ANNA MAY

How would you classify your music?

My music can be diverse, genre wise, but is mostly a blend of indie pop, alt country, and singer/songwriter style, with some jazz influence.  This is the best way to classify the music, probably ..Alt tragic Americana, invocations for peace and judgment bending, with bleeding heart stream of consciousness poems.

I want always for my music to empower listeners to think and exist beyond judgment, and beyond classifications, in hope that we might move towards a more peaceful & sustainable future, and in a more binding harmony, where we view one another in the fullest sense of our true natures. All humans are so complex, and human connection is so complex. Rarely do we enter these spaces of authenticity in a societal way. Judgment, I have always felt, is the point at which we choose to limit ourselves and limit our understanding of the world. Judgment is where we become finite, and toss out open mindedness in favor of uninformed scorn, and where the allowance for the existence of new realities, collapses and implodes.

My music is intended to shift these very embedded paradigms; to be intimate, and close to the bone, reflecting an oeuvre of tragedy, with an ultimate attempt to heal and honor hope.
The closer that we come to what may feel uncomfortable to us, the more we can ultimately mend.

Who are some of your top 5 musical influences?

I have many musical influences, from so many different eras & styles of music. Challenging to pinpoint ..I grew up with a deep love for the music of the 1960s; cosmic pop and British folk, and also with love for the joyful sounds of the 1940s and 1950s, that quickly expanded towards the vast and varied realms of jazz ..Different artists influence different aspects of my own musicality; some artists touch more of my lyrical sense, while other artists touch more of my musical sense. A top five, I think would be, Chopin, Miles Davis, Neil Young, Shawn Colvin, & Belle and  Sebastian .. all for similar reasons, and all really for being, genre defying, and influencing the unconventional ways in which I seek to structure my songs, lyrically and musically; leaving space for fluidity within my songs. Nina Simone, Emmylou Harris & Billie Holiday should both really be on that list, too, for how they have influenced my vocal style and vocal freedom.Basically, i enjoy anything musically that likes to stray from norms, and that is conducive to explorations within a loose musical or lyrical framework. Lots of classical music from the Romantic period reflects this vibe in music that I love, while still feeling sonically rich and satisfying. I so much appreciate music that strives to delve, lyrically, into deeper themes and social issues from personal narrative, but also that has unique musicality, that doesn’t feel too rigid or concrete. So much of the musical departure that I appreciate most, is documented in the alternative music of the 1990s, so, i am still, constantly drawing inspirations from that particular era, and from what came out of it. I love all of the bands and artists who contributed to those musical initiatives.

I love Eddie Vedder, Imogen Heap, Bjork, Radiohead, Chris Isaak, etc. & love the ways in which the nineties tradition expanded into the next decade, so powerfully and viscerally. I love so many songwriters of the nineties; there are too many to name.

The 1960s is probably my favorite musical era, for the sake of the multidimensional expansion that happened for music in those years. I especially love artists like The Beatles (duh), Donovan, The Velvet Underground, Paul Simon, The Mamas and the Papas ..

What do you want fans to take from your music?

I want listeners and fans of mine to feel that they can be changed & charged by the music that they take into their awareness, in the same ways that I know, wonderful music has the power to change who I am & enhance my perspective. Whenever matters have felt pale to me, I am reassured that I can always dive into and learn from the deep store of musical inspiration that exists; knowing that, I never will learn everything. I want music to train a new society of closer listeners, and more empathetic beings.

I hope to capture snapshots of present and past, and to give a fresh, insight driven voice to memory, with a mood that is pensive, comforting and atmospheric. Music can move us closer to our innate spiritual natures, by playing or by listening. That being said, it can be dangerous to get overly metaphysical by many modern music standards. I am happy to encounter artists that defy the usual mould, and channel something that is spiritually fuelling & elevating, in their music. In making beautiful music, we can better craft & enhance the future. Questioning what is, is such a vital aspect to making great music, I feel. Art convinces us that, for each one of us, there is still so much that we do not know. I carry the hope that my songs feel just as honest and ra w as they felt to me when I was writing it, or experiencing what inspired them, and wish for them to communicate intention and peace to listeners. Music is the ultimate portal to expansion and release. It is where we can let go and embrace ourselves and each other. I want for people to temporarily be ushered into another world where there is cosmic & sonic unity, from hearing my songs .. a world that is partially my own, but partially, theirs; a world that is open to interpretation. Music has the capacity to widen our awareness towards all that we did not notice in others or in our environment .. urging us to get out on the ledge of invention and awakening.

