Stacey Board

by Kita

The Salt Lake arts scene has a pretty large variety of arts, but one of the most accessible seems to be music. Stacey Board is a musician who's been on the scene for awhile now, and she's definitely got her style working for her. Watching her perform is one of the most genuine experiences I can think of. A petite, pretty blonde with a sweet voice, she invites you in, to really be a part of her show. You feel less as if you're at a concert and more as if you're chatting with a dear friend.
  Songs vary from pop, to folk, to some dream state in between the two. Her voice is ethereal, so it's no wonder at all that Independent Songwriter said, "Stacey Board is a powerful songwriter with a voice straight from the heavens." This southern girl has made herself a well deserved name and she, thankfully, isn't going anywhere.
 To really delve into an artists mind is the goal here, and she gave us a unique look inside. With a certain practicality, she gave us answers and it only reminded me of the way she bares her soul on the stage. I couldn't recommend this lady enough.

The Interview:

Kita: How would you describe your art?

Stacey: I try to not describe my artwork, what it is doesn't interest me and others will decide fro themselves.

Kita: How did you first get into music?

Stacey: I got into singing at church, and I got into singing professionally by taking a dare to go to a local radio station and have them let me sing.  They let me sing and play a song I wrote, and I got a call to play in a band.

Kita: At what point did you get more interested in it seriously?

Stacey: When close friend died I decided I had to go put more of myself into it instead of ever asking, what if.

Kita: What were your goals then? 

Stacey: My goals when I started were to work as hard as I could and see where that would take me.

Kita: What about now?

Stacey: My goals now are to be satisfied with what I create, and to create because I want to, not because I have to.

Kita: What have been your biggest struggles?

Stacey: My biggest struggle has probably been self doubt.  Any kind of art for money results in judgment.  It is not just criticism, it is being ignored entirely no matter how hard you work. Sometimes it is hard to take over a long period of time that it is not in your control how things go.  You push the little babies out into the world and they have their own lfe, their own destiny.  Trying to balance the work with the art is also hard.  At some points, am I working hard enough, others, am I working so hard I have lost sight of the creative?

Kita: Do you struggle to balance your day to day life with music?

Stacey: As an engineers daughter I guess I am pretty good at compartmentalizing. I can work my day job, then leave to make music.  I know what I have to do in order for both to happen. That makes me feel balanced.  When the creative urge hits, it hits, and you can't force it. When it is there I make time for it, like a dear friend making a visit. It is the priority.

Kita: Was it difficult to learn to balance business with art?

Stacey: It was hard to let go of business full time but now it has freed me somewhat.  As I mentioned, art  / business balance was a bigger picture. I am working so hard to get this tour together so that  in a few months I get to go be an artist for three weeks.  Carrot, stick. That, and I got a lot of satisfaction out of the business side; it was hard, and I worked hard to be good at it.

Kita: How do you usually find yourself inspiration?

Stacey: I think more often than not, inspiration finds me. I can't force it. I can't plan it, schedule it, call it on the phone and ask it over.  It's like being hungry. It comes and finds you.

Kita: From the first moment you think of a song to when you perform it, how likely are you to change it?

Stacey: I would say as soon as a song clicks in my head as something worth pursuing then I am likely to stay very very open to changing it a lot.  I want to keep what was the key piece that grabbed me, then work to make sure the rest of it still suits that mood that message, and still be ready to surprise myself.

Kita: Do you get stage fright? How do you deal with it if you do?

Stacey: When I started, of course, I would get stage fright, and I think at first I would just fake confidence and sing with more volume!  Then I learned that actually being prepared and practiced earned you the right to tell yourself, don't tbe scared, you are ready.  You are excited about this opportunity, make the most of all the work you have put in to being here right now.

Kita: How have you found the art scene in SLC?

Stacey: I have found the art scene in SLC to be incredibly supportive, artist to artist.  I think the community of listeners is devoted, but the larger culture of listeners and audience is different and less supportive than other places to which I have traveled in the west.  But that is just in general, there are some amazing audiences here and extremely supportive listeners and fans.  It's tougher to get folks out here sometimes than it is when I was a stranger from another town somewhere else!

Kita: What's your favorite thing about making music?

Stacey: My favorite part of making music is when I make myself feel what it is I am trying to express.  When I feel like it just.. might... work... as a piece of engaging communication.

Kita: Which do you typically prefer? Creation of a piece or the performance of it?

Stacey: Creation and performance to me are entirely different beasts.  One, I have very little control over its arrival and how it will go, the other I have much more.  I can choose when and how often I may perform, and those opportunities are very much a gift and I am grateful. I very much enjoy performing, but to be honest, sometimes you have to perform because you have made the committment not because 100% of every minute of every show you ever booked you are thrilled to be doing it. Sorry, but creativity is largely like falling in love.  Performing can sometimes be more like working on your marriage to the one you love. You can create without performing of course, as much as you can perform without being the creator of the work.

Kita: So how about least favorite part?

Stacey: My least favorite part of making music is practice.  There.  I said it.

Kita: If you could tell your beginner self one thing, what would it be?

Stacey: If I could tell my beginner self something it would be, don't worry so much, do your best, enjoy the ride.

To see Stacey Board live, here are some dates to keep in mind!

Feb. 13th at the Silver Star in Park City

Feb. 14th at Wildflower Lounge, Snowbird, Iron Blosam Lodge

Feb 16th Aerie Lounge 8 - 11pm, Cliff Lodge Snowbird

Check out her website:

http://www.reverbnation.com/staceyboard