Interview with Karine Hannah

What's going on?! It is Adam. Welcome back to bringing it backwards. A podcast where both legendary and rising artists tell their own personal stories of how they achieve stardom. On this episode, we had a chance to chat with Karine Hannah, over zoom, video, KA, born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. And she talks about how she got into music. She knew at a very early age, she wanted to be a singer three, four years old. Her parents saw the incredible talent she had, so they would bring her to different auditions. She ends up getting a manager at a very early age, and she was on a show in Canada, a television show where Celine Dion saw her singing and asked her to sing at her wedding. 3 (1m 55s): So she sang at Celine Dion's wedding at 15 years old. She talks to us about moving to New York city to work with Jim Steinman. Who's wrote a bunch of songs, a bunch of hits for Celine Dion. He helped write, meet love, spat at a hell record. She worked with him for a while, ends up signing with cash money records, which is owned through Republic universal. So she worked with them for a while and we hear all about this new project she's been releasing, which is a bunch of cover songs, reimagined versions of some classic songs, 80 songs, rock songs. She does an incredible version of jump from van Halen, also California dreaming a crazy reimagined version of that song. 3 (2m 40s): And she has even more coming out from two thousands to present more reimagined versions of some massive, massive hits. You can watch the interview with Karine Hannah on our Facebook page and YouTube channel at bringing it backwards. It'd be awesome if you subscribe to our channel like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok at bringing back pod. And if you're listening to this on Spotify, apple music, Google podcasts, we would love it. If you follow us there as well, and hook us up with a five star review, 4 (3m 12s): We'd appreciate your support. If you follow and subscribe to our podcasts, wherever you listen to podcasts, 3 (3m 18s): We're bringing it backwards with Kareen Hannah. Hello. 5 (3m 23s): Hi. 3 (3m 24s): How are you? 5 (3m 26s): I'm good. How are you? 3 (3m 27s): I'm doing well. I'm doing well. I appreciate you doing this. 5 (3m 30s): Yeah, my pleasure. 3 (3m 32s): Cool. My name is Adam and this podcast is about you and your journey in music. 5 (3m 40s): Great. 3 (3m 41s): Awesome. Awesome. So, first off, I guess we'll go with where, where were you born and raised? 5 (3m 47s): I was born and raised in Montreal. Quebec. 3 (3m 50s): Okay. What was it like growing up there? 5 (3m 55s): I, I mean, now looking back now that I'm out of Montreal Quebec, I, I think it was pretty cool, very interesting. Very different from the rest of north America, because, you know, we had, we grew up speaking French and 3 (4m 15s): So envious. 5 (4m 17s): Yeah. I mean, at the time I didn't realize what a great thing that was, you know? Cause when you're living, you don't realize and, and you know, just a very, like, there's like a European culture there. That's so different from the rest of Canada and America. So I'm, I'm really happy to have had that. Yep. 3 (4m 43s): Was there, I'm just curious. Was there like, if you didn't know French, like, would you be kind of screwed there or like, do you need to know enough? 5 (4m 55s): No, you'd be kind of screwed. 3 (4m 58s): That's what I thought. Right. You have to pick up both languages pretty, pretty quickly, right? 5 (5m 5s): Yeah. Well, I mean, I grew up like primarily English, but you Def, it's a requirement you definitely have, you know, and, and you're taught French from a very young age. So like everyone that, that grows up there will know enough French to get by. You don't have to be fluent, but, but you have enough to get by. I used to be more fluent, but I've been out of, out of Quebec for a long time and I'm, and I have no one to talk to. So in French, you know, you know what they say, if you don't use it, you lose it. So. Right, 3 (5m 41s): Right. I bet if you went back and, and stay there for like two weeks straight, just speaking French, you'd be able to hang or it'd probably come back, I'd 5 (5m 49s): Be able to hang. But, but like, it wouldn't be as, as effortlessly, you know, as, as before 3 (5m 55s): Probably. Oh, sure. Okay. And how did you get into music? 5 (6m 0s): You know, I think that, I, I think I knew at a, at a very young age that, you know, singing was gonna be the thing for me. And I think that, you know, wasn't, I, it's crazy to think that a three year old or a four year old would know that, but I knew it. I knew it. Wow. Yeah. I just knew it. And then, then in my very early teens, there was so much validation about it for me. Like, you know, I, I was auditioning for like local little shows around my area and I was getting standing ovations at the auditions and things like that. 5 (6m 40s): And I guess, you know, that was a validation for me, but it was also a validation for my parents that, okay, well she definitely should be doing this, you know, like, yeah. There's no, there's no other route for her and it's okay if she doesn't, you know, finish college because this is what she's doing, so, 3 (7m 1s): Right, right. That's awesome that you had such supportive parents because yeah. Other kids may not have had that same, you know, experience where yeah, you're a great singer, but that's something that you could just do as a hobby, right. Like to take you to auditions and really embrace the fact that you have this powerful voice. And that says a lot. 5 (7m 19s): Yeah. I think that, I think that, you know, I'm, I was lucky in the sense that, that, like, it was an undeniable thing and my parents were supportive because not just because they saw people's reactions to when I sang, because like I'm not the only one, you know, that gets that. And it was, it was that they, they recognized that, like I had something that wasn't just like, you know, a, a nice singing voice. It was, it was like, you know, a different level of, of singing abilities and sound and sound to my voice. So they knew, they knew. And also there was like, I guess, a natural stage presence or something. 