Rising alt-pop singer-songwriter Halston Dare has already grabbed our attention with her single "Replace You". We had the opportunity to catch up with Halston and talk about what's life been life in quarantine and talk about everything related to music.
FA: First of all thank you for being on Jamo, Halston please tell our readers about yourself?
HD: I am a singer-songwriter from Houston, Texas. I am a Cuban American woman raised by my southern belle mother and Cuban father. I grew up playing basketball, running track, playing volleyball, and cheerleading. Basketball is my favorite and I traveled with an AAU team for a while. When I was younger I had to devide whether I wanted to go to college to play basketball, or pursue a career in music and o7f course, I chose music. I moved to Nashville at age 17 with a producing deal, and I've been writing and creating music ever since.
FA: What inspired you to choose music as your career and how old were you when you chose the music?
HD: When I was younger my dad always influenced me to sing as he was a singer when he was growing up. In my dad's younger years he was in a barbershop quartet so there was no way that he wasn't going to let me be a singer! I started taking vocal lessons when I was around 11/12 and began writing poetry when I was 10 which later switch to songwriting when I was 13. It was so fluent for me and so fun end; it was also therapy.
FA: What kind of music have you listened to while growing up and do you still listen to the same or has your choice changed?
HD: Growing up my dad influenced the 70s and 80s music. The first song I ever performed on stage was "I Have Nothing" by Whitney Houston, which is one of my all-time favorites. I love Bryan Adams, Donna Summers, the Eagles, Mötley Crüe, the Foundations, the Ink Spots, Elvis Presley, but I also listen to a lot of mainstream Pop music as well. I would say My playlist is pretty diverse as it goes from the 60s, 70s, and 80s all the way to hard metal to country and mainstream pop.
FA: What is the biggest achievement you have achieved in your career so far and what do you aim to achieve in the future?
HD: I know this sounds really odd but one of my biggest achievements was getting verified on Instagram. It has been one of my dreams since I was really young and was really difficult for me to accomplish for a while. There is actually a point in time I thought it was never going to happen after trying so many numerous times and it happened over quarantine two months ago. In the future, I'd love to grow my fanbase to at least 200,000 or 500,000 followers and to go on tour with a major artist that I look up to. I feel like I would be grateful to go with anybody and experience the tour life.
"NOBODY ELSE IS GOING TO GET IN your WAY IF YOU HAVE THE determination TO GO AFTER IT."
FA: Every career has its own hurdle, what kind of difficulties did you face at the beginning of your career?
HD: My first couple of hurdles was finding who I am and picking a sound and genre that I really wanted to stick to. I started off as a country, went to pop country, then went to alternative pop, pop-rock, back to EDM pop, and now I like to refer to myself as edgy, alternative-mainstream pop. It was really difficult because my playlist is so diverse that I could never figure out which one I really loved the most because I love all types of music and I felt a passion for each kind of genre that I wanted to sing. However, the brand and genre that I am now are my most favorite and I feel like it sits with my voice and mu songwriting best. Another hurdle was moving out at such a young age and going to online school instead of finishing a regular public school with my friends. I was working in a completely different state away from my family at 17 and did not know that many people in Nashville, but I knew that whole time that it was going to be worth it in the end and that I was striving to reach my goals and that the reward, in the end, would be worth all of the distance.
FA: What keeps you motivated to keep going in life?
HD: It's pretty simple, friends. I cherish my friendships and relationships and family so much. I could be having the worst day ever, the worst month ever, but if I'm surrounded by people that I truly care about and love and connect with, there's nothing that can get in my way or happiness. Growing up, my dad always told me "your attitude determines your altitude" and "never let anybody steal your joy because in life people are going to disappoint you, even the people you love the most." So I would have to say friends and family keeps my sanity in place.
FA: Who is your favorite musician and why?
HD: Julia Michaels is one of my biggest inspirations. I love her songwriting, her music, her vibe, the way her music makes me feel. Even though I have never met her, I feel like if I did I would fall absolutely in love with her. I got to see her for my 19th birthday in Nashville at Bridgestone and I cried during the whole performance. There's something about her that is so special and unique and I don't think anybody could come in between the love that I have for her artistry.
FA: What are your upcoming projects any sneak peaks?
HD: I can't say too much right now, however, I can say that a music video for "Replace You" will be coming out soon, and when all this crazy COVID-19 ends, I will be able to announce tour dates, which is a huge must in my music future. An upcoming project that I would love to have in the future as a dream would be collaborating with some of my favorite musicians so let's cross our fingers that it happens!!
FA: What's your message for our readers and your fans?
HD: If you have a dream go for it. I know it sounds cheesy bit it's so true. I had so many people growing up tell me that I was never going to be a successful singer or songwriter and that I should just go to college and be like everybody else and I'm so glad I never listened. Do what makes you happy. The only person that's going to stop you from achieving your dreams is you. Nobody else is going to get in your way if you have the determination to go after it. Enjoy life, life is so short. Love hard, be excited, try new things, travel, make mistakes, live your life to the fullest!
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