1. Who are the members of your band and what are their musical backgroundsI am the main member of all my music projects. I have many on the go right now. DeBenedetta is my rock project. Aurora’s Lights is my Country project. I am also releasing pop/dance/adult contemporary music as Shimmer Johnson. I sing all my leads and back up vocals in all my songs. I also play some piano on some of my songs. I write the majority of my music with my co-writer Corey Johnson. I also do lots of online collaborations with other amazing artists and writers.
2. How long have you been in the music industry?
I have been in the industry all my life. I started singing at the young age of three. At 15 I started singing in bands and performing live cover music. I was even in a girl group called “Genie” when I was 18. At 21 I started writing my own music with Co-Writer Corey Johnson. We have written over 400 songs so far to date. We write in all genres to pop/rock/country/metal/dance.
3. How long have you been performing under your present name?
I have been using the name SHIMMER JOHNSON for almost 3 years now.
DeBenedetta I have used for the last 2 years. Aurora’s Lights for 1 year.
4. What Genre would you call your music?
I am a multi-genre artist so I sing in all genres. 2020 I am currently finishing up my pop album
to be released later this year. It will be entitled “Inner Me”
5. Who are your major influences?
Some of my influences growing up were Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion. I loved the diva’s. I aimed to be able to hold notes as long as them. I self taught all my vocal tricks. Only thing I couldn’t teach myself was my breathing. So at 12 years old I got my first PT job doing telemarketing. I used my 1st pay check to pay for 2 singing lessons. I asked her to teach me breathing techniques. As I wanted to hold a note for 32 seconds like Mariah Carey could on her song “Without You” By the end of my lessons I was able to hold the note for 27 seconds.
As I grew older I started listening to country music. I had moved from Canada to Branson Missouri with my father. The car he bought for me had this awful radio in it. It literally would only pick up the country stations. I learned to love country music over time because of that. Country music taught me how to harmonize and I started getting known as the “harmonizing queen.” I joined a country band and starting performing in Branson Missouri a few nights a week at Pier 76.
6. How old were you when you started following a musician’s path?
I have been following my musician path all my life. Music is the only thing that has ever made me happy.
7. Tell me a funny story that has happened to you as you have traveled to play.
I once joined this “Tour” that was supposed to have a tour bus, and shows and you know …. things that “Tour’s” are supposed to have… well we flew out to Georgia to start the tour. There was NO tour bus. He had got 1 van that seated 14 people. Thing is we had 16 people. So there was no way we could fit. Plus we had no where to put our instruments.
The guy running the “Tour” said he would get us another van. He made one of the other artists pay for it with their own credit card. The van was used to carry two artists and our gear. We travelled and went to different places for 10 days. We got to Atlanta and the place we were supposed to play didn’t even know we were coming. Let me tell you that was a night mare tour. But I met some amazing new friends on it. I am grateful for that.
8. Where would you like to be in five years?
I would like to be on everyone’s radio this year or sooner. I would like to be touring my album and making a household name for myself.
9. What inspires you to write?
Life in general inspires me to write. I love to write about feelings, emotions and heartache.
10. What is your philosophy of life and how does it affect your music?
I write the best when I am upset or sad. Its really easy to pull the heartache out of my soul. Writing happy is hard for me. I guess with my life …. I have always had a hard time feeling and being happy. So to write happy is a challenge for me.
11. Please add the names of the places you have played and the city they are in.
Atlanta Georgia, Baltimore , Philadelphia, Branson Missouri, Edmonton Alberta, Fort McMurray Alberta, Los Angeles, New York and many more.
12. Do you have any causes that tug at your heartstrings, or that you support? Abused pets, world peace organization, save the whales, etc…
I don’t really have any “Causes” persay. My youngest son was diagnosed with Autism September 2017. #autismawareness is very important to me.
13. Do you have any new releases coming out?
Yes, I sure do. October 26 2020 I have my first single release “Never Be The Same” It is a pop rock ballad that everyone will be able to connect to. Lyrics pull at the heartstrings for sure.
13. What is your upcoming performance schedule?
With Covid 19 in 2020, I currently have no performance schedule. I am hoping that that
goes back to normal soon. michael's music blog