This past week I decided to interview Delaney Urban, a good friend of mine and a fellow student here at Saint Xavier, about her music. Here is what she had to say.
Elizabeth: When did you start singing?
Delaney: My mom tells me that as a baby I was always humming and singing (once I was able to talk). I think I really got into singing starting at the age of 5 when I got my first karaoke machine. I performed in front of people for the first time in 8th grade and that is when I realized how much I love performing.
E: What genre of music do you like/prefer to sing?
D: I have a very wide range of music that I like to listen to. I like alternative, rock, country, pop, and many other genres. When it comes to singing, I’d have to say Country is my favorite genre and is, for the most part, what I write.
E: What is your favorite song to sing?
D: I love singing everything. I think it is so fun to get out of my comfort zone and sing something new. I can’t pinpoint a certain song that is my favorite because there are just too many I enjoy singing.
E: Do you play any instruments?
D: Yes, I play guitar. I have an electric acoustic Yamaha and it is one of my favorite instruments I own. I also play flute, a little bit of piano, and I have a six-string banjo that is played the same way as a guitar.
E: Who is your favorite singer or songwriter? How have they influenced you?
D: I am such a Johnny Cash fan. I really wish I had the chance to see him perform live. I just love the old country feel his songs have, while also being fun. Lately, Miranda Lambert has been a huge influence on me. I love her songwriting style and I feel that listening to her has influenced my songwriting greatly.
E: Do you like songwriting?
D: Songwriting is probably my favorite thing to do and sharing my songs with others gives me such a rush. I think it is a great way to deal with stress in a healthy way and it gives me the leeway to say what I want to say and get it off my chest.
E: What inspires the songs that you write?
D: Of course, the most obvious would be relationships: breakups, makeups, and everything in between. But I do find myself really writing about anything. The last song I wrote was while I was driving home from work. I just got this idea and hit record on the voice memo on my phone and just ran with it. Sometimes I will get an idea for a title or just a single line and go with it until it becomes a full song.
Please be sure to check out the second part of our interview!
To hear more from Delaney, follow her on: YouTube – laneylu11, Instagram – DelaneyUrbanMusic, and Smule Sing – Laneylu96
Elizabeth Granato
Senior Features Editor