Claire Keepers is a singer/songwriter originally from Tucson, Arizona that is currently living in Portland, Oregon. She is trying to get her music out there to a more diverse audience. She sings a wide variety of songs and considers herself a contemporary singer. She is excited to get her music exposed, and very happy to share her music with you.
Exposed Vocals: How did you hear about Exposed Vocals? What made you decide to sign up?
Claire Keepers: I found out about exposed vocals through twitter! I decided to sign up because I really want to get my music heard and promote myself as an artist to a more diverse audience.
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
Claire Keepers: I was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona. I was always the one kid in school that would always misbehave in class and could never stop talking; I just had a lot of energy that I could never contain! But with that energy came creativity- an outlet to escape from being bullied, really. I actually want to thank those that bullied me growing up because it motivated me to keep singing and writing. I started writing when I was about 6 years old, you know, short stories and such. My first song that I wrote was when I was 8 years old, and since then I have not stopped writing songs. I decided to become an artist just recently, actually. I kind of came to terms with myself that I really am destined to write songs.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
Claire Keepers: You know, I really thought about having a name besides my birth name, but I consider my first and last name unique, I haven’t heard of any other people named Claire Keepers. I like my last name especially, it’s nice.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
Claire Keepers: I basically give my music away for free everyday, for I post my songs on soundcloud. I am currently an unsigned artist, but if I do get an agent I would want to sell my music for a price.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
Claire Keepers: Honestly, I’m in the same boat that they are, so I don’t have too much advice to give. But what I will say is that when someone gives you a compliment, take it, embrace it, and realize that people are acknowledging the talent that you have. I used to never be able to take compliments because of my insecurities, so just really believe when people believe in you.
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
Claire Keepers: Oh yeah, all the time. Back home in Arizona before I left for college, I would do gigs arranged by my mentor and past singing instructor Katherine Byrnes. During some of the gigs, I would sometimes forget lyrics or sing a note that just was not there, and I grimaced on stage. However; having the ability to make a mistake and own the mistake in front of an audience takes a large amount of vulnerability, which is highly respected by the audience. So, when you grimace at a mistake you make (that you know you make), the audience sees that and feels that the energy of the performance just went down a notch. I’m really trying to work on not acting like such a perfectionist and to know that mistakes are going to happen. We are all human.
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
Claire Keepers: I’m definitely not at that point yet to do tours, for I don’t have an agent or manager or anything, but right now I hope to do some gigs around Portland, Oregon, or just the Northwest in general. I consider myself a contemporary/jazz/R&B Singer/Songwriter. I don’t really know what genre to identify my songs. Haha.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
Claire Keepers: A lot of my songs generate from my past and my struggles. I really try to get the message across through my lyrics, and I hope to emote the same feelings that I put into my lyrics for the audience when I perform. This is going to sound weird, but when I look up to the sky, lyrics just fill my head. Lyrics come easier to me than I beat, it usually takes a while to put rhythm to my lyrics. I have a lot of lyrics relating to nature as well. I also like relating my lyrics to social issues, for example, I wrote a song about all the lives lost from mass shootings. When I write, I usually sit down and say the lyrics out loud to try to find a good beat. Then it’s off to my piano, and the creation begins.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
Claire Keepers: I do use many social media sites for my music! I am on soundcloud, (https://soundcloud.com/clairekeepers), as well as Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube.
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
Claire Keepers: Oh goodness, well, I love Christmas, so I have many Christmas songs on my mp3, and yes, I listen to some Christmas songs in like, April. Ha.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
Claire Keepers: I would retire my parents and help my family, first off. I would use the rest of the money to create music programs for youth that can’t afford music schools. I want to ensure that music is a part of every single child’s life, for music doesn’t have to come with a price all the time. I hope to create music programs for youth where they don’t have to pay a penny for instruments, lessons, or music classes. I also hope to create scholarship funds for youth who want to become musicians, so I can help them get into the music schools they want to get in for free.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
Claire Keepers: I actually just made an upgrade from Garageband to Logic Pro X, so I’m feeling that program out right now. I hope to get into a studio if I were to get discovered by someone. An album would be sick.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
Claire Keepers: I promote my music through social media. Social media is so widespread today, that almost everyone is on it somehow. I mainly use soundcloud, but recently I’ve been getting a lot of new followers who are artists as well on Instagram and Twitter, so I can see what other artists are doing to promote themselves.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
Claire Keepers: Oh wow, that’s a hard one. Probably Ella Fitzgerald, just because she is crazy good. If I could have the opportunity to have a conversation with her while scatting, that would be a dream come true. She is incredible, and the way she works her improvisation is breathtaking. I wish she was still alive!
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
Claire Keepers: I’m hoping to get my cousin to design a cover for an album, because I think creating an album would be awesome to post on soundcloud.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Claire Keepers: I would probably be a track athlete, I used to run hurdles in high school!
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
Claire Keepers: My first album that I bought was The Cheetah Girls Album. Yeah, it was a cheesy Disney movie, but some of the vocal tracks on that album were pretty sick to listen to as a 10 year old!
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Claire Keepers: Oh jeez, you mean how am I learning to juggle my responsibilities? Haha. Well, currently I’m in the process of deciding if I want to commit to music or social work, because I don’t know how they would intersect. As of now, I’m a social work major with a jazz studies minor, but I’m just trying to discover what I really want as an artist. As of music, it is always a priority in my life, and it usually comes first before a lot of things because it’s what I love to do.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
Claire Keepers: More original songs, I’m working on one right now called “Look Up”, and a others. I hope to also do a cover of “Lean On” by Major Lazer & DJ Snake. And maybe if things don’t get too crazy, and album of my originals on soundcloud! I hope to call the album, “Curious”.
Thank you for the opportunity to have an interview! You are awesome!
