Jackson Free Press

How many people get to make a living doing what they love the most? The answer: Not enough. But singer-songwriter Elle Carpenter is one of them. Born in Arkansas and raised in Vermont, Carpenter has been making music almost as long as she has been alive. At 8 years old, she recorded backup vocals on an album for Vermont folk act The Fiddleheads, and from ages 10 to 16, Carpenter toured with world-music and folk group Village Harmony.

While she's hit the road regularly ever since, not all those years of performing have been inarguable successes.

"I don't always get paid that well and sometimes I don't get paid at all," Carpenter says. "... It's just hit or miss." Nevertheless, she believes that "if you're patient, have faith and just stay dedicated to it, then you will succeed eventually."

Carpenter originally planned to pursue acting long-term and even earned roles in major theatrical productions and TV shows such as ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" and Fox's "House." But throughout her life, she was always writing and recording music, though this was far removed from her first singing experiences.

Rock-infused pop songs made up most of her first three releases, 2009's "The Best," 2011's "With Open Hands" and 2014's "Simple Girl." With her fourth studio album, "Life Just Happens to You," released May 22, Carpenter is at a different point in life, one that places her closer to her folk-music roots.

"With this new album—I feel like this year, in general—I'm in a whole new place," she says. "My tour is a lot bigger than in previous years. It's going on all summer. June is really crazy. I have 24 shows in a month! This is the first year I can really say that music is my source of income. I've reached this level, and I'm really encouraged."

One of Carpenter's biggest tasks in bringing "Life Just Happens to You" to listeners has been making sure it also ends up in reviewers' hands. Since the album's release, she has been reaching out to music bloggers and journalists in the midst of touring. That may sound like a lot of work for the artist to take on at once, but Carpenter has had to learn to promote herself over the years.

"I have not had a manager that has stuck by my side—or that I have stuck with—because they have not been reliable or they haven't done anything, and I usually end up doing it all myself anyway," she says.

Despite past problems with management, though, Carpenter says she still hopes to find a manager that would be reliable and have her best interest at heart. In the meantime, she's busying herself on the road.

"I booked my tour all by myself this year, and I'll be traveling all by myself. It's the first time I've done that. It's a really big deal for me, but at the same time, it feels like a really big accomplishment, and I'm really excited about the shows I'm doing."

Elle Carpenter performs 6 p.m. Sunday, June 21, at Soul Wired Cafe (111 Millsaps Ave., 601-863-6378). "Life Just Happens to You" is available on iTunes and Amazon. For more information, visit ellecarpenter.com.