Interview with Zoe Elisabeth
Read the interview we did with Zoe, a teen singer/song-writer.
Below is the conversation between Ella T and Zoe!
Question 1: please introduce yourself, age, passions, and anything else you would like to add
Zoe: My name is Zoe Elisabeth and I’m seventeen. I’m an indie and country singer-songwriter. Music is my big passion and I pretty much spend all my time practicing or writing and recording songs. I also love writing and doing theater.
Question 2: When did you first get introduced to singing/songwriting and how did you first get introduced?
Zoe: I used to like writing songs when I was little because I was really into Taylor Swift. I always said I wanted to move to Nashville and write country songs one day. I kind of fell out of doing it for a while but then in ninth grade I started learning the guitar and that inspired me to start writing songs again. I started taking voice lessons around that time too.
Question 3: That’s very exciting! What is your preference when singing, covers or originals?
Zoe: I really like singing originals. Songwriting is how I got into music and I love being able to get out anything that’s on my mind by just writing a song about it. I like singing covers too but there’s also pressure with those to sound as good as the original. Originals are also just fun because pretty much everything I write is about my real life so it’s kind of like sharing all my secrets with strangers.
Ella: That’s a good point. It must be full of pressure with covers
Question 4: I see that your first single “My Starry Sky” is coming out on Friday. Do you mind talking about it?
Zoe: Sure! This is a song I wrote about a year and a half ago. It’s sort of about how hard it is for people to connect when they keep their emotions closed off. I recorded it in my bedroom on Garageband, and I’ve been working on it for a really long time because I really wanted to capture a certain feeling with the song. It’s coming out on Friday and I’m so excited to finally share it!
Question 5: I’m so excited for you! Who is your biggest inspiration as a singer/songwriter?
Zoe: I have so many but the main one is probably Kacey Musgraves. I love her voice and her whole musical style, but I also just love how she doesn’t care what people think about her. She takes risks and doesn’t just make music based on what she knows will be successful. I also get a lot of lyric inspiration from Lord Huron, and I also love Lissie, Jade Bird, and Angus & Julia Stone.
Question 6: are there any singing/songwriting career goals that have opened up?
Zoe: My goal is pretty much just to make it as a musician enough that I don’t have to have a separate day job. I’m planning to study songwriting and music business in college and then probably move to Nashville. I really want to do a lot of touring because playing live and meeting new people is amazing. Right now I’m just focusing on playing at coffee shops and restaurants where I live and releasing music.
Ella: Wow that’s very impressive! Question 7: Has it been difficult to juggle school and your passion?
Zoe: It was difficult for a little while because school took all my time and energy and I never had enough time to practice. After freshman year, though, I switched to taking most of my classes online which has made it a lot easier. I do schoolwork when I have time without having to stress, and I put most of my focus on music. It’s still difficult at busy times, like during exams, but it’s really nice being able to stay home and work on music when otherwise I’d be in class.
Ella: Well that must be nice. Question 8: Who has been your biggest supporter?
Zoe: My biggest supporters are my parents. They’ve given me so much support both by encouraging me and by paying for things like guitar lessons. I also appreciate my friends for coming to see me perform and just being generally supportive of my music. There are also a lot of musicians I’ve met at open mics who have been very kind and welcoming to me.
Question 9: what advice would you give teens who are following in your footsteps?
Zoe: I would advise them to not give up on themselves. There are so many times when you’re going to feel like a fake or out of place, or like you’re not good enough at what you do. The thing about following a creative passion is that there are always going to be people who think you’re terrible at what you do because it’s all really subjective. It’s really important to just keep going and doing your thing even during times when you feel less confident.
Ella: That is some really great advice! Question 10: What is the best general advice you can give to teens?
Zoe: One piece of advice I have is to try as many new things as you can and not let fear hold you back from experiencing life. If you make doing things that scare you a goal, you’ll stop seeing being afraid as a bad thing and a reason not to do something. I’m not advising anyone to do anything dangerous, but there are definitely a lot of positive experiences you miss out on if you doubt yourself or refuse to do things out of your comfort zone. I’d also say it’s important to realize that what people think of you doesn’t affect who you actually are, and it’s okay if there are some people who don’t like you.
Ella: Thank you for that and thank you for taking part in this interview! Is here anything else you would like to add?
Zoe: Of course! I don’t think I have anything else to add, but thank you so much for the interview!
