I started taking music lessons when I was 5, more for an extracurricular activity, and when I was 12, I did my first official gig.
As a part of our interview series with leaders, stars, and rising stars in the music industry, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Martina Dawn.
Canadian country artist Martina Dawn draws musical inspiration from her own life and those around her. At 22, she has already reached more than 350K Spotify streams from 8 singles, enjoyed SiriusXM radio airplay, and won the 2022 Country Music Alberta Horizon Youth Award in her home province. Her 2026 single “I’ll Be the Cowboy” was picked up by CBC Music’s Canadian Country playlist. With a proven talent for connecting with live audiences, she’s performed at the likes of Country Thunder Alberta, Big Valley Jamboree, the Ponoka Stampede, and the Country Music Alberta Awards Show. Through an energetic and personable online presence, she has also earned over 6 million organic social media impressions. As her music industry status continues to rise in Canada and beyond, Martina Dawn is looking ahead to her next creative chapter.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit about your “origin story”. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
Thank you for having me. I’m super excited to get to share a bit about myself with you!
I was born in central Alberta, in a town called Lacombe, and moved to a smaller town called Devon just outside of Edmonton when I was 4 because my dad got a job with the fire department. My mom was a country artist and started a music school when we moved.
Growing up in a small town is something I am so happy to have experienced, because the community was so tightly knit. I am still friends with the people I met in kindergarten, and I love being able to go anywhere and know at least one person.
Being a fireman’s daughter meant I was always well-fed because firemen are great cooks, and I have a lot of pictures with fire trucks. I still get excited when I am in the city and hear sirens, because when Dad is on shift, it means it might be him and I get to see them in action!
I started taking music lessons when I was 5, more for an extracurricular activity, and when I was 12, I did my first official gig.
I grew up in a multi-generational musical family on my mom’s side, so I was able to always have that skill nurtured. It meant something even before I wanted to pursue a career. It was something that I loved and did for fun to bring people together. I am so glad I was able to experience that, as it definitely had a big impact on me and my music that I now release.
What inspired you to pursue a career in music, and how did your journey begin?
My family has always been musical, so I definitely think that had a major impact on me.
My great-grandparents and grandparents had local dance bands made up of family members and close friends. They played for weddings, local community events, and dances. My grandma plays bass and has a beautiful voice, while my grandpa plays guitar, bass, and saxophone, and he sings as well. They all learned by ear and from skills passed down through their family members and friends, so I like to say that music truly runs in our blood!
Them being in bands influenced my mom, who decided to pursue a music career as well. Recording two albums in Nashville and multiple other songs and EPs, she was able to pursue a successful local career in country music, which then led her to start her own music school when I was four years old.
One of her first students was a five-year-old girl named Sarah. My mom thought Sarah would come out of her shell more if she had a friend in the class. Since we were the same age, my mom brought me into her classes, and from there, Sarah and I were in lessons together for eight years! We are still good friends to this day, which is really special.
Even though I was in singing and guitar lessons, I never really had the ambition to pursue music as a career.
I wanted to be a defence attorney — which still might happen one day, as I love to make a good argument! It was quite the goal for a child, but I loved “Forensic Files” and thought that was what I would be great at.
I always had a natural musical ability, but it wasn’t until I was 11 that I became set on pursuing it further. My mom’s music school did a group trip to Nashville with her students and their families, and she made a couple of performances happen during the trip. We were fortunate enough to sing at the Country Music Hall of Fame and even at Graceland in Memphis, which was so much fun, but what really got me hooked was Broadway. We went to multiple bars along the street, and we got to see all of the bands putting in the hard hours for tips. I was brought up on stage by two different artists at two different bars, Tootsie’s and Honky Tonk Central, and both times they asked me my name.
I said, “Martina,” and then they asked, “Can you sing like Martina?”
I confidently said, “Yes.”
Both bands automatically started playing “Independence Day” by Martina McBride, and I will never forget the looks on their faces when I belted that song out with my entire heart. Obviously, at any bar, when an 11-year-old gets on stage, the crowd is going to go wild, but I will never forget that feeling of pure adrenaline.
From that trip on, I was set on being on stage and pursuing the crazy music industry for a living.
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
Probably the way I met my guitar player and one of my best friends, Beamer Wigley.
When I was 12, my mom and dad went to Canadian Country Music Week in London, Ontario, where they met him for the first time. My mom came back and told me about this insanely talented kid who was around my age. She told me he was easily one of the best guitar players she had seen in a while, and she was so impressed considering how young he was. She said he and I would get along so well.
