Originally from Florida, Montana Modderman was once an Odyssey writer herself during her time at USF. Now she is taking on the music industry as she pursues her dream of being a country artist. Having posted videos on the past few years, ranging from covers to originals, she is finally ready to put out her very first single, titled "Didn't Mean To." While her song isn't out quite yet, get to know Montana a little more in the interview included below and by taking a listen to some other originals and covers on YouTube:
Sloan Pecchia: When did you know you wanted to pursue country music as a career?
Montana Modderman: I started writing songs at 11. By the age of 12, I knew I wanted to be a country artist. I'm going to be honest though, there were times when I doubted myself. I thought that because songwriting wasn't a conventional 9 to 5 job, it wasn't something that I should pursue. It wasn't until my junior year of college that I decided I wanted to make a career out of writing songs.
SP: What made you choose country music?
MM: First of all, I just love listening to it. I was raised on it. I also feel like country songs, in particular, do a great job of telling the stories of everyday people. Growing up listening to the radio, I found that I could relate to country music. I could hear my story in the songs. That's what I want for people listening to my music. I want them to be able to relate to it.
SP: Where do you draw inspiration from when you write?
MM: Most of the inspiration for my songs come from my personal experiences. I write what I know. I write about growing up, love, breakups, and insecurities. I personally believe that the best songs that I have written have come from a place of honesty.
SP: What does your debut single mean to you and what do you hope it means to your fans?
MM: This song means so much to me. I wrote "Didn't Mean To" while sitting on my living room floor. It was just me, my guitar and a notebook. Now, I'm on the brink of releasing it to the world. Getting to see it come to life has been super exciting. It's a song that I'm very proud of. I love it and I hope that others will too.
SP: Who are your musical inspirations?
MM: As I've grown, my list of musical inspirations has just gotten longer and longer. When I was 6, my inspirations were Faith Hill, Tim Mcgraw, and Shania Twain. Taylor Swift came on the country music scene when I was 9. She has and continues to be a huge inspiration to me. Now there are newer artists like Kelsea Ballerini, Dan + Shay, and Maren Morris, all who are doing incredible things in music. I don't think I'll ever stop being inspired by other artists, the list will just continue to grow.
SP: Do you have any plans for upcoming music and/or shows?
MM: I'm releasing my very first single on July 27th. I'm very excited about it. I can't wait to share it with the world.
SP: What is a piece of advice you would give to someone who is trying to pursue music as a career?
MM: I think the best piece of advice I could give to anyone at this point, is that if you truly love it, go for it.
