i l l u s t r a  t i o n   b y   b e c k e r   w h i t n e y

You guys, I am completely stoked to share this interview with you. I mean, it's been little more than a summer since Erin Notarthomas—a.k.a Wrenn—graduated from the University of Georgia, and she is already in the process of recording and promoting her first album! I mean, this girl is crazy talented, and a hard worker, but more than that, she is such a sweetheart. But don't just take my word for it. Below, I talked with quirky beat boxer + singer, Wrenn, about the kickstart of her musical career and how true friends can help carry you towards your dreams.

PASTEL: Introduce yourself! 

W: Helloooo. I'm Erin . . . a.k.a Wrenn. I've been around the sun about 22 times, got a dog named Cheeseburger, and I live off of peanut butter. 

PASTEL: I've always known you as Erin "the Photographer", but now I come to find that you also have this i-n-s-a-n-e voice. So Wrenn, "the Multitalented Artist", what projects are you excited about right now? 

W: Hahaha, thanks! I'm currently working on making an album. It's been such a huge undertaking that it's really the only project I can focus on as of late, and I'm extremely excited about it. 

PASTEL: What came first—your passion for photography or your passion for music? Do you have any other artistic or non-artistic talents up your sleeve that we don't know about?

W: Such a good question . . . To be honest, I can't tell your for sure which came first. For as long as I can remember, I've loved them both. I grew up in a household of artists and musicians. Both art and music have been a way to express myself. So perhaps I have always had a passion for expression. When it came time to pick a major for the University, I went with photography because that's what I was into at the time. Music has always been in my life, but actually writing songs didn't come until halfway through college. As far as other talents go . . . It's hard for me to pick them out. I didn't even like my songs or singing voice until a good friend of mine told me to go for it. 

PASTEL: Seeing as you're planning to release an album in the fall, I wanted to focus a little more on your music! Can you talk about what your song-writing process is like? Do lyrics find you in the middle of the day, forcing you to rush to the nearest available pen and napkin, or do you require solitude to focus? 

W: Writing songs is such a funny thing . . . There is never one way that it happens. Sometimes I'll think of some words and jot them down, and sometimes the words come after the melody, and sometimes they happen at the same time. I usually go into hiding for a couple of hours and pluck out some notes on the piano and when I hear the melodies in my head, it just makes sense to have a certain number of syllables in a phrase. Then I pick out words that fit the pattern and words that sound nice to me. Every now and then I refer to random phrases that I've texted to myself or written down throughout the days. The best way I can explain it is that sometimes a song just happens and you go with it. 

PASTEL: What instruments do you play? Do you have a favorite? 

W: I was classically trained on flute as a youngster and then I taught myself a little bit of piano, guitar, and ukelele. I also do vocal percussion (a.k.a beat boxing). My favorite is either the ukelele or the flute . . . The uke just sounds so fun and cute and it makes me happy to play it . . . And the flute allows me to get back to my musical roots and challenge myself with a mozart concerto. But let's be honest, I love them all. 

PASTEL: You have a couple of ditties posted to your website—I especially enjoy Lullaby Blue —are there any reoccurring themes that you find popping up in your music? Have your style and lyrics developed or changed over time? 

W: Since I haven't been writing songs for too long, I try to make a conscious effort to make each one sound different as well has have a myriad of themes throughout the songs. My worst nightmare is to be one of those artists who's songs all sound about the same. I have one about a suicide note, there's a love song, there is one about the apocalypse. Lullaby Blue is about the Civil War. There's a break up song, a song about retirement, etc, etc. I think my style is still developing . . . When I was in school, I was so focused on photography that my songs were growing at a very slow rate and there was very little development. Now that I have graduated, I am able to focus really hard on music. I'm excited to see how things continue to grow. 

PASTEL: How would you describe your sound right now? Are there any artists in particular that have influenced your style as a musician? 

W: The best word for my music, in my opinion, is "quirky". There isn't really one category that it fits in just yet. I try my best not to mimc other musicians if it's at all possible because I am already going to be compared to other artists out there. It's inevitable. If I had to pick out an influence, however, I would say Paul McCartney. I grew up listening to him and loving his music. There's probably a part of me that is subconsciously trying to be like him. 

PASTEL: If you could collaborate with any artist—living or dead—who would it be and why?

W: Elton John . . . I wanna hear his voice singing my songs. I have two songs in particular that I have this daydream about where Elton John sits down at a glass piano and sings them to me, and then we go and drink tea after. 

PASTEL: And what would the resultant title of your collaboration be? 

W: Wrennton John ;) 

PASTEL: I read that you'll begin recording in the studio tomorrow, September 5th! How does it feel to be taking that next step? Are you already familiar with the recording process? 

W: The studio is a foreign land to me. My only experience recording was in some dude's basement for my a cappella group in college. I'm actually a bit nervous, but Chris Padgett—the love of my life and guitar player—has a lot of experience in this realm, so he will be helping me out a ton. We've got our plan of attack all mapped out, and we've rehearsed a lot with the instrumentalists, so now we're just gonna dive in and do it! 

