Daily Inspiration: Meet Claudia B.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Claudia B..

Hi Claudia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up in the DC area and fell in love with music at an early age. With plenty of musicians on both sides of the family, it wasn’t too much of a stretch for me to envision that sort of life for myself. I sang in church, took piano lessons, and when I got to be about 13 or 14, started a band that performed around the DC and Northern Virginia area.

I could never see my future deviating far from the path I was walking, and so, with the support of my family, I applied to Berklee College of Music a year earlier than anticipated, and flew off to Boston to study.

At Berklee, I was further introduced to jazz piano, new ways to approach song-writing, and many other facets of the industry, such as the business and audio side. All of this knowledge helped me when I made the move to Nashville after graduation. I knew I wanted to be near a big city to chase my performance goals, and while I’ve never written off New York or LA, Nashville just felt like “home” to me.

Since my move five years ago, I’ve been working hard to build a life that is sustainably centered around music and performance. While I did have to work a few coffee shop and cocktail waitressing jobs to get where I am today, I’m proud to be a full time musician in Music City. Currently, that looks like a lot of performing around town, writing songs for clients, and working on my own original music, which is a mixture of pop, jazz, and RnB.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There are so many tricky parts of navigating this industry, especially from a young age. I’ve worked through a lot of my own insecurities and stage fright, from open mics as a teen to competing on The Voice in my twenties.

Luckily, I’ve never fallen prey to any bad deals or contracts, but that also means that my career as an artist is entirely independent, meaning I have to be the one to come up with all the ideas and make all the moves. From being my own ‘manager,’ writing my own songs, working out release plans and everything else that comes with a public-facing career, there are times when it all feels hard to juggle. At the same time, though, it is freeing to have complete control over my creative vision and the kind of impact I want to create.

While the importance of social media in today’s music industry can feel like a hurdle at times, I feel incredibly grateful that we live in an age where there are an abundance of opportunities and resources for up-and-coming independent artists like me.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a singer-songwriter and self-accompanying pianist. While my own songs are a blend of my influences (Stevie Wonder, Norah Jones, Alicia Keys) I love covering songs of many different genres and making every song feel like my own. My performance style is jazzy and soulful, with keys parts that intermingle with the vocal melodies.

Alongside releasing original music, I love to perform at corporate and private events. Reading the room and tailoring the vibe to fit the moment is one of my favorite parts of what I do. My set list spans everything from ’70s classics to current hits, pulling from jazz, country, classic rock, R&B, and pop.

I am proud to have written songs for many other artists, earned a Top 20 spot on The Voice, and made a name for myself as a performer in Nashville.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
This is a people business, and I certainly couldn’t have come this far without the help of more people than I can name. From my first piano teacher, Martha Smith, to my musical mentor growing up (who later pushed me to make the move to Nashville), Matt Cummings, to of course my supportive parents, Perry and Cynthia Swope, who helped me leave high school early for Berklee.

My husband, Jacob Lutz, has been incredibly supportive since the day we met, and has become my musical partner at gigs, in the studio, and on the road. He made it possible for me to leave for three months to film for The Voice in LA and so much more!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.claudiabmusic.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claudiabsings/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/claudiabmusic/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@claudiabsings/videos
• Other: https://soundbetter.com/profiles/512079-claudia-b