I am here today with a talent that you are bound to love. Skyler Stonestreet (how cool is that name?) is a Hollywood based musician that sounds like a mix of Enya, Elisa, and a dash of Sia. She belongs on an Apple commercial and has recoded with numerous up and coming artists. But being an up and comer herself I wanted to take this chance to sit down to hear things from her point of view. First having heard her on a hit single from Dave Yaden I knew this woman was going to go somewhere. Take a break and listen as Skyler and I talk today.
I love your name. Want to trade?
Hmm… Maybe but I might miss all of the jokes about me living on a stone street but sure. My new name will be Potter and yours can be Sky Sky.
So has anyone ever told you that you belong on every single Apple commercial ever made?
Well you have and that is very nice of you! I hope more people including Apple will tell me that someday! I like those commercials.
You have a very unique image. Did that come before or after the music?
I don’t know, I have had some very weird phases, and gone through some different looks, but I just wear what I like! I am definitely a fan of thrift stores.
Are you from Hollywood originally?
I grew up in Santa Barbara, so it was really different moving to Hollywood! It was like beach town; too loud, busy city, and my street smelled really really bad, which was fine with me!
What is the biggest crowd that you have played for?
The biggest crowd would probably be a couple thousand. I played up north at a folk festival which was crazy! People were dancing and it was super hot outside, and I couldn’t believe so many people were out, because they were frying!
The smallest?
Oh wow. I’ll say it; zero! It’s happened more than once, well actually the number is one, because whoever I’m with gets their own show!
How can you not like wasabi?
OK, the secret is out. I am starting to like it a little. Like one teeny dab on a sushi roll, teeny tiny. I am being swayed by wasabi!
How do you know Dave Yaden?
I actually played a show with Dave a few years ago, and I was like man this guy can play! So I went up to him after, and asked him if he could make me play piano better, and he was super nice. I went over for a lesson and after a couple we ended up writing songs instead!
What was it like working with Todd Beauchamp?
Todd’s studio is awesome and it was great to sing on “Sure of Us” because I recorded it for my record too, and that song is so meaningful. Todd is great, and super talented as well!
Who are your biggest influences?
OK, so I kind of love James Taylor. I really do. I think growing up with that, and Carole King, Rickie Lee Jones, etc., has really stayed with me. I don’t really think it comes through in my writing, but I love listening to that kind of music. I also love Marvin Gaye mucho mucho mucho! There are so many amazing artists, so it’s super hard to narrow that down!
What did you have for dinner last night?
This chicken thing at Pei Wei, and we went there for lunch today. I am not in California at the moment and I don’t think California has them. It was Kung Pao chicken with brown rice (laughs), I need to get something new!
What are your plans for a tour this year?
I just got off the road with Brian Benham, and we drove across the whole US and stayed out about 3 months. Lately I have just been getting ready to record a new EP and I will be touring the west coast a lot up until summer, and then I want to hit the road again!
Let’s say you are about to headline at Madison Square Garden. Who is your opener?
My opener? Wow I feel like a big shot in this question. My answer is Jay Z. No noooo. I don’t know! I would say someone I like but I don’t want to seem like a jerk and say they are an opener! So I guess Britney Spears could do it. That would be totally fine with me, and secretly great.
Are you staying single out there in L.A.?
Well currently there is someone special, but they don’t live in LA! They should though! Let’s pressure him! Just kidding. There is someone special though, I am very happy about it all.
Do you work or is music it?
When we started touring last fall, that was it! I really want to try and make this what I do. Even though I could use the extra cash. I want to work hard and put everything into this!
When did you know that you wanted to make music your career?
I started writing at about 15, and trust me you don’t want to hear those songs, but anyways when I was in high school I really thought about it and made the decision that this is what I wanted to do.
What is your affiliation with Sunrise Promotions?
They actually designed skylerstonestreet.com, which is currently being redone and updated, and they are doing it! They have done some promotion stuff in the past too, they are great to work with!
What are you drinking when you are on stage?
Definitely water. Maybe too much water. And someones a little whiskey? Whoops! It’s true though! With a lime please!
If you could be any cartoon character who would you be and why?
Maybe Gumby? He is green, and can change into any shape and has a best friend who is a pony so; that’s pretty hard to beat.
PC or Mac?
Mac! I have a Mac so I am siding with it, and I say it like it is a person. Weird.
Where does the inspiration come from when you sit down to write a song?
Usually I just get a feeling that I need to write, something can happen or I will just be thinking of something or someone and just need to get it out!
If you are offered a $500,000 record deal but you have to record someone else’s lyrics and it was a rap album would you do it?
Probably not, but let’s say the deal was the same and I had to do only one rap song preferably with Snoop, then I would because it would be ridiculous and so much fun.
Peanut butter and jelly or ham and cheese?
Peanut buttahhhh, no jelly though, banana maybe, or just the peanut.
Let’s play word association. What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you read these three words?
Salt: Luck
Raptor: Pony (What is the deal with ponies today?)
Balloons: Gumball
If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go?
At this point I would probably go anywhere but the top places would be Spain, Greece, and I want to go to an island that is not popular, like a hide away jungle lord of the rings lots of trees place? Yes.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I want to be doing what I do now but much greater. I want this to be my job and I really want to travel and have the freedom to travel a lot and I want to sell a billion records? (Laughs) No but really, that would be fine with me.
What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?
I want to be remembered as a real person! I want people to remember my music as being honest, and I want to share as much of me as I can through that. I am not going to be a typical in the box writer / person, and I want people to remember me for actually being myself!
What is your take on the Jonas Brothers?
They are so freaking big! I can joke about them all I want, but they are taking over the world, and maybe one day they will wake up and want to share that, with me? (Laughs) No, it’s crazy! I was in the Disney store the other day (I don’t know why) but anyways the merchandise was insanity! Good for them, seriously!
I always let the artist get the last word. Go.
Bye!
Connect with Skyler Stonestreet:
Website: http://www.skylerstonestreet.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkylerStonestreet
Twitter: https://twitter.com/skystonestreet
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Skylerstonestreet
