Hello! My name is James Dallas and I am the creator of 4spotlight.com and I will be conducting this interview with you today. Let me start off by saying thank you for your interest in 4spotlight.com and thank you for accepting this interview.

Next, I would like to tell you a little bit about the website and what we do here at 4spotlight.com. Our goal is to sign up and promote artists from all across the globe and take their music to the next level. We do this by spotlighting their careers, (hence the name 4spotlight), who they are and what they have accomplished, interests etc. We support all genres from hip hop to country and artists from all walks of life. Now that you know about us, let’s find out about you.

4Spotlight - Let me first ask you where you are from, (originally/now).

Evonne - “I’m a native Californian. I was raised in the Inland Empire in the city of Chino, but now I live in Pasadena, CA.”

4Spotlight - When did you first start singing, at what age, what or who inspired you to become a singer?

Evonne - “Wow, I guess you could say I started singing when I was a toddler?! The first time I “performed” in front of a crowd, I was about three. My older sister had just won a beauty contest and I was jealous of all the attention she was getting. So I had a fit, insisting that they let me sing on the stage. It must have been a pretty good fit too, because they actually let me do it! I sang “Mickey Mouse” and when I forgot the words, I just kept on singing, “dadadadada”. At least that’s the family story!

As a child, I think I was inspired to sing because it was the one thing I was really good at. I liked Whitney Houston, Bette Midler, Madonna, and Cindy Lauper. I was a typical 80’s pop fan. Like most kids, I wanted to be a rock star, but when I was in 7^th grade music began to have a whole new meaning for me.

I was singing at a convalescent home and this man started crying! I thought that I was hurting his ears or something, but he kept saying “Thank you” as he was leaving. I found out later that he was crying because he had given up on life, but the song moved him and filled him with hope. That blew me away! I had never realized how much power there could be in a song and if I could move people and give them hope with my music, like that song moved him, I couldn’t imagine wanting to do anything else.”

4Spotlight - What singer or singers did you idolize growing up?

Evonne “Aretha Franklin. I’ve loved her music as long as I can remember and have always wished I could sing like her. I don’t even know how I started listening to her. I think it was my Uncle Arnold, who was an entertainer and sang a lot of soulful, R&B music, who introduced me to her and a lot of other Old School R&B artists.”

4Spotlight - If you had one sentence to describe your sound how would you do so?

Evonne - “I would say my sound is a soulful combination of Pop, R&B, and Blues with a touch of Jazz.”

4Spotlight - How did you feel when you first found out you were going to be entered into the Grammy's as an independent artist for nomination consideration?

Evonne - “Well, it wasn’t so much finding out I was going to be entered as much as discovering that I actually qualified! You see, as an independent artist, you tend to do all the work yourself. I was curious as to how one got nominated for a Grammy, so I researched it! I was immediately nervous and excited at the same time when I realized that my songs were eligible! It’s every artists’ dream to win a Grammy and for the first time I could actually imagine that dream truly becoming a reality! Of course, it’s still a long shot as an independent and the list is long, but I am on that list! That’s exciting!”

4Spotlight - Who was the first person that you told that you were in nomination considerations?

Evonne - “My husband. And I’ve been working on the rest of the world since then!”

4Spotlight - Do you have a big party planned for the event if nominated? Should I get in line for my tickets now?

Evonne “I haven’t made any plans yet. Right now, I’m just trying to do everything I can to get my songs heard so the voting members are aware that I even exist! But if I actually do get a nomination, absolutely there will be a BIG party!”

4Spotlight - When did you first decide to start recording your own music and how did you feel when you had your first CD in your hands, HOT OFF THE PRESS? You know, your name your sound especially your picture right on the front of it, that has to feel good.?

Evonne - “It feels amazing! I mean, sure, I’ve done some demo cds and those made me feel good. But this is my first album, it’s the real thing! It’s my vision, my passion, my heartaches and triumphs all in a tangible form! It’s an accomplishment and in a way there’s a certain feeling of validation as an artist when you can say, ‘Here’s a copy of my cd!’

As far as when I decided to record my own music, I would say the day I actually quit my job to put all my focus on my music. I didn’t have a budget or a producer or even all of the songs yet, but none of that would have happened if I didn’t take that first step.”

4Spotlight - Have you opened for any Stars if so who, and how did you feel when you had this chance to perform?

Evonne - “Unfortunately, I can’t say I have, yet. However, I have been very blessed to have some of the most amazing musicians perform with me on my album and in my live shows and they have performed with many big names, like Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Jeffrey Osbourne and many more!

4Spotlight - Have you done any shows where you were highlighted if so how what was that excitement like?

Evonne “Yes, I have. Honestly, I don’t think I can feel my excitement before a show!I’m usually too busy being nervous and worried about promoting, rehearsing, figuring out what to wear, what order to do the songs, who to have on the guest list, what merchandise to bring, etc… But once the show starts, I start to relax and have fun. I’m most excited when it’s over and people are saying they enjoyed the show!”

4Spotlight - What is your biggest accomplishment as a musician?

Evonne - “Hmm, I would say the CD, but I don’t feel like it’s the right answer. There’s just, something about just being in it. You know what I mean? It’s the journey itself. When you make the decision to go after a dream, especially one in an industry that is so competitive and fickle, you find yourself in an exciting, but scary and vulnerable place. You have to really be able to believe in yourself and it’s not always easy to do. Plus, balancing that effort with other priorities in your life, like being a wife, a mother, a friend and a devoted Christian, makes everyday an even bigger challenge. And trust me; the balancing act is definitely a work in progress! But don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the challenge! I just think that it’s the doing the work, taking the chances, having faith, not giving up, accepting that not everyone will like my music, reaching those people who do like it and especially experiencing those moments when someone says they have been inspired or encouraged by my music, all of that, I would say is my biggest accomplishment thus far.”

4Spotlight - Where do you plan to be at in 5 yrs?

Evonne “God willing, I’d like to be working on my third album, after returning from the second album’s tour! I would also like to be in the process of signing a second artist to my label, sweet bottom records, because my own project and the first artist I signed to my label in 2010 were a big success!” 

This is what we are all about here at 4spotlight, we understand peoples wishes and dreams and we are all about promoting that for you. Thank you for your time and hopefully we can help you expand your career even further.

Check out Evonne Rivera