Limited Number of Pre-Release Copies of the Album - Available NOW!

The greatest Christmas present EVER arrived for me this year - my album is printed! I am so thankful for all of the supportive & generous people in my life :) Even though the official national release date is in March - I am offering a limited number of pre-release copies online at http://whitneynichole.com/donate.
And to those of you who participated in the album fundraiser - your copies & goodies are on their way!

Happy Holidays and much love to all!
 



The Book of Love. Your Holiday Cheese.

 

Been a whirlwind these past few weeks - getting the album ready for printing. I promise to write all about it in my next post - in juicy detail. Until then, take a listen to this cover of "The Book of Love" written by Stephin Merritt. My talented boyfriend, Niall & I performed it together over the Thanksgiving holiday :)  

Thanks to Alyssa Varsos for the Video! And of course, thank you to our lovely hosts, JoAnn & Lee Barnett.

So... What Exactly IS Mastering?

The record is mastered. What the hell does that even mean?

Mastering puts the polish on your album. It's kind of like shining your shoes. Or as I like to think of it - a sheer coat of nail polish. It just smooths everything out - so that each of the songs are comparable in volume & the bass isn't blaring in one song and inaudible in another. They help hide any clicks, pops or "s" sounds, and just balance everything so it feels like one cohesive piece of art. Sounds nice right?

For the more technical reader - mastering is using equalization and compression to prepare media to be played on a variety of playback devices. Beyond that, mastering engineers use limiting, noise reduction, leveling and more to hide imperfections in the audio mixes. If the album was digitally recorded (as mine was), some mastering engineers run the record through analog, to add warmth to the music. Song sequencing, gaps and fading can be used to create the ultimate "Master Copy" from which all of the subsequent records will be made. Exciting, huh?

It took Justin Weis (Trakworx) just over six hours to master my entire album. Adam, Niall & I sat quietly in the back of the room, while he bounced around between 2-second clips of each song. It was like watching someone with an extremely short attention span listen to an entire album in disorganized tiny bits. But there was much, much more going on inside Justin's head. This guy has mastered albums for all kinds of amazing artists, including one of my & Niall's favorites - Matt Nathanson. We sounded like groupies asking Justin "what's Matt like... like to work with?" *insert giggle. So I had ultimate faith in his abilities. Despite the fact that I had no idea what he was doing 90 percent of the time, the final product sounds AWESOME! Friggin' awesome. I can't wait for you to hear it. Coated in nail polish & ready to go....

Cold Feet. Like, Freezing.

The process of recording this album has been eerily smooth. Adam & I worked extremely well together in the pre-production, tracking & mixing stages, we were all efficient & prepared in the studio and we stayed within budget. Sure, we had our moments - Rebecca (who plays cello throughout the album) & I showed up at the wrong address for our Berkeley tracking session, and sat outside for an hour before realizing our mistake. Yeah there was that time I made Adam re-track an entire song's worth of vocals, only to then say "eh, I like the original better." And its possible that I may or may not have been approximately 30 minutes late to every session... but I'm just saying - overall it was an extremely smooth & easy process. So when I booked our mastering session a few weeks ago, I assumed the smooth process would continue :).

Then all of the sudden, Tuesday of this past week I realized the finality of mixing. This is IT. There's no going back now. After we master, I can't change ANYTHING - can't tweak the mixes, can't change the order, can't fix any mistakes. And holy crap, after this - the title is set, which dictates the cover artwork & the entire body of work that is this record. But what if I wake up next week and its ALL WRONG??? What if I hate everything? What if...

Which is essentially where my head was for the past 3 days. Ask anyone who spent time with me in the past 72 hours and they will tell you - I was losing my mind. I couldn't sleep, couldn't articulate a simple sentence, couldn't focus, let alone make any last minute decisions!?! I send Adam maybe 347 emails in the 24 hours before the mastering session, asking him to make all kinds of teeny changes (only to retain like 2 of them). I started second-guessing the title of the album, the overall graphic design, hell - I started to second guess my own name. Ridiculous. Finally Adam sent me an email that helped bring me back to reality:

Here's my little post-mixing-when-you're-unsure check list:

1. If you put off the mastering, you'll just keep making changes, which may or may not be better changes. 

2. The changes you've made thus far are fine but won't effect the course of human history. 

3. In 2 months, you'll feel differently about all the mixes.

Having said all that, you have to be happy with the final mixes at this point in time so whatever you need, I'll do.

So I took a deep breath, had faith in the music I spent the last 6 months perfecting & got through it. More on the actual mastering session next post...

