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NewSong Artist Roundup: Alice Howe, Ben Lubeck, & More

Monday, July 1st, 2019

There are so many talented artists who are part of the NewSong family — it can sometimes be difficult to keep up! That’s why each week, we compile a list of new releases, shows, and videos from past NewSong artists who we think deserve your attention. 

Thinking about submitting to this year’s NewSong Music Singer Songwriter Competition? The Early Bird Deadline is July 15th. Submit your music here. 

 

Alice Howe — Visions

 

2018 NewSong finalist Alice Howe released a new album, Visions, this spring, and it’s a beautiful collection that deserves a spot in your summer rotation.

Via alicehowe.com: “Vistas and the faces and emotions they summon unfurl with compelling grace on Visions, Howe’s anticipated debut album. A modern love letter to 60s and 70s folk and timeless blues, Visions pays homage without succumbing to imitation, and offers an intimate snapshot of a young artist discovering her own power.”

 

Ben Lubeck (Farewell Milwaukee) — “For You Again”

 

We met Ben Lubeck, frontman of the band Farewell Milwaukee, in 2010 when he was a finalist in the NewSong competition. He recently released a series of singles, one of which is the lovely “For You Again.”  This song, explains Ben, “explores the many emotional ups and downs of a couple’s relationship as they add members to their family and the daily practice of cultivating each other’s hearts through the complex and mundane parts of life.” Check out this song as well as his other singles, “Mrs. Bluebird” and “The Show,” on the artist’s website.

Ana Egge — “Cocaine Cowboys”

 

Ana Egge recently released a dreamy new single, “Cocaine Cowboys,” which premiered on PopMatters. 

Via PopMatters: “This one started out as a song in tribute to life on the road and the camaraderie and friendship of bandmates and it quickly crossed into territory of honky-tonk life on the road,” says Ana Egge, reflecting on her new single, ‘Cocaine Cowboys.’ Hailing from her upcoming album, Is It the Kiss, Egge’s latest is a mellow, sweetly ruminant folk tune that explores the romantic haze surrounding the stories of old-school country stars.”

Is It the Kiss is due for release in early September via StorySound Records. It is now available to pre-order.

‘Come Together’ series in NYC continues in July, August

Enjoy new original music inspired by the 50th anniversary of the Beatle’s Abbey Road album on Wednesdays, July 10, 17, 24 and 31, from 12:30 – 1:30 PM at One New York Plaza and Thursdays July 18, August 1 and August 15 at Brookfield Place. Performers include past NewSong finalists Kaiti Jones, Crys Matthews, Suzie Brown and Mel Bryant, as well as Asheville, NC-based bands Slow Packer and For Def. For event info, visit our Facebook page. 

 

Early Bird Deadline is July 15 for NewSong Music Competition 

We are proud of our ever-growing NewSong community and the support, camaraderie and networking that goes on among finalists stretching back through the competition’s 18 years.

Will this be the year you will submit your original music? The Early Bird Deadline is July 15! Visit our submissions page here. 

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NewSong Artist Roundup: Crys Matthews, Alex Wong, & more

Thursday, June 13th, 2019

There are so many talented artists who are part of the NewSong family — it can sometimes be difficult to keep up! That’s why each week, we compile a list of new releases, shows, and videos from past NewSong artists who we think deserve your attention. 

Crys Matthews — Singing OUT Tour 2019

2017 Grand Prize Winner, Crys Matthews, may be coming to a city near you this month for the The Singing OUT Tour 2.0 — a social justice-centered LGBTQ-supergroup composed of me, Heather Mae, Joe Stevens (formerly of Coyote Grace) and JJ Jones (formerly of Girlyman). 

Mae, a powerhouse performer and earthshaking vocalist, has turned her personal struggle with mental health and body image into an empowering message of self-love, a universal light force that shines for every audience member. Matthews is a powerful lyricist whose songs of compassionate dissent reflect her lived experience as what she lightheartedly calls “the poster-child for intersectionality.” This group of immensely talented artists is on the road to celebrate Pride month, so show them some love! 

Alex Wong — “Landfall” premieres on The Bluegrass Situation

We got to know Alex Wong as a finalist in the 2018 NewSong competition, and we are thrilled to see his work recognized on The Bluegrass Situation this week. 

