\nQuestion 1) Congratulations on the release of your new single \u201cHalf of Me\u201d! Can you tell us what inspired this song and what it means to you personally? Answer- Well as I always say \u201cMy songwriting is just my journal through life, how I really feel.\u201d For me this song is truly about my self esteem. I see so many online posting controlled content and looking so confident and perfect. Real life is never perfect and it\u2019s never what you see online. People wear masks to portray this perfect person, that doesn\u2019t exist in reality. We are all just blood and bone, imperfect, human beings. Half of me is really who I AM. My self esteem isn\u2019t great, I\u2019m not perfect, my life can be messy and I am just a human being. Just like everyone else. I stumble and fall too. Half of Me is about that fragile self esteem where part of you wants to hide and protect yourself from the world, and the other half is the WARRIOR ready to take on the world. It is about walking that tight rope between the two sides that I believe most of us struggle with every day.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
2) How does \u201cHalf of Me\u201d connect to or build upon the themes and sound of your previous release, \u201cCountry Ladies\u201d? Answer- \u201cHalf of Me\u201d I believe is more connected to my earlier music like \u201cA World That Judges Wrong\u201d and more my own journal based feelings. Country Ladies was more me thinking out loud about \u201cWhy are today\u2019s ladies expected to emulate the party girls to get ahead. What happened to the internally strong, classy ladies like Loretta or Tammy\u201d. I\u2019m not a huge fan of the newer trends in entertainment ( remaking movies, tv, music).It is like no one can be original anymore and imagination\/ true creativity is rare. In country it\u2019s like everyone wants to be Gretchen Wilson, Ella Langley, Morgan Wallen or Jason Aldean. There is nothing wrong with them- but their roles are already taken~ By Them. I like originality, the 90\u2019s and Y2K music is my personal favorite in country, but my Grandmother exposed me to country all the way back to Kitty Wells. Sawyer Brown sounded and looked nothing like Alabama, but they were both AWESOME. I think all my music, not just those 2 songs, are saying \u201cStop mimicking others and be a role model in your true messy self for those coming after you\u201d. Show others it is ok to be real and give the next generation hope that they can fulfill their dreams no matter who they are, even if they aren\u2019t \u201cPerfect\u201d like the controlled content most post on social media.<\/p>\n
3)Your music beautifully blends country, rock, and folk with very honest, heartfelt storytelling. What drew you to this fusion of styles? Answer- My mother exposed me to all her European favorites before she passed when I was 11. My siblings were in their mid to late teens when I was born so I was exposed to their music. My Father and Grandmother were deep into the roots of country. In my teens I became obsessed with rock and played bass guitar as well as handling Canadian Fan Clubs for US bands as well as some local bands. As I got older it seemed to meld all together. Now it is my journal and helping me heal. I originally started sharing to help an old friend who had been a rock singer get back into music, but he bowed out and by then Doctors said it was helping me with my Lupus and Cortisol aids in healing from singing so I kept going. A bit, sometimes every word, of who I really am is in every song. I was never out for fame, only hoping it helped one other person to see they were not struggling alone with something or they were the only person to feel a certain way- like I felt. I never imagined it would go past YouTube or that anyone would even listen.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
4)You\u2019re originally from Shelley, British Columbia. How has growing up in that environment shaped your songwriting and the stories you tell in your music? Answer- I took it for granted back then and like most kids, I couldn\u2019t wait to grow up and get out in the world. I was stupid! LOL. Shelley is a very special place based on the Lheidli T\u2019enneh First Nations Reservation, back then a Sawmill, and 1 small store. It was about 120 residents back then. No one saw color or differences even though it was very multicultural. We had two TV Stations ( one from Vancouver and one from close by in Prince George BC). All my best friends lived in the community. We all took the same school bus to the school 45 minutes away. The townsite kids had to walk to the store in the coldest weather with snow drifts deeper than I am. My grandmother lived 2 minutes away down the road. Everyone knew everyone\u2019s business and everyone was a family. Many still keep in contact with me and talk about my parents with love; include me as family to this day. When my mother was alive I remember her teaching all the children how to highland dance and square dance on our front porch. My mother taught us organ\/piano\/ guitar earlier than I can remember. Imagination and creativity was encouraged in the community. Country singer Mike Gouchie and First Nations Singer Kym Gouchie are from Shelley too, and while they are a lot older Kym was my babysitter and their parents were close to mine. I remember dancing with my friends and doing music in our yard in my teens with my friends, not caring who saw us. Sadly the sawmill and store closed a long time ago. A lot of the elders are gone now, but that time was truly special. Those people who were my friends\/ chosen family when I was 2 are still a part of my life. Janice Kelly even wrote the lyrics to the song \u201cTogether AS One\u201d and we have been spirit sisters since I was 2.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