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!

Help me celebrate! Today only - stream a full song from my upcoming album 100 Strong online at whitneynichole.com. Please share with your friends!

How Does One Choose an Album Title?

I was standing in the vocal booth in the studio last week & we were finishing the final vocal tracking for the album. Then it hit me - My album has NO NAME.

*Insert blood curdling scream here.

Like fate, I thought the perfect album title would just hit me somewhere throughout the recording process. You know, like I would be standing in the studio, working on tracking or mixing, and someone would say it aloud & I'd just know *sigh. So romantic, eh?

But that never happened. In fact, I un-romantically obsessed over it for months. Should I self title it? Or is that too obvious? Too self-centered? What about an abstract lyric - something like "My Way Back" or "Know Who You Are." Too cheesy. I was so lost that I was considering random phrases not even in the lyrics, just things I associated somewhat with the writing of some of the songs - "Take Flight" was in the running. BLEGH! I was losing my mind.

I needed something powerful - something that feels like this album. Something that I can live with forever. Something that I am comfortable letting it be the first- and possibly only impression someone has of me. And then, 3 days AFTER finishing tracking, it did hit me. Isn't that just like fate, to smack you at the last minute with something so fitting? So here it is, ladies and gentlemen, the title of my first full length studio album, chosen not only because it is the most personal song on the record, but because it is powerful, it is honest and it is genuinely what this album means to me...

100 Strong

To American Idol, or not to American Idol?

Last month the American Idol Hooplah traveled through San Francisco. Now, let me start by saying that my feelings about AI have been back & forth since it's been on the air. I just loved the first season & still have a warm spot in my heart for Kelly Clarkson (despite the "From Justin to Kelly" blunder). But the competition aspect got old quick... and they lost me for a few years. That is, until Ms. Underwood took the stage. Who doesn't love Carrie!? Since then, I'll love an episode here, or a song there, but I'm not consistently setting my DVR. I'm one of the few that wishes they spent more time on the top 10 talented people, and less time on the total wackjob's they make fun of for the first 10 episodes of the season. It was a step in the right direction when they started allowing the contestants to play instruments - but I'm still waiting for the day when they'll allow them to sing their own songs.

So when a few friends asked if I was going to audition this year - I had to consider it. I've auditioned in the past (which was before I was consistently writing my own music & performing my own music), and it was a completely wretched experience! I'm talking 16 hours in line, outside in NYC, eating whatever semi-nutritious thing I could find at Duane Reade, only to sing not 10 seconds of a song. Then to be told "You've got a great voice - come back next year." Ridiculous! Needless to say, I wasn't keen on the idea of auditioning again this year.

So the registration day rolls around, and its 8am in the morning - I'm on my computer & a friend G-chats to ask if I've gone to register. After chatting for a few minutes I thought - well its only a few blocks away... and next thing I know I'm down at AT&T park surrounded by teenagers dressed like wanna be Miley Cyrus'. Luckily it only took 10 minutes to get registered, because I had gone after the morning rush - but getting back there at 5am on audition day was another thing entirely. I spent the next 48 hours thinking about what an "American Idol" experience would consist of. Sure, if by some magic charm of luck I made it through to the top-whatever-number-people-pay-attention-to, I'd have some kind of recognition. But would I really want to sing covers for 3 months? Drop the promotion of the release of my own album? And what would happen to that album? Could I still release it? Or would I be leashed to whatever major label American Idol works with? And let's be honest - what happens after that 15 minutes? I'd record some shitty songs that someone else wrote and hope they take off? Or worse, what if my consolation prize was doing that god-awful "Idol Tour" they make the top 10 do every year? Could you imagine an entire tour of singing Journey & Whitney Houston?

And that was the moment I ripped off the silly wristband and tossed my ticket. If I'm doing this music thing, it'll be on my own terms. No Ryan Seacrest necessary.

My Next Guest Blog at WCS...

West Coast Songwriter's Conference: Have you mapped out your schedule yet?

Beginning with the Kickoff on Friday – this weekend’s West Coast Songwriter’s Conference is upon us. I was so excited to open up the Handbook & check out the schedule! Can’t believe how much great material they managed to squeeze into one weekend. Here’s what I’m thinking so far:
 
Saturday Morning:
“Are you Housetrained” – a talk on the phenomenon of house concerts. As an independent artist, I’m very intrigued by this seminar! I may poke my head next door to see Steven Memel’s workshop “The Science of Switching On” as well. And then in the other room, Lisa Aschmann is talking about songwriting without instruments. There’s something for everyone!
 