About 5 months later, I went with my parents to my first Country Music Alberta Awards show. There were a bunch of kids my age who couldn’t go to the kickoff party because it was in an 18+ venue, so a couple of adults got us all together for a lobby jam. That is where I met Beamer for the first time.
What is funny is all of the kids that were in that circle are still my good friends to this day: Krissy Feniak, Hailey Benedict, Sydney Mae, and Hannah Gazso.
Beamer and I clicked very well in a musical sense, and when he moved to Alberta four years ago, I asked if he would play guitar for me. He said yes, and now he is on almost every show with me and has genuinely become like a brother to me. He is an artist as well, so I can’t guarantee that I’ll get to keep him in my band forever, but I know that I will always get to call him one of my best friends.
It is so funny to me because all of these years of friendship were because my mom met him and had a feeling we would get along.
Making music has allowed me to make so many friends, and I am so grateful for that. I think that is probably one of the best parts of what I do!
It has been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I feel like working in music is a learning curve in general. One thing I learned when I was very young that still comes back around from time to time is to give myself time.
When I was 12 years old, my family and I were planning on going to a local baseball game. My dad called one of his friends, and they wanted me to sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the seventh-inning stretch. I had never sung the song, but I thought it was a really cool opportunity and that I could learn the song in half a day.
The game came around, and I went down to the field, and I completely froze. Luckily, people just thought my mic had cut out, and everyone still sang along, but I was so embarrassed. That day, I learned it’s okay to say no sometimes if the timeline is too short.
Sometimes I still accidentally do this to myself. I will be playing a 3-hour show and decide at the last minute to do a new song, then I end up having to cut it because I am not confident in knowing the lyrics. I just get overconfident, and then my anxiety goes crazy when the actual time comes.
We’re working on it, and “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” still kind of haunts me to this day!
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
My mom, of course!
My mom has been the biggest supporter of everything in my life, but for music, she is what I like to call my second head. She is now my manager (or “momager” as I like to call her), and she makes sure my entire business and music career is organized. Since she was an artist as well, she has a really great ability to look at the bigger picture, and she keeps me grounded.
When I was young, we used to have little mother-daughter fights about music all the time. Looking back, she really is a saint for not only dealing with my music career but also dealing with a teenager who was actively trying to work in the music industry. We musicians tend to be a little bit crazy, so I can’t imagine how much harder it was to work with a musician who was dealing with teenage pressures and hormones.
She comes to every show and not only does a great job in the manager role but also in the mom role. She deals with all of the business as well as the crazy emotional highs and lows.
I can’t even think of a specific story because we have been doing this together for so long, but I know she will always be involved in my life and my number one supporter forever.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I am currently working on three more singles, which I would like to lead into an EP. We are still figuring out the business side of the actual project, but the next songs feel like I am definitely closing in on my sound and who I am as a human being.
I am very excited to release them in 2027 and be able to adapt my live show to them as well. I love seeing a song come to life on stage, so I really am looking forward to getting the songs out and singing them to as many people as possible.
I feel like in the past, a lot of the stuff I have released had a more emotional and introspective vibe, but this stuff is really fun and really feels like me. I love to have a good time, and I love music that brings that kind of energy, and I think these songs are a great representation of that!
We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in music, film, and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?
I have always been really into history and culture, and how they show up in the media.
I love learning about different cultures and how they have an impact on genres of music and storytelling. Country music specifically has so many cultural impacts that no one talks about. The banjo, for instance, came from Africa. You don’t always see a lot of people talking about things like that.
Cultures and their history are so impactful and should be talked about in the media so that the bad parts won’t be repeated.
I also think that representation is important to inspire the younger generations. When children see people that look like them, or are from the same background as them, it shows them that they are able to pursue their dreams, especially in TV shows and music. It encourages them to do what they want and shows them that nothing can hold them back.
I am a big believer in nurturing the younger generation and their goals because they are the future, and having diversity in the entertainment industry shows them that they are able to reach those goals.
As a successful music star, you’ve likely faced challenges along the way. How do you stay motivated? How do you overcome obstacles in your career?
Gratitude. When I am down on myself and my career, I always try to remind myself of my successes and how grateful I am for everything that has brought me to the point I am at in my life. My mom has always instilled that in me, and it has become one of the most uplifting things in my career.
If I am feeling sad or have been rejected, I try to name 5 things I am grateful for. Sometimes I have to do it for a couple of days until I feel better, but it always grounds me so that I can be in a clear headspace and redirect myself to get whatever needs to be done, done.
