Rising Music Star Claire Sully On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Music Industry
An Interview With Eden Gold
I wish people told me starting out as an artist, is, you’re going to have MANY restless nights! Sleep is no longer a word in my vocabulary! It’s great that I’m already a night owl, but I wish I got more sleep! I work concerts at night, and then when I’m working on my own music projects, I’m up and inspired after hours writing songs, sending emails, recording music, getting ready to do meetings early in the morning.
As a part of our interview series with leaders, stars, and rising stars in the music industry, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Claire Sully.
Claire Sully is a professional recording artist, songwriter and entrepreneur. She was raised in the cultural epicenter of Milan Italy, with Argentine roots from Buenos Aires Argentina and is currently based in Boston Massachusetts. Her music has already amassed over 300,000 streams on Spotify, and continues to carve out space in the pop music landscape with her unique sound. Claire’s music reflects a blend of European EDM and Dance Pop. Her diverse background and international influences give her music a distinct flair that resonates with listeners around the globe.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit about your “origin story”. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I had a very different childhood than most growing up. I feel that I lived and continue to live a very different lifestyle that a lot of people haven’t experienced. Traveling played a big part in my life when I was growing up, and still does. I grew up in the capital of fashion — Milan Italy, and traveled and moved around a lot. I have family on my mom’s side from Argentina, and family on my dad’s side from Massachusetts. I joke around and tell people I was born and raised on planes, but looking back at it, I feel that I really was. I went to an International school in Milan that exposed me to so much culture, I was on a plane about every month or so while I lived in Milan traveling all around Europe. Being in different countries every month or so, widened my horizons and the way I see the world. Traveling was ingrained in me since I was 8 months old. I’ve been to countless places in and out of the country, I’ve been to numerous continents, met people with such fascinating stories, and it’s become one of the most beautiful parts that make up who I am today. I look back at my childhood a lot and really think I had one of the best childhoods a girl could ask for.
While I was living in Milan, traveling back and forth from Massachusetts to Argentina to see family, I was heavily exposed to so much culture, and music. I was exposed to a variety of genres. I had my sister who was singing and dancing to Motown and Gospel and loved Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin, I had my father who enjoyed oldies and country music, and was listening to Garth Brooks, Elvis, and Dolly, and lastly had my mother who grew up with Andrea Bocceli, Mercedes Sosa, Celine Dion and Zaz! With all these genres, I found myself so in love and immersed with all the genres, I couldn’t decide the path I wanted to take as a singer! It wasn’t until I met with label executives who told me I could do some crossing over and experiment with my favorite genres. I eventually found my sound! I’d say I had a very different, eye opening but exciting childhood into my teen years!
What inspired you to pursue a career in music, and how did your journey begin?
I was one of those kids who watched a lot of tv growing up, and around 2006, I found out that, the actresses I looked up to, were releasing music and could sing! I looked up to Miley Cyrus and Ashley Tisdale the most as a kid, and still do! I was exposed to diverse music genres growing up which caused some difficulty when it came to deciding what genre of music I wanted to pursue. I picked up a guitar at 11 years old, and started performing at bars and open mics at 13. My guitar teacher one day had my mom listen to the progress I was making in class, and I remember him pulling her aside saying I had a strong ear for music and that he could see a bright future in music for me.
While I was in high school, I chose to make music my profession and it became more than a hobby. It became more than an average passion, but a dream that I knew would become reality one day with the right people, connections, hard work and drive. While I was still performing in high school, I started collaborating with songwriters and producers around the country and creating a name and brand for myself on social media. Since then, in the last 10 years, I’ve released music that’s been aired on radio around the country, collaborated with country music star, Kelsea Ballerini’s former tech, written with former American Idol contestants, Berklee College of Music students, become a Top 10 New England songwriter finalist on 92.5 the River, worked for iHeart Media, and Livenation to name a few.
Music is what connects people. It’s my therapy. The instruments used in songs take me to another world, the lyrics speak to me on volumes that get blasted in my airpods!
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
The most interesting/ fun story that I could share with you! My side hustle for a while was working at live music/sport venues! With this, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to meet such cool celebrities and immerse myself in their world! I’ve met Reneé Rapp while I worked an NBA finals game at TD Garden in Boston. We had a solid 10 min interaction and conversation, and while my soul was leaving my body because I have the biggest crush on that woman I swear, I kept it together, I was just truly touched that she took time out of her night to chat. Another moment, I’ll never forget was, while working at TD Garden in Boston, I had networked with a sound tech during a concert. He played my song “Pretty Girl” after a soundcheck Spanish artist, Carin Leon had. This arena I worked at holds about 20,000 fans, so to have my song play at an arena was one for the books! I’ve had a lot of moments like this, but my last story I’d love to share with you has to be when I turned 25 this year!
