14-year-old singer-songwriter, Queeva, is proving to be quite the up-and-coming inspirational force. Born in the United States as one of six creative children, Queeva’s parents hail from Ireland providing the young musician with the diverse musical upbringing that encouraged her to begin playing guitar at an early age. Influenced by relatable female artists such as Kelsea Ballerini and Taylor Swift, Queeva strives to charge her songs with positivity and light, hoping to motivate and uplift those who enjoy her country/pop tunes.
Preparing to release her new single “Stand Out,” Queeva spoke with us about her favorite guitars, the secret behind her courage to command the stage, and the outrageously fun experience of recording the music video for her single, “Live like a Song.”
We heard that you come from Irish heritage and often spend time in Ireland; how do you feel this upbringing impacts your music?
I feel that my Irish heritage heavily impacts my sound, especially through my songwriting! Obviously, my Irish upbringing impacts who I am as a person and with songwriting being so personal, it absolutely shines through in my music.
What female performers have inspired or influenced you?
Kelsea Ballerini has definitely been one of my biggest inspirations. I absolutely love her songs, and she has a beautiful tone to her voice. Another major artist is Maren Morris. She is so unique which is something I really admire about her. There are many more, but those are for sure the two biggest at the moment.
Did you grow up in a musical home?
I did! My grandmother sang traditional Irish music, and my dad was always playing country music around the house. My brother used to play the accordion. Really everyone in my family did something!
At what age did you begin playing the guitar?
I began when I was around nine years old and was inspired to learn after watching Taylor Swift play. Actually, my first guitar had Taylor Swift’s name plastered all around it! I knew that I wanted to be like her, but it was extremely frustrating at first. Like with any instrument, or even with a sport, you have to relentlessly practice to improve. Once I started to get better, I was addicted! I couldn’t put the guitar down.
Do you have a specific brand of guitar that you prefer to play?
This past Christmas I was gifted a guitar from my parents that I have really fallen in love with. It’s a Gibson, and it has the most beautiful sound. It really compliments my voice. I guess that’s what this specific Gibson model of guitar is aimed to do. Basically, I really love Gibson guitars!
At only 14-years-old, where do you find the courage and confidence to get up on stage and perform? Has it always come naturally to you?
I feel that going on stage is nerve-wracking for everyone, even for artists that have done it millions of times. I knew that I wanted to perform for crowds but always found myself getting super nervous. Now, I’ve gotten so comfortable that the nerves have transformed into excitement. I love doing it and getting to interact with the crowds!
Could you explain your writing process to us and from where it is that you garner the inspiration?
Most of my inspirations tend to be taken from experiences within my own life or things that I witness happening at my school. Really anything that I feel supports a message that I find important to promote. A lot of the times my songs begin with a cool or interesting melody, a hook of a song that I like. You really never know where a song might start from or go!
To someone who may have never heard you before, how would you describe your sound?
I’d probably say that my sound is country/pop, but my music itself is focused on being inspirational and positive.
Speaking of the message you promote throughout your songs, what was it that inspired your attitude and hope to motivate others to remain positive?
I love hearing songs that have a good message you can walk away from the song with. It’s relatable and helps me throughout my everyday life. Basically, I wanted to be able to do the same for listeners of my music. Much like Taylor Swift did for me, I want to create music that a lot of different girls can relate to and easily understand.
Could you elaborate a bit on the creation of your single, “Live like a Song” and about your experience filming the music video?
“Live like a Song” expresses what music means to me. It speaks on how music is a universal language, that no matter where you’re from or what you do, it is capable of impacting us all. It’s a song that leaves a little room for personal interpretation too, which I think is important in keeping it relatable. The music video was super fun to shoot! The director was Stephen Sheppard, and he came up with such a cool idea for the video. I love being in front of the camera! Music videos have become another favorite part of mine about putting music out into the world.
Can you tell us about any new music you’ve been working on?
I’m going to be releasing a new single very soon! It’s called “Stand Out,” and I am beyond excited for everyone to hear this song. I really love this one and recently filmed a music video for it as well. Stay tuned!