That’s always the approach for me. I’ll run into an obstacle, let myself be down and remind myself that I have so much to be grateful for in this life for a couple of days, and then redirect. Otherwise, I would never get anything done and probably be a ball of sadness all of the time!
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
1. Post on social media like crazy.
I used to hate posting on social media; I still don’t think I would post if I wasn’t in the entertainment industry. One day, though, I had to make a decision: I could either not post and allow my career to be stagnant or push myself and post even if I felt like it was embarrassing and possibly progress my career.
I challenged myself to post every day for a year. I didn’t know what I was going to post, so I started by just posting anything, whether it was a video of me doing my makeup or singing at the piano, until I discovered what worked. I ended up posting around 400 times that year and began loving the interactions I was able to have with folks who may not be able to come to every show.
I now find it fun, and I have fully been able to transition from working three jobs to being a full-time musician. I wish I had started posting sooner, and now I will tell everyone to post, post, post!
2. People like interaction on stage.
When I was really young, I thought it was cooler to act nonchalant on stage and just sing. I thought that was what people wanted. I remember my mom and my grandparents constantly telling me to move more and show more emotion. As a young teenager, I did not want to listen.
It wasn’t until I was 18 that I realized people would connect with me more if I talked to them, moved, and told the story while singing. I started really developing my persona on stage, and now I guarantee a good time at every show because of how interactive I am. I will have conversations with anyone, and it is so worth it at a live show.
While on stage, I go out of my way to be interactive because that’s what draws people in and makes a good entertainer. I plan to keep going and really master that skill as I grow in my career.
3. Criticism is your best friend.
Now I do think there is a line between being mean and giving a critique, and that’s all in the delivery. But when someone gives you a really good suggestion, it can change the way you do things for the better.
My mom gives the best critiques. She says things in a kind way and she’s always right, even if I don’t understand her at the time.
When I was really young, I would do these music contests, and there was one specifically where the ladies who ran it were not as nice, did not deliver critiques well and honestly didn’t always make sense. For example, they did not like girls on stage wearing jeans (which made no sense to me because I was singing country music), and they would always be quite rude about it. I still wear jeans on stage, but I will also wear dresses now because my mom and other friends of mine have said I looked good in them (and I don’t sweat as much).
That just shows how you can give suggestions while lifting someone up, versus criticizing them and bringing them down. I will take every critique I receive and adjust as I see fit, as long as it is delivered in a kind, respectful way.
4. There will be tons of highs and tons of lows; don’t let the lows make you hate your dream.
The music industry is a very dog-eat-dog world. The times when you’re busy and hitting your stride are amazing, but when you’re not as busy or you’re facing a lot of rejection, you can feel like the world is caving in.
Sometimes you spend a lot of money and see virtually zero return on investment. It is a business, and all businesses go through highs and lows, but when it is a creative venture such as music, those lows feel so much more personal. Like a punch to the gut.
When these lows happen for me, usually about twice a year between busy gig season (summer) and recording season (winter), I often think about giving up. I never let myself give up, though, because I end up having to figure out what else I would try to pursue, and nothing else ever sounds or feels as good as doing what I am passionate about.
Every season of lows ends up being necessary and working out for the best, and it is important to always remind yourself of that.
5. Rejection is redirection.
You will face rejection way more than you will see success, and that really sucks. However, every time I have been rejected, it always works out for the best.
For example, while the last few songs I have released have not done everything that I thought they would, they have allowed me to grow in other areas like social media, which has led to more live shows.
All of the feedback I received made me realize that maybe that sound is not necessarily the most authentic to me right now. Even though I love the music, I have realized a new direction that I want to take, which I wouldn’t have seen had I not gone through some rejection to get there.
I truly believe rejection helps you grow, even if at the time it feels like you’re at a loss and don’t know what to do. I have been able to grow, and continue to grow, because of rejection and the redirection it brings.
Can you share some insights into your creative process? How do you approach songwriting? How do you approach musical collaborations?
I tend to write a lot by myself and with close friends.
Oftentimes, it’s like a crack of thunder from the universe; I will get an idea in my head and be able to write a song by myself in a short period of time. It is something I prefer to do because I am able to fully get my thoughts out.
I definitely struggle in writing situations where I don’t feel like I can be myself or let my brain’s bad ideas out so that I can get to the good ones. This is why I tend to write with close friends. I feel most comfortable being myself and end up with a better product.
In terms of collaboration when it comes to production and working with musicians, I love it and love for everything to feel like a group project. You never know what someone can bring to the table, and so many people have more knowledge than me in their specific musical talents. I love to incorporate that and lean into it because it makes me and the result better. Collaboration and teamwork are key when working on music!
