An Interview With The Promising Singer, VICTORIA CANAL On Her Debut EP, “Into The Pull”, Why She Loves John Mayer and Much More!

Allow All Access to introduce you to the singer-songwriter, Victoria Canal!

Here’s what you should know about this very promising musician:

• Discovered by Mama Jan (Justin Bieber, Usher)

  ● Seventeen year old giving back to various non­-profits and wanting to use “public figure” as a  voice to those who haven’t been afforded the same opportunities.

  ● Multi-­instrumentalist ­ piano, guitar, trumpet, ukulele

  ● Contribution to LGBTQ community

  ● Living around the world and the experience that brings.

  ● Studied at Jazz Conservatory en el Aula del Conservatori (Barcelona, Spain) at 14 ­years ­old

  ● Chosen to be one of 6 Young Arts National Finalists as a singer/songwriter and won the Eddie’s Attic bi­-annual Songwriter Shootout in 2014 (the same one John Mayer won in 1999)

  ● Performed at venues including Eddie’s Attic in Atlanta, the Apollo Theatre in NY, the Red Room in Boston, the Troxy Theatre in London, the World Cafe Live in Philadelphia.

  ● Opened for Joan Osborne in 2015 and has played with songwriter Desmond Child.

  ● Awarded with two consecutive full tuition scholarships to the Berklee College of Music 5 ­week summer performance program as a singer/songwriter. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

Learn more about Ms. Victoria in the following All Access interview:

Thanks for your time today! So, how’s 2016 been treating you so far? What were some of the highlights of 2015 for you and your music?

Thanks so much for having me!! Oh my gosh. 2016 has honestly been mind-blowing so far. I finally got to release my EP and host my sold-out EP release show at Eddie’s Attic, my favorite venue in Atlanta. I also got my first big songwriting gig for a brand and met a few of my idols. It’s just been a great (and lucky) start to the year!! 2015 was definitely a “prep” year for me. Really, it marks the year I “moved” to the United States and started knocking on doors in the industry, attempting to noodle my way in. Some highlights include going on an open mic tour in July, moving to Amsterdam with my family later in the year (while traveling back and forth to Atlanta), and of course writing and recording the EP in Atlanta.

Last month, you released your EP, “Into The Pull.” Can you talk about how those songs and how they all came together on that collection?

Sure! The first song I brought to Jan Smith (one of the three producers on the record) was “Little Girl”, the last track on the record. Recording the strings and keys on that one really indicated the direction of the rest of the body of work—arrangement-wise, Jan, Jesse Owen Astin, and Demond Mickens really worked towards a balance of “currentness” and artistic integrity and soul. Unclear is anthemic; Wolves is angsty; City Shoes is somewhere in the middle; Not Afraid is my guilty-pleasure Soul song, and Little Girl is the piano ballad to tie it all together.

Can you talk about the various non-profits that you give back to?

For me, helping children in any way is a main source of passion—whether it be helping them find refuge from an abusive situation, be able to eat every day, or be able to afford technology to hear better as a deaf child. I enjoy promoting causes online as well as hosting benefit concerts and online campaigns to raise funds and awareness. Some non-profits I’ve worked with include SERV International, T-Oigo, Children’s Hospital of Atlanta, and Autism Speaks.

It sounds like you knew at a very early age that you were going to be a musician. Can you recall your earliest musical memory?

Besides watching home videos to see what I was doing musically before I could remember (classical piano and voice training at 6 years old, for example), I remember my brother showing me Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”… There was something so enthralling about pop in general that I just fell for immediately. I mean, I was only a kid, but somehow understood what Michael was saying—that’s how powerful I think pop songwriting (or maybe songwriting in general!) has the potential to be. So Michael was my first true introduction to pop music.

How do you go about starting to write a song? Where do you get the inspiration for your music? Is that constantly changing?

It really is constantly changing. Sometimes something amazing will happen, like connecting with an utter stranger—and I’ll write a poem about it and set a melody to it a few months later when I find it somewhere hidden in my notebooks. Other times, I come up with a melody/lyric idea right before I fall asleep… I swear there have been so many times I’ve fallen asleep instead of waking myself up to record the idea and I’ve probably lost the best song ideas I’ve ever had. Usually I’m either inspired by a melody or chord progression I come up with on keys or guitar to write about a certain sentiment or story I really like—less often, but still occasionally, I come up with some lyric ideas first and set it to melody later.

So, how was your first recent LA show? Do you have plans to perform more live soon?

It was so great! I saw a few old friends of mine from Berklee College of Music who came out to support, and they really got the energy going at the venue. It was a small, intimate setting with no more than 30 people who were just so there. Honestly, there’s nothing I love more than doing shows. I am actually planning a tour now (you’re the first to know!)

Can you talk about how living around the world has influenced you as an artist and really your music in general?

I definitely think traveling has added substance to what I want to say as an artist, if that’s fair. I’m a lot more concerned with topics like fitting in, knowing who you are, how it’s okay to feel alone sometimes… I really think it’s just emphasized my need to make people feel accepted, beautiful, and important, because they are.

You’ve performed at some of the best known venues around the US. What’s been a favorite show of yours? What’s been a favorite show that you’ve attended?

It’s been such an amazing blessing to have been able to perform in such legendary and renowned venues throughout the nation. I’d definitely say performing at the Apollo was a highlight for me—probably the largest audience I’ve performed for. A night like that every night would be… well, it’d be pretty cool. Favorite shows I’ve seen include James Vincent McMorrow, Bruno Mars, John Mayer, Tori Kelly, James Bay… I live for live music.

Who are some of your favorite artists today? Who would you love to work with one day in the future?

I’m loving listening to “Just Cry, Sad Songs” on Spotify, and discovering mellow artists like —which my song City Shoes just got added to! My friend showed me this band called ROMANS I’m really into right now.

Well, I’d love to sit down with John Mayer someday. He’s definitely my musical idol, I talk about him in like every interview. Also, I think collaborating with the artists I see my own music take after is really what I occasionally indulge in dreaming. I tend to dream big!

What message do you hope listeners take away from your music?

If listeners take anything away from my music, I just hope they know that I almost understand what they’re going through, and if I don’t, they know I’m there to try. Comfort in knowing that someone is there (even if it’s a figure you don’t know personally) is really satisfying sometimes. It’s okay to not know exactly how to define yourself in a sentence—and it’s okay not to fit in because you’re considered “lame” to the cool kids or are way too passionate about something. To me, you’re the coolest!! Let’s be lame together.

When you aren’t working on your music, what do you like to do for fun? How do you wind down?

I love traveling and being productive in a lot of different ways. I love networking, bringing people together, making things happen… meeting new people is like therapy for me—especially when there’s so much interest in the conversation on both sides and the people I’m meeting are inspired and passionate. I like reading a lot, and watching TV—I love romance. I enjoy ping-pong and exploring different areas of the world in unconventional ways. Sleeping is huge for me—I mostly grew up in Spain, so “siestas” are an integral part of my being. I love volunteering with different non-profits to give back and feel great about who I’m surrounded by and what I’m contributing, in my small way. I like sitting by the fireplace with a book next to my dad… that’s a moment I don’t get often but definitely cherish when I do. Above all, though, I write songs to wind down. There’s nothing more satisfying or fun than that, for me.