Hi Adrienne, thanks for joining us!  I’d love to start out by hearing about your background and how you got into music and songwriting.  What has your career path looked like/been like so far?

I was raised in Carbondale, Colorado and in Los Barriles, Baja California Sur, Mexico. I attended public school in Mexico in the winters through 8th grade, then lived full-time in the United States for high school. I wasn’t around anyone who worked in music or film growing up, and a career in the arts wasn’t on my radar, although I have always enjoyed creating. I have kept journals ever since I was a child, and that is where the writing began. I still have all the journals, some of which are pretty embarrassing.  

I attended Chapman University in Orange County, which was how I was introduced to LA. I started coming up to the city on the weekends. I moved to Venice Beach right after college- was crashing on a futon on my friend’s floor, and had no idea what I wanted to do. I was also very sick with a chronic condition that unfortunately lasted a decade. The illness sort of forced me to look for an outlet, and when I discovered stand-up comedy, I was hooked and I wrote and performed for five years. I secretly wanted to be a musician and was writing songs and singing in the privacy of my room. I was lucky enough to meet a dear friend and mentor who changed everything by encouraging me to pursue music and introducing me to the film world. I retired from stand-up comedy to focus on music. 

You’ve been involved in a lot of roles with film/performing- comedy, screenwriting, film… do you find all of your skills play into your songwriting or is there any compartmentalizing of different mediums for you?

Writing and performing stand-up comedy was the ultimate training ground for songwriting. The stakes are so high, one wrong word and the whole set could be thrown off (worst case it’s a total bomb!). This forced me to choose every word wisely, and be precise with timing- skills that are also beneficial in songwriting and performing music. It helped me look at myself honestly and think “how do I actually feel about this?”  Stand-up also gave me the confidence to sing publicly, which I did not have for many years. Screenwriting plays into songwriting because it’s all about finding the emotional beats. 

You recently had a song that you wrote, “Ezra” (which is gorgeous), in the film with the same name.  Ezra was directed by Tony Goldwyn and stars Robert DeNiro, Bobby Cannavale, and Rose Byrne.  Can you tell us more about your process for this song, and a bit more about the film for those who haven’t seen the film?

The song came together very quickly. I watched the film, jotted down a few lines during the movie, went to sleep, then woke up the next morning and wrote it. 

Ezra follows Max Bernal (Bobby Cannavale), a stand-up comedian living with his father (Robert De Niro), while struggling to co-parent his autistic son Ezra (introducing William Fitzgerald) with his ex-wife (Rose Byrne). When forced to confront difficult decisions about their son’s future, Max and Ezra embark on a cross-country road trip that has a transcendent impact on both their lives. 

The story is loosely based on the screenwriter’s experience raising his autistic son. Robert De Niro also has a son who is on the autism spectrum, and so does one of the producers. It was a personal story for many involved, and they worked hard to get it right. William Fitzgerald, was twelve at the time of shooting and had never acted before. He is on the autism spectrum.

I was taken by William’s performance, and his character’s relationship with his father. The song is a love letter from father to son which, ultimately, is what the movie is about. That unconditional love- I’m here for you, in this life with all its messiness. I love the idea that kids are born perfect, and it’s a parent’s job to see that perfection and nurture it, despite what the world around may say. The chorus line of the song is “so let yourself be Ezra,” and my intention was to book-end this emotional film with a sense of lightness. It’s a great film, please go see it! Bring tissues!

The song was also released as part of an official soundtrack album by Lakeshore records, along with the original film score by Carlos Rivera. 

What are some inspirations for you?  If you get stuck on something, what are some ways you push through and find inspiration again?

There are two ways- one is taking some time to be alone and reconnect with myself.  Listen to music, exercise, watch movies, read. Another is the opposite- being out, around people, hearing their stories and letting life happen. It gives me perspective and sheds light on themes and situations we are all dealing with as imperfect humans in a messy world. I’ll hear something, or something will happen that sparks an idea for a song. I love listening in on strangers’ conversations in public.

Is there anything exciting coming up for you either at the end of this year or next year that you can share with us career-wise or otherwise?

The song, ‘Ezra’ has been submitted for the SCL Awards and the Academy Awards, which is exciting. There are so many talented songwriters in the mix this year, it’s an honor to be involved. 

I have some other projects in motion, but not ready to be announced. Stay tuned! 

Interview by Connor Cook

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