In this conversation, I caught up with Scotty Berg, a 14 year old singer-songwriter from Kelowna, Canada. In February, Berg released his latest single 'You Don't Have To Be Alone', a track about asking for help when coping with loneliness and isolation. Taking influence from fellow Canadian musicians, Shawn Mendes and Justin Bieber; Berg is a rising young artist who is continuing to attract worldwide listeners.
Hi Scotty, thank you for taking the time to do this interview! For our readers who may not have heard of your music before, could you tell us a bit about yourself and how you became interested in music?
Thanks for having me! I was born in Edmonton, Canada and then when I was three my family moved to Kelowna, Canada and I have been here ever since. Growing up, I played lots of different sports (still do) like ice hockey, basketball, volleyball, and track. In the winters we snow ski and summers hang out on our boat. It’s pretty great. For music, I basically started singing at two years old, then took lessons at 9 and am still in them. I also play piano and guitar.
What made you decide to pursue a career in music, have you always been interested in performing and writing?
I think it came when I had the opportunity to perform in a rock show in my city. I was a back-up singer and it was so much fun and so cool to be on stage. I was 10 years old and knew this is what I wanted to really do.
Who do you consider to be your musical influences?
I am influenced by a lot of artists, but probably Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, and Shawn Mendes.
Your recent single, ‘You Don’t Have to be Alone’ is a song about not feeling hopeless and lonely but to recognise that there is support around you. Would you agree with that interpretation or does the song have a special meaning for you?
Totally! There is ALWAYS someone there to lean on and ask for help, whether it is a friend, family member or someone in the community. The song is meaningful to me because at my age I know there are kids and teens who struggle.
I also love the music video for ‘You Don’t Have to Be Alone’, could you tell us a bit about the process behind making the visuals?
Thank you! It was so cold during the filming that my dad had blankets that he would wrap around me in between takes. We wanted a story of someone who was feeling down or lonely to know that there is always someone there. We shot the video at a winery and downtown Kelowna. The cool thing was there were a bunch of my classmates downtown that night so the videographer asked if they wanted to be in the shoot. So, when you see different kids holding up a sign, that was not planned but it turned out amazing!
What do you hope your listeners take away from your music?
To be inspired, happy and to just go enjoy life.
Do you have any plans to release any new music soon?
Working on new material right now!
Who would you love to collaborate with in the future?
Probably any of the three mentioned above…Bieber, Mendes, Sheeran. But there are so many amazing artists out there that collaborating with someone other than these three would be awesome too.
Could you recommend some of your current favourite songs for our readers?
I listen to a lot of different music right now, but some current favourites are “Buy Dirt” “Overpass Graffiti” and “It’ll Be Okay”
Do you have any advice for young musicians who may want to pursue a similar career in music?
-Be open to opportunities. Look at what they are and don’t be afraid to take a chance.
-Always perform at your best. Even if there are two people in the crowd, perform the same way you would if there were 10,000. You never know who is listening!
-Be kind. People take notice and appreciate it!
What is the best advice you have ever received?
Be yourself…One of my vocal teachers told me there is only one Scotty Berg. Be that person!
And lastly, do you have a message for your fans?
Thank you for supporting me!
Listen to Scotty Berg's latest single 'You Don't Have To Be Alone' in the link above or hear the song in full on my Spotify Featured Artists Playlist (link in bio).
Comentarios