Then in the afternoon:
1pm – Enrique Gonzalez Muller is leading a talk on how to “Trim the Fat from Your Song,” which I’m sure will be helpful. Though I may end up at the “Grammy Panel” of songwriters and producers. “Getting Airplay” is in the 3^rd room and is currently the front-runner on my schedule. Why wouldn’t I want to know more about that?
2:15 – It’s a toss up for me, between Steve Seskin’s “2^nd Verse Curse” and Dave Peck’s “Branding & Using Social Networks.” The creative aspect vs. the business side – which seminar will win out? Enrique will also be doing a continuation of “Trim the Fat” in the 3^rd room.
3:30 – Slightly starstruck here – Lucy Schwartz, co-writer of “Darling I Do” from the latest Shrek movie will be interviewed and I can’t wait to hear all about her journey. Next door, there will be a discussion on “Publishing & Royalties” which may be less glamorous, but important information for budding songwriters nonetheless.
4:45 – Louis Biancianiello will close out the day with an interview. No competition here, because this interview is not to be missed! This is the extremely talented writer & producer who has worked with an impressive list of musicians, including Whitney Houston, Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis, Natasha Bedingield, Jordin Sparks and more.
After dinner you’ll find me at the Sunset Concert!
 
Sunday Morning:
Coffee first – then it’s time for more networking & seminars. Starting the morning off with an interview of Ted Hewitt – or should I attend “Making Money as a Songwriter” with Ned Hearn, Todd Brabec & Jeff Brabec? Then in the 3^rd room, founder of RootMusic, J Sider will be leading “Building Your FanBase & Online Presence” – can’t miss that!
After lunch I’ll probably split my time between “Setting Up a Tour & Managing yourself” and a seminar by the extremely talented songwriter, Bonnie Hayes next door.
2:15 rolls around and I’ll have to choose between Greg Camp (former member & writer of the hit band SmashMouth) and Steven Memel, who will be leading another amazing seminar on performance!
3:30 – I’ll end the day at the Round & Round. Fantastic!
And it doesn’t end there – Song Screenings, One on Ones and Performance Showcases will be happening throughout Saturday and Sunday. The full schedule is online at http://www.westcoastsongwriters.org/the-program. I can’t wait for this weekend!


What’s your schedule?

Full Band at The Hotel Utah!!!

As a songwriter in San Francisco, the Hotel Utah is one of those venues you know you've just gotta play. A building that has been around since 1908, and has true San Francisco history & charm... I've been to their notoriously crowded open mic a few times, and every time I walk through the doors, I think - "Might be time to book a show here."

So when Keeley Valentino emailed asking if I would join the bill in August with her and Natalie Metcalf, I was totally down. From there, the gig took on a life of its own. I asked my sister Shelby to join me, of course, because without her on backup vocals - it just doesn't sound right; the lovely Rebecca on electric cello as always; then Abigail on percussion, and we had been dying for a chance to get her on a full drum set. From there we knew we wanted bass, so I turned to Kevin White who did all the bass recording on the album - he's fantastic. And the cherry on top (yes, Betsy, I just referred to you as a cherry) was Betsy Adams sitting in on guitar. What an amazing group of people! I had such a blast playing with them - & luckily, my friends' boyfriend (and now friend of my own), Colin took some video. Check it!

Blogging for the West Coast Songwriter's 30th Annual Conference!

Excited to be blogging for the West Coast Songwriter's website - I'll be attending their 30th Annual Conference next month & live blogging throughout! Check out my first post:

As September 10th approaches, the kick-off of the West Coast Songwriters Annual Conference, we are working to make this 30th anniversary the most exciting and enlightening yet. To enhance this year's experience - we're introducing a WCS blog live from the event! Written from the perspective of a new member, Whitney Nichole (nice to meet y'all!), we'll be posted updates throughout the weekend. So if you can't make the conference in its entirety, or you just have to miss your favorite speaker to step next door for a song screening - never fear - there'll surely be a blog to fill you in. The lineup this year speaks for itself - check it out here & be sure to register now before it's full!

Catch more online at http://www.westcoastsongwriters.org/!

Mix Playback.

Can you believe its been almost four whole months since we began this process? I can't. This album has now been in the works since mid-April - when I first met Adam and knew it was time. Time to get these songs that I've been writing for years, get them out. Its funny, that it actually has felt something like giving birth (as if I have any clue what that feels like) - but its this living thing I've created. These songs - they move, they grow, they connect with people and have a unique relationship with every person who hears them. And this album feels like something that has moved through me - and I'm now getting ready to send it off into the world.

