Meet India Carney | Singer, Songwriter, Producer, Vocal Coach

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

Hi India, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
I think you have to follow your heart on that one. Truly.

One of our most important life lessons is to learn who we are as people, and as a result, honor our intuition as we go throughout life. Most of the choices we make in life are ours to decide, so it’s important to make sure we make as many sound decisions as we can; that we make moves that most support the direction we want to go in life.

I believe your heart tells you whether to keep going or to change direction – and I also think, the more you learn who you are, the more you can discern whether or not those butterfly feelings are telling you to change course, or giving you the energy you need to push through.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Over the course of my career, I’ve understood the value of individuality. For a long time, I find that we spend our creative energy trying to emulate others. Often times, we’ll compare ourselves to the successes and talents of those we admire. But, the whole point of being an artist is to be unique, and the only way to do that is by being 100% authentic. I feel like I’ve spent so much time being different, that I’m finally confident in being myself.

For me, that authenticity combines all of my influences; musical theater, pop, r&b, jazz and opera. I love telling stories, and writing music allows me to do that. I think what sets me apart from others is that I’m happy to be myself. Nobody sounds like me, performs like me, writes like me – and that’s the point. As much as I’d like to, I won’t write a song like Max Martin would. And that’s what makes us all so special.

Of course, getting to this point has not been easy. The hardest part has been getting past myself, and that’s where my work quickly spills over into my personal life, for better or worse. The more I show myself love and kindness, the more vulnerable I can be on stage. The more I evolve and face my fears, the better I can verbalize what I’m feeling – and be a better songwriter. I’d love for the world to know that music is a real thing for me. I’ve studied it, I’ve enjoyed it, and I make music to express myself. I love creating, singing mostly, and connecting with my audiences. Music is so important to me and to the world. My biggest hope is just that it all translates.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
OKAY – I actually specifically love doing this.

My favorite things to do in Los Angeles include eating and taking in all of its beauty. I’m originally from New York City, so, naturally I love sight-seeing and being in the moment. We’d likely visit some of my favorite restaurants, including Aroma Cafe (Studio City), and Black Market Liquor Bar (Studio City). For coffee, we’d stop by Black Heart Coffee in Lake Balboa, Andante Coffee Roasters and Coffee Coffee, both located in West Hollywood. Ah – and before I forget, we’d of course grab some delicious Jamaican food from Wi Jammin in Mid-City.

For the views, we’d likely go on a hike at Runyon Canyon or La Tuna Canyon. Depends on how we feel that day. Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica would also be on the agenda. It’s one of my favorite places to go people watch, shop and just be. We can also drive up to a lookout point in Angeles National Forest while eating some of my favorite ramen from Ramen of York (Highland Park).

There are flea markets, farmers markets, concerts, and so much more going on in this city. So, when we run out of ideas, we can always take to the internet to see what else is going on!

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?
There are so many people who I have to give thanks to for my success. First off, my good friend, Patricia Lewis, nominated me for this interview, so thank you, Patricia! It really takes a village, and I’m grateful to have such a supportive village.

My parents have always been so supportive of me, and they are the main reason I’ve been able to get to where I am. Quite literally. They drove me everywhere, haha. They attended all of my performances (and still do), they looked for new opportunities for me, helped me write biographies, resumes, essays to get into all the arts programs – the list goes on. I’d love to dedicate this shoutout to them.

Website: indiacarney.com

Instagram: instagram.com/india_carney

Facebook: facebook.com/indiacarneymusic

Youtube: youtube.com/indiacarney

Image Credits
Cody Burdette Media Charlie Weinmann