By Nick Christophers
Singer / songwriter Heather Gruber has not only grown as a musician but as an individual after her brave move to the glitzy streets of Los Angeles. See, Heather is a native of Tennessee, a far cry from the glamour of LA. Her move has helped mold and develop her recent album, “Dance Into The Desert” in November of 2018.
“Coming to LA changed me as a human. It was equally as foundational as my upbringing. I had to learn to struggle, to survive, to create my own opportunities, and to make things happen. It’s still a culture shock every time I go home, and every time I come back. The reality of my home in Tennessee is so drastically different than my new home in California; neither understands the other, and I have become equal parts of both. It creates an interesting dichotomy within me.”
Heather was introduced to the magic of music from her grandparents as they took her along when they toured with a gospel trio. That experience was the seed that planted her love for music. She took that one step further and studied Music Business at Anderson University in Indiana with a concertation on percussion performance. Upon graduating from College she decided to take a trip to India and served at Mother Theresa’s Mission. Traveling to India and spending a few weeks there actually helped her come up with some unique material for her album.
To sum up her type of music it would be a fusion of soul, indie pop, folk/acoustic and adult contemporary. Her music has been compared to such artists like John Mayer, Ingrid Michaelson, Sara Barielles and others. The album “Dance Into The Desert” for anyone listening to the music which has a whimsical feeling realize that the project takes them on a road trip through Heathers experiences. Song titles like “Lost My Halo” and “Letting Go” are road signs of what it is like to relocate and reconnect with one’s new surroundings. What Heather did which was unique, was she released a single once a week from 10.5.18-11.23.18 leading up to the 11.30.18 release date. It was an interesting way to tweak music fans interest before the whole pie was delivered.
“In studying the music business, the biggest trend of the last decade has been the focus on streaming and hence, the single. We no longer live in a world where people buy albums to hear music. People listen to songs; people search for songs. By releasing my favorite songs one at a time, it enhanced the possibility that a relatively new fan base would actually hear each song. If you release a 13-song album in one go, what are the honest chances that someone who isn’t already a big fan of your music is going to listen to more than three songs? We live in a generation of short attention spans. Giving each song a spotlight gave each story an individual chance to shine.”
Heather had already made her self-known in her hometown of Tennessee as a musician and playing at different venues. Then she began to do the same in LA only recently she performed at the well-known, Hotel Café. Since then she has played at local shows and open mics with artist collectives. When she does perform she not only sings but also plays the Ukulele and Guitalele. Yet she is also classically trained in percussion and piano. Heather is not big on touring but does enjoy performing at house concerts and small clubs, the more intimate the better. She believes it is easier in today’s world to reach people with her music digitally then traveling to perform anywhere. Heather is what you call “the new breed of artist” taking it as it comes and giving back even more.
