At just the young age of 18, Peyton Stilling has already garnered acclaim from the likes of NPR Music and Mahogany Sessions, as well as American Songwriter and Earmilk. Her latest single “Healing” is both raw and honest. Inspired by the heartbreak she’d gone through, her vulnerability and pain are evident through the lyrics and overall song. Her last single “Forest through the Trees” has garnered over 200k streams on Spotify alone. Besides doing music, Peyton makes time to help those with disabilities. From giving back to her community, garnering acclaim from notable media organizations, working with Grammy-nominated producers, to being a talented singer and songwriter, Peyton Stilling is on route to establishing her name in the music industry. Mark my words. Please continuing reading for our exclusive interview with Peyton below.

Where are you based?
I am based in Dallas, Texas.

What inspired you to pursue music?
I fell in love with music at a very young age. I always watched American Idol with my family and idolized all of the contestants. No one in my family is musically inclined but I always found myself gravitating towards music. I started playing the guitar when I was 15 so that I could put chords behind the lyrics in my head. From there it's been a snowball effect.

What artists inspire you and your sound?
Major influences include Lianne La Havas, Audrey Mika, Maggie Rogers, Bea Miller, and John Mayer.

Can you tell us a little bit about your new single, “Healing”?
Healing was definitely inspired by heartbreak. I broke up with my boyfriend right before lockdown
and had to move back in with my parents. “Healing” was a form of self therapy. It helped me come
to terms with my situation and reminded me that everything was going to be okay.

In the chorus of the song, “Healing”, you say, ‘you’re my guilty pleasure, one day I’ll get better’. Can you expand on this?
This is my favorite line. I am saying even though in the moment you might feel like you’ll never get over that special person, one day you will.

Heartbreak is a painful experience to go through, how has your song “Healing” helped you overcome your latest heartbreak?
Being able to write through all of my emotions really helped me get over the heartbreak. “Healing” was a challenging song to write because I was still processing the emotions I was trying to write about. It wasn’t until I was finally over the break-up that I was able to finish the song.

Would you consider music to be a form of therapy for you?
Music/songwriting is the biggest blessing for me. It is how I deal with everything in my life.

What advice do you have for anyone going through heartbreak?
Don’t be so hard on yourself and really lean into all of the emotions that you’re feeling. It’s OK to let yourself be sad or angry and it’s better to feel those things initially than try to mask them and distract yourself.

Jejune loves your song “Forest Through The Trees”. Can you tell us a little bit about this song and what inspired it?
”Forest Through the Trees” was my debut single. This song means a lot to me mainly because it was the first song that I ever released. “Forest Through The Trees” is talking about how when you are standing too close to something you can miss the big picture. You need to step back and see the forest through the trees!

We also love how you use your free time to volunteer at Best Buddies and have had many members attend your gig. Can you tell me a bit more about Best Buddies and what you do with them?
Best buddies is the most amazing organization and I am so glad that I get to be a part of it. I’ve built so many relationships with lifelong friends. My role in Best Buddies is to be a peer/mentor to a handful of young adults with disabilities.

Can you tell us a little bit about doing this during COVID?
COVID has made gatherings/activities a little challenging but I continue to text/facetime on a daily basis as well as planning COVID safe activities.

You have been working with three different adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. How are they handling everything going on?
All three of them have been handling COVID very well. It has been a tough time for everyone but they are doing so well and I am so proud of them!

You said you experienced heartbreak during Covid, what difficulties did Covid influence during that time?
Being stuck in your house during Covid with no distractions makes you have to face all of your emotions head on. It was hard at first but I am thankful that it happened the way it did. Everything happens for a reason.

Have you found that being in a pandemic has influenced/inspired your creativity towards music?
I’ve been very inspired by quarantine. I am thankful that I have so much time on my hands to create in a zero-pressure environment.

How are you staying positive during these times?
I’m staying positive by constantly talking to my friends, working out, hanging out with my dog, and
writing music. It’s all the little things that make such a big difference.

What is your motto in life?
Everything in moderation :))))))

To learn more about Peyton Stilling, please follow her via the below platforms:
PeytonStilling.com
Instagram: Peyton_Stilling
Spotify/Apple Music: Peyton Stilling

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