aaamusic | On 21, Feb 2021

Who are you and where are you from?

Allison St. Rock. I’m a singer/songwriter, composer, playwright, and performer. I’m originally from Stonington, CT, but I’ve been living in New York City for 9 years. I studied musical theatre as a performer in college, and started writing music soon after that. 

What inspired you to get into music?

One of my favorite things about musical theatre is the idea that sometimes words just aren’t enough. Sometimes music is the only way to tell the story; to convey the complexities of the emotions in the moment. This is what writing has been for me. It’s how I process things, and how I get out of my own head.

Lady Gaga is definitely my biggest musical influence. She’s the reason I started learning to play the piano and the reason I started writing music. And, of course, my musical theatre training comes into play, and has definitely had an impact on my style, and on how I approach song writing.

What have you done?

I’ve written two full length musicals, and one short musical (Coming Out, Big Gay Love Story, the Musical, and The Fall.) I released my first single, I Wanna Feel Better off my upcoming EP, Whirlwind, in November. The EP should be finished and released by spring! You can find all of my music on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and all music streaming platforms. 

What are you like live?

As an upcoming artist releasing an EP during the pandemic, I haven’t had the opportunity to tour just yet. I’ve performed at a few virtual open mics in the last few months, and my music has been very well received. 

I would love the opportunity to go on tour after the EP is released! I’ve already started working with a choreographer for the music video for I Wanna Feel Better, and I plan to start choreographing a few of the other songs in preparation for live performances to come. Here’s a hint: I’m a tap dancer ;)

What makes you different?

My music has something for everyone! A few of the songs on the EP are dancepop/EDM, get-up-and-dance-it-out kind of songs, which is so my vibe. I love pop and EDM music, and I’ve been loving finding ways to bring some of my musical theatre roots into that genre. 

Of course, I found my voice as a writer on the keys, so I’ve got a couple of piano power ballads on there as well. These are for the times when you really need to feel your feelings and just let them wash over you. Let it out, then go listen to one of my dance songs and dance it out!

Physical vs Downloading vs Streaming…How do you listen to music?

I love the ease and accessibility of streaming music on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. I love that I can access music from all of my devices, anywhere that I go, and anytime that I want. But I’m definitely a vinyl girl. There’s just something so simple about putting on a record, and just letting it take you on a journey. I definitely plan to release a limited amount of copies of Whirlwind on vinyl when it’s finished!

What have you been listening to?

Well, we were blessed with  Chromatica towards the beginning of the pandemic from Lady Gaga, and that was truly everything that I needed at the time. I just put it on and danced. I discovered Chanel & the Circus this summer when a friend sent me their  The Last Time music video. I was instantly hooked. Chanel is awesome and I love their music, and their art. Go check them out!

What are your aspirations for the future?

Well, my short terms plans are to release  Whirlwind, and then start filming the music video for I Wanna Feel Better. I have a couple of other songs I’m working on that I plan to release as singles in the next few months, so keep an eye out for those as well! 

Further down the road, I’d love to work with a record label on future albums so that I can continue to make and share great music. I’m constantly writing, and am so excited to see where the music is going to lead me next!

Questions answered by: Allison St. Rock…