Trevor Knight is a versatile singer and songwriter based in NYC who specializes in soulful pop. His goal is to spread joy through passionate ballads and playful jams. His sound and writing are influenced by artists such as Sam Cooke, Zac Brown, and Ed Sheeran. Inspired by catchy hooks and slick harmonies, Trevor’s sound is driven by layered vocals, harkening back to his days as a shameless collegiate a cappella nerd. His smooth and wholesome voice blends the simplicity and nostalgia of Motown soul with glimmers of modern pop.
Originally hailing from the dirt roads of Minnesota, Trev’s musical adventure began at Dartmouth College, where he arranged songs for his a cappella group and competed as a Finalist in “Dartmouth Idol” during his senior year. While at Dartmouth, he walked onto the Heavyweight Rowing team, racing twice at the IRA National Championship Regatta. He is determined to remain a lifelong athlete and self-proclaimed fitness junkie, staying active in any way he can. He is a regrettably staunch supporter of all the mediocre Minnesota sports teams.
After graduating from college in 2017, where he studied Economics, Government, and Spanish, Trevor began work as a trader in NYC while recording cover songs and frequenting open mic nights in his spare time. He was featured in “Wall Street’s Got Talent” in 2018, performing a mashup he arranged. Over time, he honed his writing of original music and began performing around the city. He has played at venues such as the Rockwood Music Hall, The Bitter End, Pianos, and the New York Friars Club, among others. Through the process of crafting and recording his debut single “Giving It Up” for commercial use, he got a glimpse of what a life in music could be like – and he was hooked. Since then, he has been featured on thousands of playlists including Discover Weekly, tallying over 300,000 streams on Spotify. He has been featured in media outlets such as Medium, Vents, GigSoup, and Vocal Creators.
Trevor has unveiled a new strategy of releasing a brand new single on the 1st of every month. You can find his new music on any platform you choose.
Hi Trevor welcome to OLC! How have you been and how have you been managing life in these crazy times? I hope you’ve been staying safe?
Thank you! On the whole, life is pretty great – I certainly can’t complain. I am healthy and happy and chugging along. So thankful to be where I am doing what I love.
Where did your love of music originate?
I’ve been playing piano and singing since I was a little kid – I was born with a love for music I suppose. My mom signed me up for choir through church and school, and she and my dad would both blast pop music in the car. When I went to college, I spent a lot of time arranging music for my a cappella group and got much more comfortable performing. After I moved to NYC after college and started working in finance, I just knew there was more. I started recording cover songs, which eventually evolved into writing originals and playing open mics. Every taste of a life in music I got, made me want to dive deeper. After a couple years, I made the transition to full-time musician and haven’t looked back since.
You made your way onto several talent shows including “Dartmouth Idol” and “Wall Street’s Got Talent”, how did you find both of those experiences?
At Dartmouth, this competition was a pretty big deal – people knew about it, and a ton of them auditioned. I was also involved in a cappella, so many of the people in my circles were interested. I was fortunate to do very well my senior year and got the chance to perform with a 20-piece band for the finals! It was a total blast.
When I was working in finance, I got an email about this talent show for cancer awareness, and that our firm was looking for an act to represent us. I actually sent in a YouTube clip of the Dartmouth Idol performance the year before, and they loved it. That was an incredible experience – I got to arrange a mashup of some of my favorite songs and perform it with a band in front of some of the top finance professionals at the time. Crazy.
You have a new single called “Truth Is”, what inspired this song?
I wrote “Truth Is” near the end of 2019, and in my humble opinion, it’s one of the better songs in my catalog. It’s raw and not exactly what you’d expect. I’m the kind of person who shrugs things off as “fine,” or responds with “pretty good” to questions about how I’m doing. I figured it would be fun to write a song that landed in a different place than most songs in the genre – one that said that “doing fine” is actually true. I love how it turned out.
Will this lead to a future EP release? and if so what can you tell me about it?
I’ve been releasing one single a month for the last 6 months, and it’s been so fun. There is a chance I put together some of my past releases with some future ones into an album-like package later in the year…we’ll see what happens. As it stands, you can still expect new music from me every month.
Any plans to film a video for the song?
I will absolutely be filming a music video in the next few weeks! It will actually be for my April release, entitled “22 Minutes.” This one is a true story about falling in love, and I want the video to reflect the song. I’m really excited for it.
What artists do you think have shaped your career and what is it about them that inspires you so much?
I’d definitely say Ed Sheeran. His ability to bend genres and flow seamlessly between them is so artful, and he is one of my major influences. Everything he touches seems to flourish. Growing up, I listened to a lot of Sam Cooke, and I always loved the classic and passionate sound of his voice. His songs are so simple and lovely, and I particularly like the doo-wop style of harmony. It’s inspiring to see that simple, wholesome music can reach meteoric levels of popularity, at least back in his day.
How much did your experience with acapella help your career and influence your music?
A cappella helped me immensely. That may sound funny, but it’s true. Recording two albums during my time at Dartmouth gave me studio experience that has served me well in my career, and being the President of the group showed me the administrative side that every musical act needs to maintain in order to function effectively. Then musically, of course, spending dozens of hours arranging music and performing has helped me as a songwriter and a live performer as well. I am so so thankful for that experience.
What does the rest of 2021 hold for you?
A LOT more music! I’m planning to release a single each month for the foreseeable future, so you can count on me to continue to be in the studio and continue to write new tunes. You can follow along @trevorjknight on the social platform of your choice!
neillfrazer@hotmail.com
