Audrey Belle

Aug 12, 2010, by Adrian Peel

The American-born, Mexican-raised, and now Nashville-based teenage singing sensation, talks to Suite 101 about her hopes, dreams, and plans for the future.

Audrey Belle was born Audrey Young in Atlanta, Georgia on June 12th 1996. She decided to change her stage name as, according to her, "Young is a very common last name and I wanted something with a little bit of a 'pop' sound. Audrey Belle is a name that I’ve been called by most female members of my family - aunts, mom, grandmas."

Audrey and her musically-minded family moved to Queretaro, Mexico, when she was just two, in 1999. Here, she spent her formative years perfecting her art, singing and playing in church while also performing regularly for friends and family.

"I have been playing music practically since I was born," she confirms. "When I was about five, my mom started me on the piano, just like she did with all my siblings (Audrey has two sisters and a brother), and I’ve played ever since. I also play the guitar and the cello and I have played the violin, the tambourine and the recorder."

Audrey the Pop Performer

Audrey spent her childhood imersed in music, but how old was she when she began actually writing songs and at what point did she decide to follow a career in music?

"My first song with the guitar was, Never Around (the title track of her debut album)," she replies, "but I wrote several songs in the sixth grade on the backs of my notebooks, but I can’t really remember them.

Most people spend their whole lives, or at least their youth, looking for what they really want to do, but I was lucky.

When I was about 12, God showed me exactly what He wanted me to do."

Suite 101: What do you like to write about?

"I like to write love songs because they are fun, and they just come out that way."

Suite 101: How do your parents feel about your chosen path?

"Since they are both musicians, I think they like it. They also realize that I enjoy it and they think I’m good."

Musical Influences

Growing up in Mexico with American parents opened Audrey's eyes and ears to the different musical styles unique to both countries.

Suite 101: What music did you listen to growing up? Who are you listening to at the moment? Have you been influenced by Mexican music?

"When I was little, I really liked Hilary Duff and a Mexican singer named Belinda. Now I really like Taylor Swift and am listening to more and more country singers, such as Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Jason Aldean, and Josh Turner.

Mostly now, when I listen to music, I focus on the lyrics and music, so I really like their songs. I think Belinda was one of the people that got me thinking about a career in music. I always wanted to be like her. The only concert I have ever been to was one of hers."

Suite 101: Do you think the success of Taylor Swift has made it more acceptable for young girls to write and perform their own material, and not be used simply as 'puppets' by the record company?"

"I had honesty never thought about it not being acceptable for girls to write and perform their own material."

Mexico en la Piel

As Audrey has spent the majority of her short life in Mexico, it is now a huge part of who she is, and is arguably something that gives her music an edge. Her debut album, Never Around was recorded in Queretaro, using local musicians, and the album's second track, Amigos, even includes lyrics sung in Spanish.

Suite 101: How did it feel recording the album? Which is your favourite song on it?

"Recording my album was so much fun! My favorite song was probably Dear Diary because it has the cool background voices. But then again, all the songs have something I love."

Nashville Stardom Beckons

In July 2010, Audrey relocated to Nashville with her parents and older sister, Mary Kathryn, in tow. How does she feel now that's she's there?

"Career wise, I think it’s awesome," she muses. "I’ll be attending the Nashville School of the Arts, studying theatre. And it’s Music City USA!"

Suite 101: What are your career ambitions? What do you hope to achieve?

"I hope to become great. I want to be one of those people whose singing means something to, and most importantly, I want to do whatever God wants me to do."

Suite 101: If you could do a duet with anybody, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

"I think it would be Dolly Parton. Other than being an awesome-sounding person and a Christian, I love her voice. It is so original and beautiful. I also think it would sound good with my voice, since her voice is kind of high and mine is relatively low, I think we could really make something beautiful."

Faith and Ambition

For someone so young, Audrey seems to have her feet firmly planted on the ground. Her strong Christian faith, as well as the unwavering support of her family and friends, has helped her stay focused on the challenges that lie ahead, while remaining proud of everything she has achieved in such a short space of time. What would she say has been her proudest achievement to date?

"When I see people taking pictures of me or asking for my autograph, it really makes me think, 'Wow, I really am doing this,' she gushes. "The CD is definitely my proudest achievement. At the beginning of the year, one of my New Year’s resolutions was to record a CD and look at me, the year’s little more than half over and I have already accomplished what I wanted to do by the end of it.

Hopefully, in ten years' time, I’ll be with a steady job making music or acting. But mostly I want to be happy with who I turn out to be - professionally, spiritually and personally."

Audrey's debut CD, Never Around, is available now.


Copyright Adrian Peel. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication. - suite101.com

MIKE BLOUNT
American Staff Writer
March 11, 2010

Audrey Belle is a 13-year-old singer/songwriter with a big dream.
She wants to make it big in the music industry. Belle and her manager and mother, Laura Young, are working on making that happen, but they know it won't be easy.
"She's clearly really talented, and we saw we needed to do something because she's so young and writing so well, but we're not under the illusion that it's going to be easy," Young said.
Belle has been performing and writing originals since the sixth grade - playing a variety of instruments including piano, violin and cello.
She began writing songs in the backs of school notebooks. At age 11, she discovered the guitar and began seriously composing country and pop music.
"I've been around music my whole life. I come from a very musical family where everyone sings," Belle said. "That's how I got into music. Then I picked up a guitar, and I really started writing."
Her first serious composition "Never Around" is still one of her favorites.
"I really like it because it was my first song, and I think it has the most potential for a hit song," Belle said. "Because it's one of the oldest and I practiced it more and learned to control my voice, I think it shows off my voice the best."
Belle takes some of her inspiration from pop superstar, Taylor Swift, and like Swift, hopes to break into the industry at a young age.
Swift's career began at age 14 when she was signed to a publishing deal with Sony/ ATV and later to Big Machine Records.
"I like Taylor Swift a lot. She's my main influence," Belle said.
Belle currently lives in Queretaro, Mexico, but recently made the trip up to Hattiesburg, to play at Java Werks coffeehouse. She played in front of a packed crowd of mostly strangers and was greeted with applause after every song.
Hattiesburg resident Jim Warner said he was impressed with her performance.
"Just the fact that she can play and compose songs like that at 13 years old is amazing," he said.
Belle and Young plan on finishing a professional demo tape in the near future. It is being recorded at Monki Labs Studios in Queretaro.
They will eventually release her music on iTunes but if interested you can hear some of her songs now at www.myspace.com/audreybellesings.
- Hattiesburg American (Hattiesburg, Mississippi)