Meet Holly Schranz | Indie Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Holly Schranz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Holly, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I’ve always been a creative person. I’ve been playing different instruments and singing since I was four years old. My mom was an artist and my dad always played music around the house. My parents gave the freedom and support to try anything and everything I’ve ever wanted to pursue. When I turned I wanted me to have a back up plan, so I went to college and tried to find anything else that might peak my interest that had financial stability to come with it, which caused me to put my music dreams on hold. I graduated college, studied 5 different majors and obtained my piece of paper saying I’m an expert in ‘liberal studies’ whatever that is. I realized that I wasn’t happy and the only thing I could do to change that was to actively work my hardest to try and make something of myself as a musician. Now I have a full album’s worth of music recorded that I don’t know what to do with and the most committed and supportive bandmates I’ve ever had and I couldn’t be happier.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I think what sets my music apart from other is that it’s a little out of the box and they way it is created is almost routine & methodical. I personally, like to sit down and write when I’m going through something (positive or negative) and pour what I’m feeling into the song. Sometimes random thoughts can turn out to be great, abstract ideas that I can manipulate into some whole other deep meaning. I’ve been playing around a lot with the vocoder. If you’re familiar with Daft Punk or The Weekend you’ve definitely heard this vocal effect before. I’m just trying to push creative boundaries, while keeping the overall message and song structure familiar enough that the listener can relate. Since I’m an independent artist and I am the face or ‘the brand’, it’s up to me to take control and decide what I can pursue. Me and my producer storyboarded, shot, and edited a whole music video this year, which was something we have never done, but we’re smart people and we had a vision and made it happen. We designed and hand drew our album cover, filmed a bunch of cover videos, have done some live performances this year, and now we’re working on designing our own merch. If you know what you want, you have to go after it and sometimes take control, put in hard work, and do your best to teach yourself how to do things as you go. Sometimes people get a lucky break, but I don’t believe in that. I believe if you put in hard work, one day it will pay off. This is my first project and I want to be able to know what it takes to make a name for myself and hopefully inspire some people along the way.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would definitely take a friend to The Golden Margarita on 3rd st/Roosevelt Downtown on a Tuesday night. They always have a bunch of talented local musicians performing and it’s a great place to have a drink. I would also have to take them downtown to the Welcome Diner for fried chicken & biscuits (Big Jim). It’s pretty much a heart attack on the plate, but they give you a couple of pieces of watermelon to refresh your palette and level out the health risks.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have a lot of credit to give to my producer & roommate, John Q. He has been right there with me from the beginning (6 years in the running) taking my songs from just an idea, to fully-produced songs that I can share with anyone willing to listen. He contributes as much as I do in terms of our creative process. I can also say I have a lot of credit to give to my other bandmates (Etti Bowen & Lucas Kraft) for showing up to shoot music videos a 5am on weekdays, playing shows late at night, and being ready for any opportunity or idea I give them. These guys are one of the most solid rhythm sections I’ve ever worked with and I’m very grateful for them. My friends and family deserve some credit too. They’re my biggest fans and always give me support, as well as constructive criticism.

Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0prN4xRJ6fx6qo2U74svFk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollyschranzmusic/?hl=en
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-schranz-a55a71198/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/holly_schranz
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HollySchranzMusic/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEh-rdBUWNL4QVPS-3Lq9pA
Other: http://voyagephoenix.com/interview/art-life-holly-schranz/