Meet Autumn Chamberlain

 

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Autumn Chamberlain. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Autumn, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

I think I should start off this story by saying that I am not overcoming extraordinary circumstances. I do not appear or believe that I was dealt a poor hand by any means. I am incredibly grateful to have a family that loves and supports me, a roof over my head, and security that each day I will wake up with the resources I need to do anything I set my mind to. What I’ve stubbornly set my mind to, however, is what brings on my relative adversity.

Ever since I was a young girl I’ve been in front of an audience. I was signed up for piano lessons in first grade, registered for musical theatre at age seven, and even had friends and family book me performances at restaurants and county fairs before I was barely an adolescent. As an introvert, every single one of these ventures terrified me, and continues to terrify me to some degree into my twenties. The gift of my first guitar during my freshman year of high school put pressure on me to, well, play guitar for others. Competitions, showcases, exhibitions I was led to forced me to prepare and expand, even though I had no inclination to practice at all. All of these opportunities to become a well-rounded artist and musician made me just that, an accomplished, versatile, competent musician. What it didn’t make me was fearless.

The amalgamation of my music education has led me to the conclusion that artistry is the path I was meant to take, I like to think of it that music chose me instead of the inverse. Being born with absolute pitch, which is the ability to recognize frequencies without a reference tone, was also a huge push in a musical direction. However, for years I have had an extreme aversion to risk, change, and failure. I can see in my mind the person and performer I’m meant to be, but taking steps to get there seemed insurmountable, even with the aforementioned support and resources I’ve been blessed with. Only within the last year or so has this begun to change.

When looking over the prompts for this interview I almost chose to write about optimism. I’ve always been optimistic, and I think I attribute that to my dad. He’d tell my sisters and me when we were kids that “every day is a new day”, and I took that to heart. Every day, every hour, every second is a new chance to try something different, start anew, or be a better version of yourself. And it’s true, even if the only thing you can change is your outlook, the moment will always be waiting for you. That, combined with “be the best you can be” coming from my mom, fostered contentment and confidence. Optimism, unfortunately, doesn’t prevent surrender; in fact, optimism makes giving up incredibly tempting, because being optimistic tells you that everything will be okay. Trying to make a name for yourself in a supersaturated industry while hailing from a rural area can get incredibly discouraging, especially as a perfectionist with a borderline allergy to asking for help. Personal progress has been very hard to recognize; I know I keep gathering experience, knowledge, and skill, but my breakthrough is yet to come, even though I’ve been assured it will arrive by friends, family, and mentors. This, unsurprisingly, has made me question myself, whether I’m as seasoned as I think I am, whether this is the right career for me, whether I should chose an aspiration I’m not afraid to pursue, typical insecurities. My shift in perspective dawned on me six months out of college.

In December of 2022, I was driving through my hometown in Northern Vermont. I was behind the wheel of the car I learned to drive on: a 2011 Subaru Forester, specially ordered manual transmission. Glancing down at my dusty dash, I randomly noticed my odometer was at 99,999 miles. Though I was already running behind, I pulled over to snap a picture and safely set up my phone to record the moment my display transitioned to 100,000 miles. Why? I couldn’t tell you, it felt momentous at the time. After reviewing the footage a mile down the road, the reason became clear. I looked at my odometer, taking another picture, and couldn’t help but feel like the little window was empty. The “9”s that had been there before made my dash feel so busy, chaotic, disorganized, almost overwhelming. Adding one more mile miraculously took that all away, back to square one, except the “1” was surreptitiously hidden on the progressive side of all the zeros. I couldn’t get the thought out of my head that, even though I had “leveled up”, there was this feeling and appearance of less, a neatness of sorts, a semblance of calm. I jotted these words down right before I got back on the road with six figures of miles:

I watched my car hit 100k
Watching all the nines turn to zeros
It’s easy to forget that a 1 appears on the front
Maybe a fall after a high is progress in disguise
The numbers have to reset to get to the next level

I knew in this span of five minutes that I had the album artwork and title for a song I was going to write about my realization. Less than two years later I was driven to release an original song titled “100k” as a universal reminder that progress is not linear.

