Today we’d like to introduce you to Ariel Corinne.
Hi Ariel, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started having an interest in playing the ukulele and singing when I was 13 years old. I had begged my mother for the instrument for Christmas, and luckily my wish came true. When I received my ukulele, I was ecstatic and could not put it down for the life of me. My attachment to the ukulele led me to impromptu performances at grocery stores and open mics.
My passion to perform started to escalate into something greater the more I played for people and got comfortable in my own skin. The open mic nights I went to were great practice in playing for bigger crowds such as at The Cove and Sam Ash Music Store. As I gained more experience and exposure (I had started a Facebook as I started playing more), people in the audience started asking me to play for their private events such as with their non-profits or birthday parties. With these small steps of playing for bigger crowds, I was able to progress my craft as a musician and create a platform for a variety of opportunities as a young artist.
In the beginning, my journey as a musician was not an easy one. It took hard work from myself and my parents to navigate a scene we were not all too well versed in. Through our team effort as a family, I have been able to receive tremendous opportunities beyond what I ever imagined possible such as being a resident musician for the San Antonio Airport and releasing my own EP “Yellow.”
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Just a little under a year after I received the ukulele for Christmas, my family experienced a financial hardship that resulted in us uprooting from our home and in with a family friend. This upheaval and sudden change caused great stress not only on myself but my family as a whole.
Although at this point, I was going downtown regularly to play and busk, the change in finances made it somewhat difficult for me to find the will to not dwell over my family’s well-being. However, I realized soon into our lifestyle change, that music was what was going to get me through this hard time, and to throw it to the side would be something I would be regretful of.
With the encouragement of my family, who continued to take me to shows and encourage me to keep working and practicing on my music, I found and maintained the strength needed to continue growing myself as a musician and artist. Despite the struggles, the years of perseverance have only taught me to set bigger and better goals for myself as a musician and to strive for a career that brings joy to listeners but also allows me to take care of my family too.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Since I’ve been playing the ukulele since I was 13 years old and have been creating my persona from that age, I would say I am most known for my unique ukulele sound and stage presence. Many people may see a ukulele and think of a quiet or quaint sound and appearance, however, I try to make myself sound and look as big as possible.
I have to make myself seem bigger than I am since I’m usually the only one on stage and the target of the audience’s gaze. My headdress of a bright and colorful flower crown and wavy long skirts and dresses allow me to express a presence greater than myself that is entertaining to the audience. The key role in designing my stage dress/presence was my clothes and accessories matching the sound of my music, which is chill, upbeat, and relaxing.
However, on a more sentimental note other than my stage presence, one of my proudest moments as a musician was the release of my EP Yellow in October of 2020. This EP was created over the span of 2 years despite only being 4 songs long. I at first had a lot of insecurity of releasing music when I had first recorded my songs Ok and Not Tonight with 34k in 2018, but during quarantine, I was able to produce some songs on my own which gave me a greater sense of confidence in my music.
When I finally released my songs, my insecurities lifted and I felt proud of myself for going into the next chapter of my life as a musician.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
The two songs Ok and Not Tonight off of my EP “Yellow” were produced with the help and talent of another friend and San Antonio artist 34k!
Contact Info:
- Email: arielcorinneofficial@gmail.com
- Website: https://arielcorinne.carrd.co/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/arielcorinne?utm_medium=copy_link
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArielCorinneMusic/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCp1YXPdcNXK7iBO0Q3Pk2TA
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2tgtYtYfuB1XiYygooiWle?si=9Mmzx0W2RSmt6nE_KNzkGg
Image Credits:
Alex Arrezola