In The Artist’s Words: “When we set out to tell this story, we wanted people who listened to the album from beginning to end to feel like they were watching a movie… and we wanted ‘Landfall’ to feel like our establishing shot… As a song, it’s a birds eye view of our own introduction to the story of the village of Kivalina and how climate change was affecting so many in their situation. The chorus came out of our own ignorance of the scope of the issue… who would believe such a crazy thing could be happening right now?” — Alex Wong

Anais Mitchell — Hadestown takes home eight Tony Awards

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You may already know about the record-breaking Broadway musical Hadestown taking home eight Tonys, including Best Musical. But did you know that the show’s playwright, Anais Mitchell, was one of the earliest performers in the NewSong competition? So exciting to see this artist get the attention and feedback she deserves. If you can’t make it to Broadway, we suggest checking out the Hadestown playlist on Spotify. Read more about Hadestown and how its eight Tonys represented unprecedented victories for woman via Slate. 

Rose Cousins — Indian River Festival 6/28

We’re big Rose Cousins fans, and we think you should be too. Rose will perform June 28 at the Indian River Festival on Prince Edward Island. For those who haven’t yet heard of Rose and her powerful music, we suggest giving her 2017 album, Natural Conclusion, a listen. Learn more about the artist on her website. 

Submissions now open for the 2019 NewSong Competition

This year’s grand prize winner will receive an all-expense paid six-song EP, recorded and mixed at Asheville, NC’s Echo Mountain Recording Studios and released on the NewSong Recordings label. 

The grand prize winner will also receive a performance showcase at the esteemed 2019 ASCAP Music Café at the Sundance Film Festival (January 23 – February 3, 2020) in Park City, Utah, and a be booked for a paid, featured main stage performance at this summer’s Arts Brookfield Summer Plaza Series in New York City.

Submit your music here.

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MEL BRYANT PERFORMS AS PART OF ‘COME TOGETHER’ SERIES IN NYC MAY 29

Monday, May 27th, 2019

There aren’t many albums that are more iconic or influential than the Beatles’ Abbey Road. Arts Brookfield and NewSong Music have come together to present the New York City spring outdoor concert series ‘Come Together: New original music inspired by the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ last studio album. This Wednesday, May 29, we are excited to welcome 2018 NewSong Grand Prize Winner, Mel Bryant and the Mercy Makers, to perform. 

The ‘Come Together’ series features five free outdoor lunchtime concerts taking place every Wednesday in May. Each concert begins at 12:30 PM at the Grace Plaza, located at 1114 6th Avenue, just north of Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan. 

We took some time to talk to 2007 NewSong Music Competition finalist and ‘Come Together’ performer Mel Bryant to learn more about her songwriting, and how she has been influenced by the the well-loved album. 

HOW HAS ABBEY ROAD INFLUENCED YOU AS A MUSICIAN?

 
Abbey Road is one of those bodies of work that not only presents the listener with a bunch of amazing and timeless songs, but is a complete experience that takes the listener on a cohesive journey through sound. It has an arc, a storyline, and a groundbreaking style that sounds like nothing else that came before, but at the same time, it is self aware of the influences it draws from classic blues and soul music. In that way, the Beatles have consistently inspired me to ask myself: Is the music i’m making different from what came before? Am I aware of my influences and respectful of them? 
 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ABBEY ROAD SONG? 

 
My favorite song on Abbey Road changes a lot, but right now it’s “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window.”
 

WHAT LIFE AND MUSIC NEWS WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE? 

 
The band and I are playing at The Bitter End in the village on Saturday June 1st at 9 pm, and we are gearing up to release our second single, “Never Thought,” in mid June. 
 

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO ABOUT THE UPCOMING SHOW IN NYC? 

 
We are so looking forward to playing in a beautiful outdoor space, for a completely different crowd than who we normally play for. I’m from New York so it will be good to feel back at home, but every time I come back it also feels exciting and different from the last time i was there. 

 

To learn more about Mel Bryant and the Mercy Makers, visit the band’s website. 

To Join our ‘Come Together’ Facebook event, click here. 

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Ana Egge performs as part of ‘Come Together’ Series in NYC May 22

Tuesday, May 21st, 2019

There aren’t many albums that are more iconic or influential than the Beatles’ Abbey Road. Arts Brookfield and NewSong Music have come together to present the New York City spring outdoor concert series ‘Come Together: New original music inspired by the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ last studio album. This Wednesday, May 22, we are excited to welcome past NewSong finalist Ana Egge to perform. 