My songs are intended as a meditation, reflecting spirituality and transcendence of the every day, via lyrical imagery, blending real events with spiritual prowess. I want people to see parts of themselves and parts of something that is brand new to them. So much of healing trauma has to do with confronting difficulties directly. If my songs can create a bridge to healing, in that respect .. to bring us, down into those depths of experience and depths of self, where we can honor pain, but also, move past it, then, I am doing something good .. moving, hopefully out to another side that reflects something more pure, glistening and self aware than what was before. This music is an offering of meditation and memory, and a forum for enhancing truth, joy, connectedness and humility. These songs are quite a patchwork of varied experiences. There are some cool nuances to explore in these songs. All music connects us with experience at a much deeper level.

How’s the music scene in your locale?

I have very mixed feelings about the music scene where I live, in Connecticut ..There is certainly a sonic variety here, encompassing folk, metal, ambient, psychedelia, rock, funk, etc. which is awesome from a listener’s perspective, but, I’ve found it on the whole to be needlessly competitive here amongst musicians, preventing some real connections from happenings.  While I love to go out to hear new bands that are outside of my own genre, I feel that I always wish for a greater sense of collaboration and unity amongst musicians, in general, and, especially here. I prefer wholly nurturing artistic communities, and have been lucky to find some great ones in my life. However, I suppose that I would classify the music scene here as mildly vibrant. I appreciate songwriter friendly destinations such as Austin, Texas, Portland, Oregon, etc. much more than I appreciate the scene here. While Connecticut is, I feel, a highly artistic region, especially where I live, the vibe is not as supportive and unified as what I’ve experienced elsewhere, unfortunately. I’ve had the benefit of knowing wilder places, in my experience, and at this juncture in my life, I know that I do like and dislike pieces of each. Collaboration is where the magic in music happens, so, I am always looking to find that element of music in a more defined sense. What I do love about Connecticut, from an artistic standpoint, is that, the coast can be so quiet and reflective, with plenty of open space, unlike other spots where I’ve lived, like new orleans & buenos aires, where intense and populated energy, along with camaraderie are so foundational to their existences. While I do not love the elitism that I see often in Connecticut, I do love it here in terms of being a creative person and in terms of being a solitary creative person. There is peace here, and I’ve both craved and hated the nature of life here at different moments of my life. When a place feels rather silent, then, we are left to imagination and to the inner world, and that is something that always comes from being in Connecticut. There is a unique sense of, letting be, here, for better or for worse.

When did you know you were destined for music?

I was lucky to have been surrounded by tons of music in my household, as a child, and grew up amongst many family members who are also musicians. I was very much taught to think and to be in a way that is musical. I began playing piano when I was six, and had been taking dance classes since i was 1.5. I always knew that I was a writer, or a musician, from a young age, mostly due to, a feeling of being at odds with the pulse of energy that was around me. I always craved more space than I could seem to find; more space where I could think. I didn’t ever necessarily have the instinct to be a career musician, but, after exploring several career paths, music felt like the sole place where I could be doing justice to my artistic potential, and where I could be truly honest with myself, and always with the opportunity to grow in an artistic or philosophical way. Whether it was during the songwriting process, or performing my music at venues and festivals, these were the places where I felt my most authentic and my most joyful self. I was fueled by each and every aspect of the musical process.

If I did not do it, then there was profound emptiness and dishonesty existing in me. Music is an interesting profession in that it seems to draw so many introverted personalities, due to the contemplative nature of writing and composing, yet, we are also called upon to be incredible extroverts in the performance aspect of the career. Musicians really must be, always exploring many facets of themselves and their potential. I knew that creating music would be part of my life, out of necessity. It did take me awhile to figure out how to answer these calls to creativity that came to me, when I was so young. The process required the tuning out of lots of other elements of my surroundings, or tuning out, expectations that I felt were attached to me. Doing that took many years, of releasing my own personal frustrations, or sense of coming up short.
Songwriting can be tedious, but always magical, and requires that one give their entire self to the discipline. It is a beautiful, scary, and weighty trance. Life does not necessarily train us to be instinctual beings, but i find that songwriting urges us toward an instinctual mentality, more than anything else that I’ve done. The act of creating is pure meditation for whoever practices creating. I’ve often, in my life, felt the desire to retreat, to find silence, and ultimately, to create. It is in those intimate spaces that we resonate with our most inner truths; the ones that are hazier and formless by daylight. Whenever I could not find these types of spaces in my life, I felt unhappy. The creative process unfolds at a rhythm that is much different from the pace at which most of the world moves, every day.

