Whitney Woerz is a sixteen-year-old singer who is following her dreams and is quickly making some noise in the music industry. She just released her first single and music video for her track “Idea of Her” that’s from her EP, Iridescent. We got the opportunity to chat with the up-and-coming artist to learn more about her music, her involvement in her community and how her EP came about.
TYF: For our readers who are new to your music, can you give us a little back story as to how you got into the music industry?
Whitney Woerz: I started singing at a very young age. My mom likes to say “she was singing before she was talking.” I started doing musical theater when I was in elementary school and after my first show, I knew that I wanted to perform. When I was 9 I wrote my first song and from there I continued writing. When I was 13 I sent some of my demos to my current producer Glenn Rosenstein and he really liked them! Ever since 13 I have been professionally working and writing.
TYF: As a teen in the music industry, what were some of the challenges you’ve faced prior to getting into the music industry?
Woerz: Juggling a music career with high school has been challenging. I have to leave school a lot to perform or record which sometimes hard, but I have always been good at finding a way to get everything done.
TYF: I read that in January 2015, you started recording your debut EP. What was that experience like?
Woerz: The experience recording my first EP was amazing and so surreal considering how young I was. I recorded it in Nashville and New York at various studios. I wanted to record at a
professional level for so long and to be able to go to cool studios, meet/work with incredible musicians, and work with people in the industry was a dream come true.
TYF: Did you face any unexpected challenges during the recording process?
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Woerz: I did not face any specific challenges in the recording process, but everything was so new that it became a huge learning experience.
TYF: You recently released the music video to “Idea of Her.” Can you walk us through what the track means and how it connects to what’s going on in the music video?
Woerz: “Idea Of Her” is about how some people try to hide who they really are whether it’s with a fake personality, makeup, or another means that cover up who they really are. We showed this through the music video by having two Whitneys. One Whitney is trapped in a glass box watching another fake, pretty, perfect Whitney go through pretending to like everything she is being told. This frustrates the Whitney inside the box because she knows how unhappy she is. This propels box Whitney to finally break through the glass and shut off the fake one. This music video and song has the message of “what you see on the outside isn’t always what is within.” I want people to watch the video and leave feeling comfortable in their own skin and happy with who they are.
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TYF: Since your debut EP is now released, will you be on tour?
Woerz: I will be performing a lot this summer mostly around New York and in the fall I hope to be an opener for someone or doing my own tour.
TYF: I read that you are very involved in the community and participate in anti-bullying programs. What has inspired that?
Woerz: When I was 13, a friend I only knew from social media tell me that she wanted to kill herself. I didn’t really know what this meant at the time so I called the organization BringChange2Mind. The organization is run by Glenn Close and works to end the stigma surrounding mental illness. I was told to stay with her so I wrote her a song which was called “Ghost Story.” I sent her a rough recording of it and she told me that it helped a lot and she was thankful that someone listened. After that, I thought that if I could help one person I could help so much more.
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TYF: Has your participation in these anti-bullying programs inspired any of your music?
Woerz: Participating in these organizations definitely inspire my music. I write a lot of my music with themes of anti-bullying and trying helping to help people through mental illness. Being able to do that and take action with BringChange2Mind is perfect for me.
TYF: You’re a teen ambassador for BringChange2Mind, what made you want to become an ambassador?
Woerz: When I called BringChange2Mind, they told me to call the suicide hotline for my friend. After I called BringChange2Mind and they helped me get help for my friend, I wanted to take action and help more people, so I immediately got involved.
TYF: Has the BringChange2Mind community inspired some of your music?
Woerz: The BringChange2Mind community has definitely inspired my music. Since I started working with them, I have had new experiences to write about and more people to help through my music.
TYF: Do you have any advice for teens who want to break into the music industry?
Woerz: My advice is to not wait for an opportunity to come to you but to actually put in work and find it. Also, to get started, I highly recommend starting a YouTube channel. You never know who will find your videos and how many people you can inspire.
TYF: Where can music lovers find your music?
Woerz: People can find my music on every music platform! My music is on iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube. Music fans can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
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