5) Many of your songs touch on resilience, healing, and strength. Was there a particular life experience or chapter that influenced the writing of \u201cHalf of Me\u201d? Answer- Wow, this is a tough one. I got very sick in late 2023\/ early 2024 due to my lupus and stress triggering it to flare. It has been a struggle, both emotionally and physically since then. I saw who truly had my back, and many times it isn\u2019t who you expect. You can have thousands of acquaintances, but when you really need them you see who the true friends are. I was blessed in my illness because it taught me what truly matters. It isn\u2019t fame, money or material things. It is the simple moments, the good people and love. I also saw some of the worst behavior I have ever seen in my life from others ( especially online) judging me, or people like me, only because I was sick- as if it made me less. Judgement and hurtful behavior they would never do to someone\u2019s face, but suddenly because it is online it is ok. I was under anesthesia 13 times in 2 years. I have been through multiple surgeries. It truly effected my self esteem and the medical hurdles, while physically I faced pain that would take down the biggest man, it also effected how I saw myself. Physically I\u2019m very very strong\/ can face a lot of physical pain; emotionally I\u2019m sensitive and caring with low self esteem. I\u2019ve also had people who knew about my inner pain\/ illness and use that softer side of me to benefit themselves, calling me \u201cFamily\u201d to gain my trust since I have been ill and then once they use me, they toss me aside, lie and blame me for being imperfect. That is what \u201cHalf Of Me\u201d is all about. The emotional pain many of us carry, the mask we put on that makes everyone think we are things we aren\u2019t and the internal struggle between the strong Warriors Side and the side that is hurting and needs to be reassured they will be ok.<\/p>\n
6) As a multi-nominee at the 2025 Texas Sound International Awards and a Top 5 finalist (4th place) in the Elite Music World Awards 2026 Breakout Artist of the Year category, how have these recognitions impacted your journey as an artist? Answer- Well I was nominated 2025 Texas Sound International Multi Nominee just from my YouTube, before I ever went streaming. I was nominated by someone who heard my music and related to it. It was a stranger and I still don\u2019t know who. That is all I ever wanted; for someone to hear my music, relate to it, and have it make a difference in their life. To see they were not the only one feeling a certain way, or wanting to give up because they felt alone. The same way I felt at times. I wanted it to be an anthem to keep fighting, never give up, and no matter what anyone says that anyone can be anything they want to be just by being who they really are- perceived flaws and all. The pain doesn\u2019t last, the darkness won\u2019t stay forever, and the ones who matter will always be there, even if it isn\u2019t in physical presence at that moment.<\/p>\n
7) Who are some of your biggest musical influences in classic country and folk, and how do you see those influences showing up in your current work? Answers- Well my influences go well past those genres. My absolute idol my entire life was the late Bonnie Tyler. Not just for music but also how she carried herself. She could sing any man under the carpet, but also she never lowered her morals. She dressed and acted like a LADY throughout her career. Bonnie was married to the same man since the early 1970\u2019s, never sexualized herself or cheapened her morals to get ahead. She was a true LADY. Growing up I also loved Dolly Parton and \u201cCoat of Many Colors\u201d was the first album my parents ever handed down to me when I was 4. I love Stevie Nicks and Linda Ronstadt. When I was doing my art ( yes I\u2019m also a painter) I was honored when Crystal Gayle, Carlene Carter, and Buddy Jewel follow me on my instagram art page ( now defunct). I adored Loretta Lynn, Crystal Gayle, Carlene Carter, Roseann Cash, Lorrie Morgan, Jeanne Kendall. I\u2019m a huge Sawyer Brown, Tracy Lawrence, Tracy Byrd and Alabama fan. I got to photograph Clint Black earlier this year in concert, and did art for John Waite last year. Another of my idols is not country and known as the \u201cNicest Guy in Rock\u201d and that is drummer Jimmy DeGrasso. I hope someday to meet him. I loved him from the moment my Uncle passed down Jimmy\u2019s Y&T stuff all the way to one of my favorite more recent bands \u201cBlack Star Riders\u201d. I saw many concerts with my dad growing up an a great memory was going to Vancouver to see \u201cThe Nitty Gritty Dirt Band\u201d when I was 12, and Garth Brooks when I was 16.<\/p>\n
8)If listeners could take away one main message or feeling from \u201cHalf of Me,\u201d what would you want that to be? Answer- That no one you see is perfect. Not one person in this world. Every person from Kings, to celebrities, to someone living on the streets or an ordinary person working 9 to 5. Everyone is equal, and deserves respect and simple human kindness\/ consideration. EVERYONE struggles with self esteem at some point. EVERYONE is imperfect. EVERYONE deserves to be heard, have empathy and be cared about. You may not agree with some, but it is no one\u2019s right to judge or make others feel \u201cLess Than\u201d. As my dad used to say \u201cBeauty is only skin deep but inner ugly is to the bone, and what matters is your heart, because the outer is only going to fade anyway\u201d. It is ok to be messy. It is ok not to look or be like other people. It is ok to \u2018ugly cry\u2019 and it doesn\u2019t mean your weak or less. It is ok to have real feelings. It\u2019s ok to be human and sensitive. EVERYONE struggles. It IS NOT ok to stand in judgement of others and it IS NOT ok to bully other\u2019s or to expect ANYONE to be put on a pedestal of what they decide is perfect. It is not ok to use or hurt others and make them question their worth. We all struggle, no matter who you are, with a side of us that is in the light for the world to see and a side hiding in the dark few ever see because the world made them feel unworthy\/ hurt\/less.<\/p>\n
