Clara C did a Reddit AMA! Here are 10 Things we Learned

On October 10, Kollaboration 10 winner Clara C will performing live in Houston, TC as one of the headliners for SASEFest, the Asian American music festival that Kollaboration is helping produce in conjunction with the 2015 SASE (Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers) National Conference. Kollaboration and SASE hosted a Reddit AMA for Clara late last week. Here are some of the highlights:

1. She can play a bunch of instruments and dreams in song

“I think it’s somewhere in the low double digits… But, I’m obviously better at some than others. The songwriting process is different every time! Sometimes, I’ll hear a beat right as my brain’s falling asleep and have to record it on a voice memo and work on it in the morning. Other times, a full length song from start to finish will download into my brain all at once. I have 6 guitars =) Musical background is…trained in classical piano with some theory and self-taught in everything else (voice, guitar, recording, mixing [etc])”

2. She’s a self professed nerd and has pro-level Mario skills!

“I’ll kick aaaaaanyone’s ass at anything Mario or puzzle-ey. I own every video game console but haven’t had time for video games these days. But truth be told, I always have been and will continue to be a nerd in all things I’m interested in. Nerds run the world. #nerdpride”

3. There was supposedly a time in the past when she was bad at singing

“My singing is self-taught! There was a time I royally SUCKED at singing and I have video to prove it. But, I also have video of me with really good pitch singing karaoke when I was 5 so I think it was in me somewhere. I haven’t ever taken lessons although I’d like to. I just listened to voices I liked and took away bits and pieces and applied it to mine. It was, “I like her vibrato” coupled with “I like that tone” mixed with “I dig that falsetto” and soon I had what was my own voice. Since then, my voice has evolved into something of its own but the aforementioned was a good starting point.”

4. She was working on a responsible backup plan when her musical dreams came true

“I was in college when my career took off but I was studying Psychology and was a Behavior Technician for children with autism. Before I could even start full-time, my music career had taken off and now I’ve been doing it for 5 years! Music was my dream all my life. It remained a dream for a while because 1. I wasn’t quite musically developed enough until college and 2. I thought it impossible for someone like me to have a music career. We live in a beautiful age where anything’s possible. I hope you get to pursue and obtain your dreams too.”

5. Her regular In-N-Out order is legit

“I get a cheeseburger with grilled AND whole grilled onions…protein style and my fries well done. If I’m feeling bad, neapolitan milkshake. Otherwise, pink lemonade!”

6. Rowdy audiences are her favorite crowd to play for

“This questions gonna get me in TRUBBLEEEEE. How I feel about everywhere I go in the world is heavily influenced by the people. I LOVE a rowdy, obnoxious, free-spirited audience. Based on just audiences I’ve played for, Sydney, Australia and Houston, Toronto and Kuala Lumpur are my favorites”

7. She is fascinated with marine biology and dreams of diving with sharks

“As you may or may not know, I am a marine FANATIC. I love scuba and literally love every sea creature ever made from sharks to little nudibrancs to deep sea creatures that dwell in the dark. However, there’s something about watching a sea otter on its back trying to crack open a clam with its shortass little arms that just kills me. Also, I might add that it definitely is on my bucket list to dive with whale sharks in the wild.”

8. She loves to hear about how her music has touched her fans

“There’s something intangibly powerful about music. Even if you don’t understand the language of a song, it still has the capacity to move and change the color of any moment you’re in. Sometimes, when I’m going through something and a song comes on that’s describing my exact situation, there’s catharsis and release. I think being involved with making something that holds this much power is an amazing privilege. So, when someone tells me about how something I wrote helped them through a hard time or when a couple uses one of my songs as their wedding song, it’s rewarding beyond words that I was able to touch a human soul.”

9. There’s a third Clara C album coming out… in a few months

“I’m working hard on my third album. I want it to be perfect so I keep pushing deadlines and things. (Not the best thing but I’ve become quite the perfectionist so sue me!) It should be out in a couple months and a tour will follow afterwards.”

10. She’s a proud member of the Kollab Fam

“There were 5,000 people in the audience that night I won Kollaboration (talent contest) who went home and searched me on Youtube. I think I had 11 subscribers then. I was so happy to have those 11! Then the whole thing blew up. I feel extremely fortunate to have the Kollab family on my team.”

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If you’re in the Houston area on 10/10, don’t miss SASEFest, tickets on sale now!

9 Things We Learned from Gowe’s Reddit AMA

Seattle hip hop artist Gordon Tsai, better known as Gowe, recently held a Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) for his fans on April 13.

Most of the fan questions revolved around his music, but a few focused on Gowe’s unique upbringing as a Korean adoptee raised by a Chinese-American family. It wasn’t until Gowe was 18 years-old that he found out he was adopted, and it was through his music that he was able to express his experiences and feelings.

In the AMA, Gowe explained many aspects and inspirations to his music, life and his latest album Music Beautiful. Here are the top 9 things readers learned from Gowe’s AMA.

1) His stage name Gifted on West East represents his love of east and west coast hip-hop as well as his gratitude for his gift of talent

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2) He still identifies with Chinese culture but enjoys discovering his Korean roots and is fascinated by the Asian American experience

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3) Discovering he was adopted after 18 years was a real shock

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4) He is currently searching for his birth mother, status pending

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5) His goal is to use his music to encourage his listeners to think deeper and be agents of positive change

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6) He follows some awesome people from the APA music community (and you should too)

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7) Gowe is inspired by life

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8) Music Beautiful songs helped Gowe work through some dark times

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9) He’s a proud UW Husky and Kollaboration alum

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Thanks for sharing Gowe, and for the Kollaboration shoutout. Look forward to bright things in your future.

You can find Gowe’s music, including his new album Music Beautiful, at https://gowe.bandcamp.com/ as well as Amazon and iTunes.