Creativity is a sacred but elusive art. It typically takes a bit of grappling with the self, to come to the realization that music or art is what you are meant to be doing. You are meant to find silence. You are meant to be vulnerable. You are meant to be truthful and quiet. What? That was not necessarily what life ever taught me to do. The process takes all of you, as any worthy pursuit does. I think, the primary challenge for intensely creative people is to find a balance between these opposite energies that exist in life and in the profession of music : intensity and peace. Music requires both of these for a successful career.

To me, music was the emotional relief for what life did not have time to heal in me. Music is where one can put all of their sensitivity and fragility, and in that vulnerability, can recover power. Studying piano throughout high school was a good way for me to avoid lots of the bullshit that I did not care about too much, and writing my own songs for the rest of my life after that, has saved me from many needless woes, I am sure.

What is the best concert you have been to? What do you like most about playing live?

I am lucky to have terrific parents who brought me to some amazing live shows, from very early on. One summer, we drove to Texas from Connecticut, and saw some incredible concerts in intimate spaces in ATX and elsewhere. This broadened my love of alt country .. the likes of, steve earle, emmylou harris, and so many other lesser known bands of that genre.
That trip stands as memorable to me. This is a difficult question to answer, because the amount of live music that I’ve seen is obscenely extensive, and honestly sometimes, shows blur together ..

Alison Krauss was someone that I saw live many times as a child, and though I do not have too distinct memories, I think that those concerts influenced me a bunch, unconsciously.
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing John Prine play at the newport folk festival; bob dylan & mark knopfler was a favorite show of mine, at Barclay’s center. Chris isaak at the ryman auditorium. Crowded house at the fox theater. Raul Malo several times. The Killers. The Beach Boys. Tony Bennett. Ryan Adams.

The music that I absorbed while living in new orleans is always with me, especially .. everything from ridiculously experimental jazz, to psychedelic Haitian music, to obscure punk rock. Everything there was just amazing. There was certain perspective that I could not have had before living in new orleans. Reading about an environment and experiencing an environment firsthand are quite separate, I learned upon becoming a resident of new orleans, and experiencing all of the chaos and beauty that the city offers up every day. I felt there that, I was a royal guest in a powerfully beautiful black culture. It is a more empowered culture & climate of being, in comparison to anything that I’ve witnessed anywhere else. The nature of new orleans is so exploratory, and lends itself to creating. There were some total hole in the wall bands that were out of this world, and I cannot even remember their names. Also standout shows were .. bluegrass jams in Asheville, nc. Suzanne Vega & Shawn Colvin & kd lang were some of my favorite live shows by female performers. Other worldly energy from them.

Performing live is interesting. I’ve done tons of live performance, which I am grateful for, and would not trade for all that it has taught me. Something that i tell people often is that, I never feel as exhausted as I do after playing a show. It is a physical, emotional and visceral experience all at once.

Some shows are magical, depending on the energy of the room, and where you’re at, energetically. I’ve learned to cultivate my energy so that I can properly meet the moment with live shows, but, one can never predict a live show experience. Sometimes shows are lackluster, and most of that has to do with the environment, really .. I think, my favorite part about playing is the uniqueness & even, weirdness, of the experience itself, along with the beautiful forms of vulnerability that come with playing your own songs for people that you do not know, hoping that you might sustain a philosophical connection with them, though you may never meet them. And then, maybe they won’t get what you do, at all. That happens, too.

We are all just working our way through this whole experience, together, and that is most clear to me whenever I play live; that everyone has similar desires, really. Live performance is an exchange of energy that is very humbling and teaching ..Although I love the creative process most, playing for people brings me out, and puts me in contact with people that I may not have ever met, whose lives are totally different from mine, and that is the most rewarding piece of performance.
Seeing new places is always cool, too.

Is there a song on your latest CD release here that stands out as your personal favorite and why?

