I am going to interview one of my friends who has a passion for music. Hopefully, this experience will give me, and the readers of my blog, more knowledge about music in general, and a better insight into why people love certain types of music and artists and how it affects them as a person. I encourage you right now to think about your favorite artist, and how that artist has (to any extent) helped shape you into who you are today. It’s crazy, right? Welcome to the world of music.