The ‘Come Together’ series features five free outdoor lunchtime concerts taking place every Wednesday in May. Each concert begins at 12:30 PM at the Grace Plaza, located at 1114 6th Avenue, just north of Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan. 

We took some time to talk to 2007 NewSong Music Competition finalist and ‘Come Together’ performer Ana Egge to learn more about her songwriting, and how she has been influenced by the the well-loved album. 

 

How has Abbey Road influenced you as a musician?

 
I remember when my family moved to New Mexico I got a cassette of Abbey Road for my 10th birthday, and I listen to it pretty much nonstop.
 

What is your favorite Abbey Road song? 

 
It’s hard to pick one, but I’d have to say “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” because of the impression it made on me when I was young and still the quality of the song and the actual track and how it sounds. It was just so amazing.
 

What life and music news would you like to share? 

 
Years ago, I had the opportunity to record in Abbey Road Studios with my friend Joel Plaskett. That was a highlight! That was the same year we opened for Sir Paul in Halifax. I’m in the studio now mixing my new record Is It the Kiss, produced by Alec Spiegelman, which is coming out this September on StorySound Records. 
 

What are you most looking forward to about the upcoming show in NYC? 

 
I love playing NYC! And I love playing free outdoor shows in NYC! Plus my band is going to be pretty smokin’. 

 

 

To learn more about Ana Egge, visit her website. 

To Join our ‘Come Together’ Facebook event, click here. 

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Crys Matthews performs as part of ‘Come Together’ Series in NYC May 15

Tuesday, May 14th, 2019

There aren’t many albums that are more iconic or influential than the Beatles’ Abbey Road. Arts Brookfield and NewSong Music have come together to present the New York City spring outdoor concert series ‘Come Together: New original music inspired by the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ last studio album. We are excited to welcome 2017 NewSong finalist Crys Matthews to perform this Wednesday, May 15. 

The ‘Come Together’ series features five free outdoor lunchtime concerts taking place every Wednesday in May. Each concert begins at 12:30 PM at the Grace Plaza, located at 1114 6th Avenue, just north of Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan. 

We took some time to talk to Crys to learn more about her songwriting and how she has been influenced by the the well-loved album. 

 

How has Abbey Road influenced you?

Abbey Road is such an iconic album and has influenced so many artists across so many genres. I remember listening to Musiq Soulchild’s version of “Something” back in college and being so obsessed with it. It’s such a simple song, but it is a textbook example of less being so much more. I hope to master that art some day.

 

What is your favorite Abbey Road song? 

“Something.”
 
 

 

What life and music news would you like to share? 

The Singing OUT Tour 2.0 — a social justice-centered LGBTQ-supergroup composed of me, Heather Mae, Joe Stevens (formerly of Coyote Grace) and JJ Jones (formerly of Girlyman) — is hitting the road in a couple of weeks to celebrate Pride month. All are welcome in our house!
 
WHAT IS THE SINGING OUT TOUR: Ask anyone in the know about the new generation of social justice music-makers and they’ll mention Heather Mae or Crys Matthews. Mae, a powerhouse performer and earthshaking vocalist, has turned her personal struggle with mental health and body image into an empowering message of self-love, a universal light force that shines for every audience member. Matthews is a powerful lyricist whose songs of compassionate dissent reflect her lived experience as what she lightheartedly calls “the poster-child for intersectionality”. These two singer-songwriters have joined forces with JJ Jones (Girlyman) and Joe Stevens (Coyote Grace) for The Singing OUT Tour. With Jones’s “kinetically charged” percussion and Stevens’s multi-instrumentalist brilliance, the music will be a powerful as their collective message — stand up and sing out. 

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Parker Ainsworth wins the sixth annual LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition, presented by NewSong Music

Tuesday, May 14th, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Western folk/soul artist Parker Ainsworth, from Los Angeles, has been named the winner of the sixth annual LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition, presented by NewSong Music. Ainsworth, along with five other finalist singer-songwriters, was selected from more than 400 entries to this year’s contest. The finalists performed at LEAF Saturday, May 11, in front of a full house at the Barn venue. This year’s judges were Alli Marshall, arts editor at Mountain Xpress; Jeff Santiago, a local musician and operations manager at The Orange Peel; and Melissa Meyers, founder of Red Rover Booking, an Asheville-based talent agency.