9)What\u2019s next for you after \u201cHalf of Me\u201d? Are you working on more new music, an EP, or an album? Answer- Currently I\u2019m working with Steve Bloor Global Media deciding what to release next. I\u2019m not sure if it is going to be a re- release of \u201cA World that Judges Wrong\u201d away from YouTube where it first got me noticed, or a completely new one about what I learned, that really matters in this world, through my journey the last couple years. I\u2019m also in talks to be signed by Woodward Ave Records at the end of the summer. Mostly I\u2019m just going with life where it takes me like I always have. I kind of live life as \u201cTomorrow never comes, so just be in today.\u201d<\/p>\n
10) For emerging artists who are trying to build momentum like you have, what advice would you give them about staying true to their voice while growing their career? Answer- I struggled with this lately actually so\u2026 Don\u2019t let others tell you who you SHOULD be, how you SHOULD sound, or that you CANNOT BE anything you dream of\u2026.Don\u2019t be the next \u201c______\u201d fill in the blank\/anyone else\u2026don\u2019t \u201csound like\u201d anyone else. Be YOU. Don\u2019t pump out generic drinking songs, or these songwriter circles everyone is doing now, just to get a hit. Take a tip from Loretta Lynn, Johnny Paycheck and Johnny Cash\u2026 write about YOUR upbringing, YOUR real life and YOUR pain\/ pleasures. Don\u2019t forsake YOUR morals to get fame or be noticed, that cheapens you and what you stand for. Don\u2019t redo other people\u2019s stuff, they were classic for a reason and you can\u2019t do them better than they did, so leave their legacy alone. Don\u2019t copy others sounds..that is them, not you. Be ORIGINAL\u2026there isn\u2019t enough of that today. Most of all- never forget you are NEVER any better than anyone else. Let the ego go. The people who buy your music are not your FANS and you are NOT above them. They are your supporters\/ your equals and they are the ones keeping you doing what you love. Always remember that- and if you are true to YOU and original\u2026imperfectly perfect\u2026. Your true supporters who you treat like human beings will be there for the good and bad times unwavering\u2026not just the ones who are only there because your doing well, when your on top, but then vanish when you don\u2019t have a hit or move on to the next big thing. They are blood and bone human beings, just like you. Supporters see authenticity and don\u2019t ever treat them like they are less or one of your minions.<\/p>\n
11) Is there anything else you\u2019d like fans and supporters to know about this new chapter with \u201cHalf of Me\u201d? I am just putting one foot in-front of the other, just like everyone else. I\u2019m going to keep doing music as a journal, hoping it helps even one other person in their struggle to see they are not alone. Trying to transition more maybe to writing. Something to try not take for granted is that life is not promised anyone and we all could be gone tomorrow; so I will keep living a life of trying to help others up. Try to remember we are all imperfectly perfect and no one deserves a pedestal beyond God. What matters in the long run isn\u2019t fame, money, materialism, and it definitely is not 3 minutes and 20 seconds on the radio\u2026never sell your soul for any of it. If your kind, original and genuine; people will find you. It is about the individuals and how you make a difference, good or bad, in the individual life of others. What we do has ripples, even the smallest everyday acts, far beyond what we see. Keep that in mind always. DJ\u2019s, actors, musicians, politicians\u2026none of us are Gods. Don\u2019t follow blindly, don\u2019t lose kindness\/humanity \/empathy for every person in this world. I can only just keep being imperfectly perfect me, doing my thing, and how far it goes is never up to me, it\u2019s up to the individuals who hear me and feel what I feel. It\u2019s the only reason I keep doing it. ❤<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question 1) Congratulations on the release of your new single \u201cHalf of Me\u201d! Can you tell us what inspired this song and what it means to you personally? Answer- Well as I always say \u201cMy songwriting is just my journal through life, how I really feel.\u201d For me this song is truly about my self […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":41086,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,482],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nws","category-written"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kjagradio.com\/themic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36310","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kjagradio.com\/themic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kjagradio.com\/themic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kjagradio.com\/themic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kjagradio.com\/themic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36310"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/kjagradio.com\/themic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36310\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41087,"href":"https:\/\/kjagradio.com\/themic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36310\/revisions\/41087"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kjagradio.com\/themic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41086"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kjagradio.com\/themic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36310"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kjagradio.com\/themic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36310"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kjagradio.com\/themic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36310"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}