How did the project get started?
About two years ago, I decided that I wanted to release my own music. So, I started watching youtube videos on how to record and messing around in Ableton Lite. As I figured that out, I was also writing more music, and at some point along the way, I decided that my end goal would be releasing an EP.
What were some of your main inspirations?
The artist who got me interested in the ukulele and in writing music is Danielle Ate the Sandwich. I’ve been listening to her music since elementary school, and I love the stories she’s able to tell with her songs. I was also inspired by being around so many other people my age writing and releasing their own music. I think having so many examples made it feel like a very achievable goal.
What was your process from conception to release?
The first step of the process was learning because I went into the project with zero recording or mixing skills. Once I knew enough to operate the software, I made demos of all the songs I planned on including in the EP and sent them out to some friends to get their feedback and a fresh ear. That led to re-writing and reconfiguring some songs before I recorded them (in my basement) for a final time. After all the recording was done, I started mixing and learned a lot from Youtube during this process as well. In the mixing stage, I got feedback from friends again and listened back to the tracks through many different speakers before they were final.
For mastering, I outsourced because I didn’t feel like I could do it as well as I wanted to and that sped up the process in the end. When that was done, I uploaded the files to a distributor, added the album cover and all the other details, and gave myself a month until the release would go live on streaming services. During that month, I used Instagram to promote the project and made a little promo video for one of the songs, Winter. Then, finally, on January 15th, the EP went live! The whole process from start to finish was almost 2 years long, so it felt incredible to have it out in the world.
What was the effect of the pandemic on this project?
When lockdown started in March, I was in the final recording phase of the EP, but despite having more free time than before, it didn’t go any faster. I think the pandemic affected a lot of us in different ways than we expected, and I was surprised by how hard it was to motivate myself to work on the project. It took me until August to finish the recording.
What’s next for you?
Currently, I’m writing a lot and not putting any pressure on myself to do more than that. Although the process of releasing Look Up at the Sky was overall a fun one, I felt like I had it hanging over my head for a while, so for now I’m not rushing into anything new. I eventually do want to release more music and in the future, post-COVID, and would love to work with other people in person and add more instrumentation to my songs.
