Arielle with her Electric Guitar
Photo by Rebecca Weiss Photography

        If you haven't had the pleasure of hearing Arielle perform in one of her numerous gigs throughout the Village club circuit, I can tell you first-hand you are missing out. Arielle is one of those rare breed of musicians who can draw you in without fancy synth beats, overwhelming noise, exotic instrumental backup, or gimmickry of any kind. When you listen to her play, regardless of venue, it feels as though you are being treated to an intimate performance in your living room. It is precisely this raw, vulnerable "just a girl and her guitar" quality that distinguishes Arielle from many of her acoustic folk/pop peers and keeps her fans coming back for more. Her voice, breathy and ethereal, is a stand-out, and her lyrics about inner conflict, love, and loss, are universally relateable.

       I recently contacted Arielle to discuss her music and her upcoming gig at Recoup Lounge in the Lower East Side on October 24th. I was given the scoop on everything from her musical inspirations to her thoughts on Kanye *cough*douche*cough* West.

Arielle Performing Live
Photo by Ben Prager

Chicktellectual.com: What is your musical background and when did you first pick up the guitar?

Arielle: The piano was actually my first instrument, and I took lessons for a number of years as a kid. I wrote my first few songs on the piano in 8th grade... probably about my early boy crushes. Jazz dance was a big part of my life growing up and a lot of my musical interests were initially shaped by the music I was moving to. I remember the song "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman being played during a warm-up routine in class. We were dancing to songs by INXS, Madonna, Tone Loc, Marc Cohen, The Grateful Dead, etc. It was a really wide range of stuff and I loved it. Throughout high school and college I sang in various Jewish choirs and acapella groups, which gave me a real appreciation for the power of harmonies. I decided to pick up the acoustic guitar toward the end of college when I began writing songs more regularly. I liked the folk sound and wanted to be able to write with a portable instrument. I don't consider myself to be a guitar player. My main instruments are my voice and my lyrics. 

C.com: What inspired you to start performing?

A: I've always loved being on stage, but I do remember a particular moment at an Indigo Girls concert... it was their "Come On Now Social" Tour at the Beacon. I think I went to 2 or 3 of the shows that week. I thought to myself "If I can be inspired in this way by music, then I'd like to be able to do the same for others." I really felt euphoric at those shows. Also, after spending a summer at Berklee College of Music with so many others who were pursuing music as a career, I felt supported enough in the choice to pursue my passion. 

C.com: Who are your biggest musical influences?

A: Well of course the Indies :) Emily Saliers is one of my favorite songwriters. Her ability to mesh pure poetry with haunting and emotion laden melodies is something that I aspire to do. And Amy Ray isn't too shabby either. Love her energy, presence, and strong musical and political statements.  Other influences range from pop artists like Madonna, Avril, Sarah McLachlan, and Pink to Dar Williams, Brandi Carlile, Patty Griffin, Melissa Etheridge... did you say the biggest? I could go on and on.    

C.com: How would you describe your fanbase?

A: Chicktellectual ;)

Tamar Prager Joins Arielle Onstage for Percussion
Photo by Ben Prager

C.com: Where do your lyrics come from? Inspirations?

A: My lyrics often are inspired by trying to capture an emotional snapshot. Sometimes the emotions will stem from a number of different life experiences that might work together to form a unified story line. Other lyrics emerge based on an idea or an image and continue to expand or morph into more or different images and ideas. I try to stay open to different triggers for inspiration as I go through the day. I'll find myself writing on napkins or recording snippets into my cell phone recorder.

C.com: Any poignant incidents or memories either from watching people perform or performing yourself that you'd like to share?

A: Lilith Fair, summer of 97' sinking in the mud in the pouring rain in upstate NY watching Closer to Fine with an ensemble of the Indigo Girls, Sarah McLachlan, Sheryl Crow, Jewel, Sean Colvin... Pretty awesome!

C.com: What is it like performing with your partner of 11 years? Positives and negatives...

A: It's a blast when Tamar [Prager] can join me playing percussion and singing. It feels like I'm at home literally and figuratively. We performed together in singing groups for many years, and so it just feels comfortable and I feel totally supported. Not to mention that she plays a mean djembe which really adds an exciting layer to the music.

C.com: How do you feel like your music has evolved since you first started playing?

A: I think the writing both musically and lyrically is more sophisticated. I'm also more open now to veering away from a strict song structure.

C.com: If you could perform with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?

A: Always wanted to sing with the Indigo Girls. They have been a huge inspiration to me and singing harmonies with them would be magical!

It's human nature and capitalism's nature to pigeonhole... nothing wrong with being known as "chick music" unless its being used to imply that therefore it's "less than" in some way. Is that what people mean? ;)

C.com: Have you released or do you plan to release any LPs, or performed for any radio programs?

A: Just a few weeks ago I played a local radio station in Provincetown, MA for an hour. It was really fun and exciting to be playing on air for that amount of time. It was also so comfortable because it was a real community grown station. I recently released a 5 song EP on Amiestreet.com. It's a great site because you can buy music inexpensively and make money credits by recommending the music you like. I am hoping to begin recording a full length album within the next 6 months. I have so much material that I am dying to put down. The songs on the EP, called "25" were recorded over a number of years. I think my sound now is in the process of shifting, so I'd like to wait until that specific sound becomes clearer.

C.com: What do you think about people trying to pigeonhole your music as "chick music"? What genre would you personally classify it as?

A: It's human nature and capitalism's nature to pigeonhole, so I certainly understand that. Nothing wrong with being known as "chick music" unless its being used to imply that therefore it's "less than" in some way. Is that what people mean? ;) That's more of a comment on society's evaluation of what women are drawn to, right? Ah labels. I tend to like the umbrella ones since they are the vaguest and leave room for interpretation. Indie-acoustic or even pop singer-songwriter. To me a song is a song is a song. It's in the way it's performed or produced that reinforces its genre. The mixture of my performance and productions are a mix between acoustic and pop. There you go! 

C.com: If you could leave one message or impression with your fans, what would it be?

A: If even one person leaves inspired by something he or she heard, I would feel successful because ultimately that is what sharing music is about, for me. 

C.com: What can people expect from your upcoming gig at the Recoup Lounge?

A: Some new tunes for sure. Also, I think [guitarist] Marc Shulman is a master at creating a mood around a song, so I think there will be a new ambiance surrounding the music. This will of course be enhanced by Tamar's percussion which always infuses the music with vibrance and drive.

C.com: In the spirit of random chicktellectual questions, what do you think about the infamous Kanye interruption at the VMAs?

A: I'm just glad that he ended up looking like a real moron as a result, especially since Beyonce ended up winning an even bigger award! Patience... I just adore Taylor Swift.

You can learn more about Arielle and hear samples of her music on her web site, as well as her Myspace page, and be sure to check her out Saturday night, October 24th, at Recoup Lounge located at 210 Rivington Street (between Ridge and Pitt)! Arielle is scheduled to take the stage at 9:30 p.m. Be there or be super uncool.