Name: Corinne McKnight
Year: Junior
Hometown: Madison, Wisconsin
Major and Minor: Songwriting major, Music Business minor
What made you choose Belmont? It was one of the only schools in the country that had a songwriting program and that seemed like a perfect fit for me.
What first interested you in pursuing music? I’ve been singing my whole life but I did a program called the Artist Development Network when I was thirteen years old where I came down to Nashville and wrote with professional songwriters for a whole week, recorded a demo, and performed in a showcase. After I experienced that, I realized that I loved writing music and that I wanted to be a singer/songwriter.
How would you describe your music and your style? I would say I definitely fall in the pop/country genre but I feel like I have a singer/songwriter vibe sometimes. My music is usually super personal and tells a story about different people, relationships, and experiences in my life.
You’ve just released a new single, what was the process of writing and recording it like? Writing “Reckless” was so much fun. I wrote it with my friend, Jessie Torrisi (who’s in a very cool band called The Please Please Me) and we had a great time. She’s one of my favorite people to write with. I had the word ‘reckless’ as a title/theme when I walked into the writing room and she helped me bring the idea to life. I recorded it with Marc Lacuesta, a super talented producer that resides in Nashville. He was really pushing me to get more emotional while singing the song and he would make me do parts over and over again. Marc is awesome and he totally got my vision for this song.
What gets you in the mood to write songs? I’m usually always in the mood to write a song but when something happens in my life or in my friend’s lives, I get pretty inspired. Sometimes, I’ll hear a word that I like and then, I’ll end up forming a line with a melody to go with it. Most of the time though, I’ll be in my feelings about something and start writing a song.
Who are your top three music inspirations and why? My top three music inspirations are Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and Maren Morris. Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran have been my long time favorites but Maren Morris is one of my new favorites. Taylor Swift is just amazing. She’s an incredible songwriter and I aspire to be as good as her. Ed Sheeran is also an awesome songwriter and he’s very unique. Maren Morris is the COOLEST. Her songs are catchy, fun, and different. I love her music and her.
What advice would you give to the freshmen or anyone thinking about pursuing music here at Belmont? I would say that they should not get discouraged by all of the talented people around them. You can’t compare yourself to everyone else. You need to stay true to yourself and focus on improving your skills in some way every day.
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