"Whatever you do, do love well. Whatever you say, say to change somebody's day."
Full Name:
Diana Lynn Upton-Hill
Age:
As my mom always says, “A
lady never tells.” ;)
Hometown/currently live:
Homebase is Southeast Iowa,
now it’s Nashville and the road.
What made you want to start
writing songs?
I suppose I wrote my first
song around age 4 or 5. At that time it was all about what I could see
immediately in front of me, or at least could picture clearly in my mind’s eye.
The earliest song I recall writing was called “The Trees in the Woods”. It was
pretty simple, of course, and I think I listed off things found in the forest
like deer and flowers and such. I was lucky enough to even have recorded it in
my stepfather’s home studio. I’ll have to try and find that recording!
Do you play any instruments?
I play a little piano and
guitar, but never learned as well as I would have liked. Flute was my main
instrument through school, and I still play it quite a bit.
Did you teach yourself?
No, I’ve always enjoyed
learning from others.
Who are your biggest musical
inspirations?
My mom and dad, definitely.
They both are quite musical and always supported my habit - ha! As far as
“famous” musicians go, early on I was OBSESSSED with Madonna. She’s such an
amazing entertainer. Martina McBride is someone I truly look up to as a singer
and recording artist. Then there’s Alyson Krauss, who can do no wrong as far as
I’m concerned, and I ADORE Jewel. Yes, Jewel has been a huge inspiration for me
when it comes to really connecting to the words in a song and bringing them to
life with your voice. Our voice is our instrument as singers, you know? We
should use it like one.
Where
do you get inspiration to write your songs?
Everywhere. Nature might be the
most romantically-inspiring, but I find myself drawn to man-made items as well.
It’s inspiring to see what we as people can create into “things”. Aside from
locations, I’d have to say that I, unfortunately, write best when I’m a bit
blue. We artists are often an emotional bunch, and some of our best work comes
out in the darkest times. I don’t want to sound negative, though. There’s
nothing better than sitting out on my back porch, sipping on some lemonade and
penning a new song. Ahhhh, that sounds just lovely.
Favorite songs you have
written/co-written?
That’s a trick question! I
actually have a love/hate relationship with most of my songs. Ha! I love
working with Mitch Goudy and co-wrote one of his singles, “Ain’t My Fault”,
which is pretty fun. As far as my songs go, on my most recent album Mitch and I
co-wrote “Aim’s Gettin’ Better”. I like wordplay a lot, so that one was super
fun.
What moment in your music
career is your favorite so far?
I have been so blessed with
incredible “moments”, but doesn’t it seem like the most recent ones are always
a bit sweeter? Working with Bryan White as my producer on this latest project
has been amazing. He’s not only wildly brilliant as a producer, but also truly
sensitive in ensuring that each song’s spirit it captured and conveyed through
the recording. And let’s not even talk about his harmonies. I just can’t.
Finish this sentence…if I could
write a song for or with anyone I would choose
Jewel.
Where do you see yourself in a
year?
A year: Promoting my album
and spinning a couple singles on the radio across the country.
5 years:
I tend not to look that
far down the road. If I said “New York”, I’d end up in L.A. And there’s
absolutely nothing wrong with either place. I know I’ll be doing whatever,
wherever that God wants me to - and that, to me, is what’s important. :)
If I weren’t a songwriter I
would be…
Well, I don’t really see
myself as a songwriter, primarily. That’s something I feel that I do as a
supplement to my life as a musician/entertainer. If I weren’t a musician,
though, I think I’d be a psychologist. I have a minor in Psych, and it’s still
something that intrigues me every day.
I’m afraid of...
losing control of things.
That’s probably why I’m such a neat-freak.
I never get tired of...
taking care of things. My
parents and grandparents - even my church - always stressed the importance of
stewardship. If you have something, take care of it. Doesn’t matter if it’s
pricey or inexpensive. Value everything. Waste not, want not. You know the
drill. :)
Okay, I always ask people to
tell me one thing about themselves that is random or strange that most people
don’t know.
I
really dislike the taste of ginger. It’s something I wish I liked because it’s
in so many great foods, but - sadness - I just don’t care for it at all.
I N H A L E T H E E A R C A N D Y
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Diana recently released a new song entitled Do Love Well. This song showcases her sweet spirit and soft voice in the most beautiful way. This song is one that you listen to and then want to change the world by being a better version of yourself.
With lines like "It's up to me, it's to you, so whatever you do, do love well", you'll be motivated to let your inner spirit shine and portray the best version of yourself.
"Working with Diana was a joy. It's so nice when you're working with an artist you feel like you're on the same page with. She's a phenomenal vocalist and a good soul with great instincts. Honored to be a part of this project…"
-Bryan White-
Grammy award-winning country singer/songwriter/producer