Rising Star Alyson Campbell On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Music Industry

An Interview With Edward Sylvan

Experiment. As an artist, there are natural evolutions. For me, that was growing up in the choir world where you’re taught to blend in with the other voices which is what you should do in that environment. Now, as a solo artist/artist collaborating with other solo voices, whatever it is you’re doing, keep experimenting to find your sound — I’m still doing this!

As a part of our series about rising music stars, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Alyson Campbell.

Alyson Campbell is a Recording Artist and Songwriter, who composes (both music & lyrics) and is a songwriter, producer, and writes and arranges original compositions and contributing lyrics and vocals. In her career of writing and recording, she has become a tour-de-force as both a Country Studio Recording Artist in Nashville, Tennessee (Sound Emporium), and a Hip Hop Studio Recording Artist in Hollywood, California (Paramount Recording Studio Hollywood, RSL Studios, Global Hustle Entertainment), with a mission of bringing artists far and wide together from a variety of genres that may not typically be blended or thought of together.

Her credits include an original country album in the works, “Who Says Mondays are Bad?” with lead single and women’s empowerment anthem, “Doormat,” roadtrip fun classic “Whiskey & Daisies/Tennessee Sky,” and worship ode/hymn “Take Your Time,” along with several Hip Hop mastered tracks in the works, “Country ReMix NickyCountry x ALY-SLAY, “PLOP,” and “Vanity Under the Sun (RIP Nipsey Hussle), and “I’m a Big Girl,” Co-Produced and Written with Grammy-Nominated Songwriter Kevin McCall (Kingdom Music Entertainment).

Alyson received her formal training in music, with a B.A. in Vocal Music Performance and Theatre Minor from Ohio Northern University. She utilized her formal classical and theatre training to springboard her in to a number of semi-professional choral groups throughout New York City including a range of classic choral productions, most notably singing multiple years with three-time ASCAP Award-Winning Ensemble Cantori praised by the New York Times for its “spirit of exploration” and “virtuosity and assurance.” Alyson currently resides in Los Angeles, California, with her music company, Music To Change the World, LLC headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. She is originally from South Charleston, OH.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

I grew up in a small, rural town in Ohio. I am an only child so I grew up making friends in a variety of settings, whether that was at school or extracurricular activities. I was always artistic even as a child and remember singing in school, at church, and when I was in third grade, I auditioned and got into our local children’s chorus that toured throughout the state. Even though I grew up in a small town, I always sought to find artistic opportunities to express myself through music and my parents have always and continue to be supportive of my music endeavors.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

I started singing from a young age and honing my talents as well on the piano. I believe you are born with a talent and it is yours to hone and share. I think it was that first audition singing with the local children’s chorus that set me on my path.

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

I think there are so many moments in an artist’s career that help shape you. One interesting story for me has been the opportunity to sing at Carnegie Hall twice. When I was in the children’s chorus I referenced earlier, we had the opportunity to perform at one of our local entertainment halls and I was onstage with Rosemary Clooney (George Clooney’s aunt) and Broadway star Joel Grey. Grey asked us, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” to which all of us in the children’s chorus answered, “Practice, practice, practice!” while running off stage after. It was so exciting to then be able to recall this memory when I had the opportunity to perform not only once, but twice, at Carnegie Hall when I became an adult and was singing in New York City.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

This goes back a long way when I first started my music journey. As I mentioned, beyond my singing talents, I was learning the piano. My grandmother was also incredibly talented as a singer and pianist. I started learning piano out of her home studio. One day, she didn’t think I was practicing enough (she was right by the way), and she kicked me out of her piano studio! She told my parents she thought it would be ideal for me to find a teacher besides her who would make me practice because after all, she was grandma. Imagine getting kicked out of your grandma’s piano studio at a young age — that will teach you something! She was right, and that was a wake-up call. I found another teacher and committed to practicing regularly to develop my talent.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

One of my most exciting projects right now is a collaboration with Kevin McCall, a Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer who has written for a range of other music celebrities including Chris Brown, Justin Bieber, and more. We are working on a children’s movement and will kick this off with the launch of our single “I’m a Big Girl,” a track that was originally written for a seven-year-old girl whose mom out of Atlanta commissioned me to write it. It has evolved beyond a fun children’s song to become an anthem for girls of all ages growing up, evolving, and who also have big dreams.

We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?

