Tricia Ivarson
Singer-songwriter Tricia Ivarson is just 18 years old, but her passion for songwriting and the music business is well beyond her years. This year she entered the Music Business program at Nashville’s Belmont University and her first single, Sweet Sunshine, is being released on London Tone Music as part of the company’s 52x52 label launch.
Growing up in the suburbs of Seattle, Tricia says that her home was always filled with music. “I took classical piano for 9 years, studied guitar in my freshman year, but after taking a computer songwriting production class, I was hooked,” she remembers, adding, “I also learned Audacity and Garageband and found these great tools to help me create the music I was hearing in my head. “
In high school, she was a music intern at a local teen center called The Kirkland Teen Union Building or KTUB.
“At the beginning, I really didn’t think I could make music my career, but towards the end of my internship, I knew it was exactly what I wanted to do.“
Tricia soaked up all KTUB had to offer throughout the year. She learned how to book and promote a show, work with bands, make sure they had sound checks, that the show started on time and that there were people in the audience to enjoy the show.
However, as much as she enjoyed being behind the scenes, she started to fantasize what it would be like to actually be the performer. “ My confidence developed as I helped other musicians get up on stage and perform, but I started to think how cool it might be to do this myself,” she said.
Fortunately, for Tricia, KTUB has a program called One Song, One Chance, a competition for young artists to write music, perform and win time in the KTUB recording studio. She formed a five-piece group with two girls and three boys called, Coast. Inspired by Head and The Heart, Feist and Gregory Alan Isakov, the band included violin, banjo, piano and Glockenspiel. They won. They recorded an EP, promoted it and performed around the community, but everyone went their separate ways at the end of high school, which she was prepared for.
“ KTUB & One Song, Once Chance were cool opportunities for someone as young as me, Tricia says,” It gave me a foot in the door and I’m now able to understand at a much deeper level how the music industry works from both the artist and business side. Combining the two successfully is my goal. I’m very excited to move forward with college and establish a solo career. “
London Tone Music’s recording of Sweet Sunshine, is definitely the launch of her career as a solo artist. The song is written about a friend’s experience, moving in and out of a relationship that just wasn’t working, but still holding out hope that it would.
London Tone Music loved the demo of the song and signed her for a singles recording contract. She understood what a great opportunity it was for her.
“I am so excited to be part of London Tone Music. Working at the famous London Bridge Studio with engineer/producer, Eric Lilavois was super fun! I loved the collaborative process and the experience of working in a real professional studio for my first time. The quality of the production, engineering and musicianship was amazing,” adding enthusiastically, “I still can’t believe that Andrew Joslyn, Macklemore’s string arranger and orchestra leader is playing on my song. “
With Tricia’s voice, very pure, sweet and quirky, on top of producer Lilavois’s foundation of piano, banjo, guitar and strings, the song is magical and engaging contemporary folk/pop.
Tricia’s future looks very bright as she enters college and the beginning of her solo career. She’s excited to share her music with her new college friends, continue to learn all she can about the music business and become a better songwriter and performer. “I am ready to go, whether playing music with my friends, performing at open mics, charity events, as a camp song leader or on stage at The Bluebird Café or The Ryman Auditorium, this is exactly what I want to do.”
