SOULDEGA: How did you get introduced to music? Furthermore, who or what inspired you to become a performance artist?
APRIL: My family is very musically inclined, so I’ve been around music my entire life. My mother is a classically trained pianist, my father is a singer/songwriter and bassist, and my three siblings all play instruments (violin, clarinet, piano, drums, etc.) Needless to say we had a loud house! My grandmother actually required all of her children and grandchildren to learn piano and my aunt inspired me to play violin as that was her instrument growing up. She gave me her violin when I was in the 4th grade and the rest was history! I learned to compose/transpose music in high school and didn't start songwriting until after college.
SOULDEGA: You are a classically trained violinist and pianist. Are there any obstacles for you when singing on stage and playing your instruments at the same time?
APRIL: I’m actually only classically trained on the violin! I taught myself how to play piano when I was small. I don’t really have much difficulty playing and singing simultaneously but I do suffer from anxiety and a bit of stage fright! To keep myself grounded, I make sure I meditate before all of my performances.
SOULDEGA: s a part of the group April + VISTA, you and your partner mattVISTA create amazing music together. From your first EP “Lanterns” to your latest single “Every Void”. How would you describe your journey thus far?
APRIL: Firstly, thank you! That’s a big question–it’s been an incredible journey of self-discovery, a masterclass on collaboration (between us both and with others), and our overall view of the world around us has widened greatly now that we've been able to travel. We’ve dealt with obstacles that felt almost Sisyphean in nature and, at the same time, breezed through things we never thought we could. So far, we’ve learned how to stay firm in our confidence even when people around us don’t see what we see. I always say it’s a marathon, endurance makes for a strong career and strengthens your sense of purpose.
SOULDEGA: What is your favorite song to perform live?
APRIL: My personal favorite song to perform is actually something we’ve never recorded–a cover of Radiohead’s “Pyramid Song”. Not only is it one of my favorite songs ever, but the lyrics alone help me stop time on stage and really dial into my emotions and feel the audience. There’s a line that repeats: “there was nothing to fear and nothing to doubt…” that mantra right there gets me in the zone and takes all the jitters away.
SOULDEGA: What advice would you give to musical artists coming up today, especially with the influence of the internet?
APRIL: Where do I begin! We’ve learned a great deal and I’m having trouble narrowing it all down into a few words. The first thing is to let go of the idea of “aspiring” to be an artist. If you’ve written a song, you’re a songwriter. If you’ve produced a song, you’re a producer. Take on the title and stand tall–doing so fortifies your confidence which will be your lifeline. My second piece of advice is to learn as much as you can about the business. We are in the Information Age–everything is one click away. You should have a solid understanding of each occupation (manager, tour manager, booking agent, A&R, PR, marketer, lawyer, creative team, etc.) because you're going to have to wear almost all of these hats when you're first starting out. When you do get to a point where you can build a team, having that understanding will help you decipher if they're doing their jobs effectively.
SOULDEGA: If you could open a show for any artist, living or deceased, who would it be?
APRIL: Oh man, I might have to give you more than one answer! Radiohead and/or Thom Yorke, the Gorillaz, Hiatus Kaiyote and Flying Lotus!
