MUSIC FEATURE
As her interest in finance waned, her passion for and thinking, ‘If this is what it’s like, I can see myself a chance to unwind, to really unplug from the chaos of life,” Schroeder says. “I want everyone to leave music grew. The seed was planted late in freshman doing that.’” year when a classmate asked Schroeder to sing on Schroeder was also entranced with India Arie — refreshed.” his mixtape. She composed a verse for the song, how Arie infused her sound with her spirituality, and the folk elements she incorporated into her vocals. From high finance to musical marking her first brush with songwriting. In sophomore year, Schroeder bought a guitar and “These two in the beginning made me think I inspiration taught herself to play so she could accompany herself. had a space in the music world.” Love of music came relatively late to Schroeder, By that time Schroeder decided to pursue music, In 2012 Schroeder released her first recording. because until college, her priorities lay elsewhere. never expecting it to be a full-time job. She graduated The EP Abundantly consisted of four songs Schroeder Arsena Schroeder opens up Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she was raised by a with degrees in sociology and communications, the wrote during her college days and was produced by with intimate concert series single mother. Money was often tight, and Schroeder’s first member of her family to earn an undergraduate fellow Pfeiffer alumni Brandon Snow. At the time, childhood was punctuated by periods of homelessness. degree. Fresh out of college, Schroeder started Schroeder considered herself a Christian artist who BY PAT MORAN “Being an only child made me want to step up and playing the local and regional scenes. sang Christian-inspired music. help out,” Schroeder remembers. She was constantly “Starting out my inspiration was anybody who “Without a doubt my music is dipped, bathed, At 17, Arsena Schroeder was catapulted into the finding ways to bring in money to pay the bills. looked like me,” Schroeder offers, “and anybody who and soaked in my faith,” Schroeder told Breedlove fast-paced world of high finance. By her sophomore Schroeder believes this resilience in the face of year at Pfeiffer University, she had served five hardship fostered the entrepreneurial spirit she later created music that wasn’t the typical music that Music in a 2013 interview. (She subsequently signed women who looked like me created.” an endorsement deal with Breedlove guitars that internships with finance companies, including a concluded a few years ago.) Today, Schroeder stint on Capitol Hill. Schroeder was at the seat of no longer wishes to box her music into the America’s economic power, with a lucrative career Christian category. She’s grown in her spiritual laid out before her, but something wasn’t right. journey, she offers, and therefore finds the “I was bored out of my mind,” Schroeder says. label too rigid. “A lot of what I learned has helped me be successful, “I have a wider range of beliefs,” she says. but at the time it wasn’t relevant to me.” “Now that I’m older, I don’t enjoy the traditions Today Schroeder is grateful that she took a and oppression that come with that.” 180-degree turn in her career track, abandoning That said, Schroeder maintains there is a her high-profile scholarship programs to distinct inspirational element in her music, embrace making and promoting music. As a fueled in part by her songwriting process, which singer and songwriter, she’s earned acclaim she describes as an open diary. Schroeder, who for her warm soulful pop, hushed confessional teaches songwriting, acknowledges there are songs that radiate strength and compassion. many approaches to the craft, but the one that As an entrepreneur, Schroeder launched works for her is processing or sharing her life Dear Soul Music Company, which draws on her experience in song. It’s as if the artist opens the business training to help independent artists listener’s heart by opening their own. like herself to self-promote effectively while “Any song you hear [of mine], you’re pretty maintaining a sane work/life balance. As a much hearing all my business.” promoter, Schroeder founded the Unplugged + Live Concert Series, which brings musicians Celebrity scrutiny and fans together in stress-free settings that ARSENA SCHROEDER. PHOTO BY ANDREA ORR With the full support of her husband foster listening and communication. Stephen, whom she met in college and married It’s in her role as promoter that Schroeder embraced. In 1996, Schroeder and her mother moved One daunting hurdle for the young musician soon after graduation, Schroeder toured up and presents the Unplugged + Live: Virtual Music Festival to Charlotte, where Schroeder proved an exceptional was that she sang with quiet passion, a style she down the East Coast in support of Abundantly. In in partnership with live entertainment promotion student. She attended high school at the Phillip O. says wasn’t popular in Black culture or in Schroeder’s 2014, she released her first full length album, For company Jazz N Soul Music. The concert series, Berry Academy of Technology in west Charlotte, where community at the time. She also liked to accompany My Artist Child. For the debut collection, Schroeder sponsored by the Arts & Science Council (ASC) Culture she studied biotechnology. When it came time to expanded her instrumental prowess to keyboards Blocks program, features two shows, one on April 9 and attend Pfeiffer College in Misenheimer, North Carolina, herself with picked and strummed guitar. “I love the sound of acoustic guitar,” she says. “It and the guitalele — half-guitar, half-ukulele. the other on June 11, streaming live from Jazz N Soul Schroeder made her first career pivot. She qualified for a “It’s a vintage instrument,” she says, “Half the Music’s south Charlotte performance venue The Cube. number of scholarships, including the Gates Millennium is my first love.” Finally, Schroeder found inspiration in two contemporary artists. More that a decade strings are steel and half the strings are [nylon]. It Schroeder hosts and performs in the April 9 Scholars Program, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Unplugged + Live Festival, which boasts live full and Ronald McDonald House Charities, totaling a half after it was released, Schroeder discovered Lauryn creates a really cool Hawaiian sound.” A single from the album, “Manna,” drew band performances by two Charlotte acts, R&B million dollars. She decided to follow the scholarship Hill’s live acoustic EP MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 and was transfixed. Listening to Hill’s voice, guitar and attention, as did a shimmering cover of Bob Marley’s vocalist and songwriter Tamra Simone and soul opportunities for a full-ride studying finance. vulnerable storytelling, Schroeder felt she too could “Turn You Lights Down Low.” In 2016 and 2017, jazz fusion band Menastree, along with video “I thought it was perfect — business, finance,” be a singer-songwriter, one who drew on folk, soul Schroeder followed For My Artist Child with a pair submissions by other artists. Schroeder recalls. “I wanted to make sure that I and personal narratives. “I remember listening to it of EPs, Anchor Down Below and Quest, for which “From Unplugged + Live I hope that people get could provide for myself.”
Pg. 8 MAR 24 - APR 6, 2021 - QCNERVE.COM
UNPLUGGED AND EMPOWERED
