Check Out Piper Connolly’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Piper Connolly.

Piper, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Sure-let me start by saying thanks for catching up with me again!

I started performing when I was 5 and my first big performance was in front of about 150 people, belting out Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust at Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row… and I was totally and completely hooked. To have people sing along with you and dance and jump around is just amazing. It is as if the crowd’s energy charges me and I love it so much. Near and dear to me especially is performing at First Fridays in downtown Phoenix- having the downtown core just come alive, teeming with people and music. It’s pretty magical and I always really look forward to those hometown moments!

Later, I dove into learning piano and then guitar to help with songwriting. Today, I am teaching myself drums, still working on piano and guitar and spending most of my time writing music for release. My team and I have a lot planned for 2025- so keep an eye out!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
While incredibly worthwhile from a creative perspective, it has not always been a smooth journey in the music industry.

For one, my work belies my age and some people have not always taken me or my work seriously. I have an amazing team that wholeheartedly believes in me, and that has definitely helped me when things were otherwise challenging.

Making music in the rock genre has also presented some unexpected challenges from unexpected sources. I once had a manager tell me once that I “couldn’t be” and “wasn’t a rock chick” because I was a teenage girl and I should be doing pop because that is what teenage girls do. As you can imagine, that didn’t go over well with the rest of my team- and we vehemently disagree.

Lastly, being an independent musician is incredibly hard work and very expensive. Early on, you are- or you entirely fund- your own graphic designer, merchandiser, content creator, songwriter, studio, producer, PR and marketing, booking agent, etc…. it requires a lot of investment of time, creative talent and money to get started. That isn’t always readily available to artists- and it takes a long time to see the investment come back to you.

But if you absolutely love what you do, it will shine through in your music, and you can turn it into a business before too long- stick with it!!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a singer/songwriter out of Phoenix, Arizona.

2024 was a big year for me in terms of establishing my music.

I released fan-favorite singles ‘kiss like me’, ‘muse’, and ‘welcome back girl’. At the end of the year, I released a cover of THE ROLLING STONES’ ‘Gimme Shelter’.

I am a young artist- a gen alpha artist no less- so I am really excited to grow up with my audience. I think what sets me apart are my diverse musical influences for someone my age- from early rock ’n’ roll, 90s grunge, ska, and soul- my sound defies blunt categorization…and I like that.

I hope what makes my early achievements even more interesting is that I’m doing it at just 13 years old. I hope that inspires other young artists to go for it!

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
My favorite podcast at the moment is the Aim A Little Higher Podcast. It is super inspiring on so many levels.

From a music perspective, I love reading all manner of biographies and autobiographies. I love reading about how successful musicians got to where they are, hearing about their challenges and how they overcame them. There are always a lot of lessons to be learned.

My absolutely favorites are The Storyteller by Dave Grohl, and Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now by Barry Miles.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hernameispiperconnolly.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hernameispiperconnolly
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepiperconnolly/
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/@hernameispiperconnolly
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/39CkOPCSGY7GAFoJka2aih?si=z7tb37DbQCqWGnP5vuGqog

Image Credits
2011 Music Group Kagen Photography AZ Protography Patty Powers Photography