It’s so cliche to recite phrases akin to “it’s about the journey, not the destination”, or “it’s darkest before the dawn”, but it’s a lesson I hope everyone can realize at some point in their lives. Some degree of mess and disarray is necessary to find a way through even if aesthetically it’s less than ideal. This song has helped me keep my head up in times of doubt and confusion about my future. Every time I feel I’ve taken a step backward or I’m at a standstill, I now know in my soul I am still moving forward because moving at all is so much more than standing still- there’s that optimism.

I internalized this realization and vowed to cherish my unabashed optimism and ride my momentum, but remember that when my speed slows and I feel like I’ve reached a limit, I’m changing and taking things to new heights. Just like my manual transmission that I got to know over the years, each gear has a point of no return, and that’s the beauty! You can’t go fifty miles per hour in first gear, a shift is necessary, and all of a sudden the standard has changed; you’re in fourth gear and the bare minimum is thirty. As an innately sensitive writer I try to pull meaning and metaphor out of anything, but this one was pushed in my direction. Part of who I am has always revolved around harmony, and everything I’ve experienced so far confirms that things happen and fit together for a reason in the long run. I don’t have my Forester anymore, and tangentially I don’t shy away from playing the piano for my peers. I now have a shiny new 2025 Outback with features I only dreamed of having in my old ride, just as I now push others aside for the chance to sing original lyrics and play my guitar that I’ve come to adore. My fears serve a purpose: they are showing me how much I am growing. My character development is not dramatic, it is not unique, and it is not extraordinary, but it is sure. My lesson in resilience peaked while looking at my old odometer, and my metamorphosis into the person I’m meant to be made a momentous stride. It’s imperative to feel discouraged when it feels authentic, 24/7 optimism is unrealistic. I have learned to embrace it and know that I’m molting and gearing up for what’s next. You can not have growth without obstacles. Trust the process. Keep going.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Alright, so I’m a singer/songwriter from Northern Vermont. My goal is to become a touring artist and bring my music to audiences all over the place. As I mentioned in the first question, I’ve been surrounded by music my whole life. I have a bachelor’s degree in Music Business and Industry with concentrations in Self Promotion and Audio Production, with a minor in marketing, so I have been studying the ins and outs of various aspects of the artistic process. I think having this knowledge and background makes me unique- a lot of A-list stars nowadays got their big break very early into their careers and lives or decided not to pursue a college degree for one reason or another. Sometimes I regret losing out on those four years of time, but what I learned gives me so much perspective, insight, and skill to pretty much do it all myself. My success now only depends on my actions, not because I’m ignorant of how the music world works.

I am actively curating a brand I really resonate with. It’s important to evolve and switch your brand up every so often to keep fans engaged, but remain in your core values. What I am aiming to portray as an aspiring pop artist is a casual, natural, approachable vibe. This doesn’t mean that all of my music is going to be acoustic, I still want to fit in with the mainstream, but the goal is to emanate a wholesome warmth through my sound and my presence. Writing lyrics is my favorite part of the creative process and I put a ton of thought into every syllable and simile I share with others. I’ve always been a fan of puns and wordplay for more than just my songs, which works perfectly as I’m now leaning into my name for my branding. When I picture the concept of “Autumn”, I have visions of reds and oranges, the beautiful foliage I’ve grown up with in Vermont. A warm drink, the crisp air, a long-sleeved shirt that’s perfect for an afternoon walk or a simple night in. Nothing complex, but nothing basic. A very happy medium that people can relate to and reach out to stylistically. This is who I feel I am as a person and I’d like to incorporate my authentic persona into my brand. I think this font isn’t really seen in pop music much- there’s a lot of in-your-face sparkles and intensity. This is not to say that that kind of branding is bad or ineffective, it’s just not me. I know that audiences resonate and are drawn to people living their truth, so my goal is to accentuate my truth as much as I can.