Careless has been released as a single, but is part of a collection of songs that will be released, hopefully later in the year. Careless is my favorite of this collection because it feels very seamless, and important to me. It is something that I have held out, for a special person to consider. It is intended, oddly, to heal. This is a song of mine that I can enjoy listening to, & will not spend a ridiculous amount of time, critiquing. Although I am a perfectionist when in the studio, there are usually small moments in every song that I record & release, that may not sit completely right with me after I’ve made a certain decision or modification, & usually I am the only person who would ever hear those small details, and second guessed decisions, such as, knowing that there were originally two ways of singing a specific chorus, or one progression that I had selected over the other, or a different tuning. To me, Careless does not hold any of that sense of regret. This song simply glides, exactly in the fashion that I intended for it to. It is the most bare and pleading of any song that I’ve written before, and has evolved into a powerful statement that encompasses much more than what it was originally meant to be, for myself, and for others who have listened and found resonance with it. The song itself is much more layered than the word, careless, is.

I like that this song can be simultaneously therapeutic & desiring, or asking ..I find all of this strange because, it is an inherently dissatisfying song. It is one giant cliff hanger, but, I’ve become okay with the fact that it is that.

Careless is also the only song of mine that does not feel like a strictly folk inspired song .. it is more of a driving, and pop centric song, and is not overly concerned with lyrical cleverness because it is too emotional, to be. This was my way to tell, exactly what I felt, to the person who devastated me, who could not witness firsthand, the pain that was being experienced. II wanted to do this as gently and as honestly as was possible, but wanted to capture how genuinely startled and disappointed I felt. Careless is quite simply, an open wound; the type that most people can relate to. The lyrical purity of it still manages to captivate me, from a listener’s perspective, reminding me that pain will always take on a life of its own when we give ourselves over to feeling it, thoroughly, and growing from it. Careless seeks to elevate from where its heroine feels so stuck. She is oscillating and questioning.

Careless allows me to vocalize an answer that I did not have the opportunity to speak in actuality. It is both a frustrated and hopeful song, providing permanent space for this experience of ambivalence and loss to inhabit. It is the pain itself .. that is so separate, and so much ickier than all of the so perfect Joy that came before it. Careless is a gentle but insistent call for somebody .. a call to say that, I feel unsettled without your presence, and, I would feel much better with you here to comfort me. I forgive you for hurting me in a way that felt very abrasive and unexpected. It is not a song intended to shame, but rather, to confront an undeniable emotion, and is a meager attempt to recover love and hope, amidst fear and trauma. It is uncertainty. It is dissolution. It is hanging in space. Songwriting does not know what is past, for it is an all encompassing art form, emotionally, and includes every state of being, almost ubiquitously.. every feeling is always present and relevant when we are writing songs.

This song exists in a purely present way for me. It does not exist in the past. This is my passionate dedication, to that which impacted me so greatly, lovingly, and hurt fully, too. Songs like these allow the missing person to come back to life for a few minutes. I can visualize them, with clear and loving sight, although they may not see me clearly. A song can be a forgiving reminder that it is most wise to practice sensitivity with others, in efforts to alleviate tremendous pain, and preventing the physiological responses that internalized trauma can cause, all in efforts to sustain a much more love based world. The depths of trauma are strangely, soft and glistening, sometimes, as I discovered in this exploration.

Mastering the combination of melodic satisfaction and insight is never easy, in song. Acknowledging perspectives on both sides of an argument is not ever easy, but, I am proud of this song for achieving those elusive qualities in some ways. A raw stream of emotion somehow became an articulate, and palatable pop song. Relationships can end in such volcanic and unsettling ways, and those fissures often linger in us, unhealthily, defining our personas, at times. A song is like a soothing balm that helps to ease the blow for us. In this case, I do not know what went wrong, and that is the most difficult part for me. All that I could do, was, pick up from the broken place, and try to begin there.

I want to capture situations in life that stand as the frustrations; as, the what ifs, in the music that I make .. giving these instances the voice and importance that they deserve in the context of experience. I want to lend beauty to replace numbness; to heal the pieces that are broken, and to always remind myself, to recollect the joy & specialness that drew me in to a person’s world, in the first place.  Nothing is black and white .. we are drifting, somewhere between the sourness and the sweetness in everything.  This song calls for a more nurturing way of existing, and for a fashion of existing, that is, in community and in full understanding, so that we all might have an improved, collective experience. Songs can alleviate the tremendous pains, to some extent. We are always vulnerable, but we are resilient.

How have you evolved as an artist over the last year?

