By Bridney C.
It is a pleasure to interview Taylor Alexander-Oliviera for the Sweet Scoop.
Taylor also referred to as Tay, is a 23-year-old singer-songwriter from Ledyard, Connecticut. Frequently posting videos on Facebook Live and Instagram to her more than 1,000 followers, she is often seen singing covers or her original songs while playing the guitar.
Coming from a musical family background, her father is a drum player and many of her family members are singers and musicians. In this edition of Q&A, Tay shared with us her earliest music memory, her favorite original song she has performed in her live videos, and discussed her music goals.
Bridney C: From the earliest you can remember, when did music come into your life? Were you involved in any music clubs or choirs in middle or high school?
Tay: My earliest memories of music are from when I was maybe 4 or 5-years-old where I would sit in the back of my mom's car and listen to light rock on the radio. I wasn't allowed to listen to anything else besides light rock and gospel music until around age 9. I also had my first solo performance in church at age 4, it was super scary, but I loved it at the same time. I was very involved in choir throughout middle school and high school. I was in a regular choir, then I joined an advanced choir called Encore. Then in high school, I was in a women's choir, concert choir, chamber choir, and an acapella group called A Cabellas, we were adorable. My favorite highlight of high school was my solo, in which I sang a part of a Beyonce song. We did a mashup of "Survivor" by Destiny's Child and "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gayner. I was in my element.
BC: Are you a self-taught guitarist, or did someone teach you how to play?
T: I am completely self-taught. I decided to take a guitar class once I started high school after I had already taught myself most of what I knew at the time. It was a great reinforcer. I still have a lot of growing to do as far as my playing, but I've taught myself all that I know so far.
BC: What is your favorite original song you have performed on live so far?
T: My favorite song I have performed would probably have to be my song "Philautia." I wrote it when I was in a kinda tough place, and it's about letting go of things that have held you back in the past. Philautia is Greek for self-love so that's definitely my favorite song I've written. To prepare for my videos it might take me maybe 30 minutes to an hour. I like to kind of do things at the moment, so when I get the feeling that I wanna sing something I just jump right into it. I usually think about how I'm feeling to determine where I want to record or what I want to wear.
BC: Musically, what are your goals? Is music simply just another niche of yours or would you like to possibly pursue a singing career?
T: I think I would love to have a singing career. Music is and always has been my passion. Being an artist is tough because there are doubts. It's definitely a hardcore industry as well. I think I would also really enjoy just writing songs professionally and maybe performing every once in a while as well. I'll just see where the music takes me.
BC: How do you manage your time between music and school? Any advice you may have for someone who is splitting their time between school and music?
T: My first degree is a bachelor of science degree in nursing. It was really hard to step away from music for those four years, but I never really let go of it. My education was always a priority, but when I did have free time I would practice as much as I could with the guitar. I would post covers occasionally when a new song would inspire me. My advice would be to find a healthy and realistic balance. Always make sure your education is taken seriously, but also make sure you're feeding your soul.
To hear and see more from Tay, be sure to follow her
to check out her music on YouTube.