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

Trinity , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I think ever since I first knew I had a voice. In first grade I remember going around the class and being asked the imaginative question “Who do you want to be when you grow up?”. My reply was always a singer. Besides the one time my father asked me that question and I answered him ambitiously that I wanted to be an equine practitioner. That answer was purely generated out of my deep love for horses. I think I always knew Singing and writing was what I was meant to be doing. My dad believed that to be true, and put me in vocal and guitar lessons at a fairly young age. Whether it be running around the yard singing songs of the birds, humming my mother to sleep, creating melodies unknown to most and only to me. I was always singing. But alas, this is not when I chose this path. It wasn’t until I was twenty-one. I found myself singing again, in everything I did. A literal calling from within. So I bought a guitar and re-taught myself what I had put on the shelf for some years. Still wildly confused as to what I was doing with this investment. Did I need another hobby? Is giving up cigarettes worth saving my voice? Do I even have anything to write about? Yes. A year and some change later, my first love and I parted ways. Singing and writing saved me from being swallowed by grief and turbulent thoughts. The emotional outpour from my first heartbreak was truly what set off my writing. It was the match that needed to be struck. And once that flame was ignited, It became very apparent that making music for me was going to be more than just a hobby.

The uncertainty, of how to direct myself on this path ahead of me, was thick as fog. Nothing in artistry is laid out. But in the midst of navigating what felt like the total collapse of my entire world, I found solace in writing about my feelings. I never was good at regulating my grief or my emotions. If i was crying as a child it was always “get over it” or someone would give in. Writing and singing was my regulation. It was always where I had made peace with myself and even the trials and tribulations in my surrounding environments. It was so crucial at this point in my life though. I felt like I was dying and parts of me absolutely were. Before I knew it, I had started to wildly bet on my dreams, wildly bet on myself. Other people also believed in me and were not shy about it. I felt so much support, still do. Almost like no matter how uncertain the road may be ahead, I would’ve been a fool to not follow the beckoning hand of my creative pursuits waving me onward.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a lead vocalist and songwriter performing based out of Portland, OR. Born and raised in small rural Ellwood City, Pennsylvania. My music falls under the categories of folk and alternative rock. Singing and writing have always been a deep form of self-expression for me. All the lyrics to my songs are my own writings, original spur of the moment thoughts, and projections from moments in my life. Staying true to myself and being vulnerable is a superpower of mine that I learned at a very young age and my truth is in my work. Majority of my songwriting was done using an acoustic guitar, well really thats undermining my process. A lot of my songwriting is a stream of consciousness, coming from a place sometimes i don’t even really understand. In December I picked up a bass guitar and now that has become a primary role of mine in performances. Michael, lead guitarist, and I collaborate to create all the chord progressions together. We are responsible for recording and putting out all our own music. It takes a lot of learning as we go and testing new theories and sounds. But it keeps the creative spark alive. This year was the first year since I was about ten years old that I performed live. We are currently booking gigs and playing shows in Portland, OR. I’ve compiled over an hour worth of music for live performance purposes in the past year, and I just don’t see myself slowing down anytime soon.

In truth, I am astonished at the amount of discipline I’ve had with my goals in just the last year alone. Music isn’t just a career path for me it is my solace, my passion. To participate in creating at the degree in which I wish to excel takes a great deal of sacrifice in other areas of my life. I don’t mind putting most of my energy into the music though, it’s forever a balancing act i’m trying to perfect. If we have a show or a song to record, the times between work, my days off, or any minute of spare time is dedicated to practice and or whatever is on the “agenda”. Vocal rest, ceasing smoking, long nights, and listening to the same track over a thousand times, I frankly don’t know many people who’d happily relinquish these vises or willingly embrace the discomfort you face in these pursuits.

I take great pride in everything about the career I am building for myself. I don’t know where I’d be without believing in my abilities to create and the help from all my friends and loved ones. The lyrics are truly an extension of me. The meanings and interpretations shift, just like everything in life, but they come from real things that hold weight. “Trinity Jane’s” sound is like the beauty of a storm rolling in off the sea that breaks into splendid water colors on canvas.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I’m unlearning how to treat myself.

Life in a general sense is constantly learning. I believe that we are never meant to know everything or else our life cycle would be “complete”. Unlearning or unravelling deep rooted patterns and thoughts that no longer serve you is a vital part of the journey. My parents were pretty hard on themselves. They were just kids when they had me and just started learning themselves. By no means am I casting blame, unfortunately they weren’t alone, a lot of people are dealing with demons and their own war on self. Actually this issue runs so much deeper. We are taught judgement and hate for others and ourselves at the earliest of years. TV screens full of what we should and shouldn’t eat, societies ins and outs lists, and how to get skinny or die trying. Beauty standards are bullshit! As a little girl in the grocery store though, I digested every magazine in the checkout and wished I could be “them”. So starting at a fairly young age I began to scrutinize my body. I wasn’t aware of the patterns that I was starting to form.

I’ll spare the details on the negative food ideations and body dysmorphia, because I know this is a sensitive subject for many. Starting in middle school, the hyper critical analysis of my bodily image and food intake made this very calloused and cruel internal narrative that followed into my later years. Asking myself things like “why aren’t you thin enough? Did you workout enough? “You shouldn’t be so tired!” “Get up, get over it, do better”. A constant beat down on myself that is totally unsustainable. As a teenager, I just let these thoughts win by self medicating with drugs, drinking, friends, and distractions. Like I said, I allowed myself to indulge in the unhealthy habits and the bully inside me ultimately had the upper hand. It wasn’t until recently I became aware of how much my negative self talk was taking away from my pursuits, my joy, my personality, taking away from really living my life. I have had so much support from loved ones in my life, but ultimately I know that I am in control of my thoughts and they can’t be the ones to fix me or change my mindset.

I am unlearning. The things I told myself before are no longer helping me move along in life and are holding me back from my truest potential. No one has the mental capacity to be pursuing their dreams and kicking themselves into the mud at the same time. I remember looking up to so many cool women growing up. Musically talented women, girls with colored hair, loud talkers, women of all sorts captivated me and I would think to myself “I wish I could be them”. Now I realize I no longer want to be anyone but myself, because I am a badass woman and little me would be enamored with our life.

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

Just doing it! I had a crazy moment recently. We played a show on 3/8, It was a full house. We had just released our first single the month before (Orange Meets the Blue- Trinity Jane) When we played that song, every single person in that room was singing it with me, What a dream. Music is another language entirely. A different level of connection that is universal, yet so personal. Here’s a song I wrote about my personal heart ache, his favorite color, the empty promises he left, and you’re telling me this person 3,000 miles away can relate? We are all living very real experiences and I’m honored to be a part of sharing a real experience with my audience, with loved ones.

Amidst the suffering of life, I can turn to my guitar and open my mouth and the suffering comes out. It’s a release that is much like therapy and is necessary for my life. I can’t tell you how much I’ve benefited from getting it out and into song. Lots of teardrops on my guitar. (shoutout Taylor Swift) The reward is not only connecting with others but maintaining connection with myself. My feelings get to be really felt. I’m honoring them. It can be so easy for me to get caught up in things but I am centered when I am in song. It’s a beautiful gift of self expression and I wouldn’t trade it for the world and more.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://trinityjane.squarespace.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trinityjane/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trinity.jane.50/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzYZowBG5CIHdc-2P1j0fKQ
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3WkvvBMBUEzcLLGTBFTngT?si=tjfdK5PDSQq62wlSj9A2hg

Image Credits
Hanan Margoles