Introducing singer/songwriter THEA ALANA whose voice is something of pure magic. I stumbled across her music a couple of days ago and was instantly intrigued by this songstress' sound. I got the chance to interview this amazing talent who I feel is definitely one to watch, and learn more about her and her music which you can read about below:
MHB: Can you introduce yourself? How old are you and where are you from; can you touch a little on the music scene there and what you like about it?
THEA: I'm 20 and I was born and raised in Kongsberg, a small town about an hour away from Oslo, Norway. The music scene in Oslo is great. Most of the people I know in the music industry live in Oslo and one of the best things I can do is meeting up with friends and go to hip hop shows there.
MHB: How long has music been a part of your life and how did it come to be a part of it?
THEA: Music has always been a huge part of my life. When I was little, my brother and I chose every other day what to watch on TV before we went to school. I was a MTV kind of person, he was a Cartoon Network kind of person. If we watched 50 cent, Alicia Keys and Timbaland's music videos on Monday, we watched Hamtaro and Ninja Turtles on Tuesday.
MHB: Growing up, who were some of your biggest musical influences? What current artist would you say continue to inspire and influence you and your music?
THEA: When I was about 11 years old I mostly listened to 50, Timbaland, Eminem and Alicia Keys. It wasn't until I was 14 that I discovered Jedi Mind Tricks, Nas, N.W.A, Biggie, Tupac and underground hip hop. The first time I heard "Is Happiness Just a Word" by Vinnie Paz, it felt like a wrecking ball hit my face and he's been my hero ever since. Artists that continue to inspire me are the same as the ones I discovered when I was 14 and I keep meeting artists that I feel inspired by. The lyrics are important to make me feel inspired by artists.
MHB: Do you remember the first time you realized you had a special voice that could be a unique instrument?
THEA: Writing was my thing and I didn't really plan to be a singer. I don't think it was a moment I realized I had a voice I could sing with because I was extremely shy and insecure about it at first. That's something I'm still working on.
MHB: Did you always know you wanted to be a musician or was there a particular moment when you decided you wanted to make music your life's work?
THEA: I've always loved music, but I didn't know I wanted to be a musician until I was 15 or 16. I only wanted to be a songwriter at first, but after I made the hook for JMT I wanted to do both.
MHB: How do you describe yourself as a person apart from being a musician?
THEA: That's a tough one. I'm an open person to my notebook and when I write. My writings are very honest, but I never open up in the same way when I talk to people in real life. I prefer to wear some kind of shield to avoid being hurt and I always put on a happy face when I leave my home. A lot of people assume that I'm an open person just because I'm an open writer, and that's not how it is. I also gotta say that I'm a family person and I love my family so much. I feel beyond blessed to have such a close relationship to my family. They make me really happy - for real.
MHB: Can you tell me a bit about your creative process? Is it typically the same or does it differ every time?
THEA: It depends on what I'm working on. If I write a whole song, I usually write the whole thing right before I'm recording the demo at home. I do the same thing if I'm working on a hook for someone. Writing is something I truly love and need to do to get through life. I have a bunch of notebooks containing writings I don't even know if will ever come out.
MHB: Now I know you are a part of the song "In The Coldness Of A Dream" by Jedi Mind Tricks (who I love btw...), how did that come to be and how has that experience been?
THEA: I love them, too! I talked to their manager about some writing stuff, then I got a beat from Stoupe and wrote the hook. I wasn't sure if they were going to use it, so I felt very happy when they said they were. It's been the most amazing experience. Not only because I got to do a song with my hero, but also because I've met some incredible people that's become family.
MHB: Let's talk about you single "Eyes Never Lie", how did it come together? What is it about and what was the inspiration behind it?
THEA: C-Lance (who is the main producer for Vinnie Paz) made the first beat, I wrote the lyrics and recorded the vocals. Ish Quintero did the rest. It wouldn't have the same vibe to it without Ish. It's about feeling the need to do everything for a person, but deep inside you know it's not good for you. Personal experiences inspired me to write this song. It's not about one particular experience, but a few ones put together into one.
MHB: What projects are you currently working on? Is there an album in the works? What can we expect to hear from you in the coming months?
THEA: I'm currently working on some new projects and I'm always writing. You'll hear from me, that's all I wanna say for now!
MHB: If you had the opportunity to go back in time and see one artist perform live, who would you choose?
THEA: Biggie.
MHB: Can you share one random fact about yourself?
THEA: I'm crazy scared of balloons.
MHB: What does music mean to you?
THEA: Everything. There wouldn't be a Thea without music.
MHB: Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself and your music?
THEA: It would mean the world to me if you wanna take a listen to my new single "Eyes Never Lie"
I personally can't wait to hear what else is to come from this hidden gem. Check out her new single "Eyes Never Lie", a song that really resonated with me below:
To hear more from THEA ALANA visit her Soundcloud page
at https://soundcloud.com/theasuniverse
and also be sure to follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube
where she performs one of the prettiest covers of Elvis' "Can't Help Falling In Love" I've ever heard...