One immediately notices the ravishing red curls extending just past her shoulders and her piercing green eyes, however, beyond the outwardly aesthetics lies a diamond in the music industry rough. With vocals like a fresh, babbling brook splashed with spring's sunshine, the young, southern California native has only begun to make a name for herself among the who's who of the music industry.
Growing Up Arielle
LD : When did you first know that music was what you wished to pursue?
AD : I think the real turning point occurred when I was seven or eight. I was helping my mom fix dinner and she started singing under her breath. I asked her to stop (very insensitive of me, indeed) and I thought nothing of it until later when both of my parents called me into their room, my mother with a wounded look in her eyes. My father said, “You are not allowed to sing anymore.” I became instantly inconsolable. Of course, he took it back five minutes later, just trying to make a point, but the sadness and rebellion in which that simple sentence created was enough to convince me that music was something I could not bear to live without. It ceased being a decision of whether or not I would pursue music, but how and when.
LD : Do you come from a musically inclined family?
AD : Yes and no. My parents both have PHD’s and are about as academic as they come. However, my parents were constantly playing music, singing to me, or taking me to live music events throughout my childhood. So, while they are not extremely musically inclined, they were always incredibly supportive of my artistic endeavors.
LD : Name your earliest influences.
AD : I remember the first time I ever heard The Doors because it changed my life. It was way before I knew about sex, drugs, or rock and roll, but there was something about Jim Morrison’s voice that I found undeniably sexy and irresistible. I, then, spent the next few years trying to sound as much like him as possible, and although that didn’t exactly work out for me (I lack the necessary equipment) he still remains one of my biggest influences. I also have a soft spot for Alanis Morrissette’s album Jagged Little Pill. It was the first CD I paid for with my saved up allowance, and I played it until I knew absolutely every lyric and had scratched it to the point of no return. It was one of those quintessential albums that you associate with a specific period of your life because it just encompasses it so fully.
Musical Style and Education
LD : Describe your musical style in five words, please.
AD : Indie folk pop with soul.
LD : For those who are unfamiliar with your work, can you name a couple of artists to whom your style correlates?
AD : My music is similar to Ingrid Michaelson, Regina Spektor, and Adele
LD : Briefly describe your time at the Musician's Institute (MI) in Hollywood, California.
AD : It (MI) was a perfect place for me to learn what kind of singer I wanted to be and what it meant to really dedicate yourself to learning the craft of music. Prior to attending MI, I studied mostly classical singing with a little musical theater splashed in. After a year in the vocal program, I transferred to the guitar program, which was, both, a huge mistake and the best decision I have made for myself to date. It required more focus and perseverance than I had ever had to muster up and taught me an incredible amount about the guitar and myself.
LD : Finally, Do you play any instruments and/or are there any instruments that you wish to learn and why?
AD : I play the guitar, and a bit of keys. Right now my baby is a ruby colored Fender Highway One Stratocaster and she always treats me right. Right now, learning to play piano is at the top of my list, but it’s followed closely by the Musette, which is basically a French Accordion. I think it is completely underrated.
For additional Q&A with Arielle Dollinger, see Part II of Arielle Dollinger : A Diamond in the Music Industry Rough. You can also see and hear her, live, at Universal Bar & Grill in North Hollywood, California on June 16th, 2009 at 8 p.m. For more information, check out her myspace page.