Your music has resonated with so many fans worldwide. What do you believe sets your music apart?
I think what is really cool about my music is that I am still growing, in a sense. When I look back at my past songs, they are from different times of significant personal growth.
My first two songs were recorded when I was 16, which is crazy to think about because I feel like I have lived twenty lives since then, especially because they were recorded during the pandemic.
My third and fourth songs were recorded shortly after, but still at a time when I was graduating high school and entering the real world for the first time.
My fifth and sixth songs were recorded when I was 19 and were done in Nashville, which was a completely different world for me. I felt like I had a little more confidence in the studio, and they were the first songs that I had been a songwriter on.
Since then, the music I have released has felt more like me for sure. I have found a love for songwriting, but to be honest, I still feel like I am finding my sound.
The music I am working on right now definitely feels the most genuine to me, but who knows who I’ll be in 5 years?
I think it is really cool that I started so young, and it’s not as common to hear artists grow through their music from such a young age. There are a few big artists I can think of that could say the same thing, like Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter, but it’s not something that is super common recently, especially in the country genre.
How do you connect with your audience?
Social media is probably my number one way of connecting with people.
My social platforms have become a way for me to share my music and my life and connect with people who don’t always get to see the behind-the-scenes moments of an artist’s life. I have really been able to connect with folks with my humour and just being myself.
With your busy schedule and demanding performances, how do you prioritize self-care and maintain a balance between your personal life and career in the music industry?
I don’t know if I have figured that out yet, to be completely honest, and I am okay with that.
I am 22 years old, so I feel like I am at a point in my life where I am still figuring out how to manage being on stage and putting myself out there on social media while keeping my sanity intact.
I try to get a lot of sleep. I am definitely a night owl, so I am on a weird schedule, but since I am always up really late for work, it ends up working well.
I drink a lot of water and try to make time for non-music moments. Whether that is binge-watching a new TV series, crocheting, scrolling through TikTok, or running errands with my mom, I think it is important to try to still have those times to keep me grounded.
The music industry is really hard in the sense that you can almost get too caught up in it and make it your entire life. I am still working on mastering that, but it will come with time!
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
Kindness to everyone, no matter what, is what I preach and try to practice. I wrote and released a song a few years ago called “Love on Them,” and the song truly represents all my beliefs.
Small acts of kindness can make someone’s day, as you never know what is going on in a person’s life. I love people in general, and I try to show that with tiny acts of kindness every day.
I hope that I can inspire people to just be nice to each other and go out of their way to make someone’s day, even if they don’t know they are doing it!
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)
I would have said Dolly Parton, of course, but now that she has passed, I guess I have to change my answer. Rest in peace to the best to ever do it!
My answer now would probably be Julia Roberts. She is my favourite actress of all time, and I feel like she has always been genuinely herself. She seems so grounded while being so famous.
I would just love to listen to whatever she would want to talk about, whether it’s stories from different movies she worked on or stories from her career that aren’t public. I wouldn’t even want to talk about the entertainment industry. I would just listen to her speak.
I love learning about people and listening to what made them who they are, and I think she is one person who would have so much to say in that regard.
How can our readers continue to follow your work online?
Follow my social media @martinadawnmusic on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube!
I tend to post more funny, personal stuff on TikTok, so if you like that, make sure to check that out!
My music is available on all streaming platforms, and my website is also a good place to find where my next shows are.
I recently started a blog on my website as well, so make sure to check that out too!
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
About The Interviewer: Tavares Beverly ( www.tavaresbeverly.com ) is the Founder and CEO of Beverly Boy Productions, a national video production company that has helped organizations tell their stories through video for more than two decades. Over the course of his career, he has worked with everyone from Fortune 500 executives and healthcare professionals to politicians, nonprofit leaders, educators, and artists, gaining a unique perspective on the role communication plays in leadership, business, and human connection. A frequent contributor on topics including communication, entrepreneurship, leadership, and personal development, Tavares believes that the ability to communicate effectively is one of the most valuable skills a person can develop. His work is driven by a passion for helping organizations connect with their audiences and helping individuals unlock their potential through mentorship, perseverance, and meaningful relationships. To learn more, connect with Tavares on LinkedIn or visit www.BeverlyBoy.com . If you’re interested in using the power of storytelling and communication to grow your organization, strengthen your brand, or inspire your audience, he welcomes the opportunity to connect.Music Star Martina Dawn On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Music Industry
An Interview With Tavares Beverly
“If I am feeling sad or have been rejected, I try to name 5 things I am grateful for. Sometimes I have to do it for a couple of days until I feel better, but it always grounds me so that I can be in a clear headspace and redirect myself to get whatever needs to be done, done.”