Getting ready means that I'm listening - over and over - to all the rough mixes we put together. It is nice that Adam is away for a few weeks, and I can spend some time with this record all by myself. We've still got a couple things to finish, and more mixing to do - but the rough elements are there. And I can't wait to share it. Soon... :)

Fancy Pants Recording Session!

So far, tracking for the record has been done in Adam's studio - The Community Musician. I love the Community Musician for many reasons, including:

1. It's super cozy & comfy.
2. The New Orleans painting on the wall inspires/scares me depending on the time of day.
3. Adam gets killer sound on everything - including drums.
4. Currently there is a gorgeous Rhodes in the control room.
5. There is whiskey, tea & chocolate in stock at all times.

However for a couple special songs - namely So Hard & Stranger Things - we wanted to track a performance of a giant Grand Piano, Cello & Live Vocals. Little to no editing, just a straight through shot of the song. These days, a talented engineer or producer can create songs out of very little actual music - and we wanted to go old-fashioned and just give the real raw music. So we turned to the 9th Street Opus Studio. 9th Street Opus is LUCE's (Adam's band) record label - and their studio is equipped with the giant Grand Piano we were looking for.

It was pretty freakin' gorgeous in there. I'm talkin' a real FANCY PANTS studio. I walked in and thought "should've worn my heels!" First of all, it was the size of a house. The kitchen & bathroom had the shiniest of new fixtures and counter-tops. They had a cappuccino maker AND a mini-keg dispenser. The control room was like a movie theater with multiple sets of speakers the size of your front door. And then there was the tracking room.

Twas a fancy day of recording :).

Who Needs the Great American? I'm a House Concert Convert...

Recently I had the pleasure of seeing Megan Slankard & Matt Nathanson perform at a House Concert in San Francisco. It was part of KC Turner's House Concert Series (get on that email list - he has some super performers!) and put on at Peter Finch's house from KFOG. It was lovely. Both musicians were amazing, Peter's house was beautiful and KC was a kick-ass host! I left feeling totally inspired. As an audience member, I felt so connected to Matt & Megan, and appreciated the music far more than some giant arena where I'm staring at a big screen TV's. As a musician - I began planning my very own house concert.

Two, to be exact. Technically the first was the Redding Backyard House Concert. The second, held indoors in SF was so generously hosted by one of my best friends (from childhood) Leigh Renard. She has an adorable place in the Sunset of San Francisco - so we rented some chairs, hit Costco for some snacks and let it happen. We were lucky to have the lovely ladies of Kindness & Lies open the evening, and they were (surprise) a smash! There's just something about women singing 3-part harmony that I'm a sucker for. I was joined by my sister Shelby Grolig, Rebecca Roudman (cello) and Abigail Picache (cajon). I remember half way through the set thinking - this room is packed full of some of the most important & wonderful people in my life. Awesome. And then there was an encore (who knew?!?) so I asked Adam (my producer) to join me on So Hard, which is the oldest song going on the new record! The cheesy moment of the evening was Niall & I doing a cover of one of my favorite songs - Stephin Merrit's "The Book of Love." After which, it turned into a cross-band-audience jam session fading into a party of whiskey & wine. Does it get better than this?

100+ Degrees of FUN!

Last month I had the pleasure of road-tripping it up to Redding with Niall, Shelby & Barry for a show in my hometown. A couple things about Redding; The people are wonderful, the scenery is gorgeous and the Summers are HOT AS HELL. I'm talking 106 degrees hot. So naturally we thought - Outside Concert!

A good friend of mine, Gerry Gitchell, offered to host this Backyard Concert & BBQ - The Willis St. Day on the Green. Despite the heat, it was a great weekend! Hometown hospitality is the best kind. We had a few local businesses sponsor (Special thanks to Kelly Wooden of Chase Bank) and I even had my first interview in the local paper, the Record Searchlight! Gerry's backyard easily fit the 70 guests, and there was a little built-in stage area where we set up the keyboard and PA system. Jamie Clark who is another Bay Area artist, opened up the set. His guitar skills were fantastic and his voice was full of soul and power. That guy knows how to work a crowd!

By the time I took the stage, the sun was setting and you could see Mt. Lassen in the distance. I forgot just how beautiful it is in Redding. I was joined by my sister, Shelby Grolig and then two special musicians - Barry Pfeffer, who played both drums & guitar, and Anthoni Polcari, a local Redding cello player. We even had a surprise showing from the house kitty cat on stage... adorable! It was a blast. People were so supportive, and I spent hours after the show getting to know the people I had just performed for. I can't wait to get up there and do it again!

