Biography

Over the last few years, Skylar Stecker’s soulful voice and bright, beat-driven brand of pop have earned her a legion of devoted fans who flock to her social media pages and express their admiration. The -born, -raised singer and songwriter has racked up over 30 million views and 340K subscribers on YouTube, 220,000 Instagram followers, 68,000 Facebook likes, and 27K Twitter followers. In January 2015, she released an independent EP, Firecracker, for which she wrote or co-wrote every song, with the single “Rooftop” attracting more than five and a half million YouTube views and selling over 40,000 singles.

Skylar recently made her national TV debut on the Today Show as Elvis Duran’s “Artist of the Month.” She was also handpicked to participate in Vevo’s DSCVR series as well as iHeart Radio’s “Next Up” series that showcase in-studio performances from some of the year’s most exciting new artist discoveries. Skylar is currently on tour with pop/punk band Marianas Trench, with stops scheduled in New York, , and Austin, among others.

Skylar has quickly become a seasoned performer…who happens to be 14. She is also the youngest artist to sign with Cherrytree Records. On June 23rd, she released a Signature Edition of her debut full-length album, This Is Me — which combines a mix of hip-hop-inspired beats, electro-pop synths, and R&B-laced grooves that showcase Skylar’s natural grasp of melody, dynamic vocal presence, and thoughtful, yet uplifting lyrics.

“I wanted to call the album This is Me because it really is me,” she says. “I’m fortunate to be surrounded by people who allow me to be 100 percent myself. Because I’m young, people might assume that the songs are being filtered through other people who are telling me what kind of music to sing, which is not the case at all. Everything I sing about is something I’ve experienced or someone close to me has gone through.”

Skylar, who has writing credits on the majority of the songs on This Is Me, worked with a host of top-notch producers, including RedOne, Rock Mafia, , Twin, Gavin Brown, and Jonas Saeed. The album’s first single, “That’s What’s Up” (produced by The Stereotypes) sets the album’s tone with its inspiring message. “It’s basically saying, ‘This is me and it’s not going to change,’” Skylar says. “‘Go hard or go home. Commit. Do what you love, that’s what’s up.’ It’s an empowering message, but it’s still fun at the same time.” (“That’s What’s Up” shares a chorus with “Bratz What’s Up,” which serves as the theme song for the iconic fashion doll brand Bratz.) This Is Me’s dance-friendly track, “Boomerang” (ft. Huey Mack) “doesn’t have to be about a guy,” Skylar says. “It can be about anyone who comes back around and is always there.” The RedOne-produced “Bring Me Life” (featuring Kalin and Myles) explores the euphoric feelings love can evoke, while the old-school vibe of “You Got The Golden Touch” lends a throwback feel to the song’s celebration of someone who somehow does everything right. “Not Afraid of Love”, produced by Rock Mafia, is about not being ready to make a commitment to someone even though you really like them. “I think that’s something a lot of people can relate to,” Skylar says. And finally every line of the emotional lyrics co-written by Skylar on “That’s Love” describes a different type of love. Fittingly, Skylar’s vocal performance showcases her remarkable tone and range.

Skylar began writing songs around the same time she began singing, at the age of 9, when she entered a school talent show in her hometown of Middleton, Wisconsin. She had already been playing the piano since age six (“My parents got me lessons because they thought it would make me better at math,” Skylar says with a laugh), and entered the show intending to play the piano. But the teachers wanted her to sing instead. “My mom was shocked because no one in our family sings,” says Skylar, adding that her parents did listen to soul artists like Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye, and when she was growing up. At the show, Skylar killed with a version of “Maybe” from the musical Annie. She received a standing ovation and her friends said, “’Why didn’t you tell us that you sing?’ she recalls. “I said, ‘I would have, but I didn’t even know myself.’ Immediately afterwards I told my mom, ‘This is what I want to do forever. I love it so much. I want to commit to this. I want to move out to Los Angeles.’”

Skylar’s parents, however, were not ready to uproot the family, so they began pursuing opportunities for her to sing the national anthem at local sporting events, including at ’ games and eventually for The Clippers, The Lakers, The Angels, and the Dodgers. (Skylar’s father is a former NFL running back, having played for both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New Orleans Saints before retiring to Wisconsin where both of Skylar’s parents are from). In 2012, Skylar found herself fielding calls from dozens of entertainment agents and managers after winning the Best Singer and Most Sought-After Talent awards at the International Models and Talent Association Awards in Los Angeles. The Stecker family moved to California in 2010.

But instead of getting caught up with offers for a quick path to stardom, Skylar took time to develop her voice and explore the art of songwriting. “I pretty much taught myself how to write songs — it’s something that just came naturally to me,” says Skylar, whose first song was a lovelorn pop number called “Crush.” Citing and NE-YO as two of her favorite songwriters and Beyoncé as her favorite vocalist, Skylar aims to create songs that offer emotional depth as well as the chance to show the full force of her vocals. “When producers give me beats, I’m always looking for something that builds,” she says. “There needs to be a peak where I can hit those high notes and let everybody know what I can do with my voice.”

This Is Me, is Skylar’s first album of all original songs, which her fans were clamoring for. “They’re all so supportive,” she says. “A lot of them say I was the one who inspired them to keep going after what they loved to do when their parents weren’t supportive. I say go after what you want. I did and here I am now. Music is my life. I cannot imagine not doing music. I literally can't put myself in that place because I know this is what I was meant to do.”