I feel as if I’ve evolved quite a bit, artistically, in the last year, especially..It seems that personal evolution comes as a byproduct of experiencing trauma, or rejection, or, at least, that has been true for me. Trauma forces us to grow more into ourselves, in order to meet the difficult circumstances that we may be handling, or, to meet the sorrow that we are forced to feel, with a sense of renewed strength. That is all that we can do. I am protected and nourished by  courageousness whenever I feel something that hurts. The ceiling of possibility gets higher, whenever I feel pain, until the point where I realize that, my internal journey is all that matters, in the end. If we are feeling the same forms of pain, then, that is our cue to take a different course .. you realize, maybe, that, whatever you had wanted, was not as wonderful as what you already had. When I reflect to last year, I see a much different self, with distinctly different aims and aspirations, and I see someone who was not as much held by a nurtured, flowing and creative sense as what I am held by now. I hear a voice with more ego based intentions, that musically, was reflecting, only, personal experience. Trauma can push us into new, spiritual territory and can shatter barriers, informing our new path, and our rights to solace and to success. Pain can even feed, beauty. If anything else, I feel broader now than I did a year ago, and more willing to open myself to new influence, and to paint on new canvases. I am speaking up, and understanding more than I had before.

Circumstance changes us, and changes us quickly. Each triumph or trial that we encounter holds the power to affect us, artistically, as long as we remain open to what it has to teach us.
I feel more direct and passionate now, and more able to detect what feels artificial. I can perceive more effectively, after some experience, and this seems to be, mostly a result of where my experiences have brought me. This is the gift of an artistic path; we have will over our direction at most every moment, which can be both daunting and satisfying. As artists, we are urged to be, always changing and evolving. Slowing down as a result of the pandemic has strengthened my own artistic evolution, because I am able to hear and witness everything slightly more clearly, and at a different pace. We are meant to follow new focuses and new directions, as part of our jobs as artists .. every one of those pathways, leading to a more definitive self. I see myself now, very much, sitting back, as opposed to grasping eagerly as I seemed to be doing a year ago. With so much performing live last summer, I was not totally mindful or in respect of my own evolution. I could have been creating more than I was last year, or, willing myself to be inspired by a wider variety of sources. Who and what I was thinking about has changed in the last year, dramatically, and so, I have changed, too. I am surrendering more and more to a creative process that might look differently, to me, and might look much more expansive; encompassing what is art based, or, that will comprise a more dynamic musical composition.

I feel that human relationships have probably the greatest power to change us, artistically. Changes & deepening regarding self happen, depending on what we are situated in, in a given moment. A major change that I continue to see, showing itself as a trend in my music, is, a less craftedness about my songs, and an ever more spiritual or emotional flow about them.  Songs reflect anger and frustration so much differently now, than they did in my earlier twenties .. basically, less precisely, and more as an emotional blend of disparate experiences. I’ve also relied more heavily on my classical background, in recent months, as an influence to my songs. I now have a more ginger and more conservative approach to familiar writing subjects, and that is something fun to be playing with, right now. My writing is not totally and directly dependent on what i experience in my life. I try to look to other perspectives that are outside of myself. I am aiming to get closer to reflecting, a collective spirituality ..hopefully leading to, glimmers of societal progress and change. As an artist, I now feel much more open to new possibilities, based on where my life has led me in the last year.

If you could meet, play a gig with, co write a song with, have dinner, have a drink with any band or artists, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

If I could hang out with any artist .. this is likely a cliche answer, but, .. that would be, bob Dylan.

I think that we would get along really well. My second choice would be Brian Wilson, for the same reasons. Leonard Cohen would also be a great choice. These are all such musical and lyrical pioneers that I respect and admire so much.

What’s next for you?

At this moment, I am embracing this rare instance that we are in; a needed, and genuine stand still of a period that is oddly lovely for those of us who are safe from disease and hardship.
I am essentially allowing these instances of very connected, domino effect crises and after effects to wash over me, affect me, remind me, educate me, and inspire me to make something meaningful from it all. I am currently in a state of absorbing, and holding back, my own voice, so that I might eventually offer my voice up to something that is bigger than what I’ve explored in the past. I want  whatever I create next to be a departure from what  I have done before, musically and lyrically, and I want for what I do to challenge me beyond what has been comfortable. That may mean, blending my music with a band, or exploring a totally unfamiliar soundscape. I want to get in touch with some new ideas. While I’ve been exposed to tons of diverse music in my life, and love such a great variety of music, I have been somewhat anchored to the folk tradition or classical tradition in terms of making my own music, so, I certainly would like to add some complexity to what I make, in the future, so that I might reflect all layers of self in my music, especially my loves for synthy music, African inspired music, etc. etc.