S P A N I S H   R A D I O  +  S U N R I S E  ( L I V E   P E R F O R M A N C E )

PASTEL: Quick! List five things you could never live without!!

W: Peanut butter, my glasses, blue powerade, Christ Padgett, and my journals. 

PASTEL: After spending four years immersed in photography is it scary to shift your focus to music, or was the shift premeditated? I know that they might seem quite different, but do you find any sort of artistic overlap in the two fields? 

W: The shift was slightly premeditated. Immediately after graduating, I was applying for jobs in fashion photography and working on songs at the same time. Come to find out, the whole making an album and making a name for yourself has become a full time job. I've never been more busy in my life, and I love it. So photography as a career has been put on hold, but my musical endeavors have included photography. 

I've done all my own photo shoots for posters and social media and the website and this, that, and the other. My degree as an art major is actually really beneficial. I can be my own graphic designer and artist. I know how I want to be portrayed and what I want my promotional items to look like, so who better to do those things than myself? And on top of that, the content of a lot of my photography is reflected in my songs. Like I said before, both are a way to express myself . . .  So what I express through art can also be expressed through music. 

L U L L A B Y   B L U E

PASTEL: What's next for you and your art—do you have any other upcoming plans that you're excited about? 

W: There are no set plans for me and art, but I'm always making art. I'm always taking pictures or doodling or sketching out my ideas. I love to create things. There is a lot of satisfaction that comes from making something beautiful. 

PASTEL: What do you want listeners to take away from your music?

W: I want people to take what they will from it. One of the greatest things about art and music is that everything is up for interpretation. I have my feelings towards the lyrics and melodies, but if someone else feels something different from them, then that is great too. As long as they're listening, I'm happy. 

PASTEL: You've more than exceeded your goal of 5k for your first album! How does it feel knowing that you have a huge group of supporters behind your dream?

W: It's overwhelming. We (Chris and I) were honestly prepared to pull a large chunk of money out of our own pockets because we weren't sure if we could make the 5k, and then we ended up making eight grand! It's very humbling, and I can't thank my supporters enough. They've helped me start working on my dream, and you can't put a price on that. 

Keep up with Wrenn on 

Instagram, Facebook, + Twitter

www.facebook.com/wrennpop

@wrennpop

p h o t o g r a p h y   +  v i d e o s    c o u r t e s y    o f   W r e n n

Cheers Loves,

B

 i l l u s t r a  t i o n   b y   b e c k e r   w h i t n e y

You guys, I am completely stoked to share this interview with you. I mean, it's been little more than a summer since Erin Notarthomas—a.k.a Wrenn—graduated from the University of Georgia, and she is already in the process of recording and promoting her first album! I mean, this girl is crazy talented, and a hard worker, but more than that, she is such a sweetheart. But don't just take my word for it. Below, I talked with quirky beat boxer + singer, Wrenn, about the kickstart of her musical career and how true friends can help carry you towards your dreams.

PASTEL: Introduce yourself! 

W: Helloooo. I'm Erin . . . a.k.a Wrenn. I've been around the sun about 22 times, got a dog named Cheeseburger, and I live off of peanut butter. 

PASTEL: I've always known you as Erin "the Photographer", but now I come to find that you also have this i-n-s-a-n-e voice. So Wrenn, "the Multitalented Artist", what projects are you excited about right now? 

W: Hahaha, thanks! I'm currently working on making an album. It's been such a huge undertaking that it's really the only project I can focus on as of late, and I'm extremely excited about it. 

PASTEL: What came first—your passion for photography or your passion for music? Do you have any other artistic or non-artistic talents up your sleeve that we don't know about?

W: Such a good question . . . To be honest, I can't tell your for sure which came first. For as long as I can remember, I've loved them both. I grew up in a household of artists and musicians. Both art and music have been a way to express myself. So perhaps I have always had a passion for expression. When it came time to pick a major for the University, I went with photography because that's what I was into at the time. Music has always been in my life, but actually writing songs didn't come until halfway through college. As far as other talents go . . . It's hard for me to pick them out. I didn't even like my songs or singing voice until a good friend of mine told me to go for it. 

PASTEL: Seeing as you're planning to release an album in the fall, I wanted to focus a little more on your music! Can you talk about what your song-writing process is like? Do lyrics find you in the middle of the day, forcing you to rush to the nearest available pen and napkin, or do you require solitude to focus? 

W: Writing songs is such a funny thing . . . There is never one way that it happens. Sometimes I'll think of some words and jot them down, and sometimes the words come after the melody, and sometimes they happen at the same time. I usually go into hiding for a couple of hours and pluck out some notes on the piano and when I hear the melodies in my head, it just makes sense to have a certain number of syllables in a phrase. Then I pick out words that fit the pattern and words that sound nice to me. Every now and then I refer to random phrases that I've texted to myself or written down throughout the days. The best way I can explain it is that sometimes a song just happens and you go with it. 

