FEATURE
Interview with upcoming band “DreamStates”
How did you come across your stage/band/brand name?
We picked the name DreamStates because dreams cover a lot of ground; they can be happy or heartbreaking, clear and simple or confusing, hilarious, mysterious, rapturous, and you never know what you’re going to get.
When did you discover a love for your craft, and what made you realize you wanted to pursue a career in it?
I love how connected musicians are, to each other, to their audience, to their material; there are so many beautiful connections happening and it all happens through the music.
All of us in the band came to music at different times and in our own ways, but I (Natalie) was as raised by musicians, started very young and just never stopped. Madeline had a very musical upbringing, which led her to pursue other artistic/theatric interests.
They landed on the career music path after moving in with me and starting the band with me. This is the first serious, independent musical project for both Jasper and Jo, but they’ve both grown into their roles beautifully.
To whom or what do you accredit your sense of style?
Our sense of style comes from embracing what makes us unique, both as a band, and who we are as individuals. We are all four very different, and that’s what makes us work together so well; we compliment each other. As a band, we know there aren’t many transgender pop vocal quartets, so we don’t have much of a blueprint to follow from other groups. That’s great because it lets us define what we are without much comparison
On your current/ongoing project, how did you come up with the concept?
The concept for Definition was really a snowball effect of ideas. We had three great songs, and they all seemed to embody a feeling that was hard to describe. We wanted them to be the start for a full album, but we also wanted to release them ASAP, so the “part one” solution was a way to do both. Our first record as a band was released in two parts, so we’re no strangers to splitting up and staggering our releases.
What are some of your greatest challenges, and what’s your greatest attribute when it comes to work ethic?
Some of our greatest challenges are staying inspired and driven, finding support from labels, and being taken seriously by a largely cisgender, heteronormative industry. We don’t want to be seen as a novelty act, and at the same time, we want the people in our community to have representation on the world stage.
I’d consider our top strength to be the accessibility and eclectic mix of our music. We firmly believe that there’s a DreamStates song for everyone, no matter what you like…you’ll find your favorite somewhere.
Are you the best at what you do, in your opinion?
As far as pop fusion bands from Ohio made entirely out of transgender individuals who make all music in-house, yes I’d say we are the best at what we do, in my humble opinion.
What are your plans for the near future?
Our near-future plans are to finish writing/recording Definition, Parts II and III, before the end of the year. We have a digital show coming up for the city of Akron sponsored by the Metro Transportation company on August 20, and we’re already preparing for that.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank? Any shout-outs?
We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our fans, family, Ryan Cassata, Eric Alper, Logan Alan, John Burrington, Cameron Cramer, Andrea Gail Fahey, Zach Friedhof, Tyler James Titus, Jacob Nash, and Dylan Yellowlees.
How can fans find you?
Fans can google DreamStates (one word, capital D capital S, plural not singular) and look on any major music streaming platform! Visit us at dreamstatestheband.com, and email us at dreamstatemusicband@gmail.com for booking information! Instagram @Dreamstatestheband
What suggestions for you have for other artists like yourself?
Any other bands out there like us, just keep pushing yourselves to write, improve your act every day even if it’s something small, and it adds up over time. Never give up, and stay true to who you really are.
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