Interview with Singer-Songwriter Whitney Pea

            Whitney's sound is playful and original with lyrics that often illustrate the connection between the human heart and nature. She is loved for her soothing voice and genuine approach to songwriting. Her latest catalog of songs (Full Bloom) were recorded in a barn-turned recording studio. Producer Joe Lapinski captured Whitney's knack for charming the listener into a love-affair with nature. Her past albums include All A Feeling, With A Heart Intending Forward and the EP Lo Fi Fun. Here Whitney talks about Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, Shirley Temple, loud 90's music in nostalgic car rides, getting chills from hearing Bebel Gilberto sing in Portuguese for the first time, motherhood and what inspires her unique and endearing songwriting.


AHC: What has this musical journey, so far, been like for you, the highs and the lows, and what life lessons do you feel like you may have picked up or absorbed along the way?

Whitney: My musical journey has been my life's journey. I feel the two are so intertwined. All of the musicians I've played with over the years are not just other musicians but family to me. Even songwriting feels less like a craft and more like a basic life need. That's not to say its not immensely challenging. Sometimes songs take forever to finish, sometimes gigs are hard, hard work and sometimes you really doubt yourself but all in all I just love it so much. I've learned many lessons through playing music. I think a major one is being professional. Even the most laid back of gigs deserves preparation, that way I can enjoy myself once I step onstage.


AHC: What first drew you to music and what was your early musical environment like growing up? Were there pivotal songs for you then that just floored you the moment you heard them?

Whitney: The first music that literally floored me was Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker. I was 5. I can remember dancing wildly around the living room with my sister to that tape until I could barely stand up. I recently saw the actual ballet and struggled back my tears the entire time. I wasn't sad, I was just overwhelmed with how beautiful it all was. 

Both my mom and dad are musical souls. My mom and I sang lots of Shirley Temple songs together. My dad bought me my first cassettes. They were a mix of classic rock, a Bob Marley album and for some reason the "Footloose" soundtrack (or maybe I bought that one) Either way I loved those tapes. 

My big brother was a real audiophile. He drove me and my sister to school everyday. We had no choice but to listen to music really loudly while he shouted over-top why that particular song was so great "do you hear that bass line?!" A lot of 90's music both popular and cult underground was ingrained in me during those car rides. 


AHC: Do you remember the first song that you ever wrote or the moment when you first took to writing and realized that it was something of immense and irreplaceable value to you?

Whitney: I'm not sure if it could be classified as a song but I distinctly remember making up a short melody on the piano when I was very little. All I wanted to do was make my fingers move in that pattern. I dreamed about my little song. It was my buddy.


AHC: Who are some of your major musical inspirations? Which musicians have you learned the most from?

Whitney: I've been inspired by so many musicians in my life but this one sticks out - Bebel Gilberto and her album Tanto Tempo. I was maybe 16 when I first heard it. I remember getting chills all over my body listening to it alone in my headphones. I had never heard samba and bossa rhythms beneath a female songwriter before and it was my first time hearing someone sing in Portuguese. I found the music liberating in every sense; the instruments, the voice, the timing and the over-all feel. It really inspired me to be my own person in my songs and to be true to my music. 


AHC: What do you think makes for a good song, as you're writing and composing, is there a sudden moment when you know you've found the right mix, that perfect angle of light, so to speak?

Whitney: What makes a good song is a true song. I don't mean factually correct, but true. It's hard to capture but at the same time easy if you stay out of the way. My favorite songs are the ones I let breathe. The moment I know it's the right song is when I can walk away from it without fear of it leaving me. Sometimes I walk away for a couple hours and sometimes for a couple years.


AHC: Your music is very uplifting, tending towards the brighter side of life, there is often the stereotype of the sad or brooding singer-songwriter, but your songs go against that grain. Do you consciously try to stay away from the sadder sounds and songs?  

Whitney: I don't consciously try to write happy music, though I feel an obligation to not add to an already painful world. I don't know.... Life can be hard. I guess I want to cheer myself up too. I'd be lying if I didn't say music is mostly a cathartic endeavor for me. Ironically I think my music is sad but everyone else seems to classify it as happy. I guess that's okay.


AHC: Your latest album 'Full Bloom' was recorded in a barn/studio, what was that experience like?

Whitney: Recording Full Bloom was wonderful. I wanted a comfortable, earthy environment to record these songs. They were about belonging and fearlessness. Sometimes a conventional studio can feel pressuring so setting up in an old farm house worked charms. Joe Lapinski my producer knows how important the vibe is to both facilitate and capture. I really enjoyed working with him. 


AHC: What are your fondest musical memories? In your house? In your neighborhood or town? On-tour, on-the-road?

Whitney: Fondest memories? - Great rehearsals. I love working with my band-mates and over the years we've had some pretty exciting shows to get ready for. I love holding that anticipation together and working towards a great performance. Sometimes the pressure forces new ideas into the airwaves and we have no choice but to try them out. 


AHC: What would be your dream gig, if you were asked to go on tour and open up for one of your musical heroes or heroines? 

Whitney: Dream gig? Playing with an orchestra. That would be the most incredible thing.


AHC: Do you have any words of advice for other musicians and singer-songwriters out there who are just starting out and trying to find their voice and their way in this world? What are the kinds of things that you remind yourself of when you begin to have self-doubt or frustration with the creative process?

Whitney: My advice would be to take care of yourself. I know artist types can be self destructive. I myself have those tendencies but you gotta fight that and be positive. Sometimes the best way to get out of your own head is to support other people. Find friends and fellow musicians navigating a similar path and help them out. Promote a show for them, offer to sell their merch, drive them to a gig, give them constructive criticism. You will learn so much by lending a hand.

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AHC: Do you have any new projects in the works you'd like to tell people about?

Whitney: I just had a baby in July - A baby boy. He is kind-of my world right now so I guess that is my latest project. And it's not without it's music. I recently wrote two songs about childbirth and recorded them shortly after. My husband bought me the studio time as a birthday gift and I was reluctant at first because leaving our newborn for longer than 30 seconds was almost impossible, let alone an entire recording session. But I did it! I even had some fantastic other artists come guest on the songs. The result was two spontaneous sounding folk tunes that I'm not so sure what to do with yet. I will release them soon I think. 



For more information visit whitneypea.bandcamp.com/