Women in Music Month - Interview with Harper
We had the pleasure of speaking with Harper, a talented vocalist who rose to stardom when she released her vocal cover of Spiritbox's song, “Holy Roller”, in 2021 on YouTube. She then gained millions of new fans when she auditioned on a show called America's Got Talent with the same song in 2022. That was just the beginning of an incredible journey for Harper, as she continues to shine through her passion for music.
Nice to meet you Harper! Tell us a little about yourself.
My name's Harper, I’m 13 and a metal singer!
What and/or who got you into metal music?
My stepdad Ben is in a band called, Acres, so I’ve always been around heavy music. One day he showed me a band called Spiritbox and I was like this is so cool, I’d like to try and scream like she does! So I tried and ended up doing a full cover of their song “Holy Roller”.
What do you enjoy the most about making music?
It’s just fun, I also love trying new things with my voice and challenges. I’ll hear a new song or a vocalist do some crazy stuff and instantly wanna try and do it!
What is your creative process like?
I’ve been really lucky to work with Leo Valeri from Brand Of Sacrifice and also Ben helps me. Leo will normally send us a song he’s written for me and then me and Ben will start looking at vocal ideas and demoing it at home in our studio. Ben helps with a lot of the melodies and lyrics, and then once we’re happy we record the vocals in a studio!
Do you feel like plugins sometimes unlock creativity in the studio? If so, how?
Absolutely. I’m so new to music and recording that even hearing different vocal effects unlocks ideas and sparks creativity. When I listen to a song or album I have no idea what effects get used, so trying or hearing different things when we record songs is so fun!
Let's talk about Joey Sturgis Tones plugins. Which ones are your favorite and why?
So we use the Howard Benson Vocals plugin and always have! Ben isn’t a producer and nor am I, so we’ve both just taught ourselves how to record vocals. The Howard Benson plugin always made everything sound so much better, so we’ve always used it! I think my favorite settings are the Dan Braunstein Spiritbox ones. We use them all the time!
We heard and loved your latest single, “Thorn In My Side”! How was the recording process for the track?
It was really fun! This was the last song we had to record out of a small collection of songs and it took the longest to write. I knew I wanted to really improve my clean singing and this was the perfect song for it. These songs have been about discovering what my voice can do, so I’m super excited to get back in the studio.
What inspired the song?
Around the time we wrote it there was just so much negativity in the world and nothing positive happening, so the song is just a sign a frustration.
If you were on a desert island and could only bring three albums with you, which ones would you bring and why?
I’m that person that doesn’t always listen to full albums. I have favourite songs, but they change all the time. I have a Spotify playlist that I LOVE, so if I could just bring that I’d be happy. One album I do love right now is Billie Eilish hit me hard and soft.
Who would you want to collaborate with on a track and why? (Can be multiple people.)
I’d loovveeee to collaborate with Courtney La’plante. I also absolutely love Lola Young and Gracie Abrams right now and Butcher Babies right now. I think also a collab with Acres would be cool because it’s my stepdad’s band.
If you could describe yourself in 3 words, what would they be and why?
Kind.
Loud.
Excitable.
Why…. I have A LOT of energy and I tend to get over excited about most things and I’m always being told I’m too loud, I sing a bunch at home.
What is the best advice you’ve been given?
Just have fun! As long as you enjoy doing it and you’re having fun then that’s all that matters.
Do you have any other music/projects planned?
We’re working on new music right now that I’m really excited about with a producer that I’m also so happy to be working with! That’s all I can say :)
Check out Harper’s work on her Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or X!
