this photo was taken last night, Winter was kind enough to answer some questions even though this has been a super crazy week for her. She's been getiing ready for her CD release (WOOOOOOOOOOO!!!), that we have all been waiting for, and doing a bunch of interviews at the chronicle, free press, houston press, and 002. Dang! that's a lot of interviews!
1. how long have you been performing? and how did it all start?
I've been performing for...somewhere around 13 or 14 years, maybe a little more. I started out singing back up vocals for a worship team that my uncle lead. Then I started singing at a camp for people involved with music and the arts. I was 12. I remember singing the audition song..it was from the Little Mermaid. You know the classic Ariel tune that we ALL have sung at some point in time. "Look at this stuff Isn't it neat? Wouldn't you think my collection's complete? Wouldn't you think I'm the girl,the girl who has ev'rything?" Very embarrassing. I remember my cousins laughing so hard when I did the talking parts of that song. What can I say. I was TWELVE. : )2. who are the members of your band and how did they become your band? It's a bit of a long story. I'll be brief to spare you all of boredom. I met Nolan Burke, our guitarist/music director 6 years ago. We instantly clicked musically and began working on songs I'd been doing with another composer and also on new songs that we wrote together. Then I went on a VERY spontaneous trip to Hollywood to see Fiona Apple perform. I didn't have a place to stay so a friend of mine called in a favor and I crashed on the couch of some of her friends that lived there. Both of her friends were drummers from the Hollywood's Musician's Institute. One of the guys..who's name is Asher Pudlo, moved back to town and began playing drums for me. He brought his best friend Kris Noland along, who happens to be fantastic pianist. And just last year we discovered Michael Razmandi who joined us to play bass.
3. have you ever sung on someones album before? Just a few. I sang with Jacob Meador on his latest album, before that I did some background vocals for a christian artist named, Blake Quimby...and I did a teensy weensy(but fun) part on the album "Rumors of War" by a band called Eldridge quite some time ago.
4. what are your top 3 favorite albums? artist/ album name
When the Pawn by Fiona Apple, Overture and Underscore by Sarah Blasko,Life in Slow Motion by David Gray, and Has a Good Home by Final Fantasy..that's four, but I can't help it.
5. what did you grow up listening to?
6. do you sing in the shower? No, not really. I hate showers. Showers are equivalent to doing the dishes. Boring routine blah blah blah. do you sing in the car? Definitely. I would say....98% of the music I write is created while driving. I drive a lot. It's completely isolated. I know I'm alone. It's great. No one can hear me and I am free to make up hideous and/or beautiful arrangements of notes without any criticism. It's just peaceful.
7. have you ever experienced your voice going out in the middle of a show? Not going out, but I've had some medical issues as of late with my larynx which is super frustrating and causes a lot of problems during my performances. Sometimes my voice gets tired quickly and I'm straining to finish the set. I haev to clear my throat and cough a lot. It's a little annoying but I'm working on it.
8. favorite places to perform? Oh boy. Man. Any place with a kind face is my favorite.
9. if you could perform anywhere in the world where would it be? Hmm.. London. anywhere in London would do. I just love it there.
10. do you have a good luck charm or a routine that kind of calms you before you get on stage? no good luck charms or anything. do you ever get nervous? You know, I used to get really nervous in the beginning but I've been through some traumatic performances and it really makes you chill out. bad things are bound to happen, it's your attitude about those things that will make or break you, in my opinion.
11. did you take voice lessons? your voice is so beautiful! hahaha, thanks! No, i was never a fan of voice lessons because I was afraid it might change the way i sing or the way i think about singing. i dont want to think in technical terms, i just want to let whatever happens..happen.
12. how old are you? 25
13. how would you describe your music to someone. hmm...genre-wise? i would refer to it as indie rock i suppose. its always so hard to pinpoint genres and things.
If you live in houston, bring a friend and come out to Gallery M Squared (the heights) for Winter's CD release!
Finnegan and Robert Ellis will be opening up for them.
guys- if you have good taste in music and are trying to impress a girl on a first date this will blow her away!
girls- once you hear winter's voice you will wish you were born with those pipes maybe even hate her a little but once you meet her, you'll wanna be her friend for life!
if your planning on coming out tonight, I will see you there!
b