Vanessa Silberman is a singer/songwriter based in Brooklyn, New York.
Before 2020, Silberman was well known around the touring DIY circuit, playing over 800 shows in just 5 years! Her name began to spread even more after playing shows like Vans Warped Tour, opening spots for Alkaline Trio and more.
She’s also no stranger to being behind the boards in the studio. She has engineered and assisted acts like Tony Visconti, Kimbra, Foo Fighters and Joan Jett, just to name a few.
2020 was tough for everyone, but Silberman decided to make the best of a bad situation, releasing 7 self-produced singles and holding weekly live streams to interact with her fans.
To celebrate the release of her new single, “Love Will Always Find a Way”. Silberman was kind enough to take time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions that will help us get to know her a bit better:
Nick Teal: What are some of your hobbies/interests outside of music?
Vanessa Silberman: “I love biking, meditation, fashion, movies, travel, and painting.”
NT: When did you first become interested in making music?
VS: “Very early on in grade school.”
NT: Once you started playing shows, did you book them yourself? If so, how did you manage that?
VS: “I just started figuring it out and booking shows myself or through other people. My first band show was a Juxtapose Magazine show in San Francisco. My friend Lindsey Byrnes, who’s a photographer booked my first band for that.”
NT: Can you tell me a bit about A Diamond Heart Production and how that got started?
VS: “I had always wanted to have a label. I attempted to start one with a couple friends in my late teens that never really worked. When I was working as an assistant engineer, I was also booking shows, working the door at venues, doing my band, scouting, and just telling a lot of different people in the industry about artists, so I decided to just go for it. I feel like I was finding all these artists & bands before they were getting signed or big. I wanted to make a label to have an avenue and community for myself and other bands and artists as a platform before they got to the next stage (whether it be a major label booking agent or a big management). To have a place for people and artists to develop. The first band on the label was a band from San Francisco called Down and Outlaws that I discovered and just felt very inspired by them.”
NT: It seems like your talents extend all over the industry, from songwriting to engineering. Did you just begin picking up new skills along the way?
VS: “Yes, definitely. A lot of it stemmed from not having money to pay for things or knowing the right people to do certain things for my own music. I would just learn how to do it or I would end up getting in lots of work situations where I would just need to figure things out and wear a lot of hats.”
NT: You’ve been able to work with artists all over the spectrum genre wise. Who were some of your favorites to work/play shows with?
VS: “Wow, I have so many! I assisted on a session for Alkaline Trio which features Matt from blink-182. I opened up for Alkaline Trio at the Troubadour in LA – that was definitely one of my favorite shows.
I also worked as an assistant on a record called Teenage Time Killers. The project was surrounding my late friend Reed Mullin (Drummer of Corrosion of Conformity). His band really helped pave the way in DIY hardcore metal/punk scene in the late 80’s and early 90’s. The record was very inspiring, featuring tons of different well known punk and metal bands and during the process we hit it off. Later on when I was touring solo he and a musician friend Mikel Ross offered to support me and we did numerous tours together. I have some really amazing and fond memories of that. Unfortunately Reed passed away last year. He also played on my Brighter in Bloom EP.”
NT: You seem to have shifted directions genre wise in your own music. Are there any artists you listen to regularly who may have contributed to that shift?
VS: “I was just definitely ready to evolve and for a change since I had been doing the rock thing for so long. The spirit of that will always be there but I just wanted to try different things. My drummer, Ryan Carnes, who is a big part of my music too was completely on board for a shift with me so it’s been a very great and natural progression for us. I love pop music too; we both do. Even before I started creating a new sound I talked about it for a couple months to him and a few music friends to kind of figure out what exactly I was feeling. Both myself and Ryan send music to each other sometimes. I’ll create things and he’ll send me inspiration ideas. I’ve just been approaching this type of music very differently and starting out with different instrument and samples. I listen to tons of artists for inspiration, too. I love artist like M83 & some darker synth pop bands like White Lies or classic bands like Depeche Mode. I spent quite a bit of time listening to more current artists like CHVRCHES, Sia, Lana Del Rey, Meh Myers, Metric, The XX, Phantogram, Tame Impala, and alt J.”
NT: Do you have any advice for artists who are new to the industry?
VS: “Listen to your heart and trust yourself.”
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