My twin sister knows how big a fan I am of Canadian pop artist Tate Mcrae, and this year for my birthday, she bought me a ticket to see her perform at a venue I used to work at. A few days prior I had connected with some of her tour members on social media. The day of the show, that night I went out dancing with her tour members! The crew, the dancers, everyone. I didn’t get to meet Tate unfortunately, but I had one of the most memorable nights. I was on their tour bus just talking about music, I was provided advice that I’m carrying with me as I navigate this crazy fun industry, and I had the honor of listening to one of her un released songs at the time she was in Boston, that made it’s debut at Madison Square Garden! We jammed out til 4am, it was truly an eye opening experience and one of the best birthdays I’ve ever had.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
When I think about this question, there are so many people I could genuinely think of and thank. I’ve had a very strong support system over the years through friends, mentors, co workers, music teams and family. However with this question, when I think of who’s helped me along the way, I think of two very strong women in my life. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my sister’s encouraging advice and mentorship, and my mother’s love and support. These two women have come to every show, have experienced all the highs and lows with me, have heard all the un released songs and provided encouraging support, traveled with me, and let me find myself as an artist and blossom.
My sister Ana, is my rock in all my career endeavors. She has always had such a big heart and a way of expressing her love towards my music. She’ll look for a song on my album before it releases to resonate and connect with, and tell me it’s meant to touch people all over the world and that it should get released. As for my mother, she has a way with her words that make me feel valued as an artist. Some of the songs this year, I’ve had to cover her ears — sorry ma, she’s 25 now! She’s always been my number one. She comes from a family that has always been so open about the arts, and for that, I’m blessed. I came to my mother with the dream of being a singer at a very young age, and she with an open mind and heart supports like no other in my family. All this being said, I wouldn’t be where I am today without the love and support I’m provided from a far. My family in Argentina. My aunt, uncle and cousins. Even being divided by an ocean, they’re always listening to my music, and interacting positively on my social platforms! Los quiero mucho, gracias por el apoyo siempre!
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I just released an album titled “Secret Love: The Album” back in July! It’s an 8 track record that exposes listeners to a profound love story with a girl from Kansas. This record was a very “Step out of the comfort zone, out of the box” project musiclly, lyriclly and emotionally. I wanted this record to feel intimate and authentic. I wanted fans to experience this love story with me as it was one of my first relationships with a woman. I dived into emotions and themes such as lust, commitment, ghosting, and heartbreak. Now at 100K streams, I hold a lot of gratitude and love towards this record and her. I’ve had such a successful few months, and I look back at that relationship can’t help but smile. I’ll be honest, I don’t think I’m quite done yet. I still have a few songs in me that I’m going to release as singles in the fall. What people don’t know about me is, If you get an album written about you, you impacted me pretty heavily. The next few singles you can expect more upbeat melodies. We ended “Secret Love: The Album” with an emotional and sad ballad, so now my producer and I are going to release some new music that hopefully people will still be able to connect with but have fun dancing and jamming out to!
As a successful music star, you’ve likely faced challenges along the way. How do you stay motivated? How do you overcome obstacles in your career?
I think it can be quite challenging at times to stay motivated in an industry that’s always changing and hard to navigate! This industry takes a lot of thick skin, an open mind, open heart, hard work and a lot of patience. My producer Paul Napash has kept me super motivated on days I feel like giving up! He has a way of keeping me positive with uplifted spirits! I have my sister on my shoulder always telling me to stay grounded, and she always has me staying motivated. I’m a very hard worker and when I want something done, I go into work and grind mode especially when I’m inspired. Working concerts every other day, most definitely keeps me motivated! Watching artists perform live just has me more hungry to work with industry professionals, do what I love and release more music for fans to connect to!
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?
1 . The first thing I wish people told me starting out as an artist, is, you’re going to have MANY restless nights! Sleep is no longer a word in my vocabulary! It’s great that I’m already a night owl, but I wish I got more sleep! I work concerts at night, and then when I’m working on my own music projects, I’m up and inspired after hours writing songs, sending emails, recording music, getting ready to do meetings early in the morning.
2 . The second thing I wish people told me, there’s some harsh truth to this one, but be prepared to lose people. The Music Industry comes with a lot of ups and downs. When you finally achieve a successful status, you lose people due to jealousy and envy on their ends, or you’re going to meet people who want to be a part of your life because of your title. I think it’s super important to keep yourself grounded and humble this industry. I’d rather have 2- 3 real friends verses 10 fake friends who choose to walk out of my life due to envy, it leaves you lonely but with the right people, that empty hole fills up faster than you think.
