Paige Keiner is one busy little bee, making all the buzz she can within the vast majorly of her ways of life. That said, this up-and-comers of sorts, has got a lot going for herself, ranging from a handful of singles, playing shows, taking part of being in a band aside from her own works, down to releasing more content in the form of YouTube videos and much more down the line! Paige herself, took some time out of her busy time frame to disclose all of the activity that is buzzing in and out of her life.
NP: Why did you think that using your real name Paige Keiner was the right choice for a music career, as opposed to changing the name to something else? What is it about people wanting to name projects after themselves?
For a while I did think about trying to come up with a stage name, but honestly, nothing felt right! I have always just been Paige; I just couldn’t see myself using a different name. I think I wanted to have my music under my real name because I’m proud of the music I write and it really is such a personal thing.
NP: Where do you take inspiration from in regards to writing/making music and everyday life?
My inspiration comes from anywhere and everywhere. My songs could be about a personal situation I’ve been through, or they could be about something hypothetical. You can never tell when inspiration is going to strike, so I try to have a notebook or my phone with me at all times just in case something comes to me and I need to write it down. I have tons of lyrics in the notes section of my phone that are nowhere near finished — some of them are literally just a couple of words that I thought could turn into a cool hook one day. It is a process and it doesn’t all happen at once… I might write something down and then not use it for years, only to be looking through my notes one day and think hey, maybe I could do something with that.
NP: In your opinion, what is the best way to define your sound?
I always say that my sound is pop rock, but the truth is that it is really evolving all the time. I am doing my best to make my music really reflect my personality, and that is a process. I love using live instruments in my songs, but I also enjoy incorporating loops and machines to give the tracks a more modern feel. It is all about finding a balance, so that’s why I’d say my music is a little bit of both pop and rock.
NP: What are your main musical influences? How huge is their influence in your sound?
I am absolutely in love with Sia’s voice and her music. I think it’s so cool how she layers all of these different vocal elements within a single song. There will be a little run or something that only appears one time throughout the whole song, but it’s so great because it’s unique; her music isn’t just the same thing over and over again, and I think that makes it really interesting. Lately I’ve been trying to do something similar in my music by incorporating a lot of vocal layering; that’s something you’ll be able to hear more in music I haven’t released yet! So stay tuned for that.
NP: Are you all supported by your relatives towards your devotion to music?
Yes, 100%. My parents and family are my biggest fans. My dad is my roadie and both my parents manage my career and help me book gigs. I am in charge of the music, but they handle a lot of the rest. It means so much to me that they care enough to come to every single gig and make sure I get the chance to pursue every musical opportunity that comes my way. I truly wouldn’t be where I am musically if it weren’t for their endless support.
NP: Do you have any other hobby beside music?
I am actually really passionate about doing makeup! I watch a lot of makeup tutorials on YouTube and am always anxious to try out new products and techniques. To me, it’s another way that I get to be creative; it is literally art that you can wear. Just like in music, there are no rules in makeup. I love getting to try new things and see how they turn out – and worse comes to worst, you can just wipe it off and start again.
NP: You mentioned of releasing new YouTube content soon enough, can you disclose as to what content this may be? Would you say it is new music or a new web series of sorts?
Yes! I am so excited for all of the videos I have been working on and the ones I plan to film soon. I have a ton of ideas to really amp up my YouTube channel; it’s something I definitely want to get into more as I think it’s such a great platform to be able to interact with fans and other musicians. The videos are sort of a web series; I am going to be posting some “4-Chord Cover” tutorials for beginning guitarists, in case they need some help getting some simple tunes under their belt. I will also be posting videos about songwriting, including my tips and tricks, and about gigs. I am going to be releasing a video in which I explain and show all the items I’ve realized that I absolutely have to have at a gig, as well as the items that you might want to have on hand in case of an emergency. I want to keep musicians who are just starting out gigging from having to learn the hard way that you should always keep extra 9 volt batteries on hand for your guitar! Things like that.
NP: You’re currently a student majoring in Music and English, how are your studies coming along? How do you see education affecting your music career, is it helping or not helping in anyways?
