Eventually as a teenager, I was pulled up on stage by James Brown's saxophone player, Maceo Parker, during one of his concerts and scatted on his stage for 20 minutes. After I was done, Maceo's bass player got down on one knee as if he were proposing, took a string off of his bass guitar and coiled it up around my ring finger. He hushed the crowd and said into the microphone, "Wendy, from this day forward you are married to music. You have a gift from God. You must devote your life to using this gift or else you will deprive the world of something so special." I got the chills.
I would describe my style of songwriting as classic. I learned very early on and have stuck to the core principles of song structure regardless of which genre I'm writing in.
Being a songwriter requires versatility while being an artist requires you to create a cohesive body of work. I truly enjoy both.
My goal is to always contribute a part of myself to my music that will result in it sounding authentic, timeless, and real. I feel that this truly comes across in my new album, which is in the Rock genre.
I've collaborated with artists that truly run the gamut: from members of the Wu Tang Clan and Capone, to Moby, Lady Gaga, and opening for artists such as Sheryl Crow, Jack White, and Chris Shiflett of the Foo Fighters, etc.
A good song can be produced in several different genres.
I have to say one of the lessons I learned is to always be prepared.
Always have clear lines of communication and be open to trying new ideas. Being open to new ideas is crucial to growing as an artist. If you always have the same creative habits, how will you ever excel to the next level? The answer is, you won't. Taking those creative risks reaps the most incredible rewards.
We're living in a time of so much clutter that has allowed everyone to express themselves at any moment. We have access into people's lives like never before. It's a lot to take in and it's easy to get overwhelmed and swallowed up in it.
I love the songs we've written together [with Ivo Moring] and believe that Rock music is coming back with a vengeance. There are a lot of new and exciting things on the horizon and the next chapter is going to be amazing.
People get bored of hearing the same genre of music over and over again. Observe the current musical landscape and predict what "mood" people will be in next. Ask yourself what would be the most natural transition or reaction to the current genre. Then create it!
