Where can I get Foot Soldiers?

Foot Soldiers is a beloved fan favorite and b-side that I currently only offer as a reward for my crowdfunding campaigns. So every time I do a Kickstarter, which has been about every 2-3 years, it becomes available for a short window of time. Kind of like how Disney "opens up the vault" and makes their classic animated films available on DVD or Blu-ray every 7 years.

Do you play house concerts/parlor shows/art salons?

Oh, man- I sure do. And in a lot of places, performing in someone's living room for a host and their friends is my favorite way to connect with an audience. I often include private house concerts along a tour route, so feel free to contact me if you're interested in finding out more.

What genre of music is it that you play?

This is the most common question I am asked and the most difficult for me to answer. "Singer songwriter" doesn't even begin to describe it, does it? My favorite term so far came from my friend Lindy, who said it's very "post-prince charming"; the Disney princess who's been through some shit.

Where do you live?

I gave up my beautiful Los Angeles apartment and relinquished my kitty cat to friends in October 2010 so that I could tour full-time until I felt I had done a sufficient job of growing a fan base at a grassroots level. Once in a while, I'll stay somewhere to rest or work on a project for a couple or few weeks at a time. But I'm usually on the road. This phase of my life is coming to an end soon- I am in my thirties now and my health has become delicate. And I want my cat back.

Will you come perform in my city?

If I could, I would travel absolutely anywhere to play for everyone all the time! Unfortunately there are only so many days in a year, and at the moment, I don't have a booking agent. But I love to tour, so I do it often. If you live in a major city,  talk to promoters and venues in your area. Or the activities committee at your college. If you live somewhere a bit out of the way, you could host a living room show and invite your friends, cover my performance fee, and we'll make it a special intimate little affair. Performing is my favorite thing to do, because- to me- that's where the music I've made makes sense. So don't be shy about contacting me if you want to bring me to wherever you are. We can get creative about it.

Where do you get your dresses?

I get my vintage gowns all over the place and from the internet, but most of the best ones I have purchased from Shareen in LA.

What is that instrument you play at the beginning of your shows that has a lot of strings and buttons on it?

That would be an autoharp! I got mine in Kansas City at an antique instrument shop. It is the world's easiest instrument to play, but they are very restrictive for songwriting purposes (which can be challenging in a good way). Mine has 15 buttons on it, meaning you can play 15 different chords. Some have more, some have less. I honestly only started playing it because it makes me look like a damsel.

Where did you get your toy piano?

I got my first toy piano as a birthday gift from my mom when I was turning 23 years old and we were out antique shopping. It's still in good shape- *fairly* in tune, with no sticking or broken keys. It's a brown upright Schoenhut from the 1960s. I have a more recent pink toy piano that the Schoenhut company sent me as a gift, and that's the one I'm willing to take on an airplane.

Who are your musical influences?

I think any music I enjoy has shaped me in some way, no matter the genre. I'm influenced by the great "untamed" lady singers of the last century- like Patsy Cline, Joan Baez, Edith Piaf. I'm inspired by the great film composers and how they're able to evoke a mood- favorites are Ennio Morricone and Bernard Herrman. I listened to an insane amount of Rufus Wainwright and Andrew Bird when I first began performing myself. I think my most obvious influences are the ones I listened to during the very formative college years, which was when I found out I could sing- lots of 80s stuff. Kate Bush, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Echo & the Bunnymen, Bryan Ferry & Roxy Music, The Cocteau Twins and anything from the 4 AD label.

Do you have a favorite key that you compose in- like D major, Bb minor, etc?

It used to be Eb minor and good ol' C major. 'Footnotes' has more songs in G major than I ever thought I could write. The one key I really *need* to write a song in is B major.

When are you going to start a Patreon account?

While I've felt strongly for a long time that the Patreon model would be ideal for me because of how many different types of artistic endeavors I dabble in, as of the time this entry was written (5/30/16), I have not started an account. This is because I am still not finished delivering rewards for the huge Kickstarter campaign I did back in 2014 (namely, the covers album- which is still being tracked). I don't feel ethically justified asking for more funds from the public when another project has not been put to bed. But I have several fans asking me to start one so that they can contribute, which means a lot to me, and- indeed- would allow me to continue making more art (like videos, comics, etc). And I desperately need an apartment again, and a Patreon account would enable me to have one while conveniently serving as incentive to crank out the many creative projects I have in mind. So I will have one up and running fairly soon.

Do you really dress like that all the time?

Yes, I really fucn do.

Are you an actual Disney princess?

Believe it or not, as of 5/30/16, I have never been employed by Disney to sing in one of their films (or to work at Disneyland, but I'm okay with that one). The first time anyone ever pointed out the similarity to classic Disney princesses in my appearance and demeanor was way back in 2009, and if I had a dollar for every time someone has followed suit with a similar comment, I could open my own amusement park.