Published: March 18, 2009 5:54 PM EST
By: Isaac Davis Jr., MBA (Juniorscave.com)
New Music Spotlight March 2009 Edition
Margot Blanche
Margot Blanche
She is a brilliant Singer/Songwriter who is making music that is fun, fresh, and stylish. She is Margot Blanche and once you get a taste of her music you are going to absolutely love what you hear. She is also making a statement with her vintage fashion and sounds that nicely blend the two forms into modern melodious tunes. In this exclusive spotlight, Margot talks one on one with our Webzine. Enjoy!
Isaac: Please take a moment to elaborate on who you are and your upbringing.
Margot: My name is Margot Blanche and I am a singer/songwriter with a unique taste for blending vintage fashion and vintage sounds with modern day music and style. I was born in Hong Kong from a pretty culturally diverse background. My dad is from France and my mom is from the Philippines so I grew up with a lot of different cultural influences and a pretty unique background. I came to New York at the age of 17 to go to college and pursue my dream of starting a career in music.
Isaac: Was there any one musician that spoke to your heart so profoundly, you were inspired to do your own thing?
Margot: I was inspired at a young age by so many different artists that it's kind of difficult to narrow it down to just one. When I was really young, I idolized Michael Jackson, Madonna and Whitney Houston. Actually, as early as the age of 3, my mom used to put me up on the kitchen counter and I would sing along to Whitney's "Samen ahh mah love noo yoo" (Saving all my love for you). I started classical voice lessons at the age of 9 and it wasn't until I discovered soulful artists like Donnie Hathaway, James Brown and Etta James that I knew that I wanted to pursue that kind of music and songwriting.
Isaac: Which singer/group would you say you would most like to do a duet with?
Margot: There are so many great ones out there it's hard narrowing it down. From the basket of current recording artists, One Republic comes to mind just because of how strong their songwriting is. I'm always really impressed by artists with great songwriting chops especially people who push the envelope with creative melodies and chord progressions. I think they're definitely a band to watch in the next couple of years and it would be awesome collaborating with them.
Isaac: What singer/songwriter do you most connect with?
Margot: I've always had a huge respect for Mary J Blige and the way she is able to connect emotionally with her songs and her audiences. She really gets deep down into the meaning of her songs and is so passionate when she delivers her performances that it always leaves me with goose bumps on my arms. It's a common thread through all of her albums that she sings songs about her life as an artist and as a person and it's very "real" which I can relate to. I think it's essentially the same reason why I fell in love with artists like Donnie Hathaway, Etta James, Sam Cooke and other soul artists. They all reach deeper than just the melody and deliver intensity and conviction in their message and performance. That's the kind of artist I've always wanted to be.
Isaac: Out of your entire song collection that you've written thus far, which song(s) would you say is/are the most personal/meaningful to you?
Margot: Let It Rain. That song is just packed with emotion in both the recording and the song's history. I wrote it when I was going through a really tough time. My brother passed away a little more than a year ago and the song was written during the final hours spent at his bedside in the hospital. It still brings back so much emotion every time I listen to it and every time I perform it. It's not a negative song though and it's about trying to stay positive during hard times. I hope that listeners will be able to connect with the message on some level. Perhaps not as profoundly as the experience that I went through but everyone has their own demons and their own struggles that they need to overcome.
Which singers/groups do you enjoy/like from some of today's music genres?
Margot: The music I listen to is constantly changing and I always find myself listening to music across all genres and eras. From the current artist, right now I'm really enjoying some of the new singer/songwriters from the UK and from abroad. Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Estelle and Adele to name a few. I also recently started listening to Sia, an Australian singer/songwriter and she has such a wonderful talent for songwriting. I think she's great!
Isaac: What charities are you involved with or support and why should people get involved?
Margot: Right now I'm involved with the American Brain Tumor Association. I've tried to stay involved with that charity ever since my brother was diagnosed with the illness. It's still a charity that's very close to my heart but I would encourage people to just get involved with charity organizations in general. I really wish more people would spend more time getting involved or donating to charities of their own choice. Whether it's joining a breast cancer walk or becoming involved in a program that sponsors a child, it takes really little to make a difference in the world and it's never too early to get started.
Isaac: Have you (or would you ever consider) writing a song about any of today's particular world issues/problems? If so, what world issue would speak to you the most to write about?
