Awww! You guys are so sweet. Thanks for sticking up for me.
I KNOW Vanessa is on a completely different level than me...I might sound similar due to the fact that she's my biggest influence, however, I realize how much of a gift she has. I'm still a beginner. I took piano lessons for years, but didn't start writing my own stuff until about a year and a half ago. Right now I can only hope that someday I'll be able to write a song as magical and special as every single Vanessa Carlton tune.
And production helps a LOT, it's true. My music is definitely frickin' raw right now, lol. I've run into tons of recording trouble and haven't been happy with anything so far. I think I sound so much better live. What makes Vanessa so wonderful is that her raw music is still so incredible, whether it's live or recorded.
I know I've got a lot of work to do...but if only you could see the progress I've made so far! I'm getting better--and for me, that's what counts.