As a part of our interview series with leaders, stars, and rising stars in the music industry, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Martina Dawn.
Canadian country artist Martina Dawn draws musical inspiration from her own life and those around her. At 22, she has already reached more than 350K Spotify streams from 8 singles, enjoyed SiriusXM radio airplay, and won the 2022 Country Music Alberta Horizon Youth Award in her home province. Her 2026 single “I’ll Be the Cowboy” was picked up by CBC Music’s Canadian Country playlist. With a proven talent for connecting with live audiences, she’s performed at the likes of Country Thunder Alberta, Big Valley Jamboree, the Ponoka Stampede, and the Country Music Alberta Awards Show. Through an energetic and personable online presence, she has also earned over 6 million organic social media impressions. As her music industry status continues to rise in Canada and beyond, Martina Dawn is looking ahead to her next creative chapter.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit about your “origin story”. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
Thank you for having me. I’m super excited to get to share a bit about myself with you!
I was born in central Alberta, in a town called Lacombe, and moved to a smaller town called Devon just outside of Edmonton when I was 4 because my dad got a job with the fire department. My mom was a country artist and started a music school when we moved.
Growing up in a small town is something I am so happy to have experienced, because the community was so tightly knit. I am still friends with the people I met in kindergarten, and I love being able to go anywhere and know at least one person.
Being a fireman’s daughter meant I was always well-fed because firemen are great cooks, and I have a lot of pictures with fire trucks. I still get excited when I am in the city and hear sirens, because when Dad is on shift, it means it might be him and I get to see them in action!
I started taking music lessons when I was 5, more for an extracurricular activity, and when I was 12, I did my first official gig.
I grew up in a multi-generational musical family on my mom’s side, so I was able to always have that skill nurtured. It meant something even before I wanted to pursue a career. It was something that I loved and did for fun to bring people together. I am so glad I was able to experience that, as it definitely had a big impact on me and my music that I now release.
What inspired you to pursue a career in music, and how did your journey begin?
My family has always been musical, so I definitely think that had a major impact on me.
My great-grandparents and grandparents had local dance bands made up of family members and close friends. They played for weddings, local community events, and dances. My grandma plays bass and has a beautiful voice, while my grandpa plays guitar, bass, and saxophone, and he sings as well. They all learned by ear and from skills passed down through their family members and friends, so I like to say that music truly runs in our blood!
Them being in bands influenced my mom, who decided to pursue a music career as well. Recording two albums in Nashville and multiple other songs and EPs, she was able to pursue a successful local career in country music, which then led her to start her own music school when I was four years old.
One of her first students was a five-year-old girl named Sarah. My mom thought Sarah would come out of her shell more if she had a friend in the class. Since we were the same age, my mom brought me into her classes, and from there, Sarah and I were in lessons together for eight years! We are still good friends to this day, which is really special.
Even though I was in singing and guitar lessons, I never really had the ambition to pursue music as a career.
I wanted to be a defence attorney — which still might happen one day, as I love to make a good argument! It was quite the goal for a child, but I loved “Forensic Files” and thought that was what I would be great at.
I always had a natural musical ability, but it wasn’t until I was 11 that I became set on pursuing it further. My mom’s music school did a group trip to Nashville with her students and their families, and she made a couple of performances happen during the trip. We were fortunate enough to sing at the Country Music Hall of Fame and even at Graceland in Memphis, which was so much fun, but what really got me hooked was Broadway. We went to multiple bars along the street, and we got to see all of the bands putting in the hard hours for tips. I was brought up on stage by two different artists at two different bars, Tootsie’s and Honky Tonk Central, and both times they asked me my name.
I said, “Martina,” and then they asked, “Can you sing like Martina?”
I confidently said, “Yes.”
Both bands automatically started playing “Independence Day” by Martina McBride, and I will never forget the looks on their faces when I belted that song out with my entire heart. Obviously, at any bar, when an 11-year-old gets on stage, the crowd is going to go wild, but I will never forget that feeling of pure adrenaline.
From that trip on, I was set on being on stage and pursuing the crazy music industry for a living.
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
Probably the way I met my guitar player and one of my best friends, Beamer Wigley.
When I was 12, my mom and dad went to Canadian Country Music Week in London, Ontario, where they met him for the first time. My mom came back and told me about this insanely talented kid who was around my age. She told me he was easily one of the best guitar players she had seen in a while, and she was so impressed considering how young he was. She said he and I would get along so well.
