 | Cleveland is lucky to have many different talented musicians call it home. We caught up with singer-songwriter Erin Kapferer, who you may know as Noon, to discuss her relationship with music and why it's important to be honest when creating art. |
How did you get interested in music?
It was always a calling ever since I was a little girl. I think a lot of things got in the way, so I kept it on the back burner, but as soon as I realized it was who I was, everything started falling into place.
Did you start with piano?
I started with piano. It’s always been my main squeeze. I played flute a little bit because I was in the marching band, but piano was my deal.
Were you classically trained?
I did take lessons for a while, yeah. I was more of an ear student.
How did your teachers react to that?
They knew I was talented in that way, but they would always catch me. They would say, we know that you didn’t practice because you’re not looking at the music. They’re like, that’s awesome that you got the song, but read!
I actually started taking piano lessons again to go back and learn theory and all that fun stuff. It’s a different way of getting things, a more grounding way.
Has that helped your playing?
I think it has, I think it inspired me. Anything that has feedback is good, that’s why I like jamming with people. Sometimes, because I’m a solo artist, I get in a bubble and I get very critical, so it’s good to hear the honest truth from others.
Your music is built around that, the honest truth.
Yes, I’m very honest. I’ve noticed that if I’m not honest, I can’t finish the song, if that makes sense. Sometimes it takes a day, fifteen minutes; sometimes it takes a year and a half.
Is it difficult to get on stage and be that open?
No, actually, it isn’t. I really didn’t think of it that way. I used to have chronic stage fright and I was just afraid of playing in general. When I finally just tapped into and got through my set and enjoyed it, I thought it was awesome. A lot of people seem to really like my music. Some people say that my music is really said, but all in all, more people say it’s just truthful, and that’s alright with me.
You have to have a mixture of emotions in your music because that’s what you lived through, that’s what has inspired your writing.
Exactly. That’s who I am and that’s how you write a song. It’s good to help people feel those things—happy and sad and in between. Music is a moody thing, like the Cleveland weather. We have to branch out and be who we are. You have to be honest with who you are and you can’t compare yourself with others. Your path is your path. I think getting over my creative block, taking the steps to get over that, it was an epiphany that this is what I have to offer. This is just who I am and I have to be okay and accept that.
When you were trying to get through that creative block, what was your playing like?
I had to force myself to play and I had to listen to a lot of guidance, to nurture myself in different ways. It was re-turning on the intuition a little bit, listening to the hunches and being nice to myself. That’s where it comes from. I think a lot of things we have to get over and we have that negative self-talk that’s in your way. That completely stops you, I’ve noticed. That’s why it was good to branch out and hear what my deal is, get feedback.
For a while, I didn’t even consider myself a musician. But this is who I am, this is what I’m going to do for the rest of my life. There’s going to be dark days I’ve heard, and bright days, but at least if I get to that one person that gets it, that’s it. People still come up to me and say you really helped me out with that one song or I heard you on the radio and that helped me.
Tonight, Noon will open at the Beachland tavern for Estonian rockers Ewert & the Two Dragons. Tickets are still available.
Listen to Noon
http://noon1.bandcamp.com/releases
Interview by Amber Patrick
Images by Amber Patrick
It was always a calling ever since I was a little girl. I think a lot of things got in the way, so I kept it on the back burner, but as soon as I realized it was who I was, everything started falling into place.
Did you start with piano?
I started with piano. It’s always been my main squeeze. I played flute a little bit because I was in the marching band, but piano was my deal.
Were you classically trained?
I did take lessons for a while, yeah. I was more of an ear student.
How did your teachers react to that?
They knew I was talented in that way, but they would always catch me. They would say, we know that you didn’t practice because you’re not looking at the music. They’re like, that’s awesome that you got the song, but read!
I actually started taking piano lessons again to go back and learn theory and all that fun stuff. It’s a different way of getting things, a more grounding way.
Has that helped your playing?
I think it has, I think it inspired me. Anything that has feedback is good, that’s why I like jamming with people. Sometimes, because I’m a solo artist, I get in a bubble and I get very critical, so it’s good to hear the honest truth from others.
Your music is built around that, the honest truth.
Yes, I’m very honest. I’ve noticed that if I’m not honest, I can’t finish the song, if that makes sense. Sometimes it takes a day, fifteen minutes; sometimes it takes a year and a half.
Is it difficult to get on stage and be that open?
No, actually, it isn’t. I really didn’t think of it that way. I used to have chronic stage fright and I was just afraid of playing in general. When I finally just tapped into and got through my set and enjoyed it, I thought it was awesome. A lot of people seem to really like my music. Some people say that my music is really said, but all in all, more people say it’s just truthful, and that’s alright with me.
You have to have a mixture of emotions in your music because that’s what you lived through, that’s what has inspired your writing.
Exactly. That’s who I am and that’s how you write a song. It’s good to help people feel those things—happy and sad and in between. Music is a moody thing, like the Cleveland weather. We have to branch out and be who we are. You have to be honest with who you are and you can’t compare yourself with others. Your path is your path. I think getting over my creative block, taking the steps to get over that, it was an epiphany that this is what I have to offer. This is just who I am and I have to be okay and accept that.
When you were trying to get through that creative block, what was your playing like?
I had to force myself to play and I had to listen to a lot of guidance, to nurture myself in different ways. It was re-turning on the intuition a little bit, listening to the hunches and being nice to myself. That’s where it comes from. I think a lot of things we have to get over and we have that negative self-talk that’s in your way. That completely stops you, I’ve noticed. That’s why it was good to branch out and hear what my deal is, get feedback.
For a while, I didn’t even consider myself a musician. But this is who I am, this is what I’m going to do for the rest of my life. There’s going to be dark days I’ve heard, and bright days, but at least if I get to that one person that gets it, that’s it. People still come up to me and say you really helped me out with that one song or I heard you on the radio and that helped me.
Tonight, Noon will open at the Beachland tavern for Estonian rockers Ewert & the Two Dragons. Tickets are still available.
Listen to Noon
http://noon1.bandcamp.com/releases
Interview by Amber Patrick
Images by Amber Patrick
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