Water --> Throat Coat Tea w/honey --> Glenlivet straight up.

Vocals in the studio on Monday went like this:

It's been a long few weeks. I can't complain, because I've been singing nonstop. If I'm not in the studio working on the record, I'm lugging my keyboard to Redwood City Plaza for an outdoor show, or driving up to Redding for a backyard concert. It's been so much fun, but it is taking a toll on my voice. I'm so exhausted! Top it all off, I'm fighting off a cold.

So my trip to the studio on Monday was a bit of an uncertainty. We were set to record vocals for my songs "Taken" and "Fight or Flight," but I had no idea if I had the juice for it! I sipped on water, to stay hydrated and we got started. Half way through "Taken" I decided to dive into the Throat Coat - and let me tell you, if you haven't tried this miracle potion, you must! It's like a massage for your tired and swollen vocal chords - and I'm considering just ordering a boat-load online to keep for emergencies. That's right, me with no voice is a freakin' emergency. For me at least. I think for N it's sort of a God-send... But back to the studio: we surprisingly finished "Taken" with very little trouble and it was on to "Fight or Flight." I was a bit nervous because we've modified some of the lyrics and updated the bridge a bit - but we went head first. Adam pulled out the Glenlivet and I took a nice big glass into the vocal booth with me. Oh yeah, it was like 1:30 in the afternoon :) There's something about whiskey and singing - it's my go-to for shows and now its becoming my standard in the studio. Never more than 1 glass, because then it just turns into a sloppy karaoke session (oh how I miss those NY nights), but a little warm fuzzy whiskey helps loosen everything up. Crazy that I'm saying this, but so far, Fight or Flight has been my favorite song to record. Heading to the studio tonight to work on some editing...

Lucky Me.

This guy... I don't think this record would be really happening if it weren't for him. Niall's support has been crucial over the last few years - and I think its no coincidence that after meeting him, I began to take my music career more seriously. He puts me in my place when I'm not working hard enough, helps me breathe when I'm working too damn hard, and has the utmost faith in my music even when I have a hard time finding it. Niall comes to every show, sits in a dark studio for hours of a gorgeous day, and manages to capture it all on his camera so we don't forget a single moment.

And I'm proud to say he's pursuing his passion as well. Niall David Photography is progressing faster than either of us could have imagined - and at this point he's shot for performers at Slims, The Independent, Yoshi's main stage and more. He's taken beautiful pictures of families, musicians, aerialists, landscapes, SF parades & even the occasional clown. Plus, he was just featured as one of Imagekind's Aritst of the Day! Noone captures a moment the way that Niall does.

Lucky me.

Amazing Imogen.

Last Friday was one of those supremely awesome days. I woke up (albeit, a little late, but that's nothing new in my world) to Niall making me some yummy breakfast and much needed strong-ass coffee. He was helping take the pressure off because he knew I was headed to the studio for more vocals (because as we know, I get a little nervous). After a shower and some warm-ups, we were off to the studio. My lovely sister, Shelby, met us at there a bit later. We started with one of my favorite songs, which might actually be my first single - "Hard Enough." It took a few run through's (and quite possibly whiskey-flavored tea) to get comfortable, but after a bit we got it down. Then Shelby was up. I wasn't sure how she would do - performing live & studio recording are completely different beasts... and she nailed it. Sitting there in the booth and listening to her harmonize was definitely one of the most memorable moments of this album so far. I feel so lucky to have such a talented sister, and so lucky that she enjoys singing with me. It was awesome! "Love Again" was next, and was a quickie. Maybe three full runs and we had everything we needed. That felt good :).

The evening only got better. Niall, Shelby & I met up with Barry, Leighdle & Debbie and drove down to the Mountain Winery. We picked up some drinks and dinner on the way, which we ate on a blanket up on the top of that mountain. You could see for miles! Some of our lovely friends from the super-duper band Kindness & Lies joined us and we enjoyed the sunset together. We had SO much fun that we were late (can you believe it?) to the show! The first Imogen Heap song sounded and we all ran like professional sprinters toward the venue. Let me just say this, if you ever have a chance to see a show at the Mountain Winery - don't miss it. It has got to be one of my favorite venues at this point (and I'm excited to see Swell Season there next month)! The beautiful venue was only surpassed by the awesomely talented and always inspiring Imogen Heap. Stream her new album "Ellipse" here. You won't be disappointed. In her live show, Imogen used a pedal board to layer her vocals on top of previously recorded sounds, like birds flocking from overhead trees & harmonics from wine glasses, on top of live sounds she made on stage with her body. It was like watching a scientist work.

