Cheyenne McKenzie

Producer, Musician, Singer

Profile

Instruments

Genres

Influences

Equipment

Languages

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

Music is literally the friend I go to when no one else can provide me comfort. There have been days so exhausting that I can't play the piano but just sitting next to it will lift my spirits. I'd love to give that same sense of comfort to others with my music

What is your music dream?

My dream is to write almost every kind of music. I'm inspired by soundtracks that take you on a journey and themes that mean several different things depending when and how it repeats in a play or movie. I'm also in awe of songwriters and producers who can write a hit and still keep the artistic integrity that resonates with you. It's my goal to be able to write music like that.

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

Myself. It sounds cliche; but I want to become someone that can better deal with my anxiety and has a better handle on self-love. I want to be open about my journey so that it can inspire others to work through their own stories. The better we love ourselves, the better we can love others.

Which is the most memorable song from your childhood?

This is a tough one because music has been such a big part of my upbringing, I can name several memorable and influential songs. If I had to pick one, it would be Princess Mononoke, The Legend of Prince Ashitaka. Princess Mononoke had a huge influence in my life, from why I love nature to wanting own a wolf hybrid. This song tells the story of the whole movie; and just from the first few notes in the horns it can make me cry-- it's just magical.

Who are your favorite musical artists or bands?

To not be basic: I won't mention Beyonce or Rihanna but I'm a big fan of them both Newer Artists- Janelle Monae, Solange, Childish Gambino, Sia, John Legend, Missy Elliott Older Artists- NINA SIMONE, Prince, , Earth Wind & Fire, Chaka Khan, Sly & the Family Stone, Stevie Wonder, Four Tops,

What inspires you to make music?

Life... All my songs basically either come from a place of happiness, grief, or needing to get over something. "Queen" is a celebration that came from needing to encourage myself that I'm a boss. "I Choose Myself" was about how much I hated my 9 to 5 and having to accept the crap they put me through despite it affecting my mental health. I also have an EP I've been sitting on with a story that goes over the 3 seasons of my grief from loosing a child.

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

Love Yourself! You are Enough! You are Worth It! Whether you're celebrating accomplishments or need a reminder that it's all a journey. Self care is important above everything else. I don't care what your job says, what the bills say, what your parents say. What do you say?

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

It use to terrify me no matter how much experience I had with it. I just learned how to deal with it and would watch videos on what I needed to improve. Surprisingly enough, my last performance in front of a crowd, I only felt love. I wanted to share the song I've been working on for so long and I wanted them to feel my happiness and encouragement. When the audience was clapping and singing along with me, it only made me smile more.

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

A lot of it is shameless promoting and plugging. Which is not necessarily bad, you just gotta work hard to be seen. Promoting is hard for me since I don't want to "bother" anyone; but I need to do to. For anyone that's worried about pursuing music, I think there's a great need for musicians, you just gotta find your niche. Sometimes people focus on people a top artist but it's more important to find your audience and speak to them. There's more to music than pop songs. People will argue about how music has changed but I don't think the changes are necessarily evil.

What do you think of Drooble?

I love the idea of Drooble! I'm back in school for music and part of a FB group of musicians and all the information, music, feedback, etc. is what I love about connecting with other musicians. Drooble is all of that times 10.

What frustrates you most as a musician?

Not getting back honest or thorough feedback or seeing other compare artists in a negative way probably frustrate me the most as a musician. I'd like to see other succeed so I'll put my best foot forward when commenting.

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

Locally locally, no; but locally, yes. I grew up in NYC but currently live upstate. In my current county, it's hard to find much else besides rock, country, or jazz; so networking is a bit tough but I have been out to a few open mics. I do have a lot of artist friends from the city that I support by streaming their music and seeing their shows. I'll also forward opportunities I may come across that I think fits them so we all out here making that money.

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

If you're going for audiences that resonate with your content then creative, relatable lyrics that tell a story are key. If you want a fun, catchy bop that people can play at parties, think about earworms and replicate it in your own work. If you like a soundtrack, deconstruct it and figure out why you like it then replicate it. To be the best of the best, consider everything in your arsenal and put it into a song. Great track, lyrics, and emotion in one song will always be a hit!

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

Akilah is one of my best friends and a dope singer; IG is @akilah.ce. She has songs out everywhere so definitely go check her out. Xandre, a lyrical genius; check out his song "On God" out on YT, Spotify, Tidal, etc. He's also on IG @Xandremusic. TaeNino and LonerBoy Beats have awesome tracks out on YT so definitely check that out.