Today we’d like to introduce you to Whitney Doucet.
Hi Whitney , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story started as a little girl on Christmas Morning in 1997 when I opened a Christmas gift that had a Leann Rimes’s single “How do I live” in it. I look back at the video footage of the moment and see my attention to all the Christmas morning chaos completely dissipate around me as I stare at the cassette tape in awe. I knew I loved this song, and now I can listen to it over and over again. And believe me, that is what I did. It’s funny how memories stick with you, because I can remember listening to the notes and clarity of Leann Rimes’s voice thinking “I want to be a singer!”.
Years would go by and I would wait for my parents to leave the house before I’d collect my favorite CD’s and run to the family room and sing along to all the songs before they would get home. I loved to sing, I wanted to do It all the time, but I never told anyone.
Then freshman year of high school came around and there were auditions for the school talent show. I thought to myself well, I’ve been singing Leann Rimes for half of my life at this point, why not sing “How do I live” at the school talent show? This would be the perfect opportunity to share what I had been holding in for all these years.
Friday night of the talent show came, I waked up on the stage in front of the full auditorium, heart pounding, knees shaking when all of a sudden the lights turned on and it was go time. “How do I…….” The 4 minute long song went by in what felt like in a flash. The audience clapped and whistled, and I took a seat.
At the end of the night the MC announced there would be 3 winners! the thought never crossed my mind that I would be chosen as a winner, the real prize for me was getting up on stage in front of a large audience for the first time in my life. Until the called the third prize winner. Which was not me. I thought, if I didn’t get third then thats okay I won’t be getting 2nd or 1st. Then the 2nd prize winner. and then Finally the first prize winner was announced, “Whitney Doucet”. Wait what?
This sent my parents into a tizzy. “is our daughter a singer?” I remember our ride home my parents said “We need to find her vocal lessons and fast”.
It wasn’t long after that I was taking the train from Fitchburg to Boston (an hour and a half each way) once a week for many years to come to my voice lessons.
I joined a band at 15 years old, we performed a few concerts a year. They were ticked events to benefit orphanages in Haiti.
After high school I started my own band and began to play around with many musicians singing wherever I could. One night. after my day job of Dog grooming, I got a text message from a guitar player I was working with that Keith Urban was looking for a duet partner on his tour stops. all you had to do was send in a video audition on YouTube.
I sent in an audition video (which is still live on my YouTube channel ) and went to work the next day wondering if id ever get a call. A couple days go by and his concert was coming up in 3 days. I had my phone on my all day at work although I did not get a call. After grooming dogs all Day, I came home and went up to my room and took a little nap before I had to go rehearse for an upcoming performance. When I woke up I had a missed call from a Boston area code phone number and a voice mail. I thought oh a Boston number? The voice mail said “Whitney congratulations Keith urban has selected you to perform with him this weekend” I was floored. I ran out of my room, told my mother the good news, I swear we both were jumping up and down screaming so loud the birds all flew out of the trees. Thats what it felt like.
Meeting Keith Urban for sound check was a dream, he and his team were so inviting and kind, and singing with him was an absolute dream come true. I still get chills when I hear the beginning notes of “we were us”, instantly taking me back to looking out into the crowd of 19,000 people, the energy, the lights I was absolutely hooked.
This is the part of the story that I will never forget. On my way to a rehearsal for an upcoming show, a Los Angeles phone number called my phone “Hi Whitney, this is Amanda from American Idol. I just wanted to reach out and let you know that Keith Urban has invited you to come and audition in Brooklyn next weekend. Would you be able to attend” YES. American Idol? YES.
I prepared that whole week for my audition. I would sing the song Stronger by Faith Hill, it had just the right amount of high notes, run, and emotion that I wanted to portray in my voice. I practiced and had the notes just right. Got my outfit ready, was well rested and ready to go. My best friend Elaina, my boyfriend and parents all got in my dad’s truck and we headed to Brooklyn NY. I’m going to sing again for Keith Urban! And Jennifer Lopez, and Harry Connick Jr. how cool is this going to be!?
about halfway in our 3h45 min trip, we hear breaking story on country radio. “Nicole Kidmans father passed away last night, Keith urban on first flight to Australia”.
The silence that filled the truck held the weight of a cement truck on my chest. What did this mean?
