Page 62 - ION Indie Magazine MarchApril 2021

MH: What trends or changes throughout the years of the modern jazz/R&B world
have you noticed?

SKC: I really wouldn’t call myself an expert on the recent trends in jazz, but I love the genre
blending I’ve seen in modern jazz. Someone like Amy Winehouse, who found a great
intersection between a soulful jazzy vocal sound and big band instrumentation, but with
more modern pop style arrangements. Or someone like Norah Jones, whose songs have
such a jazz influence, but live in more of a folk/pop world.

MH: How do you balance the music with other obligations, i.e., family, school, job?

SKC: It’s difficult to balance my music career with being a full-time college student at a
pretty challenging university. I always have a million things on my to-do list, but that’s
honestly how I like it. I’ve always been someone who sort of thrives on a busy schedule, so
it’s not necessarily a problem for me. Something I easily fall into is prioritizing my music
career above my mental and physical health or putting it before my relationships to friends
and family. My acting teacher in college (Cindy Gold) always emphasized that being an
interesting, fully human person was an important part of being an actor, and I think the
same goes for music. At the point where you’ve spent your whole life developing your craft,
to the point that you’ve missed out on friendships and relationships and travel and human
experiences, is that really life? Are you really going to be making good music if you’re just
a music-making machine? I don’t think so. I have to remind myself a lot that it’s okay to be
a person.

MH: What plans do you have for 2021? Any new music coming up?

SKC: I just released my first single, ‘Moon River,’ on all streaming platforms. That’s what is
playing as you read this. On February 6, I’m doing a livestream concert in a studio with High
Plateau Productions. I’m planning on releasing a live from the studio album from that, which
will be mostly jazz standards. After that, going to start focusing on the originals I’m doing
with Emma. We’re trying to get that one out by the end of the year.

MH: Thank you Stella for talking with me and our readers. Any last inspiring words?

SKC: I’d say to any aspiring musicians that you can’t be afraid to put yourself out there. It
took me so long to post singing videos on the internet because I was worried people would
judge me or think I wasn’t good enough. But if you aren’t putting yourself out there, how is
anyone going to see you? I know it sounds cliche, but you really do have to believe in
yourself first, or you can’t expect anyone else to believe in you. One more extra story as
well that didn’t fit anywhere…going to see the Preservation Hall Jazz Band in New Orleans
was also a revelatory experience. I had never seen live jazz like that before and it moved
me so deeply. I remember sitting there and soaking it all in. It felt like the concert was 10
seconds long even though it was over an hour. I laughed, I cried, etc. That night made me
realize the deep love I have for this genre of music. I had another revelatory moment like
that when I was driving home from college at the beginning of the pandemic. I was listening
to old Terry Gross interviews (I’m such a nerd for NPR). I listened to one with Susannah
McCorkle talking about her career trying to make it as a jazz singer. Then I was listening to
her interview with Doris Day. They played Doris Day singing ‘Que Sera Sera,’ and I just lost
it. I started crying because I had started feeling really distant from music the previous year
and I was starting to think of giving up on singing. Then I had this realization…I thought to
myself, “You know what, I clearly love this music. It’s making me cry because I love it so
much. Even if no one wants to hear it, I’m going to sing like this.’ And now I guess people
want to listen, because here I am!