5 (8m 2s): They just, they, they recognized, they knew. 3 (8m 6s): So you always kind of knew like, this is what I'm gonna do. You said at three, four years old, you knew. 5 (8m 12s): Yeah. It's crazy. Not that I, I knew whether or not I was good enough or, or, and believe me, you don't have to be good enough to be in this business. So, 3 (8m 25s): You know what I mean? 5 (8m 27s): Right. It wasn't, you know, I don't think I was making sense of anything. It's just, I, and I just really remember that inner feeling that this is what I'm gonna be doing, regardless of whether I knew that, I guess, I guess deep down at a very at, at three or four, I knew that I had something without really knowing it. It was, it was just, I don't know, it was just one of those very natural things. It wasn't like, I'm, I'm being unrealistic at three or four, you know how kids, you know, they want, they want do things. Right. You 3 (9m 2s): Know, I'm gonna be an astronaut or whatever 5 (9m 5s): That's thinking was 3 (9m 10s): Reading. 5 (9m 12s): Totally reading mind. 3 (9m 13s): Yeah. Well, yeah, it's true. I mean, yeah, that's great. That'd be cool to be an astronaut, but like, let's work on like yeah. You would know, like if there was the, the, the brain you're realistic. Right. Exactly. Exactly. But wow. That's so incredible. Like, were you raising a musical household or no, you're just kind of the, 5 (9m 35s): Okay. 3 (9m 36s): Very, 5 (9m 36s): Yeah. I mean, like, you know, my, my parents listened to the music that they liked, which was, you know, not actually like hip or trendy for their time period, even. So I grew up listening to, to their cheesy music, which, which is good because it's a lot of like strong vocals, but like maybe considered cheesy and, and neither one of them could carry a tune from one room to the next. So that's like, they, they did not have an ear for music. And then I have a brother who, you know, is, is even worse. 5 (10m 20s): Like he cannot say, you know, there's, there's no musical talent and, and yeah, so 3 (10m 27s): You just absorbed it all. 5 (10m 29s): I, but I absorbed the music and, you know, I, everything even like very inspired by the music that, that was being played on the radio without even realizing that I was being influenced by it. It was just, my mother always had the radio on, in the background, like, especially on Sundays when she was cleaning the house. And, and I, I don't think I particularly cared for the music that was on the radio, but it was, it was always those same songs that, that was played cuz of the same station that she listened to. And, and I guess that I absorbed it and, and I guess to a degree, like it, it has shaped and influenced me today in, in all, all the music that I really love and appreciate, but just getting back. 5 (11m 19s): But there, my father's FA my father's father, my grandfather, he apparently had an amazing voice and he was like a closet singer. That's what this, according to my parents. Yeah. He was a closet singer when they would catch him, you know, singing, not in the closet, but you know what I mean? Like, 3 (11m 40s): Yeah. He just wasn't out. Like he wasn't trying to pursue a career in, in no, you know, vocals or whatever. 5 (11m 46s): Exactly. Interesting. And, and he never sang, I, I never heard him sing, but they had caught him sometimes. You know, like when he thought no one was listening, he was like, you know, singing something. And they said that he was unbelievable, but you know, I didn't realize. And so, so this is where they think that my ear and my talent came from. It has to. Yeah. 3 (12m 11s): Interesting. So you, you said early on your parents were putting you in different auditions, like for what, like musical theater or just courses, choir. They were like 6 (12m 20s): Here's to the great American settlers, the millions of you who settled for unsatisfying jobs because they paid the bills. Of course there is something else you could do. If you got something to say, start a podcast with streaker from iHeart and unleash your creative freedom. Maybe even earn enough money to one day. Tell your old boss, Hey, I'm no settler. 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Visit Pearl vision.com to find your neighborhood iCare center today, valid prescription require galled participating locations, restrictions apply taxes, extract C store for details ends 10 30, 1 20 22 exams available at the independent doctors of optometry at, or next to Pearl vision. Some doctors employed by Pearl vision. 5 (13m 59s): There were like, like review shows. So it was like these, these semi-professional shows where they, like, some of them were like Broadway based. Like they would do like a song from different Broadway shows and, and, you know, there was song and dance and, and like, it was, it was kind of a big deal in, in Montreal. And I would, and then there was also like for movies, like there was different themes and it was like a, like different songs from different movies. There, there were themes to these. It's almost like theme park productions, you know? Okay. 3 (14m 38s): Yeah. Yeah. That makes sense. 5 (14m 39s): Yeah, exactly. And, and I, and, and, you know, there was always like a cast of 40 or something like that. And I was the one that would always get singled out and, and, and all the critics would, would talk about me in these, in the review of these shows. So that was also more, yeah, it was more ammunition for my parents to think, oh, wow. You know, like it was undeniable, that's the path she's going to be following, you know, there's no way. 3 (15m 10s): Wow. And how old were you when you were doing these shows and getting the review heard about you? 5 (15m 15s): Yeah, it was like between the ages of 13 and 16. 3 (15m 20s): Okay. And that's when you started really kind of branch to that part of the, like business, as far as like before you were 13, were you just singing like in the school choir or anything like that? Or were you always kind doing this audition? 5 (15m 33s): My school, my school did not have a choir, so I never did anything like that. I was, you know, putting on concerts in my house for my mother 3 (15m 42s): Basically. Oh, okay. 5 (15m 44s): You know, singing to, to artists and songs that were, you know, very challenging. And like, my mother was sort of my teacher and she would sit and if I didn't hit that note, you know, that, you know, the Celine high notes and stuff, she would, you know, tell me to do it again. And, and, you know, she would really make sure that I focused and, and was able to like, do everything with my voice, you know? Like, so at the time I was like, Ugh, you know, I, I would always feel pressure. Oh my God. As soon as I don't hit the note, she's gonna stop me and say something, you know? But now in now when I think back, like, you know, she really, she kind of trained me and, and made me aware of my voice and stuff. 5 (16m 28s): So, 3 (16m 29s): Well, it sounds like she has an ear for you knows pitch at least. Cause if you were like tone deaf, like you would be like, oh yeah, it sounds great. Like, yeah. They would, you wouldn't even know if you're hitting the note or even close to it. Yeah. 5 (16m 41s): She knew she, she, she was very artistic and creative in so many ways. And, and she knew she definitely, she obviously had the ear, she heard everything and, but, but like could not execute it at all. 3 (17m 1s): Right, right. That's interesting. She could coach, but not be, not be a player. 5 (17m 5s): Exactly. 3 (17m 7s): So I did read. Okay. Obviously you, you know, you're singing at 16 and you, you get scouted essentially or seen by Celine Dion. What were you? That's 5 (17m 18s): What? It was actually at 15. 3 (17m 20s): 15. Okay. Well you need to update your website. I'm just kidding. 5 (17m 24s): It. Doesn't say it says 16. Okay. Well, it's, I'm 3 (17m 29s): Just joking with you though, but it does say 16, but you don't have to update your website. Okay. So you're 15, 15. What are you singing on? And like, so tell me about like, like set the stage for me. So you are on, it says, you just said like a television show on Canadian broadcasting. Like, was it a, like a competition singing competition or what, what were you singing on? And, and how did that happen? 5 (17m 54s): I was singing on, on a, on a local Quebec French TV show because I, I had management at the time who, you know, if you're living in, in Quebec, in Montreal, like that's the natural path is that you would go into French because that's, you know, that's what, what you would do. I was not comfortable with that because I wasn't born French per se. I was born, you know, on the English side of things, even though I could speak a little French, although my mother is, is, was born in France and grew up in Belgium, but, and came to Canada, but we weren't a French Canadian, you know, like there's a difference. 5 (18m 39s): So I didn't grow up with that culture. And, and at that time there was a lot of political issues about Montreal separating from the rest of, oh, 3 (18m 50s): Weird. I 5 (18m 51s): Didn't know that. Yeah. Because they wanted everything to be French. They didn't want anything English. They really wanted their own identity. It was a whole thing. And, and I was like, you know, a Jew from, from the English side and not, you know, a Catholic, French Canadian. So there was a little, like, not animosity amongst the people, but, but there was a division I would say there was a division. So anyway, I, I did this French TV show because my manager wanted me to get gain exposure and, and my manager knew Celine's manager. 5 (19m 32s): And so they happened to watch the show and Celine saw me on the show and she said, oh, I want her to sing at my wedding. And that's how it happened. She 3 (19m 45s): Saw 5 (19m 45s): Me on the show. Yeah. And my manager was also the leader of the most popular band slash orchestra of Montreal. And so, because she wanted me to perform, she also hired the orchestra plus, you know, like, I don't know, a whole horn and string section. Of course, of course. 3 (20m 10s): Cause the SL Dion of course, exactly. Yeah. I want all of it. 5 (20m 15s): She wants all of it and she can have all of it if you know what I mean. 3 (20m 19s): Right, right. 5 (20m 20s): And yeah. So that, and that's how it happened because 3 (20m 25s): Did you like a whole, like you, her, oh, sorry. No, go ahead. She wouldn't have seen you. No, 5 (20m 30s): I was gonna say she wouldn't have seen me if, if not for the fact that my manager and her manager like knew each other from like way back, it was, it was just like a flukey thing. And it's, I mean, she was, you know, already so well set in her career. She was always already a big star. And the fact that she happened to watch me is, I mean, because there were other performers on the show and the fact that she tuned in and heard me, and another thing that that's not been written about, that, that I don't really talk about that much because I maybe cuz I'm not a hundred percent certain. 5 (21m 11s): I just wanna mention it. 3 (21m 12s): No, this is awesome. Please tell me. Yeah. 5 (21m 15s): Okay. So on the, on that French TV show, I sang a song called the power of love. That became that same year. It became like a monster hit for, for Celine. And there is a theory from my ex manager. He believes that it's cuz I sang it on the show. Like it was already a cover tune when she, when, when I did it. And then when she did it, it was already, people had done the song before her and I had done it. 5 (21m 58s): I was, I forget who told me to do that song. I forget somebody. I don't, I forget who in my team suggested that song. I definitely didn't pick it. It was picked for me. And then she saw me sing it and then she recorded it soon thereafter and then had a monster hit with it. So there's wow. Yeah. So there's the theory is, is that she heard me do it and, and that's what sparked her to record it and you know, 3 (22m 27s): I'm sure that's the truth. That's that makes a lot of sense. 5 (22m 31s): Yeah. Wow. 3 (22m 32s): It's 5 (22m 33s): It's cause of the timeline, it's just really, you know 3 (22m 36s): Yeah. There's no coincidence that it, like, she heard you sing it. She reaches like loves you enough to be like, Hey, I want you to sing at my wedding. And then, you know, and the same breath kind of takes a song that you were doing and does it herself. 5 (22m 52s): Right. I mean, she killed it. She, I mean, she did an unbelievable job. My version was not quite the same, you know, she had it reproduced and you know, all this stuff, but yeah, I, 3 (23m 6s): But who would've given her the idea. Right. I mean, that's, that's that I would, I'd be claiming that if I were you. 5 (23m 12s): Yeah. I should really start talking about that. 3 (23m 15s): I would own that. I would. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. For sure. Yeah. What was it like playing at her wedding? Was it something that you were doing? What the reception, or did you get to sing as she's kind of coming down the aisle, the ceremony? Like what was it like? 5 (23m 29s): She had a very religious ceremony. As I heard, I wasn't at the ceremony. I was part of the reception. She had 500 guests. Wow. Yeah. And I, I sang a duet with her. I also, I mean, I did 3 (23m 46s): You, so you gotta perform with her at the wedding? No, 5 (23m 49s): No, I did not. No, no, no, no, no. I was gonna say that I, I did a duet with her favorite male singer. He was oh cool. Yeah. He was flown in from, from LA he's recently passed away. He, he was, and I understand why he was her favorite because he he's an amazing, he was an amazing singer and David Foster. Who's a very famous 3 (24m 16s): Producer and songwriter. Yeah. 5 (24m 18s): Yeah. So he accompanied us on, on the duet. Wow. Yeah. So that was a really amazing moment. I, I think, I didn't realize what, what the hell was going on, 3 (24m 29s): Who was the singer? Unless you don't, if you can't say, I'm just curious, 5 (24m 32s): The singer, his name is Warren weepy. 3 (24m 35s): Okay. And he doesn't ring a bell, but I wanna look him up after this. That's in. That's cool. 5 (24m 40s): Yeah. Yeah. He was a very well sought after like session singer and people used him on so many different things. Like everyone in the industry knew of him, but maybe like he wasn't famous to the public, but yeah. A great voice. And he was a great guy. And after, after the gig he sent me a, a, a car saying that it was wonderful to meet me and to do this with me. And he told me, you know, if you ever decide to move to LA, you know, come, you know, let me know, come look me up and I'll, I'll help you out. 5 (25m 21s): Wow. Yeah. And, and I, I was definitely thinking about it. Although I was very young, my manager said, well, I would go with you, you know, let's maybe we should take him up on this and spend a little time there. Cuz I thought, oh, you know, contacts. And then shortly thereafter he passed away. I believe that when I was actually considering of potentially taking him up on it. Yeah. 3 (25m 49s): And then you ended up going to New York instead. Right? 5 (25m 52s): I ended up coming to New York because I had some opportunities here. First of all, it's a much easier travel from Montreal to New York. Sure. Where are you? Where are you situated? 3 (26m 6s): I'm now in Nashville, but I'm originally was born and raised in San Diego. So I was, you know, I just moved here with my family a little over a year ago. 5 (26m 16s): Oh wow. 3 (26m 17s): Okay. So I'm a Cali kid born and raised. My kids are born Cali kid. Yeah. In San Diego and yeah. Now we all live here. Nashville. 5 (26m 24s): I hear the weather in San Diego is like perfection. 3 (26m 28s): It's pretty nice. It's pretty nice. But I love the seasons here. It's nice. It's cool to have snow. 5 (26m 34s): You know what it's cause you never had it. So, so you're, you're enjoying it for people that have had seasons don't love seasons. 3 (26m 42s): Right. It's funny how it is, right? Yeah. Yeah. They'd rather be sitting in 70 degree in overcast weather for their yeah. The day. Oh 5 (26m 52s): Yeah. Oh yeah. It's it's sometimes gets hard on the body. Hard on like you, you, you get allergies because there's all these different changes in the season. Then you gotta worry about your wardrobe. You know? It's it's a whole thing. 3 (27m 8s): It's a whole thing. Yeah. Okay. So you go to New York and what took you to New York? Was there opportunity there or you just said, okay, this is obviously the next thing. 5 (27m 19s): No it's because there were opportunities. 7 (27m 23s): This podcast is sponsored by office Depot, office max office Depot office. Max knows that having the right school supplies, help students feel ready and excited to start the new school year strong parents and teachers can find everything they need to help their students go back, stocked and ready for success. And right now you can save up to 60% on their best selling school supplies like notebooks, binders, calculators, and more, get it all@anyofficedepotorofficemaxstoreandatofficedepot.com. Success is in session for back to school at office Depot office, max, 9 (27m 59s): You have a vision for your business. Your priority might be to expand facilities or bring in the best talent. At century insurance. We listen, learn, and work to understand your business and your plans to help protect your new locations. As your business evolves, your vision comes true century right by you. Property and casualty, coverages and underwritten and safety services are provided by a member of the century insurance group, Stevens point, Wisconsin, for a complete listing of companies visit century.com. Policy coverages, benefits and discounts are not available on all state sea policy for complete coverage details. 8 (28m 30s): What's the copay for my eye exam. How much is my lens allowance? What kind of frames can I get? And most importantly, who accepts my vision insurance vision insurance can be confusing. Luckily, Pearl vision can help you make sense of it. They offer a wide selection of state-of-the-art lenses and brand name frames. Plus they work with all major vision plans, including IMED visit Pearl vision.com to find your neighborhood iCare center today. 5 (29m 1s): Because a very big composer. One of my all time. Favorite composers, producers, songwriters, Jim Steinman. I don't know if you're familiar with that name. 3 (29m 13s): Oh yeah. Wow. Okay. 5 (29m 17s): So he came to, 3 (29m 17s): You knew him? 5 (29m 19s): No, I did not know him. I knew that that I was a huge fan. Okay. But he somehow a, a demo of mine got in his hands and I got a call from his people saying that he wants to sign me and record with me. So, so you can't imagine how quickly it came to New York? Like 3 (29m 47s): Really? 5 (29m 48s): Yeah. 3 (29m 48s): Oh my God. Cause he was doing what me? He did Meatloaf's records, right? Oh that was, I mean that was his like big, big one. 5 (29m 56s): Meatloaf and Bonnie Tyler, an Celine. 3 (29m 59s): Oh, I didn't know. He did Celine. Okay. Wow. Okay. 5 (30m 2s): You know the song? It's all coming back to me now. 3 (30m 5s): Yeah. Oh, that's him. That's I didn't know that. Wow. Okay. I knew he did bat outta hell in a lot of the meatloaf records. 5 (30m 13s): He did a lot of the meatloaf records and obviously one of the biggest selling albums of all time, bad out of hell. Yeah. And total eclipse of the heart for Bonnie Tyler and 3 (30m 26s): Oh, I didn't know. He did that one too. Wow. Yeah. It's legend. Wow. Legend. 5 (30m 31s): And he, he passed away last year. 3 (30m 33s): Did he him? Cause so did me Milo passed away around the same time they 5 (30m 37s): Actually yeah, no a year from a year apart of each other. So I guess Jim is or nearly a year, but, or, or in the same year they both passed away. 3 (30m 48s): Jim. Yeah. Malo passed away in January, honestly. Like not like this year, like I'd be at the beginning of the year, right? 5 (30m 55s): Yeah. He died. He died of COVID. 3 (30m 57s): Yeah. I remember that's crazy. 5 (30m 60s): Yeah. Yeah. Sad. And Jim, Jim had been sick for a long time, so we knew we kind of knew that was coming, but yeah. Yeah. So on I'm just trying to get comfortable. 3 (31m 19s): Yeah. So he signed you, he, he heard your demo, like you just doing 5 (31m 23s): Yeah. Yeah. I, so I had, I had been coming to New York a little bit with my manager and hooking up with songwriters and either collaborating, sorry, popups, either collaborating with songwriters and, and recording like original songs or recording songs that I, that were originals that I loved from that, that were, that we were receiving. And, and I was, so I recorded quite a few songs and some of those songs landed in his lap. Oh, I know how now I remember a, a songwriter who had written for Celine had heard about me through his wife because my manager reached out to her cuz she did this, this, this thing at, at a, at a venue in New York city, legendary venue called the bitter end. 3 (32m 17s): Oh yeah. I know that. I know the bitter end. 5 (32m 19s): Yeah. It's a legendary room. And she does this thing once a month called the songwriter circle and where, where she ha where songwriters come and they, they play their, their music for, for people. And I, although I wasn't a songwriter, somehow my manager got me in one of those nights. So, so I, I, we, we drove to, to New York and I did one of those with an original song that I co-wrote, and, and, and this song writer by the name of Peter Zizo was there. 5 (32m 59s): And, and he had, he had, has written some hits for, for Celine. And he's the one that ha knew Jim somehow and somehow passed my, my demo to him. And that's how it happened. Like it's, it's all. Yeah. That's how things work, you know, like really, it's not the traditional way. It's like always like this fluky lucky little moment, you know? And, and that's how I, I worked with, with Jim, he signed me, he had a, he had an imprint label on Sony called ravenous records. So I, I recorded a, a ton of music with him, but then we had a falling out after two years just because of his, he had some mental health issues and things were not moving. 5 (33m 49s): And, and it, it, it sort of fizzled out, but all this to say, he really didn't have, he didn't work with anyone else after me and didn't didn't produce or, or write for any anyone else after me. 3 (34m 3s): So. Wow. 5 (34m 4s): Yeah. 3 (34m 5s): And you ended up assigning to a different major label. Right. 5 (34m 9s): So then I signed with cash money universal and put out a bunch of music with them, had some, you know, mild success. I, I, I, my, some of my, my two first singles charted on the billboard chart. So that 3 (34m 29s): Was nice. Yeah. That's awesome. Yeah. 5 (34m 30s): Yeah. Got into the top five. So like can't complain, you know, had the opportunity to do some really amazing things like tour, do some really, you know, heavy duty, sophisticated and high end music videos, you know, it, it was nice. Very, very nice. And then recently I signed with a new label called hard songs, music group, you know, and so, and that's where I'm at now, just because like, I could have stayed on the universal music label, but they are as, you know, hip hop, rap. 3 (35m 17s): Yeah. I mean, cash money is really have, was your sound then that style or no, nothing like that. 5 (35m 23s): No. Nothing. 3 (35m 25s): That's crazy that they would sign you. Like, was that a pretty like for you? Were you kind of like, huh? Cash money records wants me, like, that's interesting. 5 (35m 33s): Yeah. Well, so at the time that they signed me, you know, it's all about timing because, you know, I, I really fast forwarded because in between Jim Steinman, you know, and cash money, I was on the verge of signing with so many majors, but it, but I was very unlucky. All the labels folded just before we 3 (35m 55s): Oh, right. Okay. 5 (35m 56s): Like, like EMI, I was about to get a deal with EMI, but they, 3 (36m 0s): A lot of 'em got absorbed. Right. Like, or sold, and then, you know, dropped a bunch of artists, Electra, 5 (36m 6s): Electra. I was even, you know, so there was, 3 (36m 10s): I think was one. Yeah. 5 (36m 12s): Yes. And, and, and so I, I, at that point after all of that, I'm like, oh, geez, I'm just gonna put out music on my own. Like, that's what I was thinking. I was signed to a, a, an indie label after the Steinman project for, for brief moment, I did a project on it. It's, they're, they're called breaking records. They're no longer in existence, but I did a really interesting album with them that I'm very proud of, but you know, that was at that time, but I was looking for something bigger. And so what happened was I was sort of giving up the whole idea because I'm like, I'm just don't have the luck here. 5 (36m 59s): And my entertainment attorney at the time was playing my music on his computer, in the background. And his big clients were cash money. And they happened to be in his office. My music was playing in the background and they asked him, oh, who who's that in the background? Oh, that's my client, Karen Hannah. And, and as a joke, because they're a hip hop, rap label, you know, urban label as a joke, cuz I'm a pop artist. He says, why do you wanna sign that? Sign her? And they were like, yeah, 3 (37m 37s): Whoa. 5 (37m 39s): And that's literally how it happened. And it was just a joke. But at that time they were looking to expand their label into other genres. They were, they were thinking they were gonna like, because they were, they were, they weren't, I mean, they're still a big, the biggest, one of the biggest labels, you 3 (37m 55s): Know? Yeah. I mean they're massive, massive talent on their, on their team. 5 (37m 60s): Exactly. So they, so they had a pump pop country girl for half a second. I was the pop princess. They had, you know, Kevin Rudolph was signed. Oh yeah, yeah. He had, he had a great song. The, you know, so, and then Jay Sean, who was well he's R and B, I guess that's, you know, a little more in the urban, you know. 3 (38m 27s): Right, right. 5 (38m 28s): Yeah. But so they didn't really know what to do with me, but they signed me and they basically gave me, you know, free reign to do whatever I wanted as a pop artist. And, and my manager at that time was a different manager from the one back home, a new manager, you know, kind of steered me in a direction that was sort like pop dance at first and dance clubby, EDM. And you know, it, wasn't what I exactly wanted to do, but I trusted him and, and the label let him do whatever he wanted. It, it worked out a little bit for me, but, but then after that, we kind of didn't know where to go. 5 (39m 14s): And then, and then the COVID hit. And during that time I started recording at home and learned how to record myself and had such an urge to, you know, do this, this covers project where, you know, just, I was so inspired by, by songs that people know and great melodies and about like reimagining them. And so that's what I started doing on my own and, and reevaluated my situation with, with cash money that I think that it's time for me to move on because they, cuz they'll never let me go if I wanna stay, cuz they love me, but they're really not going to do anything for me. 5 (39m 58s): You know, because, because it's really not the right fit as a label. So 3 (40m 3s): Yeah. I was assuming that they wanted to hire you on to sing hooks or something for like, you know, juvenile or whatever, you know like, oh, we'll sign her so she can sing hooks on little Wayne record or whatever it was. But they actually had, 5 (40m 17s): They don't do it like that. And, and I, and I was very close to doing a hook for Nikki, you know? Oh, okay. Before the, before the pandemic and I, it fell through because they ended up, I forget, they ended up going with a superstar, you know, like she did it, she ended up collaborating with a superstar, but, but I was, you know, thought about, so for half the second, I was like, oh my God, okay. This is it. You know? 3 (40m 45s): Yeah. This is it. That's cool. Yeah. Well the, I love what you're doing with the covers. Like thank you. I mean the, the way like reimagine is a great way to put it because you play jump and it's like, wow, I didn't realize the, like you, you really kind of like listened to the lyrics. Right? Like, wow. I didn't realize that the, he was like, these lyrics are very, really deep. I, I just think of, you know, the, you know, the, the chorus, right. You're just thinking of jump and the, you know, like that part, but you hear the way you presented and it's like, whoa, this is like really a, a deep song. 5 (41m 22s): I I'm telling you. Like, honestly that's. And that when, when, when I finished that one, I remember thinking my gosh, like who would ever, I never stopped. Just like you said, never would have listened to those lyrics in a million years. Like yeah. You just think about might as well jump, but you, you would never put it in a perspective that these are lyrics that you would wanna listen to. And it brings on a whole new life and meaning to the song. It's, it's almost like a different song, but it's the same song who knew that David Leero could write lyrics like that, you know? 3 (41m 57s): Right. Exactly. I don't think people give him enough credit cuz it's like, no, yeah, that's a huge hook. And, and it's a great song and, and it's, it's totally a poppy hit, but like you don't really listen to the words or, you know, as much as you would, if you didn't, if you didn't know that this is just a gigantic, you know, hit, you listen to it the way you present it. And it's like, whoa, like this is really a good song. 7 (42m 22s): This podcast is sponsored by office Depot office max office Depot office. Max knows that having the right school supplies helps students feel ready and excited to start the new school year strong parents and teachers can find everything they need to help their students go back, stocked and ready for success. And right now you can save up to 60% on their best selling school supplies like notebooks, binders, calculators, and more, get it all@anyofficedepotorofficemacstoreandatofficedepot.com. Success is in session for back to school at office Depot office max, 10 (42m 59s): Welcome to America, the land of junk sleep where it's bedtime, but you're double booked here. There's always one more deadline to meet episode to watch or mean to share the world may not want you to sleep, but we do only the sleep experts at mattress firm can help you find the right bed at the right price. Unju your sleep in store or online@mattressfirm.com today. 5 (43m 29s): Yeah. Yeah. And when that was the first one that I had recorded and when I, when I finished that one, I was like, I I'm onto something here. I, I have to keep going because like, it wasn't like, oh, there's a strategy. I mean, there is a strategy in a sense, but, but it's, it's, it's I, I guess that like just, I just knew that this concept, what, that would be impactful for people. It's a fresh way to listen to songs that you already know and love. I'm not trying to like diminish the, the original versions, but you know, I, I know for myself that I get tired of listening to some of the, these songs after like, you know, I wouldn't go and listen to jump over and over again, cuz I've heard it, you know, 3 (44m 19s): A million 5 (44m 20s): In my existence, but, but a hearing it like in my way now, it's it like it refreshes, it it's a new perspective on it. So you'll, you're gonna listen to it again, cuz it, it's not really like the original, 3 (44m 34s): But you're familiar 5 (44m 35s): With it, but you're familiar with 3 (44m 37s): It. Yeah. I was really impressed by your version of California dreaming, cuz that song has been covered by a lot of artists. Right. And it's usually very similar. It's either similar to the original version or like a sped up like punk version of the song. But your version. I mean the, how the vocals like the, the layered vocals are. And like, I was just like, whoa, like again, a version of that song. I would've never thought I would've heard, like when I, when I saw that you covered it, I'm like, oh, okay. That's that one's been done. And then I'm like, whoa, this doesn't sound like anything like what anyone else has done. 5 (45m 16s): And, and I, I ended