We get to our hotel In Brooklyn, only two hotels down from where the American Idol Auditions were. We walked down the street and saw a huge line of people wrapped around the outside of the building. We walked right passed them and into a holding room. A few hours go by, and we are told “Thank you so much for coming” and we were sent on our way.
On our way out, one of the producers said he was so sorry and that sometimes things happen this way.
I couldn’t believe it. We all couldn’t believe it. We got back in the truck, drove the 4 hours home and that night my boyfriend wanted to cheer me up. We went to trivia, and after a day of holing it all in I just started sobbing right there in the restaurant.
I don’t tell that story to get sympathy, but it is an important part of my story. While it was a moment that I felt was “SO CLOSE I COULD TASTE IT” I knew I still loved to sing and it was all that I wanted to do. And it is still all that I want to do. I did not let that door closing in my face destroy me, but it light up a determination in me that I could not control,
From that moment I booked as many gigs as I could, sand at many venues, opened for artist like Trace Adkins, Billy Currington, Kimberly Perry, sang National Anthems at Fenway Park, Gillette Stadium, TDGarden, for Savannah Bananas, performed the side stage before Luke Bryan, Shania Twain, Dan and Shay, Thomas Rhett. and this year we are singing before Ella Langley.
Two years ago I took the leap from teaching voice lessons during the week to only being a weekend musician to quitting my day Job and solely being a gigging musician. Now that entails more than just gigging on the weekends as many independent artist know, you have to also become a social media guru, video editor, band coordinator, set list creator, and so much more to keep the wheels turning and growing your brand and your band!
I love my band so much and I love that we get to perform at so many venues this summer, so far This year I am just shy of 100 shows, which I am confident we will surpass in the next coming months.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I guess it depends on how you look at it. Would I call it a smooth road? No, as a working musician, artist, creative, there’s always something that will come up and try to take away your passion. It’s all In how you handle the situations.
About 5 years ago, I lost my voice. One night at a gig my stage monitor was not working. and my band was so loud. I could not hear myself for the life of me. I felt a huge pop in my throat that caused a hemorgage on my vocal cord. I could barely talk or sing for 3 years. trying to teach voice lessons, talk all day at work and then sing on the weekends was nearly impossible. It was really had having my one true love, singing, taken from me.
I did everything you could think of, I saw voice specialist, voice therapist, tried all the honey and voice sprays you could think of. The only thing that worked was rest. But with a busy work schedule that was impossible, being a voice teacher you dont get voice rest.
Now I schedule time off and no talking days to help manage any future voice issues. Making sure I can hear on stage is a top priority. Playing with band members that keep their stage volume at a respectful level is a requirement. Talking in loud places is not an option.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a singer/songwriter, entertainer. I write songs that come from personal experience. Whether or not you think I add a little extra drama to the songs to make them a little more fun is up to you to decide!
I am most proud of my song Til It Don’t, I love the melody, I love the music video that I did with Justin Mayotte aka Squeeks on Tour, I love that I incorporated a local bar that I go to, with a lot of its patrons in the video. I wrote the song about a past breakup I went through, and how you just sometimes have to cry it out to get over it.
I am well known for National Anthems! I sing the national anthem all over! Savannah Bananas games, Red Sox, Patriots, Tampa Bay Rays, Nascar.
What sets me apart from others… I think I am different from other artist because ‘ve never tried to be anyone other than myself. As a country artist from New England, I bring a perspective that’s a little different, shaped by coastal landscapes, small-town communities, and the experiences that have made me who I am. I think country music is at its best when artists tell their own stories, and that’s what I’ve always tried to do. I create music that feels authentic, relatable, and true to my roots. Now I am happily exploring life in coastal Florida, which has its own country vibe of its own. We’ll see how that incorporates into my life.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I think it’s important for artists to support other artists. I am a big believer in what goes around comes around. I also believe there is plenty of opportunities out there for everyone. I just wrong a song with a fellow new englander Mariah Rose, all about girls supporting girls. We are working on a release date that for that one soon!
Also, just be yourself. That is where your true power shines.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.whitneydoucet.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whitdoucet/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/whitneyDoucet
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@WhitneyDoucet
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7ECDagG7MdidI9yzQQPZaA?si=Dt14z8ZKSpypbMbExJcWDg