Other finalists were Cat Terrones from San Pedro, CA; Demos Papadimas from Warren, OH; Krista Shows from Candler, NC; Kim Ware from Atlanta, GA; and Syd Caldera from Brooklyn, NY. Ainsworth, Ware and Caldera were the three songwriters selected to move on to the second and final round. Finalists were judged equally on their performance and songwriting ability.

“Playing the Barn was such a magical experience,” says Ainsworth. “An open space full of music-loving folk, braving the elements to hear songs in their rawness. The event felt like it expanded me with the presence of genuine care … it pretty much blasted my heart wide open.”

He adds, “Talking with my fellow contestants reminded me that though this musical life can feel quite lonely at times, ultimately we’re never really alone. In fact, we’re unavoidably all in this together.”

Ainsworth will release his new EP, Far Away, this summer.

“It’s always difficult to select a winner, considering the impressive pool of talent,” says Alli Marshall, who returned as a judge for the fourth time. “This year’s showcase included stunning, Appalachian-flavored balladry, sultry swing, and rootsy folk offerings. All six performers were engaging; each is likely to become a recognizable name in the near future.”

Marshall adds that Ainsworth made a smart move in enlisting Asheville-based musician Zack Kardon as his accompanist. Though the two had not meet previous to the LEAF contest, Kardon provided tasteful electric guitar textures to Ainsworth’s rhythmic and storied song craft. “Parker also made great song choices, sharing his Texas roots, gritty soundscapes, and a non-cliched take on the need for gun control,” says Marshall. “Plus, he invited the enthusiastic audience to share in a sing-along.”

As the winner of the LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition, Ainsworth will receive a paid, featured performance at the fall 2019 LEAF Festival (October 17-20, in Black Mountain, NC), including lodging and accommodations. Other Asheville-area dates are in the works.

Ainsworth also advances as a finalist in the 18th annual, international NewSong Showcase and Competition, held later this year. The grand-prize winner of that contest will be awarded the opportunity to make a six-song EP, recorded and mixed at Echo Mountain Recording Studios in Asheville and released on the NewSong Recordings label; and a performance showcase at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival’s coveted ASCAP Music Café. The 2019 NewSong Music Contest is now accepting entries.

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Kaiti Jones performs as part of ‘Come Together’ Series in NYC May 8

Wednesday, May 8th, 2019

There aren’t many albums that are more iconic or influential than the Beatles’ Abbey Road. Arts Brookfield and NewSong Music have come together to present the New York City spring outdoor concert series ‘Come Together: New original music inspired by the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ last studio album. This Wednesday, May 8,we are thrilled to welcome 2018 NewSong finalist Kaiti Jones to the stage.

The ‘Come Together’ series features five free outdoor lunchtime concerts taking place every Wednesday in May. Each concert begins at 12:30 PM at the Grace Plaza, located at 1114 6th Avenue, just north of Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan. 

We took some time to talk to 2018 NewSong Competition finalist and ‘Come Together’ performer Kaiti Jones to learn more about her songwriting and how she has been influenced by the the well-loved album. 

 

How has Abbey Road influenced you as a songwriter?

The Beatles were the first band I was introduced to as a kid. Even at a young age, I was struck by the band’s ability to tell stories, both melodically and lyrically, that burrowed into me and undoubtedly impacted the way I began to tell my own stories. I grew up studying classical violin and spent years playing in orchestras, and when I heard Abbey Road, I was struck by the symphonic nature of the album. It never goes where you think it’s going, and the arrangements are just masterful.

 

What is your favorite Abbey Road song?

So hard to choose! I think my earliest memory of the album was hearing “Here Comes the Sun,” so that song summons a nostalgic fondness. But “Something” really unravels me. It’s such a melodic and emotional powerhouse, and I love that it, like so many songs on the album, is so complex in its arrangements and takes the listener on a journey.

 

What are you excited to share about your own music career?

I’ve spent the last several months working on working a bunch of new material, and I’m looking forward to starting my next studio project later this year. Stay tuned!

 

To learn more about Kaiti Jones, visit her website. 

To Join our ‘Come Together’ Facebook event, click here. 

 

 

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Meet LEAF finalist, Demos Papadimas

Tuesday, May 7th, 2019

Our 6th annual LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition is this weekend, Saturday, May 11! All this week we are introducing readers to our eight, talented finalists. Today we are proud to highlight Warren, OH-based Demos Papadimas. 

