Do you have to be 19 and able to twerk in a bikini to receive recognition as a female musician these days?
Solveig Whittle and Elizabeth Butler are proof that you don’t.
These two indie female songwriter-musicians from
Seattle, Washington and Houston, Texas, were notified recently that they both
have songs and albums up For Consideration in the 57th Grammys and nominated
for the 2014 Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMAs). The Grammys will be
awarded in February of next year, but the HMMAs will be awarded sooner, on
November 4th, 2014 at the Fonda Theater in Los Angeles.
The two women have been strategizing for months
and working together to promote their music in an industry in which it is
notoriously hard to stand out – and one that also tends to favor younger
artists. They remain undaunted, however, and now their musical and
co-promotional partnership has created some very visible results, such as their
Grammy and HMMA nominations.
Like many indie musicians, Whittle and Butler
have been hobbyist musicians their whole lives. Only within the last few years,
however, have they gotten serious about putting resources and time into pushing
their individual music careers forward. By sharing information with each other
and honing both their musical and promotional skills, they have proved that
collaboration is the new route to success in the music business.
Both Whittle and Butler released new albums this
fall. Whittle’s is entitled Fire and Other Playthings, and Butler’s is Love,
& Loss & Stuff Like That. Both artists are on the first round
57thGrammy ballots in Best American Roots Song and Best Americana Album
categories. The two albums share a theme of empowerment, something both women
have experienced as individuals in recent years and want to pass on to others
through their music.
“I submitted my song, A1A (Settin’ Myself Free)
for the HMMAs in December of 2013, and was thrilled when I heard it had been
nominated for Best Americana Song, “ said Butler. “It’s an anthem for anyone
going through a change, and I think it’s struck a chord with a lot of people.
Fans really seem to resonate with the subject matter. It’s a little bit Thelma
and Louise.”
“Elizabeth and I have been collaborating for
over two years now. I was a little hesitant, but Elizabeth encouraged me to
submit my work to both the Grammys and the HMMAs,” said Whittle, “The HMMA
nomination is my first music award nomination ever, and I plan to make the most
of the experience. Would I like to win? Sure, but just being nominated and
attending the HMMAs and Grammys with Elizabeth is going to be a great experience.”
Both Whittle and Butler are typical indie
musicians: they also have day jobs. Creating and promoting their music is
something that keeps them busy late into the night and on weekends. Butler is a
registered nurse at a Houston-area hospital, and Whittle is a social media
instructor at the University of Washington.
The two women met two years ago through Twitter
and Soundcloud. Friendship and professional musical collaboration quickly
blossomed via email, text, social media, and the cloud. Whittle was soon
providing backup vocals for Butler, and then Butler flew to Seattle to attend
Whittle’s 2013 CD release party for a prior album. Whittle subsequently
traveled southeast in January 2014 to participate in the filming of Butler’s
music video for A1A (Settin’ Myself Free). During that visit, the two began
co-writing the lyrics to Light The Fire, which they finished through
long-distance collaboration online over the summer. Light The Fire was released
on both of their CDs (on Butler’s as a bonus track), and is one of the songs up
for consideration for a Grammy.
“When we met, we realized we shared so many life
experiences and values – even though we come from different parts of the
country and backgrounds. We have a pack of children between us who are adults
now. The bottom line is: we’ve been daughters, we’ve been moms, we’ ve been
wives. We’ve launched a thousand ships, so to speak. Now it’s our turn. Our
musical and personal friendship has given us the support - and that extra push
- to pursue our own creative ambitions at this stage in our lives,” said
Whittle.
Like Butler’s song A1A (Settin’ Myself Free),
Whittle says the lyrics to her song Light The Fire speak to the lightning
strike of revelation and transformation that many people feel as they get
older, and realize that the clock is ticking but there are still creative
things they want to do in their lives. Coming from a background in high tech
marketing and business, it took Whittle many years to realize that what she
really loved most was writing and singing songs, as she had in college. After
that epiphany, she decided to get serious about her music because it meant much
more to her than a hobby.
“For every person out there who dreams of
releasing their CD, writing their novel, creating that art piece, or making
that indie film - just remember that it gets easier after the kids are grown,”
said Butler. “Don’t give up on your dreams – we all have so much life
experience to share. You can absolutely do it!”
Watch Elizabeth Butler’s music video A1A
(Settin’ Myself Free) on YouTube at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAFpXqUsFcE
Her latest album, Love, Loss and Stuff Like
That, is available on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, and all major music outlets.
Website http://www.EButlerMusic.com For booking, licensing, or press, contact
Elizabeth Butler at runninghomerecords@gmail.com
Watch Solveig & Stevie’s music video Light
The Fire on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7M4OldmcXcY
Her latest album, Fire and Other Playthings, is
available on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, and all major music outlets.
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