Ella: Thank you! Have a great day!
Zoe: You too!
View her Instagram: @zoeelisabethmusic
Zoe: My name is Zoe Elisabeth and I’m seventeen. I’m an indie and country singer-songwriter. Music is my big passion and I pretty much spend all my time practicing or writing and recording songs. I also love writing and doing theater.
Question 2: When did you first get introduced to singing/songwriting and how did you first get introduced?
Zoe: I used to like writing songs when I was little because I was really into Taylor Swift. I always said I wanted to move to Nashville and write country songs one day. I kind of fell out of doing it for a while but then in ninth grade I started learning the guitar and that inspired me to start writing songs again. I started taking voice lessons around that time too.
Question 3: That’s very exciting! What is your preference when singing, covers or originals?
Zoe: I really like singing originals. Songwriting is how I got into music and I love being able to get out anything that’s on my mind by just writing a song about it. I like singing covers too but there’s also pressure with those to sound as good as the original. Originals are also just fun because pretty much everything I write is about my real life so it’s kind of like sharing all my secrets with strangers.
Ella: That’s a good point. It must be full of pressure with covers
Question 4: I see that your first single “My Starry Sky” is coming out on Friday. Do you mind talking about it?
Zoe: Sure! This is a song I wrote about a year and a half ago. It’s sort of about how hard it is for people to connect when they keep their emotions closed off. I recorded it in my bedroom on Garageband, and I’ve been working on it for a really long time because I really wanted to capture a certain feeling with the song. It’s coming out on Friday and I’m so excited to finally share it!
Question 5: I’m so excited for you! Who is your biggest inspiration as a singer/songwriter?
Zoe: I have so many but the main one is probably Kacey Musgraves. I love her voice and her whole musical style, but I also just love how she doesn’t care what people think about her. She takes risks and doesn’t just make music based on what she knows will be successful. I also get a lot of lyric inspiration from Lord Huron, and I also love Lissie, Jade Bird, and Angus & Julia Stone.
Question 6: are there any singing/songwriting career goals that have opened up?
Zoe: My goal is pretty much just to make it as a musician enough that I don’t have to have a separate day job. I’m planning to study songwriting and music business in college and then probably move to Nashville. I really want to do a lot of touring because playing live and meeting new people is amazing. Right now I’m just focusing on playing at coffee shops and restaurants where I live and releasing music.
Ella: Wow that’s very impressive! Question 7: Has it been difficult to juggle school and your passion?
Zoe: It was difficult for a little while because school took all my time and energy and I never had enough time to practice. After freshman year, though, I switched to taking most of my classes online which has made it a lot easier. I do schoolwork when I have time without having to stress, and I put most of my focus on music. It’s still difficult at busy times, like during exams, but it’s really nice being able to stay home and work on music when otherwise I’d be in class.
Ella: Well that must be nice. Question 8: Who has been your biggest supporter?
Zoe: My biggest supporters are my parents. They’ve given me so much support both by encouraging me and by paying for things like guitar lessons. I also appreciate my friends for coming to see me perform and just being generally supportive of my music. There are also a lot of musicians I’ve met at open mics who have been very kind and welcoming to me.
Question 9: what advice would you give teens who are following in your footsteps?
Zoe: I would advise them to not give up on themselves. There are so many times when you’re going to feel like a fake or out of place, or like you’re not good enough at what you do. The thing about following a creative passion is that there are always going to be people who think you’re terrible at what you do because it’s all really subjective. It’s really important to just keep going and doing your thing even during times when you feel less confident.
Ella: That is some really great advice! Question 10: What is the best general advice you can give to teens?
Zoe: One piece of advice I have is to try as many new things as you can and not let fear hold you back from experiencing life. If you make doing things that scare you a goal, you’ll stop seeing being afraid as a bad thing and a reason not to do something. I’m not advising anyone to do anything dangerous, but there are definitely a lot of positive experiences you miss out on if you doubt yourself or refuse to do things out of your comfort zone. I’d also say it’s important to realize that what people think of you doesn’t affect who you actually are, and it’s okay if there are some people who don’t like you.
Ella: Thank you for that and thank you for taking part in this interview! Is here anything else you would like to add?
Zoe: Of course! I don’t think I have anything else to add, but thank you so much for the interview!
Ella: Thank you! Have a great day!
Zoe: You too!
View her Instagram: @zoeelisabethmusic