1. NSM
Right now you’re a solo-act. Do you have any plans of putting a band together?

Paulina - Some tentative plans, yes. I like playing as a solo artist, but it certainly has some limitations. A guitarist friend of mine is thinking about putting a band together so that we can play some bigger shows.

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What inspired you to be a musician, more specifically, what inspired you to write music and play the guitar?

Paulina - I’ve always loved to sing, but it’s only been within the last couple of years that I’ve started seriously writing and performing and marketing my songs. I remember seeing Jewel play live and I suddenly thought, “you know, I think that THAT is what I want to do!”

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How did you learn to play guitar?

Paulina - I had a few guitar lessons when I was in college, but I just couldn’t get the hang of it and I gave up. I tried again a couple of years later, and I guess the timing was better because all of a sudden it started to make sense. I learned Am, Em, and C, and decided that that was enough to start writing songs!

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When did you start recording music?

Paulina - In 2002 I made my first demo. It consisted of five songs that I wrote with an Orlando-based producer, Dax Baumgartner. It was so wild to hear my voice coming out of the speakers in the studio! To be honest, I’m still not used to that.

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What was your first gig like for you? Were you nervous?

Paulina - In 2005 I got a residency at a local coffee shop. Every Wednesday afternoon I would plug in my guitar and play for anyone who happened to be around. In the beginning it was a little awkward and I was completely terrified! But after a few weeks I started settling into the rhythm of it and started playing around with the set list. It ended up being really fun.

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"Stay" is a beautiful song. Where did your inspiration for this come from?

Paulina - Thank you! “Stay” is a song that I wrote about being afraid, and about the importance of having people in your life who help you move through that fear.

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You list several musical influences on your website. Pick a few and tell us why and how these people have an effect on you and your music.

Paulina - I listen to a lot of different artists. Pink is one of my favorite rocker girls. I’m always really inspired by her energy and attitude, and she’s got this amazing vulnerability that I really admire. I also love Ani DiFranco. The way she puts words together is just incredible. And I don’t know how she gets all of those gorgeous sounds from her guitar. I also adore Tristan Prettyman. She’s incredibly talented and she has a great relationship with her fans. I really respect the way she is handling her career.

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What is your favorite song to perform?

Paulina - My favorite song to perform (at the moment, anyway!) is called “Write You as Song.” I’m actually in the studio right now recording it; it will be on my next CD. There’s a sustained note near the end that’s really fun to sing.

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What is your ideal environment to write music?

Paulina - I usually write when I’ve had a bad day. For some reason, stress really fuels creativity for me. Not that it’s ideal, but I find that it’s a good way to analyze my feelings. Once all the emotions are in the song, I can let them out of my head and heart. I’m super introverted and I have a really hard time communicating outside of music, so I’m really grateful to have writing as an outlet.

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If you could choose one musician/band to perform with, who would it be and why?

Paulina - If I could perform with anyone, it would definitely be Jewel. She’s my favorite artist. Ever. Her songs have gotten me through a lot of dark moments. I was just listening to her “Spirit” record earlier today, and I was thinking about how much her song “Barcelona” has helped me.

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Can you describe how you envision this performance?

Paulina - Maybe at a festival or something. I remember seeing some footage from the Lilith Fair with Jewel and all these other amazing artists, and thinking about how cool it would be to be a part of something like that.

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What do you hope you’ll be doing musically in 5 years?

Paulina - In five years I hope to have at least two more full-length records out, and to be really comfortable performing in all types of situations.

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Is there anything you would like to say to the people reading this interview?

Paulina - I would like to say THANK YOU for reading this! And anyone who wants more info can go to......

Paulina Logan Website