Last year a new music performance show came on TV and immediately became a hit thanks to the winning combination of great talent, great production and great mentor artists who were still current artists in their own right. That show was renewed for a second season and this year is even bigger with auditions from established artists like Gwen Sebastian making it through the blind auditions to get to the battle rounds and hopefully the live shows.
We recently sat down with Hebron, North Dakota native Gwen Sebastian to talk about her career, her previously released EP (VIP) and of course her decision to try out for NBC’s the voice. Read on below in this exclusive interview and don’t forget to watch the show and look for Gwen!
Matt Bjorke: How Long have you been working towards your music career?
Gwen Sebastian: Technically, working for the last seven years, full-time. But I grew up singing so I was about four when I started singing. Everything from church and with my parents and then some contests from time to time…
Matt: hat drew you to country music?
Gwen: It was what I grew up to listening to it. That’s what came through the speakers of my house.
Matt: That’s pretty standard for most artists…
Gwen: I also think too, that my parents played it because more of where I grew up in the Midwest. It was the story of our life. It was down home, about working for a living and being about being in the middle of nowhwere. It really spoke to me.
Matt: When did you first make the move to Nashville?
Gwen: it was about 15 years ago….(thinks out loud)…Yep, moved here to 1997.
Matt: That’s 15 years ago because I graduated HS then and we’ve got a 15 year reuinion coming up…
Gwen: Don’t ya just hate that stuff?
Matt! Nah, it’s a small town where much hasn’t changed and it’s fun to go back…
Gwen: Yeah, sure, it's kinda nice in a way to be able to go back to places like that and comforting in a way...
Matt: Absolutely.
Matt: What separates you from other “newer “artists?
Gwen: Well, I think that there’s something about where I grew up that makes it, not to say that no other artsits aren’t real and true to what they’re singing about, but I’ve lived it and try to incorporate that into my music. And now that I’ve been doing this for so long, I think I have quite a bit of experience that sometimes, a lot of new artists don’t necessarily have. Not that that’s a bad thing but I’ve been playing for a while, in the bars and I know what it’s like to be on the road. As far as that goes.
But for me, it’s not just about singing but also being an entertainer at my shows, as well. So I want to make sure my shows are about that. I’m country but want to make sure that I’m not afraid to possibly sing a ‘rock song’ if that’s what I want to do with the show.
Matt: So you released a six-song EP (V.I.P.) a few years ago. How did it feel to have that album find success on the charts and have fans have something of yours in their collections?
Gwen: It was a great feeling because as an artist that’s a goal you have. And to have fans connect with it, that was even better. So having done that, I learned how important it is to always be creating new music. Because that’s what fans are looking for and that’s one of my favorite things about living in Nashville. I’m able to be creative and go in and do the co-writing and stuff like that. And that’s my next goal, to get a new single out once I’m able to after The Voice is finished.
Matt: What made auditioning for The Voice right for you, particularly in this time of your career?
Gwen: I originally had signed up and go ahead and do an audition in LA, even though there was a Nashville audition. I was out on the road when they held the Nashville audition. So, my first audition was out there and that was the first time I had ever been there. It was about the most nerve racking thing ever, to go out there and do that. That’s when it began and I got several call backs. It wasn’t just “Hey come be on the blind audtion.” It was this whole little process, which was cool. Because, number one, it made me be a little more patient than I had ever been (laughs). And it made me realize the process the shows go through to get what they need to do to get the show going.
My favorite part about all of that was becoming close with possible contestants in a really short period of time. I’m sure you watched American Idol where you see people cry when people get kicked off the show…
Matt: Yeah, absolutely…
Gwen: I was like, really? And then after going through the process, I totally get it now. Uh huh…
Matt: How nerve-racking was it to go through the blind audition process?
Gwen: Extremely nerve-racking…
Matt: Especially because even the most nerve-racking person will still have “They’re not gonna pick me…”
Gwen: You know, it was the most nerve-racking thing I’ve ever been through and I don’t know if there’ll ever be another thing like that.
Matt: Performing for label bosses is gonna be a lot easier than that…
Gwen: You know (laughing), that’s probably true! But in that case it’ll be a smaller thing like the room we’re in here (a conference room) where there’s no acoustics…instead of a big stage…
Matt: Or, because, there’s not gonna be 30 cameras and 300 people who don’t know who you are. And it’s not like the X-Factor when some ‘singers’ may sing badly. And now that fans know about the voice, they know they can go to those shows (the blind auditions) and not see bad singers…
Gwen: That’s what drew me to the show as well. They don’t waste time on people to make fun of them. They’re giving people who would have an actual chance a shot instead of taking up space with those that don’t.
Matt: Well, The X-Factor probably had less because of Simon’s distaste for bad singing…
Matt: how cool is it for you to have that opportunity to work with Blake?
Gwen: Awesome, to be honest with you. It’s an opportunity I never knew I’d have the chance to do. But I also knew that if I had the chance to choose him or someone else, I’d choose Blake. Because I saw him last year and how great he was interacting with his team…
Matt: He’s such a genuinely nice guy too…
Gwen: Yes, he really is nice and so genuinely.
Matt: Yeah, and because the show is so successful, they’re likely going to have to keep all 4 of these judges on the show for at least another season.
Gwen: For sure.
Matt: What kind of album do you hope to make in the future?
Gwen: I want to make something that I want to do. Something that’s not trying to impress everybody. Something that really speaks of who I am and that’s kind of eclectic. It’s not completely a true country album but I want to do something like a “Lee Ann Womack country tune” and then something like Kelly Clarkson-styled country. That’s how I grow up. Traditional country and rock and roll.
Matt: and fans like that kind of diversity…
Gwen: I agree. 1. Fans, the people don’t care about your age and two; they really don’t care about genre. They just want good music.
Matt: What one word best describes country music to you?
Gwen: Real. That’s all it needs and that’s what it always has been for me. It tells a story and tells it exactly how you would live it!
You can find out more about Gwen Sebastian by visiting her website here.
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