About 5 months later, I went with my parents to my first Country Music Alberta Awards show. There were a bunch of kids my age who couldn’t go to the kickoff party because it was in an 18+ venue, so a couple of adults got us all together for a lobby jam. That is where I met Beamer for the first time.
What is funny is all of the kids that were in that circle are still my good friends to this day: Krissy Feniak, Hailey Benedict, Sydney Mae, and Hannah Gazso.
Beamer and I clicked very well in a musical sense, and when he moved to Alberta four years ago, I asked if he would play guitar for me. He said yes, and now he is on almost every show with me and has genuinely become like a brother to me. He is an artist as well, so I can’t guarantee that I’ll get to keep him in my band forever, but I know that I will always get to call him one of my best friends.
It is so funny to me because all of these years of friendship were because my mom met him and had a feeling we would get along.
Making music has allowed me to make so many friends, and I am so grateful for that. I think that is probably one of the best parts of what I do!
It has been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I feel like working in music is a learning curve in general. One thing I learned when I was very young that still comes back around from time to time is to give myself time.
When I was 12 years old, my family and I were planning on going to a local baseball game. My dad called one of his friends, and they wanted me to sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the seventh-inning stretch. I had never sung the song, but I thought it was a really cool opportunity and that I could learn the song in half a day.
The game came around, and I went down to the field, and I completely froze. Luckily, people just thought my mic had cut out, and everyone still sang along, but I was so embarrassed. That day, I learned it’s okay to say no sometimes if the timeline is too short.
Sometimes I still accidentally do this to myself. I will be playing a 3-hour show and decide at the last minute to do a new song, then I end up having to cut it because I am not confident in knowing the lyrics. I just get overconfident, and then my anxiety goes crazy when the actual time comes.
We’re working on it, and “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” still kind of haunts me to this day!
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
My mom, of course!
My mom has been the biggest supporter of everything in my life, but for music, she is what I like to call my second head. She is now my manager (or “momager” as I like to call her), and she makes sure my entire business and music career is organized. Since she was an artist as well, she has a really great ability to look at the bigger picture, and she keeps me grounded.
When I was young, we used to have little mother-daughter fights about music all the time. Looking back, she really is a saint for not only dealing with my music career but also dealing with a teenager who was actively trying to work in the music industry. We musicians tend to be a little bit crazy, so I can’t imagine how much harder it was to work with a musician who was dealing with teenage pressures and hormones.
She comes to every show and not only does a great job in the manager role but also in the mom role. She deals with all of the business as well as the crazy emotional highs and lows.
I can’t even think of a specific story because we have been doing this together for so long, but I know she will always be involved in my life and my number one supporter forever.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I am currently working on three more singles, which I would like to lead into an EP. We are still figuring out the business side of the actual project, but the next songs feel like I am definitely closing in on my sound and who I am as a human being.
I am very excited to release them in 2027 and be able to adapt my live show to them as well. I love seeing a song come to life on stage, so I really am looking forward to getting the songs out and singing them to as many people as possible.
I feel like in the past, a lot of the stuff I have released had a more emotional and introspective vibe, but this stuff is really fun and really feels like me. I love to have a good time, and I love music that brings that kind of energy, and I think these songs are a great representation of that!
We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in music, film, and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?
I have always been really into history and culture, and how they show up in the media.
I love learning about different cultures and how they have an impact on genres of music and storytelling. Country music specifically has so many cultural impacts that no one talks about. The banjo, for instance, came from Africa. You don’t always see a lot of people talking about things like that.
Cultures and their history are so impactful and should be talked about in the media so that the bad parts won’t be repeated.
I also think that representation is important to inspire the younger generations. When children see people that look like them, or are from the same background as them, it shows them that they are able to pursue their dreams, especially in TV shows and music. It encourages them to do what they want and shows them that nothing can hold them back.
I am a big believer in nurturing the younger generation and their goals because they are the future, and having diversity in the entertainment industry shows them that they are able to reach those goals.
As a successful music star, you’ve likely faced challenges along the way. How do you stay motivated? How do you overcome obstacles in your career?
Gratitude. When I am down on myself and my career, I always try to remind myself of my successes and how grateful I am for everything that has brought me to the point I am at in my life. My mom has always instilled that in me, and it has become one of the most uplifting things in my career.
If I am feeling sad or have been rejected, I try to name 5 things I am grateful for. Sometimes I have to do it for a couple of days until I feel better, but it always grounds me so that I can be in a clear headspace and redirect myself to get whatever needs to be done, done.
