Create & Cultivate 100: Music: Vérité
ALT POP PHENOM.
The Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter, VÉRITÉ, is a touring machine.
After coming back from a month long US tour, she's already kicking off touring her new album, Somewhere In Between, featuring the singles, "Phase Me Out," and "When You're Gone."
From Texas to Canada, New York to Nashville, she's on track to chart her 2017, which included 12 million fans listening from 61 countries who jammed to over 5 million hours of her work.
Not bad for a girl without a major record label. "I cannot wait to destroy shit with you next year," she told her Instagram followers.
We are all about that.
More from VÉRITÉ below.
You just got back from a month US tour. What was that like?
Simply amazing. I love touring and traveling more than anything else. Playing shows, you get to see a clear payoff for all the work you put in. The energy of performing and seeing people so stoked to see you is ridiculously intoxicating.
A Twitter user wrote, "to be a fly on your wall." To which you responded, "I'm boring." Which, we doubt. What's a day in the life of you?
It really depends on what day you ask me. I feel like my days are either really structured and methodical or completely free falling. I have certain rituals. I drink coffee as soon as I wake up, I try to read or sit quietly for a few minutes, do emails and then tackle whatever needs to be done.
Where do your drive and passion come from?
I've always held myself to a high standard. I want to push myself to be a better version of myself at all times. I've always loved performing, so everything I do is centered around wanting to put on a memorable live show.
When you run into a career obstacle, what drives you forward?
Obstacles present themselves daily. The knowledge that all I can do is put one foot in front of another is what drives me to move forward. I can only do one thing at a time, so long as I'm making the next right decision, anything can be done.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
Loud chewing.
What is it like being a woman in a male-dominated industry?
I'm so happy to be doing what I want to do in life and hope to push forward as a woman in a way that will make a change. Every once in a while, you get a surprise slap in the face that can challenge your position, autonomy or vision. I try to laugh those moments off while setting clear boundaries and continuing to take full ownership of my project.
What's something you'd like people to know about your job that they probably don’t?
I think it's easy to have a perception that everything is always so together. For me, it's like an intricate set of constantly churning gears. The machine never stops running.
IYO-- How can we stay original when we are so saturated with other people's work?
You create things you love and want to listen to yourself. You'll undoubtedly be influenced by other people's work, but your interpretation of those influences will be original to your perspective.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
Talking to the humans who love my music and make my career possible. I'm really lucky to have smart, interesting, chill fans. I want to make them happy.
I'm really lucky to have smart, interesting, chill fans. I want to make them happy.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
I have no idea. I'm really happy with my job.
At what point in your career did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
I feel like it's been a slow process of trial, error, fucking up, learning from mistakes, taking ownership of who I am and what I'm worth, what I deserve, etc. Ideally, I will continue growing and adding to the list.
"It's been a slow process of trial, error, fucking up, learning from mistakes, taking ownership of who I am and what I'm worth."
Tweet This
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
No one knows what they are doing. Do more, think less and learn from what happens.
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
Lullaby of Birdland.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai