Tuned In, Turned Up

Lelica is a singer-songwriter from Northern New Jersey. Her music has been featured on ABC Family’s “Make It or Break It” and “The Lying Game”. Lelica talked with Tuned In, Turned up about her latest album, Without a Warning, her future goals, and which famous singer-songwriter she would love to work with!

What inspired your passion for music and how long have you known it’s something you want to pursue?

My mom says that I began humming “Twinkle Twinkle” at 7 months old on the changing table! haha I think music has just been something that was always inside of me. I began piano at age 5, voice lessons by age 7 and sang my first duet at a school assembly in 2nd grade. It’s funny how when you’re younger, nothing phases you or scares you. I put together an all girl singing group in 6th grade and we sang to the entire 3rd grade class in an assembly. Nowadays, I get nervous before I get on stage no matter where I’m performing, but back then I was fearless. I think with age, I’ve learned and grown so much musically, but I wish I could have held onto that innocence and fearlessness when it came to performing.

Who is someone you have always wanted to work with and why?

Honestly there are so many musicians that I’d love to work with, even some of my own friends in this industry, who are not famous, but just so amazingly talented and deserve a break, that I’d love to work with. As far as a famous musician goes, I would love to sit down with Adele and have a writing session. Her ability to tell true life stories, I believe, is unmatched by anyone else in this industry as far as being able to completely captivate her audience with her words, her voice, and her soul. I’d love to just be able to sit down and get advice from her!

What is the best advice you’ve been given, and who gave it to you?

“Do what makes you happy, not what you think people expect of you and your music.” My friend, guitarist/producer B.D. Lenz said this to me. For a long time, I’ve struggled with what I want out of making music. Do I want fame? Recognition? A headlining spot in Madison Square Garden? Sure, all of that would be amazing, but over the last year since I released my self-released album Without a Warning, I’ve come to realize that this is a quickly and ever-changing business that I’m in. The music business is no longer what it was 5, 10, 20 years ago. My goal is to make my music and to play for anyone who will listen. Whether it makes it onto TV and in movies, or on national radio. Whether I hit it big or I’m just venturing out playing the tri-state area, just as I do now, my goal will always be the same and that’s to make music straight from my heart and hope people love it as much as I do. Being a musician is something that I need to do for the rest of my life or I won’t be able to function!

What have you found to be most challenging about pursuing a career in the music industry?

There are so many talented musicians working towards the same goal and that’s not always fame, but really just the goal of making great music that others can enjoy. There’s a place for every musician, but not all of us will make it big like the pop stars of today. I hope my songs inspire and relate to people just like a song that when you play it on your stereo, iPod, or when you turn on your radio can transport you back in time to the place where you first heard it. All musicians strive for that, to make music that people can relate to, that touches their souls but not everyone is lucky enough to achieve that. I think these days our music industry is just that: an industry. Hell bent on popping out hit after auto-tuned hit with the same techno beats. Where did all the real musicians go? The biggest challenge is having my music be heard. It’s so difficult to get your name and your songs out to a larger audience or to book a gig at a venue who has never heard of you.

What is your favorite track that you’ve recorded?

“Goodbye” is probably my favorite song. I composed all of my songs on my album Without a Warning with my very talented jazz recording artist friend, B.D. Lenz. This song in particular I wrote mostly on my own, plunking away at the piano. It’s about leaving my past behind me, saying “Goodbye” and carrying on in pursuit of my dreams. I was bullied in high school to the point where I was home schooled my Senior year. I was even booed when I walked in my graduation. I think as teenagers we carry this stigma with us that is “high school”. It’s so hard to see past the high school bubble that we’re in into what the real world is actually like after graduation. For a long time, I carried that with me, what people thought of me. Being able to put my feelings down in a song helped me move on. I write from true personal experiences hoping that other people will relate. Maybe my story will help someone else.

What was the inspiration for your album, “Without a Warning”?

My album is basically a bunch of my stories combined with different genres. Some songs are pop, one is hard rock, and one has more of a country sound. Each song is about things that I’ve been through, whether it was being bullied, losing a boyfriend, all the way to the song “Daddy Did You Know” that I wrote and performed for the very first time on my wedding day as a surprise for my dad. We even decided to do an acoustic track on the album, “Angel in the Corner”, that I wrote for a family friend who was battling cancer at the time. He passed away last summer. My inspiration was just to write from my heart and hope people would relate to me.

Are there any overall goals you have as a songwriter? If so, what?

I think I touched on this a little earlier. My biggest goal is to just continue to write from my heart in hopes that people will relate, listen, buy my album, or download my songs and most of all, support what I do. I don’t need to be famous, I just want my music to be heard.

What has been your proudest moment so far as a songwriter?

I was signed to an indie label for 3 years and released my first album, which was written and produced by my label. I was lucky enough to even hear one of the tracks off that album on the ABC Family channel’s hit shows, “Make It or Break It” and “The Lying Game”. It was a great experience, but it made me realize that the proudest moment I’ve had thus far in my music career was to self-release my album Without a Warning. Getting to actually write my own songs, learn the whole production process down to selecting each musician who played on my album. It was the best moment being able to release this record knowing that I had come so far. I’ve learned a lot, but there is SO much more yet to learn and I’m loving just writing, playing shows, and learning where my place is in the music world.

“Without a Warning” – Lelica

“Don’t Let Go” – Lelica

Lelica’s latest album, Without a Warning can be purchased on iTunes and Amazon

Additional Lelica music and information can be found at:

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