Autumn D knows passion, positivity, and power very well. These aren’t just words. She expresses this in her EP – Autumn Time.
Music has always been my first love, and I don’t want to live life wondering “what if.”
– Autumn D
Connecting the feeling and emotions of inspiration to life experiences, we are lifted and guided to a space of clarity, hope, and perseverance.
This energy carries on and never gets lost.
It’s a feeling that reminds you that there is always time for you to become. There is something within you waiting to emerge, and it’s more than you knew you had.
Autumn D Interview
What is the earliest memory you have that propelled you to pursue a career in music?
Autumn D: My earliest memory is when I was ten years old in Greensboro and sang in my school’s Little Ms. Mademoiselle pageant for the first time. This was a pageant created and run by the French department and the international dance ensemble. Both the middle school and high school would be in attendance.
I never sang a solo before in front of people, but my mother helped me practice and suggested “Love Will Be Our Home” by Sandi Patty, a challenging song for a 10-year-old. Sandi Patti was my mother’s favorite Christian singer, and I practiced day and night to do it justice.
When I finally performed, I hit all the high notes, nerves and all, and was shocked by the standing ovation and round of applause from my school peers.
Soon after my performance, I was asked to join the international dance ensemble as they toured different schools and sang. Being able to travel like that and perform, I felt like I was born to do it for a living and desired to go further, to travel the world. That’s when the dream of being a singer truly began.
How do you infuse your identity and sense of self into your music?
Autumn D: I was raised in the church, so I think my music truly reflects that. I tend to write and want to write songs that are uplifting, relatable, and positive. I want people to feel good or inspired when listening to my lyrics. To have that warm feeling you get after hearing a good sermon at church.
Or, if you’re going through a rough time, I want to be that singer who shares their own life experiences in hopes the listener can learn from my mistakes, heartache, and life lessons to better understand or cope with their own. I think that’s the beauty of music.
It can bring people together by reminding us that we all experience the same human emotions and situations in life. I love connecting with people that way.
What other qualities do you believe contributed to your success and how you see the world?
Autumn D: Not only do I write music, but I also write screenplays and produce. I received my Master’s in Producing from AFI in Los Angeles, California, and produced several short films. I think that shows in my music videos.
I love to write treatments and tell a story, which is why I often direct. I sometimes see the world as one big movie, so my music videos tend to be more cinematic in my approach, which has been successful in terms of the feedback I’ve received.
But movies are a big part of who I am, and I hope to direct beyond music videos someday—either television or feature films.
Tell us about your latest project. How is this project a definition of who you are today?
Autumn D: This EP is very personal for me. It’s my first EP, and I titled it “Autumn Time“ because it is the first time I’m openly sharing my experiences and life lessons that have made me the woman I am today. It’s also a celebration of female independence.
As women, we are often told we have to do it all. Be a wife, a mother, a cook, a maid, a sex kitten, power couple. But when are we told that we could just simply be ourselves? Not have the pressure to be perfect? We can’t look like Barbie 24 hours, 365 days of the year.
Sometimes we’re too tired to cook and clean from working all day. We often make sacrifices for others that make us forget who we indeed are, all to make people happy, keep a relationship going or keep up appearances.
This EP lets women know that it’s okay to have a career, be selfish sometimes and think about their own needs. It’s okay to have opinions and speak on your emotions, not to be afraid to have a voice and stand up for yourself.
My song “Plays“ is about women calling the shots in their life and relationships, not letting others control them. “More Like A Man“ touches on abusive and toxic relationships, “Hero“ teaches women to be their own hero and not look for a man to do that.
Some songs celebrate love like “Love Hangover,” and inspirational songs like “Marathon“ and “Alright“ were inspired during the COVID-19 pandemic.
I hope this EP has something for everyone, but I hope it touches explicitly women who have or are experiencing these same situations I have.
Who are the artists that you admire? Who would it be if you had a chance to work with an artist of any time period?
Autumn D: Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Prince, Beyonce, and Bruno Mars. I would say these are my top influences and artists I admire.
I would’ve loved to work with Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and Prince because they are no longer with us. Whitney’s death truly hit me the hardest, though, because it was my childhood dream to sing with her. I swear God touched her voice. No other singer can give me chills like her. So singing with her would’ve meant the most.
Please share with us a few words that you live by that guide your decisions.
Autumn D:
- It’s never too late.
- Live with no regrets.
2020 taught me this more than ever. I was recently laid off from a job at a fantastic production company because of the pandemic; I was experiencing so much anxiety from fear of not surviving without income and the film industry being shut down.
I didn’t pursue music earlier because it had always preached music was an unstable and unpredictable industry, so I should strive for a more stable career, a typical 9 to 5 job.
After losing my job, I felt that life, in general, is unpredictable, so why not do the things you are genuinely passionate about and that makes you happiest.
Music has always been my first love, and I don’t want to live life wondering “what if.” So I just leaped and went for it. And I have never felt as happy, in my element, or as fulfilled as I do now.
Stay Social With Autumn D
www.autumntimemusic.com
Instagram @autumntimemusic
Apple Music
Spotify
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