Life & Work with Kendra Chantelle

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kendra Chantelle.

Hi Kendra, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
Hi! I’m Kendra Chantelle- I’ve been a singer and songwriter in Nashville since 2008 and a vocal coach since 2018. In the earlier part of my career, I was very focused on becoming a ‘superstar.’ After a stint as a semi-finalist on season ten of American Idol and spending most of my twenties on the road and in the studio singing backing vocals for various artists, I started to rethink my goals. I realized there were ways to satisfy my creativity, musicality, and introverted homebody spirit. Now I spend most of my energy teaching and doing studio vocals! Growing up in a musical family, I sang before speaking, so I always knew music was my calling.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t think I have had a bad or unusually difficult road in this industry, but I definitely had my share of growing pains. My greatest lesson has been trusting my gut and following my instincts. I spent the better part of my twenties seeking answers from everyone around me because I was afraid to do the wrong thing, but in hindsight, I realized I knew better than anyone! I could’ve spared many mistakes If I had been confident enough to trust that! I think this is why I value being able to work with artists on their journey as a vocal coach – I love to encourage their confidence.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Sometimes I love to be as out in the left field as possible, so I try to shock people who ask, ‘ so what do YOU do for work?’ by responding, ‘I make weird sounds’ ‘I experiment with face sounds’ or anything along those lines. As someone who has truly loved singing my whole life, I still can’t believe I get to live my dream. Being a session vocalist and a vocal coach is so fulfilling. I LOVE that none of my days look quite the same, and I love that I can share so much experience with my vocal students as a seasoned session vocalist. There is an element of vulnerability in vocal coaching that I LIVE for. There is a reason singing takes guts. It is scary! There is a lot of undoing of fears, inhibitions, and memories of times singing didn’t go so great that I am honored to unpack with my clients and replace them with coping mechanisms, tips and tricks, and affirmations. It is a sacred space of reverence and exploration of what I believe to be the most unique and divine instrument.

If we knew you were growing up, how would we have described you?
I think I have energetically been about 35 years old since I was probably 3 or 4. I was a peer mediator in middle school, and that fits my personality SO well- I think if I hadn’t pursued music, I would’ve loved to be a therapist, so it checks out. I remember being a super intense, ready-to-grow-up little adult who was always singing. As a child, I have always been deeply empathetic, which was confusing at times, but I have learned how to navigate it better.

Pricing:

• BGVS in studio starting at $100/hr
• Demo vocals starting at $150
• Vocal coaching starting at $65/30 min
• Remote BGV’s starting at $150/hr
• Remote demos starting at $200

Contact Info:

• Website: www.Kendrachantellemusic.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/kendrachantelle
• Facebook: Facebook.com/kendrachantellemusic
• Twitter: Twitter.com/kendrachantelle
• Youtube: YouTube.com/thekendrachantelle

Image Credits
Hannah Qi Photograhy