Today we’d like to introduce you to Ally Bakst.
Hi Ally, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hey! I’ve been singing my whole life and started messing around on the piano and guitar as a kid. I tried taking piano lessons when I was about seven years old and absolutely hated it. I’ve always really enjoyed the freedom of exploring music on my own and think structured lessons made me feel a bit suffocated creatively at that age. My parents always required me and my brothers to play one instrument at all times though, so when I dropped piano in third grade I started taking guitar lessons and LOVED it. My guitar teacher, Ed Russell, taught me how to jam with my brothers and made learning fun. I would write little love songs when I was really little and eventually started using the new skills I had developed on piano and guitar to start writing again. I’m only starting to learn music theory and read sheet music now, so at that point, I’d play and write just by feeling. I’d sit alone in my living room for hours listening to classical music and copying it by ear.
Once I got to college at USC, I took my first songwriting class and started realizing that I might actually have the potential to pursue music as a career. It was always something I wanted to do, but I knew nothing about the music industry, and working in music felt far-fetched. My third assignment was to write and record a song with someone I met in my songwriting class, and that ended up being one of the songs we released on my first EP. A friend of mine heard the songs and introduced me to Mark Vogel—the composer for Full House the TV show—who is now my producer and mentor. We’ve been working together ever since. He coaches me vocally and on the piano, teaches me how to write and record music, and explains everything music industry-related. He believes in me and supports me every day, and I’m extremely grateful to have him in my life.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Going after a career in music or any kind of art is like running aimlessly through fog. No visible direction or road in sight, only guided by the internal, innate feelings that urge us forward. There’s no relative roadmap to follow like there may be for other jobs, and these feelings of complete uncertainty can be scary and discouraging. It’s so easy to compare yourself to everyone else and question your abilities, especially with social media in the palm of your hand at any given moment. Social media is a double-edged sword, and recognizing it as a tool to gain access to your audience is powerful and necessary. That being said, it can also be incredibly draining, and whether I like it or not, the promotional aspect of music is part of the job. I’ve had to accept that and figure out how to find the joy in creating content while simultaneously keeping the artist within me feeling valued and fulfilled. Creating art I’m proud of is the most important thing to me, but at the end of the day, I also value connection and want to share my work with the world. Creating a career in music with longevity unequivocally requires you to play this unpredictable game. When I was younger, music was solely a passion, and I find myself getting sucked into the void and distracted from that simple love for the craft sometimes. I constantly need to remind myself to take a step back and tap into that childlike feeling again. For me, it’s all about finding that balance and trusting that the road I’m meant to be on will appear if I just keep going.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a songwriter and recording artist making dark pop music with atmospheric soundscapes and haunting harmonies. I’m also a fine artist and make all of my own cover art! My storytelling is quite cryptic, and I utilize overarching motifs and symbols within each song to get my point across. I also include recordings of people, places, and things in my tracks to emphasize the meanings and feelings I aim to portray. Along with the songwriting style, production choices, and stacks of harmonies, I think that I’m known for my contralto range and raspy vocal quality that set me apart from others. I’m most proud of the growth I’ve experienced as an artist and within my craft over the past few years and all of the music that has come from that. I just started releasing everything I’ve been working on starting with my first song “Mystery Girl.” I think my improvement as a writer, singer, and artist are tangible within the new work I’ll be sharing with all of you, and I’m looking forward to seeing how I change over the next year!
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
The thing about being an artist is that every single person’s career trajectory and growth journey is completely different. Something that worked for one artist may be the opposite from what works for another. Networking as an artist is funny in that way because you might meet the one person that could change your career in the most random and unexpected way. For example, I met my producer and mentor through a friend I met at USC. She transferred from a different school, and we instantly became close. I never asked her to help me out, but she lived in the room above me junior year and saw my passion for music. She heard me singing and writing day in and day out, and she knew who I was as a person. One day, of her own volition, she decided to set up a Zoom call to introduce me to Mark Vogel.
Little did I know, this was an interview to see if he wanted to take me on as a client, and that one meeting changed my life. My advice here would be to have an open mind and talk to anyone you find interesting, even if you don’t think they can help you. You never know, and it feels better to treat people as people rather than tools. Maybe you make friends, maybe you make contacts, maybe both, but don’t talk to people with the selfish agenda or intention of figuring out what they have to offer you. They can feel it and probably won’t be interested in knowing you. I believe that if you really get to know yourself, hone your craft, and exude authenticity and confidence in any conversation, you’ll attract the right people over time and things will happen.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/allybakst
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allybakst/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ally.bakst/
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ally-bakst
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@allybakst
