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

Hi Cora, thanks for joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I’ve been singing since a time I can’t remember, learning every song on the radio and pushing my vocal range to the absolute limit-having no clue about the technicality of it all. If I had the resources for lessons, I could’ve learned to use my instrument earlier but I honestly feel like being self-taught really allowed me to fully experiment and learn who I am through my music and my voice.

I began learning instruments as a pre-teen and while I suffered an injury in my very early life that limits the use of my left hand, I’ve learned to adapt a unique sound on every instrument I play to suit that individuality. Determination, practice, and passion are crucial in art development, and with all 3, there are no limits.

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

Music has always been my number one passion, I’ve heard the stories and seen the videos of me with my little Barbie karaoke machine, belting out P!nk on my fireplace like a stage. I got a guitar for my 7th birthday and although it took until middle school to really start progressing, by then I had caught the bug. I started learning every instrument I could and singing what I knew about- first loves, life changes, and learning who I was. I was in love.

I received my first set of basic recording equipment in high school and began learning how to make music in a more technical way, watching videos and mastering software to turn my hobby into a career. Putting whatever I’m working on out into the world is a big part of my process, so I can get feedback from others I respect and always be learning more. I feel like there is no mastery of music and I’ll be learning forever, and that’s what makes it most exciting to me.

Once I learned how to get my voice heard, there was no turning back. I began performing around cities and working with other local artists, singing for whoever would listen. I used that confidence and experience to start writing for others, performing features, and putting out my own singles.

Songwriting to me has always been about the sense of storytelling. It’s important to me that everything I write sounds like the emotion it’s written about. I, myself, am an intensely emotional person and I express that in every vocal performance I give, whether it’s soft and airy or technical and belty. The voice is so uniquely capable of resonating with every part of life and I study that art every single day.

Every song’s process starts a different way. Sometimes I get a line in my head that feels so poignant I need to expand it, sometimes I get sent a track with no theme and I get to start from scratch writing a melody and lyrics to make it shine. My personal favorite practice is to hear a track and imagine it in a movie- what would be happening in a scene with that music, who would be involved, what the scenery would look like. Creating the energy of a song to me is so important, it sets the tone for the rest of the writing process.

I’ve been involved in countless projects at this point, collaborating with clients, friends, coworkers- anyone who has a passion for the art is worth the investment in creating it with them.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I remember the first song I officially recorded and sent to producers in the area, it was an acoustic love song detailing the events of a tryst with a former lover. I had a great amount of faith in the song and really wanted it heard. I immediately got a response from another singer that had been shown it, almost in tears. I had never experienced that level of appreciation for my craft and I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that this song I wrote in my childhood bedroom at 2:00 in the morning would resonate with someone like that. I knew in that moment that I wanted to make people feel something with my art. Whether it’s seeing the faces of people in the crowds or the faces of my closest confidants as they hear my music, I always feel the most rewarded by the universality of human experience and allowing others to express emotion they might not otherwise been able to.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Something that every independent or beginning artist advocates for is investing in their art. Don’t just stream their song 20 times if you love it, buy the single, attend the shows, buy the merchandise. In an increasingly online world, it’s easy for underground artists to get overrun by streaming services and mass marketed musicians. There’s beauty in so many artists that don’t get the recognition they deserve in large part by the lack of resources to expand.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coradukemusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coradukemusic/
• Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/CoraDukeMusic