Interview with Skye Palmer: Singer, Actress, Screenwriter

Skye Palmer is an entertainer, screenwriter and musician born in Britain and currently based in North Idaho. She has appeared in a variety of shows throughout the area, including concerts, musical theatre and dramatic plays. Besides performance, she also expresses strong interests in musical composition and writing for film and stage. When not busy, Skye can be found doodling on the piano, writing film critiques, and drinking way too much coffee in one sitting.

What was your first show and how old were you?

I tried a few things when I was younger, but I’ll say my first big role came when I played the lead in Peter Pan. I was 12.

Do you have a favorite show that you’ve performed in?

So far I think my favorite is the time I played Jo March in Little Women. We received all our music and scripts early and then put the actual show on after only two weeks of rehearsals. Super intensive and fun!

What inspired you to perform? And write?

When the stage calls, you have to answer! I believe that homeschooling allowed the creative aspects of my personality to flourish. I had the time to explore different interests and found that writing, especially, was personally satisfying.

Does acting come naturally to you and have you ever experienced stage fright?

Acting always came easy for me, although I have had quite a bit of training at this point. When I was younger I used to be very shy, but I got over it when I found out how much I enjoy performing. I’ve never actually had stage fright, though I do feel pretty excitable just before a show starts. I think that adrenalin rush is a bit addicting.

What kind of musical training did you have?

I started taking piano lessons when I was 5, and kept at it sporadically until I was almost 18. I didn’t realize I could sing until I was 11 and started beating my family at karaoke games. After that, I joined choir and performed in some musicals, something I’ve kept up over the years. I almost majored in music in college so took quite a few classes related to composition and voice as well. Right now I’m more into the composing side of things, so I’ve set up a bunch of keyboards and electronic equipment in the spare room and take online classes from Berklee when I can fit them in.

You’re not the only musical one in your family, is that right?

Not at all! Everyone in my family is able to sing. My dad is a pretty smooth saxophonist when the mood hits, and I have a younger sister who also sings and plays guitar.

What’s your favorite movie?

I’m going to cheat a little and go with my favorite TV show since it’s easier for me to choose: Sherlock. This is, without a doubt, my favorite. The acting and cinematography are superb! (I’m also a die-hard Sherlock Holmes fan.)

What are your plans for the future?

My immediate plans include graduation this spring with a BA in Screenwriting from SNHU. I started college at 16 and am glad to get it done early. I have several other performance possibilities this coming year but, in the long run, I’d like to work on my own music and develop complete projects from start to finish, including writing, filming, acting, scoring, and collaborating with friends.

Skye Palmer is the amazing voice of Fou's Lullaby written by Matthew McLin (with lyrics by me from A Hole in the Sea). You can download it for free here.

See what else Skye is up to here.
You can also check out Matthew McLin's music on Soundcloud.