That’s always the approach for me. I’ll run into an obstacle, let myself be down and remind myself that I have so much to be grateful for in this life for a couple of days, and then redirect. Otherwise, I would never get anything done and probably be a ball of sadness all of the time!
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
1. Post on social media like crazy.
I used to hate posting on social media; I still don’t think I would post if I wasn’t in the entertainment industry. One day, though, I had to make a decision: I could either not post and allow my career to be stagnant or push myself and post even if I felt like it was embarrassing and possibly progress my career.
I challenged myself to post every day for a year. I didn’t know what I was going to post, so I started by just posting anything, whether it was a video of me doing my makeup or singing at the piano, until I discovered what worked. I ended up posting around 400 times that year and began loving the interactions I was able to have with folks who may not be able to come to every show.
I now find it fun, and I have fully been able to transition from working three jobs to being a full-time musician. I wish I had started posting sooner, and now I will tell everyone to post, post, post!
2. People like interaction on stage.
When I was really young, I thought it was cooler to act nonchalant on stage and just sing. I thought that was what people wanted. I remember my mom and my grandparents constantly telling me to move more and show more emotion. As a young teenager, I did not want to listen.
It wasn’t until I was 18 that I realized people would connect with me more if I talked to them, moved, and told the story while singing. I started really developing my persona on stage, and now I guarantee a good time at every show because of how interactive I am. I will have conversations with anyone, and it is so worth it at a live show.
While on stage, I go out of my way to be interactive because that’s what draws people in and makes a good entertainer. I plan to keep going and really master that skill as I grow in my career.
3. Criticism is your best friend.
Now I do think there is a line between being mean and giving a critique, and that’s all in the delivery. But when someone gives you a really good suggestion, it can change the way you do things for the better.
My mom gives the best critiques. She says things in a kind way and she’s always right, even if I don’t understand her at the time.
When I was really young, I would do these music contests, and there was one specifically where the ladies who ran it were not as nice, did not deliver critiques well and honestly didn’t always make sense. For example, they did not like girls on stage wearing jeans (which made no sense to me because I was singing country music), and they would always be quite rude about it. I still wear jeans on stage, but I will also wear dresses now because my mom and other friends of mine have said I looked good in them (and I don’t sweat as much).
That just shows how you can give suggestions while lifting someone up, versus criticizing them and bringing them down. I will take every critique I receive and adjust as I see fit, as long as it is delivered in a kind, respectful way.
4. There will be tons of highs and tons of lows; don’t let the lows make you hate your dream.
The music industry is a very dog-eat-dog world. The times when you’re busy and hitting your stride are amazing, but when you’re not as busy or you’re facing a lot of rejection, you can feel like the world is caving in.
Sometimes you spend a lot of money and see virtually zero return on investment. It is a business, and all businesses go through highs and lows, but when it is a creative venture such as music, those lows feel so much more personal. Like a punch to the gut.
When these lows happen for me, usually about twice a year between busy gig season (summer) and recording season (winter), I often think about giving up. I never let myself give up, though, because I end up having to figure out what else I would try to pursue, and nothing else ever sounds or feels as good as doing what I am passionate about.
Every season of lows ends up being necessary and working out for the best, and it is important to always remind yourself of that.
5. Rejection is redirection.
You will face rejection way more than you will see success, and that really sucks. However, every time I have been rejected, it always works out for the best.
For example, while the last few songs I have released have not done everything that I thought they would, they have allowed me to grow in other areas like social media, which has led to more live shows.
All of the feedback I received made me realize that maybe that sound is not necessarily the most authentic to me right now. Even though I love the music, I have realized a new direction that I want to take, which I wouldn’t have seen had I not gone through some rejection to get there.
I truly believe rejection helps you grow, even if at the time it feels like you’re at a loss and don’t know what to do. I have been able to grow, and continue to grow, because of rejection and the redirection it brings.
Can you share some insights into your creative process? How do you approach songwriting? How do you approach musical collaborations?
I tend to write a lot by myself and with close friends.
Oftentimes, it’s like a crack of thunder from the universe; I will get an idea in my head and be able to write a song by myself in a short period of time. It is something I prefer to do because I am able to fully get my thoughts out.
I definitely struggle in writing situations where I don’t feel like I can be myself or let my brain’s bad ideas out so that I can get to the good ones. This is why I tend to write with close friends. I feel most comfortable being myself and end up with a better product.
