Tell us your story! Where did you begin and how did you reach the caliber you’re currently at?
I was born and raised in Manhattan Beach, CA (also half Canadian so I spent 3 months of the year there), and started writing songs at 6. I’m kind of an old soul so I was obsessed with Stevie Nicks, Dolly Parton, Cat Stevens and a lot of those classic 70s SoCal artists/bands that had that melting pot of pop, rock, soul, and folk inspo but also grew up in the time of Avril Lavigne, MIchelle Branch, and Gavin DeGraw who were huge inspos. When I was 11 I got a life-threatening illness and had to be homeschooled/in the hospital for most of my 6h grade year. Music became my best friend and my outlet to process everything, especially when I got back into a new school and was bullied for the first time. I taught myself guitar (I had been playing piano since 6) and started posting on Facebook. Prior to that I did the talent show once a year and was in choir, but I was always a little shy when it came to performing. When I realized people were relating to my music and it wasn’t just for me anymore, I knew I had to keep going. I joined cheerleading in 7th grade and throughout high school which helped me really grow as a performer and recorded my first demos at 17. Then I went to Nashville, TN and went to Belmont University studying music business, interning at labels and publishing companies, working, and writing with other writers/producers after class. At the same time, I kept building my social media following. It took off with an app called Pic Collage that was more like an Instagram at the time, and within 6 months had 300k followers there. One by one, I’d message each person that listened to music, followed them back, reshared their posts and it translated over to the other platforms as well. And then one day I got approached to come to Radio Disney for an interview, they ended up adding my music video to Disney Channel and playing my songs and I became the first independent artist added. That led to more doors opening simultaneously. I loved writing for film/TV so I submitted a voice memo of a song about home for a Lionsgate movie called “The Great Gilly Hopkins” – it ended up being the endtitle. I kept writing and grinding and then got asked to audition for a Hallmark movie even though I hadn’t acted before. I got the role and wrote/recorded the soundtrack for “Love, Of Course” starring Kelly Rutherford and Cameron Mathison. That brought me back to LA because I really missed the endless possibilities California has creatively. Since then (2019), I’ve worked with over 70 brands including a Stella Rosa national holiday commercial and designing my own collection with MoonGlow Jewelry inspired by my EP “The Awakening Vol 1”. My last two projects I’ve really zeroed in on my sound working with incredible producers like Jamie Kenney (FLETCHER, Colbie Caillat) and Brian West (Nelly Furtado, Andy Grammar) to create a “New SoCal Sound”. This combo of old and new, organic and synthetic with really strong storytelling and a vibe that just makes you feel good even if it’s sad. I see male artists like Harry Styles and Shawn Mendes creating these timeless songs that have a similar combo and as a female artist in pop, that’s my authentic scene.
What makes you love what you do? How long have you been making music? Would you call it your passion?
I love being able to take a feeling or situation and turn it into a song that not only becomes a piece of art that is therapeutic for me, but does that for others. When I see someone crying, smiling, opening up and even connecting with someone because of one of my songs. I literally light up. I’ve always been a floater with friends, finding common ground with a variety of people and I’ve always been the connector. Music is another way I do that. I consider myself to be a lightworker. I want people to feel loved, understood, and like anything is possible. We need more of that light in this world.
What are some accomplishments or milestones you’ve reached lately?
This year has been nuts! I’ve released more music back to back than ever before. I did a waterfall release (single a month) leading up to my EP “The Awakening Vol 1” with a series of mini music videos that dropped at the end of March and now another 3 singles as I lead up to Vol 2. I’ve had my music on MTV’s “Catfish”, had three number one songs on Mix 93.3 in Montana, airplay on LAs Alt 98.7, headlined a 700+ crowd concert in Culver City, performed live on KTLA here in LA–its been wild. Most recently, my last three full music videos premiered on VEVOs Incoming Pop and DSCVR Pop playlists and “Manifest” was sponsored by a female-run angel number jewelry brand called Haus of Divinity. That was pretty awesome.
Tell us about “MANIFEST”!!
I first wrote “Manifest” 2 years ago with one of my best friends and co-writers Emma Lynn White and also Shawn Gough (who I also wrote “Saving Space” with). I had this person I couldn’t get out of my mind and this fantasy of what it would be like in my head if he just showed up. At the same time, I was in the middle of my spiritual awakening and really watching manifestation play an incredible role in my life. I was seeing angel numbers like crazy (11:11, 2:22, etc.) and witnessing synchronicity that freaked me out at times. I thought, ok I say my manifestations out loud already, what would happen if I sang this out loud. I realized manifestations and fantasies definitely had a correlation, one was just more sensual. I basically spilled my fantasy to Emma and Shawn and we put the demo on social media. I was pretty nervous as I hadn’t ever released a “sexy” song before but even people my parents age responded super positively -I think to the honesty in it. We all have that side to us and as women it’s taboo or typically correlated to being “raunchy” and I wanted to change that. Being in touch with the divine feminine and realizing the power within ourselves is magical and can still have class to it. I brought the song to my producer Jamie Kenney and we added a bridge that we wrote that took it to the next level. As far as the music video goes, the entire video was created, shot, edited, etc. with me and two incredibly talented women Allison Snyder and Alaina Booth. I loved that two girls were making the video and I thought it would be so cool to have a female brand sponsor it so I partnered on it with Haus of Divinity. Their angel number jewelry fit perfectly and 11:11 was a theme throughout. We got a cabin in the middle of the night, had limited equipment, and made the entire video pulling an all nighter.
Do you have any advice for someone who is starting music?
Do it everyday. Challenge yourself and work with people better than you, older than you, totally different genre than you. Spend time alone and really let yourself dig deep. Who are you? What is your why? And go from there. You can always go back and reference that throughout the rest of your career.
What do you want our readers to know about you and your music?
Whether it’s them or someone they know, I KNOW someone can find some healing within it—because I am someone who its helped heal.
Anything else you would like to add?
There’s so much music coming, please follow on socials and Spotify/subscribe on YouTube and you’ll never miss it. I also do my best to respond to as many people as possible so I can pretty much guarantee that.
Go Check Out Chloé Caroline!
Website: http://www.chloecaroline.com
Instagram: @chloecaroline
TikTok: @imchloecaroline
Twitter: @imchloecaroline
Spotify: Chloé Caroline
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