A very pretty, musical scientist.

Now for the Best Part...

Recording vocals! This past Tuesday was my first scheduled day of studio time - for just me. And for some reason, instead of being totally psyched, I was nervous! Terrified actually. Why the hell was I nervous? I'm the first to point out my own weaknesses, but when it comes to just singing - I'm pretty confident. So what exactly was so damn scary? I was anxious for days beforehand, and at one point I even started to convince myself that I was sick (not even close) and losing my voice (definitely not). Something told me that I was over-reacting, actually - someone. Niall said to me "You have nothing to be nervous about. This is the best part. You can go in there and do what you do, and no matter what happens, you'll be fine. If you don't like it, Adam can fix it or you can go in another day and re-record it. Don't stress." I took a deep breath and tried to relax. This was supposed ot be the best part...

Tuesday arrived and I was late. I was stressing, trying to prepare for this last minute FREE show I'm playing on Saturday, helping Niall promote his (AMAZING) photography debut coming up next Saturday, and all of the sudden it was time to be at the studio and I hadn't left my apartment yet. Being late is like a disease for me, no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to fix it. So I literally run into the studio and profusely apologize to Adam. If he was pissed, he hid it well, and so we began. The room was dimly lit, with a candle and a small lamp. I took my shoes off - we started with my new song Linger... and the rest was easy. No more stress, no more anxiety - just the 6 hours of music. I let myself get carried away by the melody, and everything happened naturally.

Yep, it was the best part.

Funny Story.

Right before my last show in LA, my opening act called and cancelled. We're talking the day before. I nearly flipped my sh*t. Luckily, she said she knew someone who could fill in. Turns out, her friend and very talented musician, John Torres had agreed to play. I hadn't met him before, so I was looking out for him the night of the show, not quite sure what he looked like in person. So I was setting up for the show - you know, the glamorous load-in that established acts have groupies do, when John walked in.  I was in some super high heels (which I take off while I play anyway, but thats not the point) and I turn and say "Oh, hi! Are you John?  It's so nice to me--"  And then BOOM, I miss a step and face-planted into the beer soaked floor.

Way to make a first impression, Whitney.

It was so tragically embarrassing, that he didn't even laugh. He though I might be actually hurt. Oh yes, it looked that bad. What can I say, I'm a complete klutz. Anyway - Fast forward to showtime and the John Torres band (er, duo) were nothing short of amazing. John on guitar/vocals & Tino on cajon, they are a sexy blend of captivating performance, strong melodies and lyrics that make your heart swell & hurt at the same time. Check 'em out, especially their song Hallelujah, you won't be disappointed. 

First Day of Tracking.

Who wants to spend 7 hours in the studio on a sunny weekend day in May?

um, ME!

Last Saturday was the best day I've had in a long time. I'm talking years. And I barely did a thing. I just listened, commented and took it all in. Niall (my sweet and talented photographer/boytoy/executive album producer) & I went to the studio around 1pm, and arrived to a full house. Adam (awesome producer) was there, along with Betsy (coolest guitar-badass/friend I know), Kevin (bassist extraordinaire) and Brady (drummin' all night long). Betsy is the only musician I knew personally, and I was trusting that Adam had chosen the right drummer & bassist. Aaaand he did. They were awesome. Knew everything backwards and forwards, had cool interesting ideas to add, and best of all, were responsive to Adam and my direction.

So warning, I'm about to lay on the cheese, but... It was nothing short of freakin' magical. They were playing MY songs (specifically, *spoiler alert!* Deaf Ears, Linger & Fight or Flight). And they sounded so real - so full - so awesome. I kept looking over to Niall and smiling - with this HUGE "I'm such a dork - I'm SO excited - this couldn't be cooler" kind of look on my face. I can't wait for you all to hear it.

Special thanks to my sweetness for the photos, capturing something I don't ever want to forget.

Where Does the Time Go?

Things have been so insanely busy lately.

As an independent, DIY artist these days, you have to do everything. I'm talking things that people like Carrie Underwood have a team of 75 people doing. This blog is focused on the making of my first record - which is by far the most exciting and already rewarding experiences of my life. But it is a HUGE undertaking. Supremely time consuming (and $ consuming). The record is all I can think about, but it is just a small percentage of what I'm doing to move forward my music.

