Cris Cohen: You have what I would call a maturity about how you choose the volume and intensity of what you sing. Were you always able to choose that tastefully, or is it something you developed?
Courtney Santana: There are a lot of artists now that don't do live performances. They create something in the studio, and then it's just that.
And I started out in live performance. I was a dancer in contemporary dance and ballet for 19 years. And then I did live theater and musical theater. I've done many musicals.
The idea of emoting and connecting with somebody in the audience… I can look at you when I'm singing and have an instant connection. So, when I am singing, I'm trying to elicit some sort of response in someone. And if I see somebody's really getting it, I'll be right there with them. And I'm like, “Okay, what is it about that moment that I should maybe play up? Because somebody else in the room might want to feel that too.”
Cris Cohen: And does that change from night to night?
Courtney Santana: It does change from night to night. You have to read the room.
The most successful artists I've ever seen are the ones who are able to connect with their audience. It's not just, “I wrote the song. Now you sit and listen to it.”
I want you to feel something, whatever that emotion is that's coming up. Let's feel it together.
My background is in mental health and psychology. So maybe I'm mixing some of that in there too.
Courtney Santana website: https://courtneysantana.com/
Clients:
Huey Lewis & The News
Cowboy Mouth
The Fabulous Thunderbirds
Sister Hazel
Red Wanting Blue
The Devlins
John “Papa” Gros
Daniel Glass
Professor Louie & The Cromatix
Blue Elan Records