Colette OConnor

Bio

One pure, unadulterated, acoustic creative. All organic Americana/Folk. Possibly the last of her kind. Loves to love back.

Profile

Instruments

Genres

Influences

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Languages

What is music to you? What does it give you?

Art inspires art. A musician has the ability to create an environment, with lyrics/melody, that can take a person on their own emotional journey. New understandings can create connections between people. What it gives me is an empowered voice. A musician can, with their art, raise funds and awareness for issues that can change outlooks and better situations.

What is your music dream?

I am living it.

If you could change the world - what would you start with?

A song.

Which is the most memorable song from your childhood?

Moonshadow by Cat Stevens.

Who are your favorite musical artists or bands?

Libby Cotton, George Harrison/Beatles, Melanie Safka, Joni, Judy, Janice, Joan, Darr, Cheryl, Ani, Mary-Chapin, Nielson, Chet Atkins, Roy Clark, Gypsy Kings, Lila Downs, Chavela Vargas,

What inspires you to make music?

Being a human among humans, it’s impossible not to notice social imbalance. Music can create insight. Music can empower. Music does give voice to perspectives otherwise unheard. Music is my way of refocusing kindness.

What is the message you want to send with your music?

I love music and treat it as sacred. The only music I play streams from my own creative source, not because I think I say things better than those who created before me but rather because to add my perspective, in my own way, I believe, adds a unique perspective to the whole. No one song could ever speak to every need. Every sunset is a song. Every sunrise is different. Life. To feel your own song, within every song, is possible. I strive to find that honesty and craft something that adds to the music that countless others before me have offered their own gifts to. Music grows, as a whole, that way and my perspective is another way of singing yours.

How do you feel when you perform in front of an audience?

Intently connected. There is no place better than to illicit fun and revive eye-twinkles.

How do you see the musicians’ reality nowadays? What could be improved?

I think everyone has the capacity to determine their own reality. I ask myself not to forget the essence of kindness and to place it, as best I can, at the heart of what I do. I ask myself to do a little better every day.

What do you think of Drooble?

I think I know about Drooble because of Musician's Without Borders. Please do check out that organization. I work for them as a volunteer because I believe in what they are doing. I believe Drooble is starting to understand the principles of networking that will help willing musician/participants rise together.

What frustrates you most as a musician?

Favorite songs have stopped some people for listening to new music. Top 20 stops people from discovering new music. An industry swamped by what sells, which has all been based on sexism, racism, and perpetuates a head-long race to find the next trend has left behind the essence of so much meaningful music.

Do you support your local scene as a fan? How?

I am a radio-journalist for women in music. I research, write and present one featured woman creative music artist every month, in various online, social media, and on National Radio Programming. I produce each segment with reverence, because no one else is doing anything that essential, and so I must. I also host various live music showcases, on several cable channels, presenting poets and singer-songwriters from across the country.

What qualities should a musician nowadays have in order to get their music heard by a larger audience?

Solidarity. We all can help each other rise and be heard. There is more than enough room in the music Universe. Engage, listen, and share opportunities.

Share some awesome artists that we’ve never heard of.

Mike Doyle: A 60 year old plumber from Raynham, MA. who has notebooks full of sublime work. I am now mentoring him in the industry. Lindsay Newton Dodd: A Massachusetts based mother of three autistic sons whose music inspires children to grow with love. Linda Marks, from Waltham, MA. who cried when I asked her to define her audience. She feels so alone and writes, in classic sound, with piano and voice. Bianca Brochet, an uber-uke explosion of creativity, from Canada. Her uke skill will blow you away! I know so many of them because I listen, reach out, and hold them all up over my head for all the world to hear!!! I am drowning in song. The world is drowning in song, and yet, the artists must create. That's who we are.