Singer-songwriter Demos Papadimas (guitar/vocals/harmonica/bouzouki) skillfully intertwines American roots music with Mediterranean influences. Based in Northeast Ohio, Papadimas cites among his influences Dylanesque balladry, Leonard Cohen’s latter day touring ensembles, and string-band revivalists such as Old Crow Medicine Show as well as Greek Rembetiko—the “Greek blues.”

We asked Demos some questions to learn more about his artistic process and vision. See Demos and the rest of our 7 fellow LEAF finalists perform at NewSong’s LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition this Saturday May 11. 

 
 

What is your songwriting process like, and where do you find inspiration?

 
For me the songwriting process is marked by quite a bit contemplation. As with most aspects of my life, I could easily be accused of overthinking the process. I typically am writing several songs simultaneously. I mark different sections of note books with colored post-it bookmarks and flip back and forth. Some lyrics start in one song and end up in another. I usually jot down random lines anywhere possible, and I’ve got post it notes all over the place. Some of them are lines that seemingly randomly come to me and others I’ve been working on for months. Still, other potential lyrics of mine are phrases that I’ve heard in conversation or read somewhere, and others are probably subliminally, inspired by songs that I love.
 
Voice Memos have become essential for recording initial ideas for riffs and melodies. Without the easy access of Voice Memos on a phone, I probably would abandon many ideas. If I didn’t have the option of playing back recorded ideas so easily, I would be overly critical. The best musical ideas—whether it is riffs or chord progressions or even melodies—seem to be the ones that come to me immediately when I pick up my guitar. The more time I spend thinking about it, the further I get from the initial sense of inspiration. There’s a similar Paul McCartney quote in which he says something to the effect of, “the best idea being the purest and the purest idea is the one that comes to you initially.” With lyrics it’s practically the opposite. With more editing and re-writing, I tend to better focus on the essence of the line and it helps refine what I’m trying to express. Much of the process is stringing together various ideas, some of them musical and some of them lyrical. 
 
My inspiration comes from various sources, but the most obvious is from musicians whom I hold in high regard. Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen are certainly high up on the list in terms of songwriters that have inspired me.
 
In another sense, the best inspiration is when I’m playing with my band or working on existing songs of mine either in practices or in the studio. Revisiting my old songs gives me a sense of perspective while the process of working out new material inspires me to continue writing. It seems fairly obvious, but the less I am engaging with my art, the less I produce. Also, seeing other bands on a local or regional level is inspiring as well. Seeing what my peers (many of them friends in bands that play in the same scene that I’m a part of) are doing inspires me as well. 
 
The notion that hard times and suffering produce better songs is not something I necessarily agree with. Obviously, some kind of heartbreak, yearning, or general difficulties add to one’s philosophical outlook and deepen their understanding of existence, but if you’re deep in depression, you can’t think clearly enough to write. The memory of difficult times perhaps informs our memory as songwriter’s and is something to draw upon for inspiration, but only years later. I suppose for some people the process of songwriting is therapeutic and maybe it is for me, but it’s not something I’m conscious of when it is happening. 
 
 

What important news about your music do you have coming up?

 
This summer I’ll be working on a new studio album as well as wrapping up an EP of recordings of old Greek Rembetiko songs. Rembetiko is a Greek genre of music known somewhat as the “Greek blues” and these songs are great source of inspiration for me. Also, I’ve been going through live recordings of my band for a future live album. 
 

What does it mean to you to be selected as a NewSong finalist, and what do you hope to get out of the experience?  

 
I’m honored to be selected as a NewSong finalist. I’ve been following news about the NewSong competitions for a few years now, and I’m grateful to be a part of it. I’m sure it will be a good networking experience not only with the other finalists, but with everyone from NewMusic as well as the LEAF Music Festival. I’ve never been to North Carolina, but I’ve been intrigued by the Asheville music scene so it will be good to see this area first hand. 
 
About the event
 
With a mission to identify and celebrate exceptional performers and songwriters from across North America, the competition aims to bring some of the continent’s most accomplished emerging artists to showcase, network and compete at the 48th LEAF Festival, which takes place May 9-12, 2019. Festival headliners include India Arie, Shovels and Rope and the War and Treaty.

