Daily Inspiration: Meet Claire Sully

Today we’d like to introduce you to Claire Sully

Hi, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hi! I’m Claire Sully, a pop country artist residing in Boston Massachusetts. I’ve always known that I wanted to be a singer. I started singing around 4 or 5, then at 13 I started doing gigs at bars. It wasn’t until I turned 15, that I knew that my singing hobby had become more than a passion. I am 23 now, and the amount of opportunity and success that I’ve managed to have has been incredible! I picked up a guitar at 11 and you’ll find me playing shows with the same one I bought at 16! I’ve been fortunate enough to connect with the right artists, producers and team members. Since then, I’ve been collaborating on projects with producers from all over the world. We range from Berklee College of Music students, producers out in LA, to writers and singers in Nashville. My end goal as an artist is to move to Nashville and do music full time. If I were to describe my sound, I’d say a blend between Maddie and Tae and Kelsea Ballerini. Before making the switch into pop country, I was making strictly pop music. It was very electro house, techno, EDM sounding. I found that Country music, is very storytelling and I was able to write more genuinely and get the messages out easier.  I’d love to release music under a record label, and sign with a publishing company, as well as write for other artists and with them. I can’t wait to see where this next adventure takes me.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I feel that, if an artist doesn’t face challenges on the road to stardom, then you’re not doing it right. I’ve faced a lot of rejection growing up. I come from a house hold of strict parents. Both in business/career development careers. One more open minded than the other, but still hard growing up. I knew that if this is what I wanted to do, and make this my living, I had to eventually put my parent’s fears and concerns behind me and do what I love. I wanted to move to Nashville as soon as I graduated High School. That being said, I was pushed to peruse college. I ended up doing two years at a liberal arts school and got my degree in Communications and decided to then continue at Berklee College of Music. I studied Lyric Songwriting and found that I was excelling. Not only did I suffer with the rejection from my parents, but also from professionals in the music industry. I had traveled to Nashville, I try to go once or twice a year to write with other artists, network and potentially meet with label executives. I remember last year being at a label, and going in, pitching my record that I had released last year to the CEO, and not hearing back. Within days, I was on a flight back to Boston. I’ve also dealt with co writers or producers telling me that maybe a track isn’t produced well enough for radio play, or a label to listen to. So with this, I took it to heart even if at the beginning, sure it stings a bit, but as an artist and person, I had to learn to build thick skin. Not everyone around me is going to like what I release or have to say, and I’m okay with that. It pushes me to work harder and put something out that’s polished and better than the last.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
On top of being a singer and performer, I am also a songwriter. All of my songs are written from real life experiences. At times, I feel like a Taylor Swift. She’s someone who writes from the heart and everything is based on real life activity. She may be writing about heartbreaks with boys, but a lot of my singles are about heartbreaks I develop in my female friendships in the past 5 years haha! I love co writing, bouncing off ideas in the studio, telling my producers my visions of how I’d like a song to sound and where I see it going as soon as it’s set for release. I’d eventually like to sign a publishing deal and not only write songs for myself, but I’m open to writing with other artists, and for them.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
My happiness really does come from being around music 24/7. I currently am on the street team and promotions at Iheart Radio in Boston, and I work at MGM Music Hall at Fenway. I go to concerts daily for free while I work the events. We’ve got Dustin Lynch coming up, Demi Lovato, amongst many others. Having these jobs on the side, I’ve been so happy because I’ve met so many musicians, artists of different types of genres, I’m networking all the time and I’m always looking for the next opportunity. I am a people person, so being around them really boosts my self esteem. I am currently finishing up my first pop country record with my friend and producer Miguel Coral and I’ve been extremely satisfied with the finishing result. We’ve worked late nights as he brings my visions to life. He’s been incredible. He attends Berklee College of Music and since we’ve jumped on this collaboration together, it’s been nothing but laughs, smiles and fun!

Contact information: 

• Instagram: @clairesully27
• Twitter: @clairesully27

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