We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Chloe O’Brien a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Chloe, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
My parents were always very encouraging and supportive of my creative ideas as a child. They let me paint on my clothes, they encouraged me to sing, and they watched me perform “gigs” on the coffee table-turned-stage. I never felt as if I wouldn’t be supported if I chose a creative path, which has meant so much to me over the years.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I am an alternative artist, songwriter, and producer based in Los Angeles. I was born in Queenstown New Zealand and moved to Olympia, Washington as a teen. During this challenging transition, I began to lean on music, playing in several alternative rock bands and discovering my love for writing songs.
At 18, I moved to Boston, MA to attend Berklee College of Music. Out of the context of my hometown, I began to explore musically, dipping my toes in several genres including indie-folk and electronic pop. With a strong focus on songwriting, I aim to have an ever evolving sound. Rooted in alt-rock, infused with influences from all over the place.
I began releasing my original music in 2016 under the name Chloe Jane with a self titled EP, and began using the moniker Neia Jane in 2018, under which I have released a full length album, “Magic & Honey,” followed by the 90’s grunge inspired single “Lady In Red,” the synth-driven and self-produced “Break Ur Heart,” the edgy and ethereal “Missing You Tomorrow,” the anthemic “I’ll Survive,” and the nostalgic guitar-based “The Moment.”
Over the course of the last few years, I have begun to produce more and more of my own music, working with trusted collaborators to bring my ideas to life. I also work as a songwriter and producer for other artists, and am a music educator at Point Blank Music School and the Berklee Summer Programs.
I love to collaborate and educate because it gives me the chance to use music as a tool for human connection, and helping others realize their potential is extremely rewarding.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
A lesson I have had to unlearn is that success is defined by numbers and achievements, and I have had to re-write my own personal definition of success. I used to believe that I would know I was successful when I got my first thousand streams, and then it was 10,000, and then it was 100,000, and then it was 500,000, and then it was 1,000,000, but even after all of those milestones, I still felt as if it wasn’t enough and that I wasn’t successful yet.
I since have realized that as long as I am creating, there will always be another milestone to reach, and I will never really be finished unless I want to be. This has meant that I have had to think deeper about what it meant for me to be successful, and now I define success as the ability to enjoy the process, do fulfilling creative work, spend quality time with my loved ones, and to continue growing, learning, and working towards my goals at the time.
If I will never really be finished, then success for me is to enjoy the ride.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I used to work a coffee shop job, I was a shift manager and barista working the early morning shift. I had to walk in the dark at 5am to get to my job, and the place was pure chaos from the moment I walked in the door to the moment I left; coffee-stained, sweaty, and running on fumes. I took this job because I knew that if I started at 5am, I could be done in time to use my afternoons for my music, so I booked sessions, rehearsals, performances, and shoots for my evenings.
During that time in my life, I was so exhausted, but I knew it was worth it. I know there are lots of other creatives who have had to juggle day jobs, art, family, etc., and I was inspired by my peers who were in similar positions to keep going. I know that it is possible to make it work if you are determined and patient.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.neiajane.com
- Instagram: @iamneiajane
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@NeiaJane
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4GNi2y070W4hi31jX2CqH3?si=sAkIc09mQT24mcDv0f6xmg
Image Credits
Holysmoke Photography, Clayton Smith