The 5 Question Challenge with singer-songwriter Sonali

By: Jacob Elyachar

Singer-songwriter Sonali is the latest artist to take The 5 Question Challenge.

The New York City-based artist has a passion for music that reaches back all the way to her childhood, where she hummed before she spoke to her family.

Currently, Sonali attends the prestigious Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music program at New York University (NYU)’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she has worked with some of the greatest personalities and producers in the recording industry.

In addition to her studies, Sonali is a talented musician that can play a diverse group of instruments including the drums, bass, keyboards and the guitar.

Recently, Sonali released her first single: “September” that was produced by Justin Tracy.

The singer-songwriter took time out of her schedule to talk about the new single and the challenges that she faces in this edition of The 5 Question Challenge.

Jacob Elyachar: When did you first get interested in music? 



Sonali: I’ve loved music as long as I can remember! When I was three years old, I told my parents I wanted to be a musician. This of course sounds like every three-year-old’s crazy dream; little did they know I was serious! When I was six I began singing lessons, and the guitar, piano, drums, and bass were soon to follow.  Honestly, I can’t think of doing anything else!

JE: Could you please describe your songwriting process with my readers? 



S: The fascinating thing about songwriting is there is no one right way to do it. Pretty much every songwriter I have come across has his or her own unique method. Right now, I am in the process of experimenting, so I never really write two songs the same way.  Sometimes I will start with a lyric idea, sometimes the melody, or perhaps even a guitar or piano part. I am most inspired by my friends and family and the experiences they have. Having the opportunity to be a storyteller is one of the things I love most about my job.

JE: Let’s talk about your new single: “September.” How long was the recording process for the song from conception to release? 



S: I actually had the idea for “September” for quite some time. I wrote the finger picked guitar part you hear in the song last winter, and it took me until the beginning of this summer to actually pen the lyrics and start experimenting with production options.  By August, the whole writing and recording process was finished. “September” was my first experience co-writing, which was definitely a brand new process for me. Previously, I was used to sitting alone in my room and just writing by myself, which is extremely different from sharing and compromising on ideas with another person.  I learned a lot from the process, and couldn’t be happier with the result!

JE:  What are some of the challenges that you faced in your career? How have you overcome them? 



S:  Not having enough time! Nowadays as a musician you really have to be skilled at a whole variety of things, and quite often they require entirely different skill sets, which doesn’t make the job easy! In addition to just being a solid musician, you also need to have writing chops, production skills, good business sense, and great performance abilities for live gigging…and a whole lot of luck. Understandably, all that takes a lot of practice.  In addition, I am a full-time student at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and that is a very rigorous program. I really can’t complain though, I’m so happy that I get to do what I love every single day, so the best way to combat this is to just have great time management skills! And not sleep…that helps sometimes 🙂

JE: If you had the chance to meet with aspiring singer-songwriters who want to have a career in the music industry, what advice would you share with them? 

S: I am still growing myself, but one of the most valuable lessons I have learned so far is to take education seriously.  As I said earlier, simply being a good musician doesn’t cut it anymore. You really have to be well-rounded, and having good business sense is of vital importance, especially as an indie artist. That’s exactly why I love going to NYU, my program really focuses on production and entrepreneurship, and they leave the music skills up to you.  Knowing as much as you can about multiple aspects of the industry is definitely the way to go!

For more information about Sonali, visit her website: http://www.itsmesonali.com/home.cfm

You can also connect with Sonali on social media through her Facebook, Twitter & YouTube pages.