somegirlnamedanna

SSW: For those just discovering your music, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your Background?

somegirlnamedanna: I grew up on a farm in Minnesota riding horses. We didn’t have television so I spent a lot of time writing music and painting. I moved to Nashville to go to college and work in the studio everyday, as I balanced a part time job and internship in the music business. I always had an inseparable bond with music and I don’t think that will ever go away.

What type of music did you grow up listening to? Who has had the greatest influence on your taste in music overall?

I grew up listening to many empowering female singer songwriters like Tracy Chapman and Joni Mitchell. These songstresses had a massive influence not only on my taste of music but also how I began to write and view the creation of music.

Originally from Webster, Minnesota you ended up studying and working in Nashville, and recording in LA. Tell us a little more about your journey and where do you call home now?

I don’t know where home is right now honestly! I have been back in Minnesota for most of quarantine, but I do my music work both in Nashville and LA. However, I am usually based in Nashville. I’m not sure where I’m going to end up, but I have a strong connection with Nashville as I have developed amazing relationships with other songwriters and people there.

How would you describe your music for those who have not heard it yet?

I would describe it as a palette of different colors that are all there for whatever you’re going through. Whether you need a laugh, need to cry it out, or just need to feel like someone is going through some hard times with you, my music is there for that.

You just released your debut EP “twenty one, twenty two”. Such a great record! Tell us a little bit about it. What were your inspirations behind the songs and how long did it take you to complete it?

Thank you so much! Each song captures a moment of my life over the past year, giving a transparent look into my highs and lows. I love how our stories can connect us. It took a full year to complete it from start to finish, and that’s why I called it twenty one, twenty two. The EP also encapsulates my growth, for example: the vocals on earlier songs like hello i am and kitchen table were recorded almost a year ago. My voice developed throughout the EP and led to the range I developed in abandonment, which was recorded much more recently. I tried to make this EP as authentic to the title and meaning as possible.

Lyrically, what’s your favorite song that you’ve ever written? And what’s the story behind it?

My favorite song I’ve ever written is not released yet, but I cannot wait to share it soon. It’s about wanting to escape from this crazy world we live in, and so far, it’s all acapella. I’m letting the song sit on it’s own right now and I don’t want to add production to it until I know that the time and feel is right. This one is special to me.

You’ve had huge success with all your music so far, not only an amazing response from listeners and the media, but you were also selected for the MTV Push series and Vevo DSCVR. What has that feedback been like for you?

It has been incredibly exciting to work with the amazing people from both MTV and Vevo and I could not be more excited and grateful for the opportunities and exposure they have given me. I think with anything, there are people who are going to love what you do and people that are not going to, but overall it feels like it has mostly been positive feedback so far.

The music industry has been severely impacted by the current global situation, and we’ve all had to adapt our lives and plans. Have your plans for releasing music changed? Have you found any new and creative ways to connect with your audience?

I have definitely had to adapt all across the board. I am still finding cool and creative ways to connect with my audience over social media, I guess I feel like I’m not the best at it though because I was never really on it so I’m still learning.

Any advice for aspiring songwriters about either the craft or music business?

I would say the biggest thing that I have learned in music is that you always need to be ready to adapt because the world is always changing. However, music will never die, so just keep doing you and working hard.

Let’s talk about more about your personal journeys. What are the hardest lessons you have learned in life so far?

The hardest lesson I’ve learned is probably you can’t escape your problems.I did this for years and it led to a lot of anxiety and depression, but throughout the last year I have been able to open up conversations about mental health and I have been doing a lot better. Mental health is so important and I hope to see popular culture continue to normalize conversations about it.

How do you use your intuition in your creative process?

If something feels right but doesn’t work rhyme wise, I don’t take it out. I gravitate towards songs that make me feel a certain way more so than a perfect rhyme scheme or structure.

We’ve got one last question for you! Thinking of yourself as a soul on Earth, what do you think your purpose is? What would you say to someone who is currently feeling lost and still trying to figure out their calling?

I think my purpose is to leave this world a little better than how I found it. Any time we are given an opportunity to be kind and make someone’s day a little better, we should do it. Life is too short to spend it spreading hate. I would say to those who are still feeling lost, which frankly I think all of us do from time to time, is to work on putting your energy into spreading love. When you do that, you attract authentic people who truly want the best for you, you develop amazing relationships with yourself and others, and I think that helps lead to a path of self discovery