I feel that this time of both being settled, being pushed into some discomforts, and being distant will inspire something that is different in nature, though, I am not sure what, yet .. likely will be something that is of an entirely spiritual nature, seeing as we are in this unconventional place of being removed from human connection, in a historically massive way. Music made during this era will look differently for all artists, for sure.

When we strip back many of the distractions, it is then that we can see something that’s really honest, and does not have as many needlessly moving parts. We find that all things are pretty simple. This is the essence of all that I ever hope to capture, artistically .. I want mostly to reflect sacred insights that are found in blissful silences. So much of my music thus far has felt to be about, desiring certain outcomes, and about, a state of desiring, and not ever attaining, and honestly, I don’t quite know how much more I want to give to that as a subject. What is, attainment? What would I write if I had all that I was looking for? What music can be about is so limitless, but most primarily, music, or any art, gives us departure from the paler modalities or emotions of life, and provides us with renewed hope and escapism, and sometimes, a stark confrontation.

I want to create music that is joyous and filled with spirit, and that reflects both light and dark. I might be through with writing about heartbreak. I want to confront the rampant sexism that exists in the music industry. I want to promote, straying further from female stereotypes, in the music world. I want to challenge men, generally, on an overwhelming unwillingness to collaborate with female artists like myself, as well. I hope to see that more men will allow themselves to be vulnerable before female artists. Vulnerability is the nature of art, and the proper nature of being. So many songs are written about someone not wanting someone .. what if I were writing about something else, entirely? I am exploring the new freedoms of being that I am finding within this period of time, and am exploring all of what I may be able to do with it, in terms of expanding my own repertoire, along with eventually recording and releasing a whole backlog of songs of mine .. this will definitely take some time once I get back to the studio. Also, playing shows and festivals again. I can’t wait!

What experiences helped to shape your creativity?

I am grateful for so many unique experiences that really served to shape me, in a creative sense. My life has always been about finding ways to do what has felt important to me; getting in touch with those freedoms, and seeking to elevate my experience .. being a lifelong athlete in many ways compliments being an artist, I feel. When i was younger, i played lots of basketball, softball, and i was a dancer, too. Doing all of those activities very much went hand in hand with whatever I was doing, musically. The energies of creativity and athleticism are so similar. With each pursuit, there is quite a bit of space in which on can expand their experience or their potential. In my early twenties, I took a break from predominantly playing music, and dedicated a bunch of time to learning various circus arts, such as lyra, trapeze, silks, and hoops .. this was a cool period in that I was immersed in something that was utterly foreign to me. Circus did not come naturally to me, but there was so much to learn from it, as a discipline. There was a lyrical athleticism that I loved about the practice. Another experience that I found to be very pivotal in shaping me, was .. my educational background. I homeschooled or unschooled a bit when I was twelve, and then again from the time that I was fifteen until the end of high school. If there is one single experience that fed my creative nature the most, it would definitely be this that, at the time felt radical and unproven. I never had learned as much as I did during that time, from solitude itself, from reading tons of books on various subjects, and from dedicating myself to my own writing. It was here that I became much closer to all that was important to me. This marked such a definitive departure in my thinking and abilities .. a few years later, I wrote my first novel in the company of other unschoolers & writers, in a hostel in Colorado. This was a beautiful experience and an incredible challenge, to write an entire novel inside of a month. It was a gift to be amidst such creatively charged energy. I did something similar a few years after that; a tango and Spanish immersion in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The experience feels like a dream to me now .. and fed my passions for culture and for dance at new levels.

Those years were crucial for me, in developing a newfound love for travel in relationship to songwriting. I had always mostly identified as a musician, and dedicated the majority of my time to practicing music; not necessarily to travel. Living in South America was an especially lovely and perspective shifting experience .. the culture of Argentina is beautiful, sophisticated and incredibly art centric. I’ve focused since on travel within the united states as a foundation for songwriting, exploring much of the south and the west, in hopes of coming closer to the divisions and beauties that make this country what it is. Practicing meditation has also done so much to enhance my creative perspective, sense of focus and vision, and sense of spiritual expansion. Meditation opens us up in so many ways.

What is the best advice that anyone has given you?

. without a doubt : to not care what anyone else thinks of you.

MORE ON ANNA MAY MUSIC:

URL: https://annamaymusic.com/

BANDCAMP: https://annamay.bandcamp.com/

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/annamayfolk

End of Interview