These days, I spend my time researching and contacting venues in order to book shows. Keeping my EPK (electronic press kit) up to date, is a job in itself. Updating it with new shows, quotes, mp3s and pictures... sigh. It is a never-ending process. In terms of booking, though, I've been a lucky lately, and a few very cool shows have fallen into my lap; I got a call last week about doing a show at Silos (adorable wine bar) in Napa on July 8th, then an email about doing a daytime gig in Redwood City in June, and most exciting - I'm adding to a bill on August 12th at The Hotel Utah with a new friend, Keeley Valentino (whose songs I can't stop singing - check her out).

Then there is promotion - a whole other animal. I spend hours putting together the Promo Posters for Facebook and all that jazz (and believe me, I'm the furthest thing from a graphic designer). This week's project has been finding sponsors (we just signed on Kelly Wooden with the Redding Chase Bank), setting up places to reserve tickets online and inviting people to a Backyard Concert & BBQ I'll be doing in my hometown on June 26th. It is SOOO exciting, and the man who is throwing it is just WONDERFUL to be offering up his home - Gerry Gitchell. So glad I met him (randomly) in San Fran earlier this year. It's always exciting when friends have ideas for shows - and to see this huge concert materialize is super fun.

Oh then the web updating - keeping my website up to date and relevant, being active on Facebook & Twitter, sending out mailing list emails, running contest like the iPod giveaway I'm doing in July, posting my shows to online publications - and a big push I'm working on - keeping this blog up to date! I have like 6 unfinished entries; I'll get better and more timely, I promise. And I'm trying to feel out the Blog World a bit - figure out what the RSS feed is (is that a really dumb comment?) and meet some more bloggers! Just takes time, I guess.

Notice I have yet to even mention writing music, singing, practicing my piano skills... Some days are like that, where all I do is music business stuff - and I hate going to bed realizing that I didn't play enough music. Because why the hell else am I doing all this other crap? I'm not a promoter, booker, manager, publicist, videographer or web designer at heart; I'm a musician. And if I have to do all of the former in order to make it work; to get my music heard, to earn a living doing what I'm most passionate about, so be it. I'm in this whole-heartedly at this point. There is NO plan B. Eat, sleep, dream, breathe music.

This is it. Here goes everything.

Choosing Songs. Who Knew I was a Commitment-Phobe?

I've been writing songs for over five years now.  Some of them have been god-awful, others I still love.  I think at this point I've written almost 100 songs.  Which makes this process of choosing 11 songs for this record terrifying.  Why 11?  With that number I believe the record has enough substance, but there is also room for growth, if along the way I find funding for more.  The flexibility is comforting.

I've been in and out of the studio recently working on pre-production with Adam.  Choosing 11 songs was almost too easy.  We agreed on almost every decision - and now I have this list.  This list of 11 songs that will go on my very first record.  The weight of that set in on me, and now I'm having second thoughts.  I'm listening to all the songs that didn't make the cut, and I'm feeling sad about them.  Its like they are now officially abandoned, and I feel guilty.  I have friends of mine, people who have supported me over the years, asking why their favorite live song isn't going on the record.  Melodramatic, I realize, but it breaks my heart!

Something I'm considering to soften the impact of all this, is to put out a demo-sampler now, and include live tracks of these songs that won't be on the record.  I've been looking for something to give people at shows, so maybe a live CD would be perfect for that purpose.  Give people enough to get excited about the full-length studio record & give some of those older songs their day in the sun...  Might be just the thing :)

The ASCAP Expo - A Weekend in LA.

This past weekend was the ASCAP "I Create Music" Expo, which I attended for the first time. It was a hefty price (even after my West Coast Songwriters discount it came to 3 whopping hundreds) but totally worth the cash.  Myself at 1,400 other music-loving folk spent 3 full days, as in 9am til midnight, talking about everything in the world of music creation.  I was definitely overwhelmed at times, being surrounded by such beautiful, talented and driven musicians, but the biggest takeaway for me was inspiration.

Among the many panels, a few stand out for me; Linda Perry offering her critique and support of the audience's original songs, meeting Marc Wood (manager for Imogen Heap), Listening to A Fine Frenzy and Ariel Hyatt of CyberPR discuss the ever changing world of social media and online networking, and even meeting Jill Sobule - the woman who trail-blazed the fan-funding of an album, directly leading me to launch the "Be A Part of Whitney Nichole's First Record" campaign (which is still running, and we've already raised almost $1,000!  Truly a weekend full of pioneers in this new music industry we all find ourselves in.

