What are the things you do to maintain your mental and physical well being while on the road?

When touring, I put a heavy emphasis on blocking out alone time, since usually you're around 1-5 people at all times, not to mention the show itself. At my level, a green room isn't something that's always guaranteed at venues. To combat this, I love to hit up local coffee shops or breweries on little solo missions; kinda just stuff for me. 

How do you move past the anxiety that your societal worth is placed on your production? 

I try to remember that the world is huge. There are plenty of amazing artists all trying to do their best and put on awesome shows, and they're all different! I try and take that in from a perspective of gratefulness for whatever value I hold for the folks who like my music.

What does daily life look like for you currently? Do you have a day job - or some sort of side hustle to supplement money for being a musician? What do you do for work? 

When I'm not touring, I work a full time job. I am a lead bartender at a popular craft brewery here in Boston. To be candid, I dedicate a lot of my time and energy into this job, probably just as much as I invest in my music. I am genuinely passionate about craft beer and I find joy in working service, but It does tend to eclipse my artistic efforts at times. On the contrary, I feel it helps me take the pressure off in terms of the success of my work, though. As, currently, music is not my main source of income, it keeps it fun. 

Do you feel like there is financial, and emotional sustainability and stability in being a touring musician? Or do you have an alternative plan down the road?

I do think there is sustainability in this line of work! I think it takes a lot of time, flexibility, skill, and dedication. But, I have so many friends who work their ass off and crush it touring all the time. I don't know what it means for me, personally. Even though I've seen so much growth in the past 8 years, I sometimes worry my skill set isn't as diverse as it needs to be for it to be my main gig. Maybe one day I'll start brewing beer on my own and try that out for a bit, who knows! 

Do you feel like you’re seen as childish for pursuing music as a career? 

To some people from older generations, absolutely. I'm grateful and lucky to have parents that "get it" in the best way they can, but I know that's not the case for everyone. However, I do see a lot of support and pride from friends and coworkers who aren't as plugged into the indie scene. I think it can be empowering to know there are folks out here still chasing that dream. 

Have you thought about quitting music? What prompted it and what ultimately caused you to want to continue? 

I think about quitting all the time. I think the choice to keep going can be a hard one, especially on this huge network online with a wealth of people to compare yourself to. Couple that onto making virtually no money, and it can be tough to feel like this is the right thing to spend your time on .For me, I have to remember why I do this and what it means for me to be an artist, and that financial or commercial success was never what lead me down this road. 

What’s the weirdest place you have slept on tour?

One time four of us crashed in this dudes living room, and there was a futon the he told us his other friend already had dibs on, so we all slept on the floor with an empty futon in the room until that guy showed up at like 4 AM. All night I kept bumping my foot into something kinda sharp and the next morning I discovered it to be a machete, just on the floor. *shrug*

What’s your favorite and least favorite thing about touring for you? 

Excluding the shows themselves, my favorite thing is eating regional foods and trying local beers and just getting a feel for a city through what folks are eating there! My least favorite part of tour is having to fall asleep in foreign places after the energy rush that is performing, it is very difficult for me! 

Why do you create? 

I dedicate my life to doing this work because I feel a spiritual obligation to do so, through my talents and my lineage. I do this because my dad was supposed to, but he can't anymore. I know my voice is unique and my niche is small and I want to represent my corner of the venn diagram that is our world in a way people can be proud of. I feel the most me as the singer with the song. 

Who are you listening to currently that inspires you?

I have been listening to tons and tons of Dan Reeder and Joanna Sternberg. I've been so fixated on folk music for the past year, and love making connections to how lyrically it can mirror rap music. Dan and Joanna's lyrics and song structures really inspire me  to mess with the expectations of what a rap song can be. But also, I've been working on an acoustic guitar record myself, and their works have been a wealth of knowledge!