3 . The third thing I wish people told me earlier that I’m still being told, would probably be, to stay patient because results will pay off in the end! I’m a perfectionist when it comes to music. I want everything done a specific way, done at a specific time, and done well. I want to be the artist that people take seriously, this industry is a business, and if you don’t play your cards right, things can end quickly. I want to be the type of artist that people can approach like a friend. At the end of the day with patience and faith, things fall into place even during the most stressful moments. I want to this right you know? I want to be around for a long time, but nothing happens overnight, so stay patient!
4 . The fourth thing I wish someone told me would have to be, just have fun! Like I’ve mentioned before, I’m such a perfectionists when it comes to my own projects. On top of being an artist and songwriter, I’m an entrepreneur, So I’m in business mode all the time. I’m emailing label exes, doing my research on the label and their roster, having meetings with distribution, PR, marketing companies, radio, I’m doing a lot so that people acknowledge my hard work to land more opportunities! Every now and then, I have to take days off and do nothing and that is okay! I’m having fun in the process! On my days off, I’m finding ways to keep up with my other hobbies such as spending time in nature, hanging out with friends, dancing and traveling!
5 . My final point I wish I was told earlier is probably you’re going to change people’s lives. My goal as an artist is to connect with fans, and have my music touch others. I’ve had such success with my music, and it’s been played all around the world. I’ve had fans reach out to me on my social platforms and share their stories on how my music have changed their lives and how heavily my music has impacted them. I’m still in so much awe that I’m capable of doing that. At the end of the day, I want to be that approachable artist and connect with all of you, so I’m clearly doing something right ☺
Can you share some insights into your creative process? How do you approach songwriting? How do you approach musical collaborations?
My creative process starts with a melody that my producer will build around a song I’ll send him for reference. I’ll have the lyrics written out and drafted and then record lyrics typically 3 days later. My sound was developed through artists I listen to today such as Miley Cyrus, Tate Mcrae, and Britney Spears. I think what’s been great about working with Paul is, that he knows my experiences enough to know how the sound of my music has to go into production. He knows the artists I listen to and the instrumentals that I want in my music. With this, it makes our collaborating process easier.
Your music has resonated with so many fans worldwide. What do you believe sets your music apart?
I think my music sets apart from others due to how diverse it is. I’ve experimented with different genres and have done a bit of crossing over. I like to use the languages I’m fluent in and put them to use as well. I speak Spanish, Italian and English fluently, so far I’ve released Spanish and English songs, and I’ve yet to write and release one in Italian, but I see it happening in the future!
How do you connect with your audience?
I love connecting with my fans on social media. I’m very active on all my platforms! I love reading DMs, and I hope that my songs have been an outlet for them!
With your busy schedule and demanding performances, how do you prioritize self-care and maintain a balance between your personal life and career in the music industry?
Sometimes, I just have to take days to simply sleep and do nothing all day! My body works hard during the day. In between working on my own projects, traveling, and working concerts nightly, I need days to just rest. My days off, if I’m not sleeping, I like spending time with friends, I’ll catch up with friends on facetime or go out. I spend a lot of time in nature to reflect, I like going to church and reflecting there as well. Writing and dancing are my other forms of expressing what my body is in need of. I like going to my beach house with my mom and just soaking up the sun and having in depth convos with my sister. My mental health is one my priorities for sure, and I think for any creative, breaks are so crucial!
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
I think dance would be a a movement that would bring more and inspire others. Dancing is another expressive form of the arts, and personally for me, has been an incredible outlet. I think dance brings a lot to someone’s life. You’re working out, but also expressing through music and movement! I think, just like music, dance takes people to another place. Just like lyrics speak to people, so does body language and body movement. I have so much respect for dancers and I think it’s a beautiful form of art that should be continued and expressed more!
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)
I’d love to have lunch with my girl Tate Mcrae, Kelsea Ballerini or Kacey Musgraves! I’ve seen all these lovely ladies perform live and I’m blown away with more than just their vocals! I’m inspired by how they carry themselves in the public eye, their songwriting is so relatable, I love how humble they are, they just seem like such cool and fun women! I think each one of them brings something so special to the music industry and I hope to one day look back and say I had my “I made it” moment like these three powerful ladies!
How can our readers continue to follow your work online?
I’m on all social media platforms under @clairesully27, and you can stream and listen to my music on all digital streaming platforms under Claire Sully!
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
About The Interviewer: Eden Gold, is a youth speaker, keynote speaker, founder of the online program Life After High School, and host of the Real Life Adulting Podcast. Being America’s rising force for positive change, Eden is a catalyst for change in shaping the future of education. With a lifelong mission of impacting the lives of 1 billion young adults, Eden serves as a practical guide, aiding young adults in honing their self-confidence, challenging societal conventions, and crafting a strategic roadmap towards the fulfilling lives they envision.
Do you need a dynamic speaker, or want to learn more about Eden’s programs? Click here: https://bit.ly/EdenGold