Diversity is necessary in everything because everyone brings a unique perspective and culture. These perspectives are lived out in their words, their stories, and their lives and need to be represented beyond what we may each know from our own myopic perspectives. As an artist working in the entertainment industry, we have the opportunity to help shape culture every day because music entertainment can breakthrough in a way that some times other forms cannot. Everyone can remember a particular song and where they were at the time; they may even remember who they were with and what setting they were in or what they were wearing; music evokes memories. Writing music, we have the opportunity to open people’s eyes up to cultural dialogue and issues that need to be addressed and it’s from the act of songwriting, from our souls, that the most stirring songs — narratives — are born. I recently wrote a score called “A Symphony for Change” that I am still working on after the Black Lives Matter movement began to address the inequalities that exist and I plan to partner with some other Hollywood artists to bring this to life.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.

1. Remember your gifts. It’s easy to lose sight of why you started sometimes because there is a lot to navigate in the industry and there is a lot of rejection and “no’s” before you get a yes. I remember auditioning for a Broadway show I had prepared and prepared for; I was singing in the taxi cab on the way to the audition, in the subway, everywhere, to practice leading up to it and thought I found the perfect song. I may not even know why I didn’t get that role, but it didn’t lessen my gift.
2. Take in the moment. It was onstage at Carnegie Hall performing and I had tears flooding my eyes after realizing that all the moments I cried during music school led up to this moment where I was now on stage singing at Carnegie Hall! It was worth the very difficult music program I went through, in the times I thought I wanted to quit.
3. Find a mentor. I am still very much navigating the industry now that I have evolved this next part of my music career beyond choral music singing and working on my own music and collaborating with other artists. Find those who know more than you do and also who have your back and your best interests in mind.
4. Keep going. It is a journey, every day. I am so glad I didn’t stop after some of my music got put on pause because someone lost some of my recordings. I’m now starting to work with some of the best in the business and each day I’m thankful for new opportunities that continue to unfold.
5. Experiment. As an artist, there are natural evolutions. For me, that was growing up in the choir world where you’re taught to blend in with the other voices which is what you should do in that environment. Now, as a solo artist/artist collaborating with other solo voices, whatever it is you’re doing, keep experimenting to find your sound — I’m still doing this!

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

You have to remember your “why.” Why do you love music, why do you love what you do, why are you doing it? It is so easy to get lost in this industry or want to give up because of the way the industry is set up, which is not easy. I do hope some of the “red tape” and roadblocks can come down in the future, as I don’t think an artist’s success should be measured by how many followers you have on social media; I think it should be based on your talent; many really great artists get overlooked. By the way, I have still not “made it,” by commercial standards, though I do know with each project and each opportunity, I am getting closer to my goals. My “why” is because I know God gave me this gift for a reason to share with others, to inspire the world, and I named my company Music to Change the World, just that because I do believe music can change the world.

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. :-)

To change the world through music, to bring more people together from various backgrounds, genres, and life experiences through music. I also want to keep writing music that stirs changes in hearts, as I noted music can break through barriers that other forms cannot to inspire dialogue that leads to change.

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?

I have so many I am grateful for in helping shape my music career. Treva Thorsen, my first children’s chorus director with the Springfield Children’s Chorus. Lydia Stout for piano and vocal coaching. Mary Katherine Somers, vocal studio. Charles Synder, The Cardinal Chorale and the All-Ohio State Fair Youth Choir. Kirsten Osbun-Manley, Carol Gramm, Dennis Kratzer, Adrienne-Thompson-Bradshaw, Ohio Northern University. Kurt Robinson, Broadway Dance Center, Vocal Coach. Mark Shapiro, Cantori New York. All of these people have played an integral role in helping me grow and shape my voice, my musical instrument. Kirsten gave me the note to audition for the music program at Ohio Northern University where I went on to receive my B.A. in Music. Dennis makes all of his students audition every year even after they’re already in the University Singers. Mark made me audition more than once before I got into Cantori New York and his rigorous rehearsals helped shape me tremendously, as well as the performance opportunities, as have so many of these folks here who helped shape me.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” This is so relevant for anyone in the music/entertainment industry. I have had the opportunities I’ve received as a result of not giving up on the places I received the “no’s” which turned into “yes’s” even if it wasn’t the first time yes, and the right doors open that were meant for me.

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. :-)

Wow, I love this question. There are so many I can think of, but I would like to meet with former First Lady Michelle Obama. I think she is incredible and the programs she has created while President Barack Obama was in office and even once she left the White House, have helped create such change.

How can our readers follow you online?

www.musictochangetheworld.com @musictochangetheworld on Instagram

This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!