Exposed Vocals: How did you hear about Exposed Vocals? What made you decide to sign up?
Harmony: I received a message in my Reverbnation account, inviting me to be interviewed, so I headed over to Exposed Vocals and set up a profile.
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
Harmony: I was born in Peekskill, New York. I was raised by my Dad’s parents, so when they retired we moved to Dunedin, Florida. I spent most of my time in my room listening to records and my radio. I decided very early that I loved to sing and adored music.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
Harmony: I used the name Harmony for all my musical endeavors because, I sang alto in school chorus and the altos usually sing the harmony of the song. I hate drama and conflict of any kind and so Harmony seemed to be a very good name to describe my personality and my desire for our country and our world.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
Harmony: I think there are a few reasons to share music for free. I have the best fans in the world! The number one reason to share for free is to thank my fans. They are, after all, the reason Exposed Vocals eventually came to hear of me and my music. Another reason, is to gain exposure around the globe. I share all my cover songs for free with my fans. I only charge on downloads of my originals songs.
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?
Harmony: I would love to help smaller or local bands in any way I can, but I am just now gaining some exposure myself. I have done all of my music promotion and production myself, at home. I think that the online music communities like Exposed Vocals, and Reverbnation are a very helpful resource for new independent artist. It is how I got started.
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
Harmony: Everyone makes mistakes! Of course, I make mistakes. Sometimes I shake it off with a smile, but when performing, I think the best thing is to imagine that no one in the audience has even noticed it. I believe that musical people are extreme in their desire to be perfect. We tend to be our own worst critics. Sometimes, we need to relax a bit more and just move on. Mistakes are a part of life and are not usually the end of the world.
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
Harmony: I have not yet enjoyed the pleasure of being on tour. I have only sung in my home towns and really only in a recreational capacity. I did sing live on 97.7 in Dover Delaware outside the Dover Mall in the months following the attack on the Twin Towers in 2001. I sang an original acapella song entitled, You Can’t Kill The American Spirit because I wanted to do my part to support and comfort our nation at a very sad time in it’s history.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
Harmony: My songwriting inspiration always stems from deep emotion. Sometimes, the inspiration may be as simple as a conversation I have with a friend, or even a casual acquaintance, or it can come from a line of dialog that strikes a chord in my heart while watching a movie. The songs on my new CD album release “Seasons Of Love” are largely autobiographical. It is called Seasons of Love because it features songs about the many stages of love in a life. Beginning with the love of God and parents, and continuing on to describe romantic love in all of its stages. The dreamy, blissful, new love stage, to boredom sadness and disillusion and the loneliness of separation from the one you love.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
Harmony: I have a band page on Facebook and I use online music profiles for Country and Rock Music on Reverbnation. I have music for sale there at Reverb and also on Itunes, Amazon, CD Baby and other sites around the web.
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
Harmony: Hello Muddha,Hello Faddah! (Letter home from camp).
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
Harmony: Why? Are you offering? Just Kidding! Well, let me see… I have always had to budget and save. I think I would just bank most of it. Set up trust funds for my kids and not have to worry about how to pay my bills.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
Harmony: I have never been in a professional recording studio… but it is on my bucket list. I have done all my work at home.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
Harmony: I have business cards and I work Facebook, Reverbnation and other online sites. That’s all I do. I am a home healthcare aide and I only sing and promote online…Totally undiscovered. but totally happy to share my music and voice online.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
Harmony: I would love to have had a chance to perform with Karen Carpenter. She is the reason I fell in love with music and singing. I have been told numerous times throughout my life that I remind people of her. I take this as a huge compliment. She was taken from us all much too soon, and as far as I am concerned, there will never be another singer to match her amazing, soulful vocal quality. I loved her dearly from afar and I attribute all my success so far and into the future to her. R. I. P. sweet Karen, you are dearly missed.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
Harmony: Just more writing and promotion. I am really looking for someone to buy the rights to my original songs. I would love to have an established artist record them and get them out to the masses.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Harmony: Spending my time with my fiance’ and my cats and my dog.
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
Harmony: I never really bought albums for myself as a child. However, when the movies Saturday Night Fever and Grease hit the theaters, I ran out to buy the soundtrack albums so I could sing along with them in my room, in front of my mirror into a curling iron, pretending it was a mic. What was on my mind, was learning the songs and becoming the very best singer that I could be.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Harmony: I go to work each day and post online whenever I can. I lead a simple life and aside from work there are very few distractions. Music will always be a part of my soul…. Whether or not I make it much further is really not the point. I do it because it is fun, I do it because it might touch a heart or two. I do it for the music itself.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2015?
Harmony: I have a new Podcast on Spreaker called The Soundtrack Of My Life. Episodes 1 & 2 are already posted. I have some of my pre-recorded songs included in the podcasts but I also comment and try to connect with the fans on a more personal level. Hope you all will listen to every episode. To my fans I would like to send out a hearty Thank You! You are all the reason I sing. Peace, Harmony
