Never underestimate the power of music. It can change the mood of your day or even the course of your life. Canadian singer/songwriter Sallie Carreon has already experienced success with hit songs and has a soon to be released full length collection of songs (untitled as of this date) but she wasn’t expecting to be a singer on that long ago day. In 1999 Carreon was only seven years old and riding in the back of her parent’s van when her mother put Britney Spears “Hit Me Baby One More Time” in the cd player. The little girl was awe struck. Sallie knew right then and there that she had just been made aware of something that was going to have a dramatic effect on every part of her life.
By Christmas of the same year she was in front of an audience of five hundred at the Michael J Fox theatre in Burnaby, BC (Canada), singing but pretty nervous. Family Karaoke and “in front of the mirror bedroom concerts” honed her natural abilities and increased her desire to experience the real thing. At seventeen, Sallie got an audition with seasoned music producer Adam Hurstfield and became his developing artist. The course has been quick and has culminated in success even prior to Carreon’s upcoming release.
To use an analogy, just to step up to bat in the majors is a huge accomplishment that many never get to experience; to swing and hit a home run the first time at bat is the beginning of a very successful career. Sallie comments, “I’m very fortunate, having my first song achieve such huge success! No words can adequately explain. To have my story heard and have so many people connect with it and love it and play it over and over again just makes me speechless. It’s truly an amazing feeling.” The song, “Santa I Need a Miracle” (co-written by Adam Hurtsfield and Bryant Olender) charted at No. 2 on the Top Downloads and Most Active Indies list and was distributed to radio platforms (Sirius/Nexus/Virgin Radio/Kiss Toronto, etc.) through DMDS. The theme instantly resonated with the public due to Carreon’s emotional delivery and vocal talent. Recalling the creation of the song she states, “I was technically still in the process of auditioning for the single release deal with XOXO Entertainment/Universal at the early stages of writing ‘Santa I Need a Miracle.’ After my initial audition (held at the Shangri-La auditorium) I was called back to come into the studio. Bryant [Olender, Multi award-winning songwriter/producer/ Founder and Owner of Really Grateful Music] and Adam [Hurstfield, Founder and Owner of XOXO Entertainment an Imprint Label of E-One Entertainment] were already there discussing what they thought would work and what wouldn’t as it was my first single. We sat down and found inspiration listening to classic Christmas music. We were sharing stories and as it turned out, a breakup with a past long-term boyfriend inspired the song. The finished product is a song of which I’m very proud. I hopped into the booth and recorded it as we wrote every line or two until we had completed the whole song. The song was written and recorded in the span of one week.”
Experiencing a major hit with another song during the writing process, the song “Bulletproof” was to be Carreon’s second single. “Santa I Need a Miracle” was inspired by a break up and so was “Bulletproof”. Written and recorded with the same process as “Santa I Need a Miracle” the song was exceptional but Carreon felt that it wasn’t a perfect fit for her own record. “Bulletproof” was pitched to Asia’s biggest pop star Sarah Asher Tua Geronimo who recorded the song for her album Perfectly Imperfect. This album charted as the #1 album in East Asia and won numerous awards including Gold and Platinum album status based on sales. Perfectly Imperfect won eighteen awards including a Grammy equivalent for “Best Album of the Year” in 2015.
With all of the time being spent creating hit songs, Sallie is now to the point of releasing a full collection to the public and her fans. She has spent the last three years working with Shayne May and Bryant Olender, to manifest songs which present a young artist who is talented and has the benefit of the confidence that comes with bonafide hits prior to this upcoming album. A glimpse into the mental state of someone poised on the precipice of fame, Carreon remarks, “What I wanted and what the team (Bryant & Shayne) wanted was a sound which showcases me as an artist, as a singer, and a person. I feel fortunate as a songwriter and a singer that I don’t have a specific sound I am looking for when creating a song in the studio. It’s all about getting inspired; the energy, the vibe, the aura. Whether it’s sunny, pouring rain, how strong the wind is blowing, or a story I have to tell; it all comes into play when I get inspired to create and write a song. Each track has its own sound, feel, and story to tell. I’m more interested in how my music will inspire and touch others than I am in being congratulated or recognized. That’s what started me on my journey so many years ago, hearing a great song and feeling that spark ignite.”
