Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sabrina Vanessa. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sabrina, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

When I was 5 years old my parents took me to Stratford, Ontario for the Stratford Festival where I saw my first musical Oliver. My parents told me that when the show was over we were the last ones to leave because I was waiting to see the show again. They said I refused to leave until I could see the show again or until I could get up on the stage. After that, my mom enrolled me into musical theatre classes which I did from aged 5 to 13. My love for being on the stage continued through high school where I was enrolled in the Drama Program. I always loved being on stage, it’s a feeling you don’t get anywhere else.

Sabrina, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Musical theatre is really where I found my passion for singing. I loved having that moment with the audience where I could sing my heart out, tell a story, and have the audience react or feel the message I was sending through song. When I was 16 I started performing in showcases as myself, Sabrina Vanessa, and not a character in a musical. It was definitely nerve-wracking in the beginning because I was opening myself up to the audience and showing them who I am, rather than portraying someone else. To be completely honest, I still struggle with that sometimes because it’s always scary to be vulnerable! To date, I have 5 country singles out on all platforms, anywhere and everywhere you can stream music! I really fell in love with country because I find it similar to musical theatre in a sense that it’s a genre about storytelling. It has a mix of soul, heart, vulnerability, and fun beats. Most people overlook country music because they think it’s all about beers, trucks and dirt roads, and sometimes it is! But if you truly listen to the words, and watch the artists perform, there’s always a story there to tell. I have another single coming out very very soon, and in the new year an EP could be in the works so stay tuned! I always want my music to tell a story, whether it’s from my own experiences or a story I create, so if you’re into that you should definitely check out my music :)

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Constructive criticism is important, in any industry it’s always useful. However, as a creative, no one knows your craft better than you. Growing up, being in musical theatre and dance, criticism was almost essential to perfecting the craft. You would practice, rehearse, take criticism, adjust, practice more and perfect. When it comes to music and songwriting, the same can be true, but no one can tell you what you feel in your heart and what you want to tell the world. You can definitely take notes from others if you choose, but you don’t HAVE to. This is something I’m still working on. I used to let my producers take the lead in the production, the instruments, the vibes of the songs, even the songwriting sometimes. But then I realized the music was not sounding or coming across the way I initially wanted it to. I listened to them because they’re the professionals so I thought, well they know best right? This isn’t always true. You have to trust yourself, trust you know your own sound and this is how you’ll be able to create the most authentic music.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The reason I create music is to tell stories and to make my audience feel something. Whether it be vulnerability, sadness, happiness, or even just something to dance to, I want my audience to connect with what they’re listening to in some way. This is why the most rewarding thing for me is just a simple compliment on my music. “I added your song to my party playlist” or “Your song really empowers me” or even “I really enjoyed your song, I always listen to it in the car”. Just the little compliments are the most rewarding because it means I’m achieving what I set out to do. People are connecting to the stories and the music I’m putting out to them :)

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sabvanessa/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sabvanessa/
• Other: https://music.apple.com/ca/artist/sabrina-vanessa/1240621906 https://open.spotify.com/artist/3HXqnKBjRIlJq8YDVzxSVk

Image Credits
Aaron Lugassy