We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alaina Herman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alaina, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I was lucky enough to grow up with a musical parent, and that exposure helped me to very quickly become aware that music was my greatest passion. My dad is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist outside of his 9-5, which means that some of my earliest memories include watching him perform for family and friends at local venues, and dancing to his songs around the house. I began singing almost before I could talk, and writing songs at age 7. That’s how old I was when I knew it was the career for me. I fell in love with story-telling, and involved myself in every choir and musical I could. At 12 my dad taught me a few guitar chords, and I began teaching myself piano, and then there was no turning back.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

As a singer-songwriter, my goal is to write music that helps people put words to a feeling they’ve had, or helps them to feel less alone in their experiences. I write from a very honest place- it may sound cliché, but my songs are often like diary entries. I use songwriting as a form of expression and a way to process feelings; I’ve found that music is the best therapy in the world. I try not to shy away from difficult topics, whether that be heartbreak or bigger social issues, because those things are a natural part of life and are easier to cope with when faced head-on.
I am particularly proud of all the little details in my craft. I love to work references into my songs, including nods to Greek mythology and classic literature. I also love to sneak in different literary devices, including metaphors and a variety of rhyming patterns. In another life perhaps I’d be an English teacher.
As someone with a music degree and a lot of choral experience, I’m a sucker for harmonies and little moments of interesting music theory. I take inspiration from artists like Noah Kahan, Hozier, Taylor Swift, Dodie, Lizzy McAlpine, and James Bay, but I wouldn’t say my music has one model, or that I try to be anyone else. I aim to create a unique combination of story-telling, instrumentation, and vocals that sounds a bit like these artists, but has a clear voice of its own.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When it comes to resilience, two moments come to mind.
Something I struggled with growing up was a medical condition called Scoliosis. When I was 16, I had to have a spinal fusion surgery that has rendered most of my spine immobile for the rest of my life. This surgery is thought to be one of the most painful out there, and it has a long recovery time. I had to take time off of school to relearn how to walk; I couldn’t sit up on my own for weeks. I had to take a break from music, at least outwardly. I missed choir rehearsals and musicals, I couldn’t play instruments for a little while, and I didn’t have the energy to sing. But internally, I was constantly thinking of new lyrics, new stories I could tell, new ways to connect with an audience. Despite the physical pain I had, and the frustration I felt at losing my independence, songwriting was the one thing I never lost. It pulled me through the hardest days, and within a few months I was back in my school choir, and back to playing my instruments.
In adulthood, my college experience also required a great deal of resilience. As a music major, I faced a rigorous course load and many, many long nights. I began as a vocal performance major at one university, where I essentially worked myself into the ground for 2 years. The music program was extremely demanding; I was drowning in 12 classes at a time while I watched my Business major friends enjoy 4 classes a semester. I watched most of my classmates in my grade leave the program out of exhaustion after freshman year, but I told myself I’d be the one who could hack it. It didn’t help that Covid started near the end of my freshman year, which greatly altered the way my college experience looked. I learned that while there is strength in digging your heels in and working hard, there is also resilience in leaving when a situation isn’t right for you. I transferred schools and am proud to say I finished my degree this past December, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a 4.0 GPA.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My goals as a musician may look different than those of people pursuing careers outside of the arts; I imagine we look a little crazy to other people. Longterm, my dream is to make a living off of my music. I want to tour the world, sell out shows, collaborate with other artists, and find the people who resonate with my music. I want to grow my production, composition, and performance skills, and mostly, I want to never stop writing.
I hope my music will make people feel something, and will help give people the words to express those feelings. A goal of mine is to gain enough traction that I can use my music to raise funds and awareness for topics I care about. I would love for the funds of a song to go toward helping the environment- perhaps reforestation, or to establish grants and other resources for up and coming artists like myself. Like many creatives, I want my art to make a positive difference in the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/alainaherman
• Instagram: @alainaherman_music
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@alainaherman
• Other: Spotify: Alaina Herman