“
The first time I heard myself on the radio, I was home with my
always the kid on the block who would create at-home performances and plays with my friends. My very first solo performance was at my high school for an idol contest. It was a scary moment to sing in front of my peers at that time, but when I did it, that’s when I knew I wanted to do more of it. It was kind of like a turning point, putting myself out there in a vulnerable way and seeing how people responded to it. I was like, okay, I survived, I could do this! Growing up, I listened to everything from country, pop-punk, pop, and rock, but my biggest musical influences were Shania Twain and Taylor Swift; I love everything about them. I think it’s amazing to see how they built their careers and not only have become icons making a positive influence, but also amazing businesswomen who have transformed the industry with their sound and brands. They made a huge positive impact on me as a person and as an artist. Spotlight on Business: Can you tell us about your journey from Peterborough, Ontario, to Nashville, Tennessee? How did you know it was time to make the jump, and what has the journey to here been like? Elyse Saunders: My very first mentor, Cyril Rawson, is the one who officially inspired me to take the jump into the music industry when I was still in high school. We connected in my hometown when he discovered me through singing competitions, and helped me to find my own voice as a professional singer in the studio, and introduced me to the Nashville scene. We recorded my first project when I was still in high school, and from that moment on, I realized that having a career in music could actually be a reality for me, and I knew this was what I was meant to do and wanted to do professionally. I went on to spread my wings and have been going back and forth to Nashville ever since, self-developing my craft, songwriting, performing, learning the business, and never looked back.
family… It was so cool to hear myself for the very first time on my local hometown station, KX 105 New Country FM. ”
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14 SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • VOL 25 ISSUE 5
INDUSTRY • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE 15
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