PASTEL: What instruments do you play? Do you have a favorite? 

W: I was classically trained on flute as a youngster and then I taught myself a little bit of piano, guitar, and ukelele. I also do vocal percussion (a.k.a beat boxing). My favorite is either the ukelele or the flute . . . The uke just sounds so fun and cute and it makes me happy to play it . . . And the flute allows me to get back to my musical roots and challenge myself with a mozart concerto. But let's be honest, I love them all. 

PASTEL: You have a couple of ditties posted to your website—I especially enjoy Lullaby Blue —are there any reoccurring themes that you find popping up in your music? Have your style and lyrics developed or changed over time? 

W: Since I haven't been writing songs for too long, I try to make a conscious effort to make each one sound different as well has have a myriad of themes throughout the songs. My worst nightmare is to be one of those artists who's songs all sound about the same. I have one about a suicide note, there's a love song, there is one about the apocalypse. Lullaby Blue is about the Civil War. There's a break up song, a song about retirement, etc, etc. I think my style is still developing . . . When I was in school, I was so focused on photography that my songs were growing at a very slow rate and there was very little development. Now that I have graduated, I am able to focus really hard on music. I'm excited to see how things continue to grow. 

PASTEL: How would you describe your sound right now? Are there any artists in particular that have influenced your style as a musician? 

W: The best word for my music, in my opinion, is "quirky". There isn't really one category that it fits in just yet. I try my best not to mimc other musicians if it's at all possible because I am already going to be compared to other artists out there. It's inevitable. If I had to pick out an influence, however, I would say Paul McCartney. I grew up listening to him and loving his music. There's probably a part of me that is subconsciously trying to be like him. 

PASTEL: If you could collaborate with any artist—living or dead—who would it be and why?

W: Elton John . . . I wanna hear his voice singing my songs. I have two songs in particular that I have this daydream about where Elton John sits down at a glass piano and sings them to me, and then we go and drink tea after. 

PASTEL: And what would the resultant title of your collaboration be? 

W: Wrennton John ;) 

PASTEL: I read that you'll begin recording in the studio tomorrow, September 5th! How does it feel to be taking that next step? Are you already familiar with the recording process? 

W: The studio is a foreign land to me. My only experience recording was in some dude's basement for my a cappella group in college. I'm actually a bit nervous, but Chris Padgett—the love of my life and guitar player—has a lot of experience in this realm, so he will be helping me out a ton. We've got our plan of attack all mapped out, and we've rehearsed a lot with the instrumentalists, so now we're just gonna dive in and do it! 

S P A N I S H   R A D I O  +  S U N R I S E  ( L I V E   P E R F O R M A N C E )

PASTEL: Quick! List five things you could never live without!!

W: Peanut butter, my glasses, blue powerade, Christ Padgett, and my journals. 

PASTEL: After spending four years immersed in photography is it scary to shift your focus to music, or was the shift premeditated? I know that they might seem quite different, but do you find any sort of artistic overlap in the two fields? 

W: The shift was slightly premeditated. Immediately after graduating, I was applying for jobs in fashion photography and working on songs at the same time. Come to find out, the whole making an album and making a name for yourself has become a full time job. I've never been more busy in my life, and I love it. So photography as a career has been put on hold, but my musical endeavors have included photography. 

I've done all my own photo shoots for posters and social media and the website and this, that, and the other. My degree as an art major is actually really beneficial. I can be my own graphic designer and artist. I know how I want to be portrayed and what I want my promotional items to look like, so who better to do those things than myself? And on top of that, the content of a lot of my photography is reflected in my songs. Like I said before, both are a way to express myself . . .  So what I express through art can also be expressed through music. 

L U L L A B Y   B L U E

PASTEL: What's next for you and your art—do you have any other upcoming plans that you're excited about? 

W: There are no set plans for me and art, but I'm always making art. I'm always taking pictures or doodling or sketching out my ideas. I love to create things. There is a lot of satisfaction that comes from making something beautiful. 

PASTEL: What do you want listeners to take away from your music?

W: I want people to take what they will from it. One of the greatest things about art and music is that everything is up for interpretation. I have my feelings towards the lyrics and melodies, but if someone else feels something different from them, then that is great too. As long as they're listening, I'm happy. 

PASTEL: You've more than exceeded your goal of 5k for your first album! How does it feel knowing that you have a huge group of supporters behind your dream?

W: It's overwhelming. We (Chris and I) were honestly prepared to pull a large chunk of money out of our own pockets because we weren't sure if we could make the 5k, and then we ended up making eight grand! It's very humbling, and I can't thank my supporters enough. They've helped me start working on my dream, and you can't put a price on that. 

Keep up with Wrenn on 

Instagram, Facebook, + Twitter

www.facebook.com/wrennpop

@wrennpop

p h o t o g r a p h y   +  v i d e o s    c o u r t e s y    o f   W r e n n

Cheers Loves,

B