In terms of collaboration when it comes to production and working with musicians, I love it and love for everything to feel like a group project. You never know what someone can bring to the table, and so many people have more knowledge than me in their specific musical talents. I love to incorporate that and lean into it because it makes me and the result better. Collaboration and teamwork are key when working on music!
Your music has resonated with so many fans worldwide. What do you believe sets your music apart?
I think what is really cool about my music is that I am still growing, in a sense. When I look back at my past songs, they are from different times of significant personal growth.
My first two songs were recorded when I was 16, which is crazy to think about because I feel like I have lived twenty lives since then, especially because they were recorded during the pandemic.
My third and fourth songs were recorded shortly after, but still at a time when I was graduating high school and entering the real world for the first time.
My fifth and sixth songs were recorded when I was 19 and were done in Nashville, which was a completely different world for me. I felt like I had a little more confidence in the studio, and they were the first songs that I had been a songwriter on.
Since then, the music I have released has felt more like me for sure. I have found a love for songwriting, but to be honest, I still feel like I am finding my sound.
The music I am working on right now definitely feels the most genuine to me, but who knows who I’ll be in 5 years?
I think it is really cool that I started so young, and it’s not as common to hear artists grow through their music from such a young age. There are a few big artists I can think of that could say the same thing, like Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter, but it’s not something that is super common recently, especially in the country genre.
How do you connect with your audience?
Social media is probably my number one way of connecting with people.
My social platforms have become a way for me to share my music and my life and connect with people who don’t always get to see the behind-the-scenes moments of an artist’s life. I have really been able to connect with folks with my humour and just being myself.
With your busy schedule and demanding performances, how do you prioritize self-care and maintain a balance between your personal life and career in the music industry?
I don’t know if I have figured that out yet, to be completely honest, and I am okay with that.
I am 22 years old, so I feel like I am at a point in my life where I am still figuring out how to manage being on stage and putting myself out there on social media while keeping my sanity intact.
I try to get a lot of sleep. I am definitely a night owl, so I am on a weird schedule, but since I am always up really late for work, it ends up working well.
I drink a lot of water and try to make time for non-music moments. Whether that is binge-watching a new TV series, crocheting, scrolling through TikTok, or running errands with my mom, I think it is important to try to still have those times to keep me grounded.
The music industry is really hard in the sense that you can almost get too caught up in it and make it your entire life. I am still working on mastering that, but it will come with time!
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
Kindness to everyone, no matter what, is what I preach and try to practice. I wrote and released a song a few years ago called “Love on Them,” and the song truly represents all my beliefs.
Small acts of kindness can make someone’s day, as you never know what is going on in a person’s life. I love people in general, and I try to show that with tiny acts of kindness every day.
I hope that I can inspire people to just be nice to each other and go out of their way to make someone’s day, even if they don’t know they are doing it!
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)
I would have said Dolly Parton, of course, but now that she has passed, I guess I have to change my answer. Rest in peace to the best to ever do it!
My answer now would probably be Julia Roberts. She is my favourite actress of all time, and I feel like she has always been genuinely herself. She seems so grounded while being so famous.
I would just love to listen to whatever she would want to talk about, whether it’s stories from different movies she worked on or stories from her career that aren’t public. I wouldn’t even want to talk about the entertainment industry. I would just listen to her speak.
I love learning about people and listening to what made them who they are, and I think she is one person who would have so much to say in that regard.
How can our readers continue to follow your work online?
Follow my social media @martinadawnmusic on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube!
I tend to post more funny, personal stuff on TikTok, so if you like that, make sure to check that out!
My music is available on all streaming platforms, and my website is also a good place to find where my next shows are.
I recently started a blog on my website as well, so make sure to check that out too!
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
About The Interviewer: Tavares Beverly ( www.tavaresbeverly.com ) is the Founder and CEO of Beverly Boy Productions, a national video production company that has helped organizations tell their stories through video for more than two decades. Over the course of his career, he has worked with everyone from Fortune 500 executives and healthcare professionals to politicians, nonprofit leaders, educators, and artists, gaining a unique perspective on the role communication plays in leadership, business, and human connection. A frequent contributor on topics including communication, entrepreneurship, leadership, and personal development, Tavares believes that the ability to communicate effectively is one of the most valuable skills a person can develop. His work is driven by a passion for helping organizations connect with their audiences and helping individuals unlock their potential through mentorship, perseverance, and meaningful relationships. To learn more, connect with Tavares on LinkedIn or visit www.BeverlyBoy.com . If you’re interested in using the power of storytelling and communication to grow your organization, strengthen your brand, or inspire your audience, he welcomes the opportunity to connect.
