20 Questions for VËR
By: Tom Gentry
Tags: Singer Songwriter, Musicians, Producer, Authenticity, Podcast

VËR (veh-r), is short for “Vered,” the Hebrew word for rose. She is a singer-songwriter based in Montreal, Quebec. Hear her story in episode 97 of The Path to Authenticity.

If your life were a novel, what would be the title?

Holy Sh*t, Did That Really Just Happen?

Where were you born?

Montreal, Quebec

Where is the place you call home?

I consider both Montreal and Israel home.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

a professional singer

What is your profession?

I don’t really have one “profession,” so to speak. I guess you could say I’m a Jill of different trades — an independent artist and creative, which comes with wearing a bunch of different hats, from music-making, content creation, marketing, videography, photography, editing, public relations, etc. I’m also a cofounder of a wellness and nutrition company in the pet space called Healthybud, focusing on brand and creative development as well as social media management and partnerships.

What profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt?

I dabble in a lot of different creative areas. I honestly can’t picture myself being involved in anything I’m currently not doing! I really love my day-to-day involving music and dogs, and I don’t really have the time to think about other professions!

What is your favorite quote?

“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.” — William Faulkner

What is your preferred form of creative expression?

Making music and songwriting are always a go-to, but sometimes I’ll dabble in visual art as well.

What is your favorite movie, song, and work of art?

I love Apollo 13, Casino Royale, and … Mean Girls.

One of my favorite songs is Love Of My Life by Queen and, more recently, I can’t stop playing If The World Was Ending by Julia Michaels and JP Saxe.

I don’t have one favorite work of art, but I love Banksy’s work.

Who do you admire most?

my late grandfather

Over the course of your life, what is an issue with which you have repeatedly struggled?

I’ve always struggled with focusing on one project at a time. I love being busy and, somehow, I get myself involved in a lot at once and multi-tasking, when really I should just focus on starting and finishing one project at a time. Work in progress!

In childhood, who was your celebrity crush?

Oh my God, I used to be crazy about John Travolta after watching him in Grease. I’m pretty sure that started at six years old… :O!

What historical figure would you most like to meet?

The indecisive Libra in me is sweating at this question! There’s a long list. Here’s a couple of names. Neil Armstrong, Walt Disney, Freddie Mercury, and Alan Watts.

What natural gift or ability would you most like to possess?

I’d love to be able to be proficient at playing the keys (like at the classical pianist level) and to have a perfectly trained ear.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

getting myself onto Maroon 5’s stage

What quality do you admire most in a person?

humility

What is something you would like to learn about?

Oh wow. There’s so much I’m curious about. Unrelated to my day-to-day, I’d say space travel and astronomy are high up on that list.

What do you wish more people knew about you?

how much I love talking to strangers and connecting with new people

What is your idea of success?

Accomplishing what you set your mind to, a goal — big or small. It’s being one step forward relative to where you last were, and being able to look back with pride.

What would you like people to say about you when you’re gone?

It depends on the person. But, in general? “She loved and lived life to the fullest. Smiled a lot. A dreamer and a do-er. Was full of passion, optimism and love.”

​VËR is an independent singer-songwriter and producer from Montreal. Her musical identity is drawn from contemporary influences like Snoh Aalegra, Charlotte Cardin, and Sinead Harnett, with the jazzy and soulful inspiration of Amy Winehouse and Norah Jones. VËR’s intimate, moody, and smooth vocals draw the listener in close, transporting them into her zen world of lite-rnb, neo-soul and chill-pop.

The Path to Authenticity is a podcast for people looking for more from life. It focuses on emotional wellness and starts from the premise that our true power comes from our individuality. We talk to various types of writers and artists as well as therapists, coaches, teachers, entrepreneurs, and professionals of all kinds. Our guests possess one common trait. They’re people who know who they are. We talk about what makes them who they are, how they became who they are, and how we might become truer expressions of who we are.