Delve into the Mind of Rising Nashville Artist Alyce as She Shares Insights into Her Music Career
ALYCE © 2024
Today we have the pleasure to have Alyce on Goathead!
GH: Hey Alyce, Nice To Meet You And Great To Have You Here! What inspired you to start writing music?
ALYCE: I would say my biggest inspiration for writing music comes from being such a genuine fan of it. I grew up with a mother who always played music on full-blast and took me to concerts, the ballet, and Broadway shows. Some of my favorite memories are when my mom would come home from work late at night, and if I was still awake (which I almost always was), would take me on drives just to simply listen to music and sing at the top of our lungs. When I was 12 years old I begged for a guitar for my birthday and after buying one at the nearest Guitar Center, I went home and locked myself in my room. I then spent the following weeks teaching myself to play to Taylor Swift’s Red album, which quickly led to me writing my own songs.
GH: Can you tell us more about your experience performing live at gigs and what was the most memorable experience you had?
ALYCE: I’ve been performing since I was a child, which is funny to say because to this day I struggle with stage anxiety. Even as a kid I always knew if I didn’t want to do something out of fear, and it wasn’t actually dangerous, then I probably should do it. That being said, one of my favorite performances is still my first live band performance. I was 17 years old and it was at an NYU songwriting summer intensive showcase. It was my first time playing songs I wrote with live instruments other than my guitar and I truly felt so happy and it was my first time feeling like I really belonged somewhere.
GH: How is your process of songwriting set around?
ALYCE: My songwriting process looks different depending on who it’s with/what’s available in the write. When I write on my own it’s usually just me finding some chords and a melody I like, then writing whatever lyrics come to mind. Sometimes if I’m in a rut I’ll look through different title ideas or one liners that I have saved in my Notes app. When I’m in a co-write I tend to lean more towards directing story-lines and melodies, but as a songwriter you have to be willing to adapt your role depending on whoever else is in the room that day and what their strengths are.
GH: What motivates you to create music and bring awareness to different situations through your songs?
ALYCE: My main motivation for creating music is truly just the way good music makes me feel. I’ve struggled for what feels like my entire life with mental health. Whether it be anxiety, depression, or ADHD, music has always gotten me through the tough days. I’d love to say, “I write songs to help others” but I don't. I write songs because sometimes it’s the only way I know how to process things. I believe there’s a danger in trying to create music for others, because then artists tend to focus too much on relatability. Will people understand this? Is it too specific and niche? Maybe if we say it like this it’ll be more relatable and more likely to go viral? Sadly, these are questions I’ve found myself trapped in and therefore have decided that creating music more selfishly is what leads to the really great stuff. That’s how you say something different about a topic that's already been written about a million times. It’s more authentic to create without the “I’m gonna change lives'' savior complex. We’re musicians, not neurosurgeons. By simply being yourself and being vulnerable, you’re giving people the gift of permission to do the same.
GH: Could you share some insights into your next projects?
ALYCE: I’m genuinely so excited to share everything I’ve been working on! I’m currently in my country/pop era and really enjoying pushing myself out of my comfort zone with my latest single “Urban Cowboy” and my next one “Western Vibe”. I was already in the process of getting songs for my following project recorded when these two songs came out of nowhere, back to back. My future project is very pop/rock focused, so having these songs just come to me out of the blue and randomly deciding to release them (despite some feedback telling me to stay in my lane) has been so fun and so playful. The way I see it is I’ve always been a multi-genre listener, so why should I restrict myself to only creating within one genre? Why can't I have a country project and then a pop/rock project? Real people can't be put into a singular box, so why do we expect that from artists? I shouldn't have to wait till I've "earned my place" in the industry to take risks and push boundaries. I’m so thankful for artists like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, who’ve paved the way so smaller artists, such as myself, have the courage to create music without so many restrictions.
Don't Forget To Follow Alyce On Instagram And Listen To Her Music On All Streaming Platforms
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