I chose to write an interview for my double-page spread. My teacher improved it and this is the final version:
Serena
Harper-Lee has made it to the top ten in the charts in 5 countries already with
her new album Burn. The 21 year old released her second album on Friday and has
already made to no. 2 in the iTunes top 50. Serena will be touring in November
so look out for those tickets!
Did you
think your album would be this successful?
Definitely not! I was so proud of the
songs that my team and I had written and I knew my fans would love it, but it
has just been amazing and so surprising! The album is even popular in Australia,
which is just surreal. I’m not a pop artist at all but to be amongst the likes
of Justin Bieber and Demi Lovato in the charts is truly mind-blowing. The album
means so much to me and I’m just glad I had the chance to share it – not just
with my fans, but with everyone.
What
can we expect from year in the year ahead?
I’m working on a couple of singles at
the moment which I’m hoping to release in the summer. One will definitely be
called Cut from the Diamonds of Love, inspired by certain relationships in the
past, which will be really relatable. Other than that, I think it’s going to be
pretty quiet. 2015 was just huge for me so it will be nice to have a break!
Spend some time with my family and friends.
Do you
have a favourite song from the album?
I actually get asked this quite a lot
which is cruel, haha! I have a couple of songs on there that really mean a lot
to me. I think if I had to pick one it would be ‘Ashes of the Earth’ because
it’s a song that really inspired me these past couple of years. I wrote it with
my guitarist, Jasper, and yeah it just really touched me and I think a lot of
my fans feel that as well. We worked on it when we were travelling around
Europe and Asia – it really helped us to open our eyes and appreciate what we
have and what we can do with that. I mean, I love all of the songs on the album
but that one is definitely close to my heart. It helped me the last couple of
years to pick myself up and get back into my music and my love of writing.
What
does your music mean to you as a whole?
Writing and singing and performing are
all just a part of me. It sounds cheesy, but without music, I really would be
lost. It’s somewhere for me to escape and I know a lot of artists who agree
with me on that. It’s similar to acting in a way because you just get lost in
the performance and you can be someone else and there is something really
special about that. Whenever I feel troubled or upset or anything really I can
write about it, perform my feelings and let go of them.
When
did you know that you wanted to be a musician?
When I was younger I actually wanted to
be a contemporary dancer. I would perform and travel to competitions and I was
actually pretty good! But I realised that it wasn’t the dance I loved; it was
the music, the way it made me feel. I would be moving around the stage in my
pretty dresses and just get lost in the sound and the waves of passion I had. I
started playing the piano and the harp, unusual I know, and I realised I had a
talent and a real love for what I was doing. That’s when I started singing and
I was probably around the age of 14. I still do love dancing now and I love to perform,
but music is definitely my true love and always will be.
How
supportive have your family and friends been throughout your journey?
They’ve been amazing! I wouldn’t say
I’m at a point where I can say I’m definitely famous, but there have been times
where fame has gotten to me a bit. My mom especially has helped me through some
difficult times and I am really grateful for that. My friends have really been
great too; they would take me out for meals or a drink even if I wasn’t feeling
it. I would have easily just sat at home or been in the studio writing and
recording all day and night which really isn’t healthy! For them to recognise
that and get me out and about is something I will always truly love them for.
Follow Serena on Twitter and Instagram:
@serenahlee
To see more about life on the road
check, out her Snapchat: serenaharper