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Meet LEAF finalist, Cat Terrones

Sunday, May 5th, 2019

Our 6th annual LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition is this weekend, Saturday, May 11! All this week we are introducing readers to our eight, talented finalists. Today we are proud to highlight California-based Cat Terrones. 

Catherine “Cat” Terrones is based in her hometown of San Pedro, California. As a solo performer, Cat has been featured as a finalist in singer-songwriter showcases like Kerrville Folk Festival’s New Folk Competition. Cat’s musical influences are diverse and far reaching.  Immersed in classical and Celtic (Welsh) music from a young age, enamored equally with American Folk, Celtic, Alt Rock, and Singer-Songwriter genres, she studied classical strings, composition, and classical and jazz voice in college, while moonlighting in Blues and Irish bands.  

Cat’s is one half of the Neo-Folk Americana act, Sun and Dark.  Their debut album takes a personal lens and examines the topics of our time: climate change, the global refugee crises, energy extraction, our precarious relationship to and deep need for nature, and our search for genuine human connection. Anchored in Cat’s original material, with a sound based on a vocal harmony, instrumental, and songwriting collaborative with bandmate Ben Shannon, Sun & Dark’s sound is a modern fusion of Americana/Roots, Celtic, and Alternative/Folk influences.

Cat is grateful for the continued fellowship of the artists and patrons in the music community. Her hope is to spend the next 40 years (or more) contributing new, beautiful, relevant art to the American Folk tradition, through her collaborative and solo projects.

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Meet LEAF finalist, The Good Graces

Sunday, May 5th, 2019

Our 6th annual LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition is this weekend, Saturday, May 11! All this week we are introducing readers to our eight, talented finalists. Today we are proud to highlight Atlanta-based The Good Graces, aka Kim Ware.

Drummer-turned-songwriter Kim Ware started the Good Graces on a whim in 2006, after purchasing a beat up, old acoustic guitar she named Buzzy at the Lakewood Antiques Market in Atlanta. The songs quickly poured out of her, melodic stories of heartache and hope, set to three chords that she often didn’t know the name of. Since then, Kim and tGG have toured the east coast multiple times, paid musical visits to Texas, over to California, and performed at such festivals as 30A, NXNE, and now, the esteemed LEAF Festival.

In 2015, Kim’s song “Cold in California” caught the attention of the Indigo Girls, who invited tGG to support some midwest and southeast shows during their summer tour. Shortly thereafter, Kim and friends began work on their 4th full-length, Set Your Sights. Released in conjunction with the Chapel Hill/Durham, NC-based boutique label PotLuck Foundation, Set Your Sights places Kim’s heart-on-her-sleeve songwriting and earnest lyrical delivery at the forefront of an atmospheric indie-folk expedition, led by producer / guitarist Jonny Daly and supported by a long list of players from around the southeast. Kim recently wrapped up work on a follow-up LP, Prose and Consciousness, to be released in October 2019.    

We asked Kim some questions to learn more about her artistic process and vision. See The Good Graces and the rest of our 7 fellow LEAF finalists perform at NewSong’s LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition this Saturday May 11. 

 

 

What is your songwriting process like, and where do you find inspiration?

More than anything, it’s never forced. I really am lucky, in that I love to create, and I’m almost always inspired. It can be anything, but for me, it’s usually in the everyday. Making coffee. Arguing with my husband. Making up. And often, my pets. I rarely sit down with the intention of “now I’m gonna write a song about x.” Instead, I’ll have little moments. In the car, in the shower… A melody and/or lyric will come to mind. That’s usually how it starts, and I just try to capture and build on it as quickly as I can, before it gets away.

 

What important news about your music do you have coming up?

LEAF! And I’m releasing my 5th full-length in October, it’s called “Prose and Consciousness,” and it doesn’t have a single breakup song on it! Pretty proud of that.

 

What does it mean to you to be selected as a NewSong finalist, and what do you hope to get out of the experience?

As much as I want to think I don’t need validation, I think we all do. At the very least, it feels good for my songs to be recognized in this way. The other songwriters are so talented! I’m looking forward to meeting them, and I hope my music connects with a new batch of folks who may not have been exposed to it otherwise.

 

With a mission to identify and celebrate exceptional performers and songwriters from across North America, the competition aims to bring some of the continent’s most accomplished emerging artists to showcase, network and compete at the 48th LEAF Festival, which takes place May 9-12, 2019. Festival headliners include India Arie, Shovels and Rope and the War and Treaty.

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