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View Winners → Archive Dec 21, 2017
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Photographs by Jeffrey Baum
Interview by Renee Schmiedeberg for LA Canvas and Square Space.
“POMPOM” is the whimsical moniker she goes by when she’s in LA making music nostalgic for the 80s. Audrey is her name when she’s a regular girl visiting her small hometown in Nevada. Like many other emerging artists, Audrey uses her Squarespace to express her youthful aesthetics while keeping fans updated on her latest work. All artists need great portfolios, take it from the pros and get yourself a subscription to the best DIY website out there. Squarespace has tons of customizable templates and tutorials to express your individual style and aesthetic, so there’s no reason not to make it now. Quit putting it off, get professional and get your own website on Squarespace to showcase your own creativity. Heck, we’re even giving you a coupon code. Use “LACANVAS” for 10% off your first Squarespace purchase!
Find POMPOM’S latest happenings here: http://www.pompommusic.com/
and check out Squarespace here: www.squarespace.com.
LA Canvas: Tell us about yourself.
POMPOM: Hi, I’m Audrey. I grew up in Moapa Valley, a small town 45 minutes from Las Vegas. There’s a lot of nature out there, it’s a great place to grow up. We lived on a kind of farm with goats and peacocks and hedgehogs. My parents always had great taste in music and growing up, I played any instrument I could get my hands on.
I formed POMPOM because I was big on classical music and video game music. The first professional career I wanted was to be a video game music composer. I have my brother to thank for getting me into Final Fantasy! When I got my first synth, you couldn’t get me off it. I would always be playing with it. I majored in Animation in college and worked in a cubicle at Disney and Pixar for years. I left because my soul needed something, needed to reconnect to music again. I love animation and film, but music can make you feel otherworldly. It’s just different from other art forms.
LA Canvas: What makes you “you”?
POMPOM: Everyone has their own voice and I feel like I grew up a little different. I’ve always composed music, and was in a few bands before this one. POMPOM was when I decided to finally name myself. It’s me exploring the mysticism I’ve always felt behind music. I feel like everything has that extra sense that they can get into. Music is something that enters your body, bounces around, and imprints on your heart. All my life, I’ve felt a certain connection to music and like there was something more than the small town I grew up in. POMPOM is me performing everything I love into a single art form—costumes, videos, and music. It’s the project that I put all of me in.
LA Canvas: When did you launch your Squarespace site?
POMPOM: About a year and a half ago, I was looking for web space that was very flexible so people could see exactly who I am instantly. I don’t need a complex website for them to understand who I am and what I want to express. It was a great platform for an emerging artist. I actually learned a lot about building a website through it and it had me learning about how to develop it and use SEO. They have a lot of good tutorials.
LA Canvas: What have you found to be the most impactful on your site?
POMPOM: I love how easy it is to put videos on your site. You can put it in the background, anywhere on the site. I like the newsletter button on the front page, so people can subscribe and keep updated on my music. I only have a few links on the website and the social media buttons are the most useful.
LA Canvas: Which template are you using?
POMPOM: Gravity! It has a splash page, all my social media links and the newsletter. Visitors can easily go straight to my main page.
LA Canvas: How has your site impacted or not impacted your work?
POMPOM: For somebody who’s not a web developer, it’s pretty amazing. If I paid somebody to do this, it would be so expensive. My brother is actually getting into web development! Google Analytics is good, I can see where people are coming from. I know I can put Spotify on it when I release my next album.
LA Canvas: Speaking of a new album, any plans or goals for next year?
POMPOM: I’m releasing my next album this year. And I’m working on a music video for every song! The album is called Esper.
LA Canvas: Where do you get your video inspiration from?
POMPOM: Any mystical realm— I harken back to anything that really grabbed me while I was a kid as beautiful and strange. The Neverending Story, Labyrinth—movies from my childhood. I’m a huge David Lynch fan and adore the magic realism in Twin Peaks. I think it’s fun to bring feelings of wonderment to people who are young now. I love bringing feelings of new nostalgia to young people through my work.
LA Canvas: What advice would you give musicians trying to make it work? Or anyone about to launch their website for their music?
POMPOM: Number one is making connections and being friends with everybody, especially others in your industry. I grew up not knowing that I could choose my friends. My experiences have taught me that I can choose who I surround myself with and the best choice is to choose those who love creating all the time. I don’t ever feel discouraged because of those people. And if you see an opportunity, don’t be afraid to do it. Love yourself enough to pursue your dreams.
LA Canvas: Are you doing any shows soon?
I’m currently working on the new album so after it’s perfect, I’ll perform live.
I have a small song called “Stronger” on Spotify and iTunes now, it’s like a “get ready” song. The album will be way more ambitious. If you sign up for my email list you can find out all updates as they come!
Instagram – @POMPOM.music
Twitter – @musicPOMPOM
Facebook – facebook.com/musicpompom
Soundcloud – soundcloud.com/musicpompom
Website – pompommusic.com
