We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Karen Eden a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Karen , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
As a child I always knew I could sing but it wasn’t until I was 15 and my music teacher at High School introduced me to session work in studios. I sang on jingles for TV and radio and I sang back up vocals for many bands.
Karen , 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?
I am a professional singer songwriter born in England and brought up in Australia. I was introduced to studio singing when I was 15 years old by my music teacher in Brisbane and I went on to have a successful career in Australia, England and Europe and the United States. I started out singing jingles for television and radio. I had to work very hard to get myself into a scene that is extremely competitive and often standing out can be difficult. I believe that my ability to learn and observe from my peers faired me well as I got older and involved with more high profile projects. Being able to reinvent oneself when projects don’t work out is essential. Perseverance is everything in the music business.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding thing for me as an artist is the joy I can bring to people who enjoy my songs, my voice and the whole “production” of what I do. Music is something that brings people happiness and crosses all genders, political issues and basically helps people enjoy the here and now. When I play my live gigs, so many people comment on the fun I bring. I want people to feel comfortable and happy when I play my music.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
When my New York record deal fell apart in the late 90’s I was distraught. I had been working so very hard to achieve my dream of a recording contract and life as a successful recording artist. I went home to Australia to work out “what’s next?”. It took me several months to work out what i wanted to do. I knew that musically my ideal location was Los Angeles so I packed my bags and went back with the determination to reinvent myself. It was not easy! It took me quite some time to meet the right people and gradually get into the LA session scene. I had several part time jobs to help me through. Eventually I became a member of SAG/Aftra which has served me well. I think the most important thing to remember is that you have to be resilient in a business like this. Not easy when you’re a sensitive creative soul! But the strength to push on through even when you feel like giving up is paramount. Belief in oneself and the journey is the dream.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.kareneden.com
- Instagram: @msedensings
- Facebook: Www.facebook.com/karenedenmusic
Image Credits
Initial pic and additional pics 2 & 4 by photographer Hallah Karaman