Margot: Well, I do write about my own personal issues that affect my life and the people around me. Love, life, loss, grief. They're all emotions and stories that I have personally experienced and can honestly write about. I don't think I've earned the credibility and the right to speak about issues like politics, the environment or poverty. I think it takes time and confidence to put yourself out there and take a stance about something as powerful as that. It really does take a great deal of courage to put yourself out there and write a song that makes real social commentary. Right now I'm more comfortable writing about personal stories and issues. Maybe in the future though.
Isaac: What is the main reason why should people listen to your music?
Margot: I think I offer my listeners something really unique in overall style and sounds. In 'Pages of My Diary', the blend of vintage sounds with urban beats and production is something that's fresh and fun but I also try to create really accessible stories and lyrics. Hopefully, everyone that's able to listen to the album will be able to connect on a certain level with every song. There are songs about heartbreak, losing a loved one, self-confidence, being single and looking for love. It's a very honest and candid album. There are fast tracks, slower ballads, sounds taken from the swing era, gospel inspired bits, and inspiration taken from many cultural/musical eras so melodically, there's also a lot going on.
Isaac: How far into the creation of a song do you share any of it with anyone? Who would you play it for? Would it be a chorus, a verse and chorus, or a complete song?
Margot: It depends on the song. Generally speaking most people don't really "get it" until the chorus and vocal parts have been perfected. For most non-musicians, you can't really just hum a melody, like a verse or something and expect them to know where the whole thing is going. The person I share most of my scratch demos with is my fiancé/manager, Steve, just because he's the one I feel most comfortable sharing the raw pieces with. As an artist and as a musician, you tend to get a bit insecure that someone's going to think it sucks or it sounds terrible so I really only play the unfinished demos for people I trust the most. I try not to share any premature demo mp3s with too many people because they tend to eventually circulate. I'm a hardcore perfectionist and absolutely hate the idea of the general public being able to here anything less than 150% perfect in terms of sound quality, vocal delivery, arrangement, etc...
Isaac: How much do you let others "mess around with" one of your new songs?
Margot: I am really open artistically to letting other people play around with ideas and arrangements for my songs. Everyone has something unique and a different perspective to bring to the table and I really love taking advantage of everyone's talents and strong points. I eventually get to make the decision as to whether to actually go ahead with the idea or not but I really like seeing what others are able to get and spin off from my original concept.
Isaac: Do you have to be a tortured soul to be a singer-songwriter?
Margot: It definitely helps! No, I'm just kidding. Not necessarily. I guess it depends on what kind of singer you are and what kind of songwriting. There are some wonderful songs with lighthearted spirit and fun. I personally tend to use songwriting as a sort of therapy when coping with difficult issues going on in my life. It's weird because I'm a pretty private person and keep most of my problems to myself and those closest to me. On the other hand, I write and record songs about those same problems for tons of people to download and listen to. What a paradox right?
Isaac: Are your songs strictly autobiographical or are they embroidered autobiography?
Margot: A bit of both actually. I've written most songs about personal experiences but I've also written songs by proxy. Seeing the experiences that a close friend went through, for example, can spark an idea for me to write a song about. Friends and family play such a huge part in shaping the kind of person that you are that you can sort of live some of life's experiences through them.
Isaac: How long does it take you to process your emotions and turn them into songs?
Margot: It depends on the experience and the emotions. Sometimes, the words just come to me and stay in my mind just waiting for a song to be formulated around them. Other times it can be really difficult to figure out. Generally, I try not to spend too much time aching over it. If it's becoming too difficult or if I'm over-thinking it, I'll stop, do something else and come back and try it again later. I try to be as spontaneous as possible by always bringing a notebook with me to jot notes on the fly. The subway is my magic place for ideas to just pop out of my head. I don't know if it's the hum of the train, the rattling on the rails or just the fact that you're surrounded by strangers but I've always had great ideas just spring up on the subway.
Isaac: The best piece of advice you actually followed?
Margot: Work Hard. Nothing in life comes free or without hard work and dedication.
Isaac: Give Shout outs to your family and friends.
Margot: I'd like to give a shout out and thank all my listeners and everyone who's supported me and my music.
Isaac: Last but certainly not least, what are you working on, now?
Margot: Some exciting things on my plate at the moment. I'm working on developing my live show into something really dazzling and entertaining. I've recently partnered with a burlesque troupe called The Wild Cherryz and we're currently working on making our show something really fun and theatrical. I always loved going to shows, musicals and theatrical productions when I was little and I want to infuse some of that into what I'm doing right now. From wardrobe, props, lighting and full on stage production, I really love the idea of being able to give my fans an experience in which for one hour, they can just get away from their everyday life and be immersed in a world of music, dance and razzle dazzle.