it where I ended it, which is, I know like who, who does a one minute song. Right. I don't know when I got to that. I was like, I can't add anything to it. I don't wanna go into a second verse. I could have we, I mean the plan was we were gonna continue on, but I don't know. I was just so satisfied with just, I don't know, there was something so impactful about just ending it right there, you 3 (45m 44s): Know? No. And, and it's when I was listening to it, like I listened to it a couple times and I was, I was just imagining like that will be taken for a massive movie trailer. I would say within the next two years, somebody will be like, that's what I think of. Like, I think of hearing that version, your version, like sitting in a movie theater for some, you know, DC film that's going out or something like that. Just like the, the, the feeling of it, just how it's presented. I think that 5 (46m 14s): That's the hope that, you know what, I, I can totally picture it too. And that's the hope cuz I think it has definitely that, that vibe, you know, it has that 3 (46m 25s): Cinematic vibe to it, like where it's like, they need to be editing some like dark trailer to this. Like I just, yeah, that's the, what I was thinking of. Like second, third time I listen to it. I was like, it'd be, this would make a rad like trailer. 5 (46m 39s): Absolutely. Yeah. Oh, I mean, you know, that was another thing that I was thinking about heavily when I was doing this project that I, and I started this whole, you know, inspired project during the pandemic and oh, sorry about that. Okay. Is, is that for licensing? You know that a lot of these songs would really work well for movies and, and like Netflix shows and you know, all, you know, new movie soundtracks and yeah, yeah. That's I was definitely thinking about it, although this latest single I'm I'm I, we, me and the labels think of it as something more than just that 3 (47m 28s): Yeah. Was with sound silence. 5 (47m 31s): No, the, the well sound well that's part of the classics EP. Okay. I have a, I have a, which is sort of, we, we didn't release it as, as a single we, we released it. We, we technically released it as an EP, so I think there's five 3 (47m 49s): Or six. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. I thought you got it. Okay. Now I get it. Sorry. 5 (47m 54s): Yeah. So there's no one like breakout single from that. That was just like from the classics. I mean, it doesn't say classics, but all the gold covers. Cause if you've noticed that all my, all the covers, it's all part of the same project. 3 (48m 11s): Yeah. 5 (48m 11s): Yeah. So the black cover is, is a rock category. The silver is the eighties. The gold is classics and, and then there's another category that's gonna be released. We're gonna release the EP boy. I'm popular today. Like probably in, in July or August. It's the 21st century pop category. 3 (48m 36s): Oh, so, oh, okay. 5 (48m 38s): Yes. We're I'm reimagining songs from the year, 2000 up to present day. 3 (48m 44s): Can you give us any hints on some of the songs or add a song? 5 (48m 48s): Yeah, sure. Well, I I'm doing well. I have already in the can my Iris midnight sky. 3 (48m 59s): Oh, I love that song. That's such a cool song. Yeah. 5 (49m 2s): Yeah. I have Olivia. RGO good for you. Okay. Re reimagined version of that. And we're, I'm doing a version of, of, of a keen song, you know, 3 (49m 18s): Keen. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I know keen which one? 5 (49m 22s): The, the big one somewhere only we know. 3 (49m 26s): Oh yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. 5 (49m 28s): Yeah. 3 (49m 29s): So keen. Okay. Ken liver. RGO Miley Cyrus. 5 (49m 34s): Cyrus. And what else do I have? Oh, and I'm doing, oh, I'm doing two mashups. One is which I just finished the vocal for is Kelly Clarkson since you've been gone. So a whole reimagined version of that, but I'm also, I'm, I'm mashing it up with, with a song from the seventies by a group called rainbow, which I didn't know beforehand, but, but my lawyer brought it to my attention cuz it's the same title. So it's also called since you've been gone by a group called rainbow, they were huge in the seventies. This song, since you've been gone was a massive hit for them apparently. 5 (50m 16s): And, and I really love it. It's really great. I mean, I got to really love it. So we mashed the two together and it's really phenomenal. 3 (50m 25s): I can't wait to hear it. That's so awesome. Yeah. Yeah. I love, I love your take on the songs that I've heard. So I can't even imagine like hearing some of these, how they're gonna come together. I mean yeah. Keen. Yeah. Somewhere only we, somewhere only we know like that's such a cool song and like to hear your take on it, I'm sure is killer. Like, and like I said, I love what you're doing, so I can't wait to hear this, this new, thank you record. And I appreciate your time. Yeah, of course. I appreciate your time today. One more question for you before I let you go here, Korean. I wanna know if you have any advice for aspiring artists. 5 (51m 5s): My advice is that put blinders on while you're working on your craft. Don't look at others too much because it's gonna discourage you because there's so much talent out there. There are, there are so many artists and so many avenues to be, to be seen and heard. You can get so overwhelmed by, by all the noise around you. So just to focus on what you're doing, be proud and just keep going with what you're doing and your craft.