My studies are going well! I really cherish the time I’ve spent in college so far and am excited for the next two years. I think that being a college student has helped me grow in a lot of ways, and that’s always good for a developing career. I have learned so much, not only in class, but about myself, and that can only be a good thing for an artist in my opinion. It does get hard sometimes to keep up with everything I have going on musically while staying on top of my coursework, but I make it work because I want to be able to do both. I have found ways to keep developing as an artist while I am away at school, like writing and performing in student groups. I recently joined a band that will start rehearsing and performing this coming semester, so I can’t wait to develop my performance skills and electric guitar playing even more through that.
NP: Can you tell me about the band and rock a cappella group you’re involved with, how did all of this come to be and what is the current buzz about them?
I am beyond excited to have joined a band! We will have our first rehearsals and performances this coming semester and I can’t wait to get to work. Performing with a band is something that I really have missed while being away at school, so I am really excited to get back to that type of performance this semester. My a cappella group is the only rock a cappella group at my university; we are a somewhat newer group (only 8 years old) but we have recently been making a pretty big splash at school-wide performances! Can’t wait to see what’s next for us.
NP: You went on to release a song commemorating the Pulse shooting that occurred in Orlando, Florida, elaborate this for us?
The day after the Pulse shooting happened in 2016, I was really distraught. I felt helpless. Usually when tragedies happen they are far away, but this one was 20 minutes from my house. I wanted to do something to help but I had no idea what to do… When I tried to donate blood I was turned away because they had already collected enough. All I could think to do was write about it, so I wrote my song “A Love This Loud” to try to wrap my head around what had happened. I ended up organizing a benefit concert called Women Rock for OneOrlando to benefit the families of the victims and employees of Pulse who had been affected, but even at the concert I wasn’t able to sing my song; it was still too soon. I decided to post a video of the song this year, on the anniversary of the shooting. I felt that it was important for people in Orlando to know that it is okay to struggle with this; although I didn’t know anyone who was at Pulse that night, it hurt me to see my community struggling with something so senseless. I think it is important for us to remember what happened, and remember how crucial it is to try to spread love in our daily lives.
NP: When it comes down to your music, you have 12 singles with another song underway, why not take said releases putting them towards a full-length or EP release? Or is that what you plan to do?
Good question! I have actually considered doing this but I wasn’t sure it would be something people would want, since the songs have already been released as singles. It is definitely something I have toyed with the idea of doing, as it would be nice to have an LP in my discography. For now though, I think I will just be releasing more singles.
NP: What is in the works, as far as any new music goes, can you disclose anything?
I have a new song that is almost ready to be released! It just needs to be mixed and mastered. I am so incredibly excited about this song. My team and I have been sitting on it for a while now, but it’s been hard to keep quiet about it because I genuinely feel that this song represents my sound and my style better than any of my others. It is a new direction for me, but this song just feels right. It should hopefully be released before the end of the year! I can’t wait for everyone to hear it.
NP: How about plans in general for the rest of this year, what do you have in-store?
Like I said, I am trying to get my new track released before 2017 ends! I am also so excited to really dedicate myself to my YouTube channel and get some new content out there, and hopefully interact with the fans more through that platform. I’m stoked to get back to school and get into rehearsals with my band and a cappella group. I feel good about the next few months; I can’t wait to see how they play out.
NP: Thanks a lot for the interview. Speak out to your fans, supporters, critics and our readers before we wrap up!
Thank you so much for interviewing me, and thanks to the fans for reading! I am so thankful for everyone who supports me and wants to see me succeed. Thank you so much for listening to my music and being the reason I do what I do. I hope that you like what you hear, and that you’ll stick around as I continue to release new music and content! If you’ve never heard of me before reading this, I hope you’ll go ahead and check out my music on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, ReverbNation, and my website (paigekeiner.com). I would also love it if you would follow my social media sites so you can keep up with me! I would love to hear from you if you have any comments about my songs, performances, and videos. I couldn’t be more thankful for you guys.
NP: Is that your final answer?
Yes! Thank you so much Skope Mag for the interview! It’s been a blast.
By: Natalie Perez
