Meet Caroline Milby | Singer/Songwriter/Producer – Caroline in the Garden

We had the good fortune of connecting with Caroline Milby and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Caroline, is there something you believe many others might not?
I spent my whole life believing I needed to listen to experts and take their advice, until I realized that no two people find success in the same way.

Now I will occasionally seek guidance or ask for advice, but never take it unless my gut agrees. It has the final say.
I believe that everyone has a gut response or an internal guidance system that will continually direct and redirect us towards our unique path. Too many people get caught in the trap of trying to follow a prescripted path to achieve the success or recognition that we want, but all we really need to do is have the courage to listen to our bodies’ and carve our own.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Caroline in the Garden is a vintage pop project that began in 2023 out of a desire to fuse my love of vintage synth and timeless piano. I started writing songs to amplify the stories of women, wives and mothers daring to transcend the expectations society imposes on them 1) because I didn’t see these experiences reflected in pop music and 2) because this is very personal to me as I lived this story.
I played the piano and sang from when I was really young, but grew up in a house that valued practical career choices. I came from Philadelphia and while there I sang and played keyboard in an original art-rock band called Weird Hot, as well as several cover bands. However, I was also in law school and working day jobs and I never let music be anything more than a hobby.
I also got married during this time, and had a couple of babies and seemed to be following the conveyor belt of what society expects for a woman, but I deeply missed creating. I stopped playing music altogether for a couple of years before I had a reckoning with myself in 2022.
I had so much fear around my own creative expression. I was afraid to call myself an artist and afraid to share my songs. I was afraid of failure, afraid of being seen, afraid that I would not be accepted by the communities of parents and lawyers that I belonged to, etc.
It took me until I was almost 40 to move past these fears, and just this past January I put out my first synth pop EP which combines my love of 80s New Wave and 90s Lilith Fair icons. I’m working on a full-length album for later this year that is all about burning it down and starting over because I’m forever in my phoenix era.
In tandem with this, I also write a weekly substack about overcoming creative fear for other blocked and burgeoning creatives. It is called Kinda Conquering Creative Fear with Caroline and it is an irreverent look at the limitations we place on ourselves and our own creativity.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
One of my favorite things about Atlanta is all of the food halls. The Works on the Westside is my favorite because it is closest to my house and also super kid and family friendly. When we have friends in town we can go and grab drinks and dinner from the various food stands, and have a picnic at the adjacent outdoor playground which is great for kids. There’s often live music there too.

Speaking of live music, there are a ton of great venues for checking out national and local acts. Some of the ones I’ve played at and been to most recently are Smith’s Olde Bar, Eddie’s Attic, Aisle 5, and Star Bar in Little 5 Points.

If you like the arts and counter culture, Little 5 points is the best neighborhood for shopping, dining and people watching. Definitely get a burger at The Vortex.

A unique thing about Atlanta is that interior design is huge here, and so are antiques. Scott’s Antique Market comes to town every month on the second weekend, and it is the most fascinating and visually enriching place if you love old world antique art, jewelry and furniture like I do. It’s also so huge you can spend a whole day there.

If I have a free day, I love to take myself there on a date because it is such a feast for the senses.

I think another quintessential Atlanta experience is walking the Beltline Trail from Krog Street Market to Ponce City Market. But in the Fall or early Spring before it gets too hot!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I don’t think I would be able to do this without my husband. First of all, as a guitar and bass player, my songs would not sound as good without him. But also when I told him I was thinking about stepping back from practicing law to make an album, he could have laughed in my face but he didn’t. Instead he wholeheartedly supported my project, and he is my biggest fan and I could not do this without him.

Website: https://carolineinthegarden.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolineinthegarden_/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Carolineinthegarden

Other: Bandcamp: https://carolineinthegarden.bandcamp.com/music
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4uWhgtl8xdMJ9mypH3anJM?si=1FAz_r5KRUSfuKfTL3P18w
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/caroline-in-the-garden/1771574651