Noelle Chiodo is a Las Vegas based singer/songwriter with a bright future. In this TLL exclusive, she talks to us about her career thus far and her latest project.
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada!
Tell us about your childhood and teen years.
I started singing when I was about 8 years old in a kids singing group and just began to fall more and more in love with music. By middle school, I was doing anything and everything I could to sing, singing in church, in choirs, in musical theatre, any festivals that would let me, etc. Then, when I was 15 years old I landed my first gig at a local coffee shop and would sing for tips, since then I’ve been singing professionally! I wanted to learn as much as I could about music, so when I was 12 I started taking piano lessons and writing music, then when I was 16, I started teaching myself guitar and reading about the music business industry. In high school, I was also very academic as I was an Honors Student and highly involved, especially in the arts program! I won quit a few awards and scholarships, but chose to stay in Vegas to pursue a music career because it’s so close to LA. While doing that, I studied business marketing and music production and technology at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. One of the many reasons I fell in love with music was because of memories of my family and I dancing to all sorts of music at our parties, literally until 2 am! I was raised on so many different genres of music too from soul to classic rock to a variety of Latin music.
How did you get your first break in the music industry?
It’s hard to pin point when my first break was, just because I believe that every accomplishment, no matter how big or small, is so important and vital to reach my end goals.
Tell us about the music scene in Vegas and how it compares to the music scene in LA?
Honestly, there’s not many differences, I think that LA is just a bigger shark tank haha. But, Las Vegas’ music scene has definitely grown over the past few years and is rapidly growing even more and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the music scene in Vegas. Las Vegas is my home and I have so much love for it!
Professionally, who is your biggest influence and why?
My biggest inspirations as far as singers go are Christina Aguilera, Bruno Mars, and Jessie J. As far as songwriting goes, my biggest inspirations are Julia Michaels, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and Lady Gaga.
If you could not be in entertainment, what would you do with your life?
There’s nothing else I could even imaging doing with my life!
Who or what inspires you?
I find inspiration everywhere, but I’m most inspired by people. As weird as this sounds, I love people watching. And I get a lot of inspiration for songwriting out of people watching, just trying to figure out what someone’s story or background is.
You recently released a very good song called “Up All Night”. Tell us how this song came about and what is the meaning behind the song?
I wrote this song when I was alone in my hotel room in Reno, I was in town because I was singing the national anthem for AMSOIL. Anyways, I just picked up my guitar, and was looking out my hotel room with a view of the Biggest Little City, thinking about what it would be like if I had my friends or someone special with me there to explore. I wrote the song as a fun song that reminds me of all the crazy things I’ve done with my friends, when we’re literally out all night just living. And the line “Head downtown, sneak in places, that we don’t belong, Cause we’re too broke, or we’re too young, or it just makes it more fun.” is my favorite line in the song because it takes me back to so many memories with my friends sneaking in places in Downtown Las Vegas, just being young and dumb.
Are you going to shoot a video for “Up All Night”?
Yes! I wanted to see how it would do first before I shot a video! But, I’m definitely going to be shooting one now, you can expect it to be out in August!
You are a very strong songwriter. Take us through the writing process. Do you write just for yourself, or do you also write for other artists?
I’m complicated haha. I don’t have one specific writing process, like I said before I find inspiration everywhere! I generally stick to writing what I know and taking my stories and my experience and putting them in to song, but I also like listening to my friends’ stories and writing based off their stories. And like I said before, I also love people watching and writing songs about strangers. Inspiration is everywhere. Sometimes I write songs by sitting down and saying I’m going to write a song and sometimes I’ll literally just be driving and have to take out my recorder on my phone because an idea popped in my head. Sometimes, it takes me up to 2 months to complete a song and sometimes it literally takes 10 minutes and I’m thinking faster than I can write. I think it all really just depends on the song and the emotions I’m feeling, but my biggest goal with songwriting is to write music that people can listen to and put their own stories to. And yes, I have written for other artists and would LOVE to write for many more.
Who is on your short list to write with?
Oh gosh, my list could go on and on, but off the top of my head definitely Julia Michaels, Taylor Swift, Shawn Mendes, Christina Aguilera, Ed Sheeran, Jessie J, and Demi Lovato.
You performed the National Anthem at the UNLV Basketball Game and received a standing ovation. What is it like to sing in front of a large crowd and do you plan on doing more performances like this one?
Yes, I’ve also sang the National Anthem for the AMSOIL races and AMSOIL Championship as well as the Las Vegas Aces Baseball Game and many events! The largest crowd I’ve ever sung for I think was over 2,000, and it’s an amazing feeling. When I sing, I literally feel like I’m soaring on my own cloud nine. It’s an amazing feeling that I can’t quite explain, but I never want to let go. It’s almost like I black out. Singing the National Anthem in particular is always such an honor and I would love to sing it for more events and games!
You have recorded a lot of cover songs. Do you enjoy recording them and how is it different from recording an original song?
Yes, I enjoy taking cover songs and making them my own and I like to treat them as if I’m recording an original song. Taking the roadmap and starting fresh.
What is the best and worst career advice you’ve been given so far?
The best advice I’ve been given is to never take no for an answer, just take the no’s and try to turn them into maybes.
What advice would you give a young up and coming recording artist?
The only person that can hold you back from achieving your goals is you. You’re going to get a lot of doors slammed in your face, some people may even say that you suck, but it takes one person to believe in you for you to be successful and that’s you. Don’t wait around for someone to come and promise you success and the stars and blah blah blah. This industry takes a lot of hard work and how much you want it is going to show by how hard you work! Our future is in our hands.
Tell us about your current project? Who are you working with?
My next single “Yellow Van” came out late July and I worked with Clayton William on this one. I think you’ll love it, it’s a different feel than “Up All Night”, but it’s still fun and summery just with more of an urban vibe to it! I will also be releasing her debut, self-written, and self-titled EP this Fall 2018. My EP really shows diversity as an artist with upbeat pop songs, soulful ballads, catchy melodies, and detailed lyrics. I’m incredibly excited and nervous all in a good way to be releasing my music for the first time. I can’t wait for people to hear my experiences and my thoughts from the past few years. I want to touch people with my music, make them feel something, and paint pictures. And I know that this project does exactly that. I’m also back in the studio though already working on more music for next year!
If five years ago, you knew then what you know now. What advice would you give yourself?
Don’t care about what people think about you. Fitting in is overrated and in reality, everyone’s a little weird in their own way.
Who would you like to work with in future?
So many people, but all those songwriters I mentioned before, but I think that Christina Aguilera is at the top of my list because she was one of the first singers I fell in love with!
Is there anything that we didn’t ask you that you want to talk about?
My debut single “Up All Night” is out now on ALL digital music platforms! Please download the song and if you have Spotify, follow my Spotify! Also, make sure to check out my social media and sign up for my mailing list! The support means the world to me and helps a lot! I have a lot of new music coming out and plan on playing a lot of shows next year all over!
Up All Night has had some radio play!
Please give us your socials
- Website: noellechiodo.com
- Mailing List: https://www.noellechiodo.com/newsletter-signup
- Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/noelle.chiodo/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/noellechiodo_
- Instagram: @noellechiodo
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/noellechiodo
- Snapchat: @noellechiodo