I have lots of music I’m writing and recording at home, as well as several projects in the air with other artists. Up and coming though, I am re-releasing a song of mine “Silver Lining” on April 4th. It was originally and very amateurly recorded for a school project back in 2019, but of all the songs I’ve written and released it has made the short list of tracks that need to be given justice. The title is pretty self-explanatory, and coincidentally goes along with themes I have talked about in this interview: there’s good in anything if you look for it, stay resilient. “Silver Lining” is a fan favorite and I’m excited to have spruced it up into something I’m really proud of.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

The three qualities that have impacted me the most so far took the longest to internalize. It’s important in any endeavor to be consistent, authentic, and remain open.
Being consistent will objectively get you closer to where you want to be no matter what you are doing. You’re bound to improve through practice, and it gives people more chances to discover and learn about you, and therefore, become invested in your journey. My advice to remain consistent is to give yourself permission to take small steps. Something small for me might be answering an email about a performance opportunity, journaling to inspire lyrics, or posting a draft to my social media. More often than not, my small action turns into something bigger, but even if it doesn’t, I can be content that I’ve taken action. Not every move you make has to be grand, any amount of a step in the right direction is progress.
Whatever steps you are taking towards reaching your goal, make an effort to remain authentic. People are innately drawn to creators and visionaries doing what is true to them. Plus it’ll most likely sit better with you to not have to put on a mask and pretend to be something that you’re not. I perform better as an artist when I am comfortable on stage wearing jeans and a comfy shirt singing songs that I love as opposed to putting on an outfit that doesn’t resonate with my brand or personality and doing covers of only what my audience wants to hear. Discovering what authenticity looks like for you will be a lifelong scavenger hunt; the best way to uncover your authentic self is to spend time alone. Go on a walk, leave your phone at home, and talk to yourself, pay attention to how you verbalize your internal monologue. Journaling is also a great way to filter your thoughts and feelings if you’re not on board with talking to yourself just yet.
My third piece of advice can be incorporated into everything that you do- be OPEN. Like most people, I am very attached to the people, places, and things that I’ve collected over the years. I don’t like change and will happily do the same things over and over again. I think that this is a fine way to be, don’t get me wrong- if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. If this is your dream reality, relish it. However, if you are looking to be bolder and see further growth, being open will bring you experiences you never imagined would happen to you. You won’t be passionate about every opportunity you make yourself open for, but this is how you learn what feels authentic to you. This could be as small as ordering something different at your favorite restaurant, or as big as saying yes to a relocation across the country by the end of the month. Being open-minded to circumstances that you haven’t always envisioned for yourself will make room for what is meant for you.
All three of these qualities go hand in hand, and above all, I would suggest maintaining a balance, with everything really. Think about your journey as a soup- there is a certain amount of each ingredient that goes into it to make the flavors round and homogenous. Some flavors are supposed to stick out while others are in the background, but it wouldn’t be the same without them. Everyone has different preferences, and everyone’s soup is different. Comparing your pot to someone else’s is a recipe for disaster. Sometimes boiling is the next step, other times you just need to simmer. I constantly have to tell myself that everyone is growing and improving. Just be sure to add patience and gratitude and your success will be soup-erior.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I am always looking for other creative people to collaborate with! Part of my dream as a songwriter is to be able to write for other artists. While ideally I would be known for the writing and performing I do for my personal brand, I love getting the opportunity to impact lyrics or sound quality of others’ projects. I humbly believe I have a lot of versatility and adaptiveness to offer any genre of music and would be thrilled to be featured in any capacity alongside more artists. If someone wants to get in touch with me as a lyricist, artist, or song/production consultant they can visit my website and submit a contact form, or email me directly [email protected].

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Jacob Before (photographer)

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