Meet Suzi Kory | Singer, Songwriter & Motivational Speaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Suzi Kory and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Suzi, what do you attribute your success to?
The most important factor behind my success is faith. It has inspired me to dream big, to believe that it was possible, and to take actions towards my dream even when it didn’t seem rational. I have a very strong trust in my intuition and that has made it only grow stronger in providing me with direction in my life and musical career.

In 2017 my photographer friend Igor Vidyashev introduced me to Brent Woods during a trip to LA for a photoshoot. Brent was a guitarist and producer having worked with everyone from Vince Neil, Sebastian Bach, the late Taylor Hawkins, as well as the members of KISS, and currently with Gene Simmons. We quickly became friends and my instinct told me this was the person I should work with. Since then we have cowritten and recorded ten singles, five of which have been placed on regular rotation on Sirius XM.

In 2020 I released a song entitled ‘Love Revolution’ and again my intuition spoke to me telling me to create a music festival around the song. I had a clear vision that it would be a Woodstock inspired festival out in the fields. A great friend of mine JP Jones introduced me to Brent Clements who had a large piece of land where his home was located. It was perfectly suited for the vision I had for the festival. Thanks to their help, the numerous volunteers, and of course the musical artists it was a huge success in bringing my vision of peace, love, and music to life.

I am a very spiritual person and meditate daily to help bring clarity to my mind and allow answers to come to me. Listening to my inner voice has been one of the most beneficial tools for me. We all have an inner guidance system, but in order for it to function effectively you really need to silence the outer voices which includes your well-meaning family and friends. Listening to your inner voice also allows you to be more authentic by being true to who you are. Authenticity inspires deeper, more meaningful connections and I have found that even with my social media presence online followers are able to feel that.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
It is really quite easy to set yourself apart by simply being yourself and that is what I have always done. When I first began my musical career I wanted to be a rock singer, like many of my childhood idols. My producer Brent Woods however was instrumental in helping me make a shift towards country music. At first I was hesitant because I felt like I didn’t want to sell myself as being country when I was not raised country. I didn’t drink whiskey or beer and have always been a big city girl. I eventually found my place with country-rock. It was a happy medium that reflected the country music I listened to as a child with my mom being a huge country music fan and the rock music that had inspired me to become a performer.

I got to where I am professionally by taking action. It all starts in the imagination and picturing in your mind where you are going to be, but that is exactly where you will stay if you don’t take steps towards your dreams. I never limited myself by staying in my own region. My second live show ever was at the Whisky a Go Go and my third at Festival CoMA in Brazil. Most people will let opportunities pass them by by getting overwhelmed with the details of how they are going to make something happen. I always say ‘yes’ first and figure out the details later. Once you tell the universe you want things seem to fall into place and the right people come into your path to make it happen.

The biggest lessons I have learned are to trust your gut and take risks. Living as much life as possible is how you grow. I would also say that in your pursuit of success doing things for the collective is so much more rewarding then focusing solely on yourself. Creating the Love Revolution Country Music Festival was one of the most rewarding things I have done so far. Ironically, by helping showcase other artists I was able to raise my profile in addition to theirs. Collaboration is so much more powerful than competition and helps move everyone forward.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Being a rock n’ roller at heart I have a sweet spot for the Sunset Strip with its legendary musical spots like The Whisky and The Roxy. Having played my first show in LA at the Whisky a Go Go holds many special memories, knowing all the legendary acts that graced that stage before me. I recall driving one day up off of Sunset Blvd into Laurel Canyon and stopping at the Canyon Country Store. I needed to get breakfast and a coffee and sat down to work on writing lyrics to my song ‘Settle of the Dust’.Little did I know the history of that area. I was only after I got back to Toronto that I ended up watching a documentary about this magical area.

A guilty pleasure for me is also visiting the vintage/thrift shops around LA. I have found some of the coolest stage outfits at various shops in Santa Monica and West Hollywood.

I am not usually one to visit typical tourist sites, but I absolutely love going to The Griffith Observatory for the hike and the gorgeous view at dawn or sunset. Growing up in Toronto, I have always has a fascination with LA and that view if the city never gets old for me.

And finally, no trip is complete without a visit to the Pacific Ocean. I have spent a lot of time at the ocean meditating and even writing songs.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My producer Brent Woods has been such a pivotal influence in my musical career. I remember when we first met I made a two week trip to LA to work on songs and he insisted I spend time alone to ‘find my voice’. Up until that point I had been trying to imitate the artists I had admired in terms of vocals and songwriting. It was through his guidance that I learned to to find inspiration without necessarily imitating them.

He also introduced me to various musical styles and we would sit and analyze songwriting styles. I was new to songwriting and had no formal musical training and Brent was so supportive with my ideas. If you are trying to create any kind of authentic art you really need to be honest and bare your soul. Brent made that easy to do and it allowed us to create from a pure place.

Website: https://www.suzikory.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzikory/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suzikory

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SuziKory

Other: ttps://www.tiktok.com/@suzikory