Elizabeth Tryon is a soprano from New York. Throughout her career, she has sought to blend the classic elements with the modern. She has released one album “Metamorphosis” and is a member of The Recording Academy.
Natasha Barbieri: Very early on you had a music teacher point out your potential. Did you have any inkling of vocal talent before and what did her words mean to you?
Elizabeth Tryon: I loved music and singing ever since I was a little kid. Even though I tended to be shy, when I sang I felt fearless. One afternoon when I was five, for some reason I decided to sing quite loudly all the way home on the school bus. Fortunately for the other kids, mine was the first stop.
I always knew I wanted to be a singer when I grew up, so when my music teacher said she thought I could be, I felt deeply seen, like “here’s someone who really knows me.” Especially since many of my family members weren’t particularly interested in singing.
Then she said she thought I could become an opera singer. I thought “what’s that?”
Natasha Barbieri: You’ve had formal classical training including studies at the Metropolitan Opera. Do you think classical technique can be easily applied to other genres or is there some relearning that needs to be done?
Elizabeth Tryon: Yes, I think the classical singing technique does need to be modified in order to sing more contemporary music.
However, I still use elements of my classical technique when I sing pop songs. I wouldn’t want to change it totally. Often listeners will say “you sound classically trained” or “you sound like X Artist” who is classically trained. I don’t mind that at all, it’s part of who I am.
Natasha Barbieri: When you write music, do you have a particular theme in mind or is it more of a storyteller element?
Elizabeth Tryon: I tend to write the music first. I generally just play around with melodies and chords that I would like to listen to, and then the lyrics come out of how the melody makes me feel. All my lyrics are based on topics I feel strongly about.
Sometimes I’ll do it the opposite way; I’ll think of a topic I’d like to write about and then play around with melodies that I feel evoke that feeling.
Natasha Barbieri: What have been some of the highlights in your career so far?
Elizabeth Tryon: I wrote a song called “You’re Still Mine” and sent it into the U.S. Armed Forces Radio Headquarters. It was chosen to be the soundtrack to a tribute video in honor of the Armed Forces and their families.
Watching that video is an extremely moving experience for me. Most of all, hearing from listeners about what the song and video mean to them is one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever experienced. It shows the connective and healing power music can have, and it’s always been my dream to somehow be a part of that. It is a profound honor.
Additionally, performing at Walter Read Theatre at Lincoln Center. Performing on PBS television. Singing the opera part for the legendary song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” (or Wem-o-weh) with The Tokens in honor of the 50th anniversary of their recording it. Hearing my songs played on the radio.
It’s an honor to make music, and to collaborate with other musical artists. It feels like I am a part of something much larger than myself.
Natasha Barbieri: You’ve described your style as symphonic pop. What does that mean to you?
Elizabeth Tryon: I’ve always been inspired by movie soundtracks. Many of them are such beautiful classical works, and they are also built around simple motifs or themes which communicate a lot with great economy, which pop songs also do.
I’m always looking for ways to achieve that blend in my own music. I feel like “symphonic pop” is a way of describing this combination, and what I hope to achieve.
Connect with Elizabeth online:
Website: elizabethtryon.com
Facebook: @OfficialElizabethTryon
Twitter: @elizabethtryon
Instagram: @eliztryon
YouTube: Subscribe Now!