If you can believe there were bigger names, I also saw John Mayer, Jason Mraz, Tricky, Ludacris, Quincy Jones, Justin Timberlake and Bill Withers speak.  Yes, John Mayer is exactly as cocky as you think he is - even using the term "bangin' hot chicks" in his interview.  Jason Mraz is surprisingly tough looking, until he opens his mouth and a tween's voice comes out.  It was interesting to learn that Justin Timberlake is immensely humble, and I found him to be way more experienced and mature than his SNL skits lead on.  My absolute favorite celebrity speaker was Bill Withers, and if you don't recognize the name, shame on you. One of the greatest songwriters alive, and he was down to earth, hilarious, hopeful and inspring.  Among Bill's gems: 

"When you're 3 feet tall at 18 years old, a basketball just ain't the right gift for ya."

"A&R stands for antagonistic and redundant. Some people just don't get it."

"Allow yourself to feel, and you just might get lucky and be a conduit for something profound."

In reference to a question to JT about being sexy, "Now wait a minute, how come you gotta talk to him about sexy?"

Lucky there were some wonderful bloggers at the event, so even if you couldn't make it, you can check out videos and articles here.

No Place I'd Rather Be.

There is no better feeling than being in the studio, planning a record of your own songs.

Yesterday I spent 3 hours after work in the studio with Adam Rossi (The One) working through some of the songs that are going on the record.  Usually when I do 3 hours of anything after a full day's work, I'm miserable and exhausted.  But there's just something about being in the studio that gives you energy you never thought you had.  I totally understand how people can spend 24 hours straight in those places.  They are kinda like casinos in that way.  Except without the depressing old drunkards and skanky waitresses.  Point is, I could have stayed forever.

Special treat of the evening was Niall documenting the experience with his photography skills.  He is such a wonderful support for me, and without him, this record would not be happening.  It is that simple.  So from now on, he shall be known as, Niall David; Executive Album Producer, Photographer & Spoon Specialist.

Searching for The One. Producer, that is.

Finding the right producer is kind of like finding "the one."  There are plenty of fish in the sea, and you go on what feels like a million first dates.  That initial meeting, where you try and find out if you like each others (musical) style, and if there's any chemistry.  some make promises they can't keep, others completely misrepresent themselves.  Sometimes you know immediately if they aren't your type.  In fact, I knew right away when Producer D-bag said to me, "What's the point of live instruments anyway?  The hits are in programming these days..." that we had no future.

Then there are the more promising "first dates" that just fizzle.  I once met with a producer who talked a mean game and promised the world.  He very charismatically told me that he was going to make me 'the next big thing.'  Sidenote: I have no desire to be the 'next big thing.'  Regardless, he had neither the vision nor the talent to back it up.  Finally there are the producers who fib and pad up their experience, only to then buckle under the pressure of recording a 3 song demo.  This process can be daunting, and as all my single ladies can attest, there are just too many Mr. Wrong's.

And just when you've given up hope that anyone will ever get you (or your music), there's the moment you somehow meet the right person.  The moment you just know in your gut that this is the one I've been looking for.  It sounds cheesy, but when I met Adam Rossi, I had that feeling where it just clicked.  In that first meeting we talked about what we were looking for in a project, what he's done, what I've written - and for the first time I was able to really communicate my vision for this record.  He gets it, and I totally dig him for that reason.

I'm a lucky girl, and I can't wait to get back in the studio!!!

My First Record

This is something I've been dreaming of my entire life.

I am about to embark on the making of my very first album. Well, its not my first time in the studio, or even my first time taking part in an album - but this one will be mine. All my music, my ideas, my voice. The songs I've written over the past few years will finally become a finished piece of work, something I can be proud of, something that represents me, as an artist.

There's something about moving to San Francisco that has made this finally happen. Something about the energy here, the people, the beauty. I am more focused on making this record a reality now, because all of the sudden, I feel like I am where I am supposed to be. I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. And it feels good.

I'm selling my car to pay for this record. If you can believe it, that doesn't even cover the cost. So I'm also going to be taking on a loan to make it work. At whitneynichole.com I've made fan-funding an option, and for those of you who like my live music and the demos I've made, you can easily donate to the album and get some really cool things in return.

It might take a while, but I'm going to keep track of the whole process here, at my, ahem, blog. If for no other reason that a journal I can look back on when I'm telling my genius musician granddaughter why music can be a viable lifelong career. This is just the start...