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The Next Octave

As an award-winning singer/songwriter, I’ll show you how to turn your struggles into songs and rise above life’s challenges with the healing power of music.🎶🎸🎹🎤🎧✨

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Featured Post

What’s Holding You Back from Getting Started?! (The future of songwriting is here!)

Weekly Newsletter 8.29.25 What’s Holding You Back from Getting Started?! (The future of songwriting is here!) Hi Reader, Often in life, we hesitate to try something new, only to discover once we finally do that we wish we had started sooner. For the past few weeks, I’ve been sharing why songwriting can be such a powerful tool for healing, touching on both the physical and emotional benefits. (If you missed any of those newsletters, you can catch up here). Today, I want to shift gears and...

Someone is holding a notebook with writing lyrics.

Weekly Newsletter 8.21.25 ✨ Finding Your Voice Through Song Hi Reader, In today’s busy world, it’s easy to get swept up in responsibilities, deadlines, and constant noise. But without a healthy outlet for self-expression, all of that energy builds up and often leaves us feeling stressed, disconnected, or creatively unfulfilled. That is why having a creative outlet like songwriting is so powerful. Songwriting is more than putting words to music. It is a way of processing emotions, telling your...

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Weekly Newsletter 8.14.25 From Silence to Song: My First Release in 8 Years (Out soon!) Hi Reader, I still remember the moment I decided to take singing lessons again, years after graduating from Berklee College of Music. Back when I graduated, my voice teacher told me, “This is just the beginning. Keep studying after you leave here.” But life has a way of pulling you in different directions. I had to find a full-time job to stay in Boston, and I was also managing some medical challenges. I...

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Weekly Newsletter 8.7.25 Feeling Drained by Life Lately? (Songwriting might just be the relief you need!) Hi Reader, Let’s be real: life is a lot right now. Whether you're going through a personal hardship or just trying to stay afloat in the middle of everything happening in the world—global uncertainty, unrest, constant change—it’s easy to feel anxious, unmotivated, or emotionally drained. But you don’t have to hold it all inside. Songwriting is a powerful way to process your emotions,...

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Weekly Newsletter 7.24.25 A Lesson Learned in Graduate School (Why do we keep telling the same story?!) Hi Reader, How many times have you told the same story in your life?But more importantly—have you ever thought about why you keep telling it? I’ll admit, I’ve told some stories more than once (okay, more than a few times!), sometimes even to the same person—who kindly reminds me, “You already told me that!” 😂 I still remember something a professor in graduate school once said that stuck...

A woman is working on her laptop headphones on writing music.

Weekly Newsletter 7.18.25 ✨ Discover the Healing Power of Your Voice ✨ Hi Reader, Have you ever felt like something inside you is ready to be released—but you’re not sure how? Trying something new can feel a little scary. But it can also be exactly what your soul needs. That’s where Songwriting for Healing comes in. You don’t need to play an instrument or have a music degree.Just bring your feelings, your story, and a willingness to explore something new. In a private 1:1 session, I'll guide...

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Weekly Newsletter 7.10.25 🎶 What Happens in an Online Songwriting Session? (Let’s pull back the curtain…) Hi Reader, Have you ever wondered what it’s really like to write a song during an online session? Whether you're brand new to songwriting or you're looking to sharpen your skills, I want to give you a sneak peek into what happens when we meet on Zoom to create music together. Here’s what you can expect from our time together: 🎧 1. We Start with YouWe’ll drop into the space with a brief...

Microphone on a stage, ready to perform.

Weekly Newsletter 7.3.25 Feeling Stuck? Let an Instrumental Track Inspire Your Next Song (The art of toplining!) Hi Reader, Have you ever heard a beat or instrumental track and immediately felt a melody bubble up in your chest? That’s the spark of toplining—the art of writing lyrics and melody over an existing musical track. Whether you're a seasoned songwriter or just stepping into your creativity, toplining is one of the most freeing and fun ways to craft a song. I personally love toplining...

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Weekly Newsletter 6.26.25 Tired of Struggling and Want to Feel Better? (You can and you will!) Hi Reader, If you’ve been carrying heavy emotions or feeling stuck in a cycle of stress, sadness, or overwhelm—you’re not alone. And more importantly:There’s a way through. Songwriting is more than just music—It’s a powerful outlet for healing, expression, and transformation. Whether you’ve never written a song before or you’re just returning to your creative voice, songwriting helps you: 🎵 Release...

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Weekly Newsletter 6.19.25 Your Free Session is Waiting 🎉(And I’m ready to be your guide!) Hi Reader, By now are you starting to feel like there’s a song inside you, but you’re not sure how to begin—or how to keep going? Whether you’ve never written a lyric or you’ve got pages of voice memos and half-finished ideas, this free 1:1 online session is for you. As your songwriting guide, I’ll help you: 🎧 Turn real-life emotions into lyrics that resonate📝 Discover your unique voice and message🎶...