Abby Anderson – Sugar Spice

By starrymag | September 14, 2022

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) I’d like to say it’s “just good music.” I have a lot of different influences. A huge one being country. I also realize the production elements in my music aren’t seen as traditionally country, there’s a lot of pop and RnB. I listened to everything growing up from Alicia Keys and Tina Turner to Merle Haggard and Loretta Lynn. I guess the best way to describe it is “Abby music.”

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

A) The very first song I learned to play that wasn’t classical music was “Flies on The Butter” by The Judds. I would listen to their records non-stop. And then my mom introduced me to Linda Ronstadt and that changed my world, and then took me to a Tina Turner concert and that rocked my world again. [laughs] I fell in love with the songwriting and voices of Miranda Lambert and Merle Haggard and the career trajectories of artist like Linda. She performed every genre under the sun. Something about that really inspired me at a young age.

Q) Talk about the story behind your recent single “Juicy.”

A) For a long time, I fought against my body. I’d exercise it when it was tired and not feed it when it was hungry. And for a long time, it was really hard for me to speak up for myself. To just say what I wanted much less do what I wanted. I found myself trying to “be authentic” in an environment where I didn’t feel that that was possible. I was functioning at my most surface level spiritually, emotionally and physically. I guess one day I decided I had had enough of that (or really my body was telling me “Stop this right now”) and I got myself out of that situation. I started listening to myself, my gut, my intuition and the second I did, I felt this “fullness” I had never experienced before. “Juicy” is about learning I can be full in every way – physically, emotionally and spiritually. I don’t have to shrink, dim or dumb myself down to make others feel more comfortable.

Q) What do you think it is about the song that has made it such a fan favorite so quickly?

A) I had shared my story a bit when we started to roll out singles for the Sugar Spice album, and when I did it was crazy how many people related to it. I thought I was alone in my story and was even a little nervous to share it, but I knew I had to. I got so many messages from people telling me their stories and how much they related to mine and the songs. I don’t know if “Juicy” is a fan favorite, but a lot of people have told me they love it, that it makes them feel confident and that makes me really happy.

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

A) The video is literally just me dancing and having the time of my life on camera. Every outfit, every scene, I felt so confident and had so much fun in. That’s all I wanted for the video, to show this new joy I felt for music and the lessons I had learned the past two years.

Q) Congrats on the release of your new album Sugar Spice! What are some themes you explore on it?

A) Thank you! Oh man, I think we cover just about everything [laughs] from feeling like the outsider looking in and craving a sense of belonging in “The Song” to trying to remind yourself of why you broke up with an ex when you run into them and they’re looking better than ever in “The Only Problem Is.” This album was freedom for me. The first time I’ve written and recorded music with no boundaries, boxes or rules since I was seventeen. I felt like a kid again.

Q) What tracks on the album really hold a special place in your heart and what makes them so significant to you?

A) The sixth track on the album called “Even the Stars.” There was a time in my career where I really thought I was going to quit. I had just left a record deal, it was the middle of 2020 and I was so confused and lost as to what my next steps would be. I remember just crying my eyes out one day thinking it was time to move on. A week later I meet my now producer, he says to me, “Let’s get in the studio and write” and we write this whole album top to bottom in two weeks. [laughs] “Even the Stars” is about how nothing lasts. Every emotion, every high and low, it all fades away and things have a way of always working out. I look back on me two years ago, crying, thinking it was all over and laugh. The universe has a sense of humor I am very thankful for.

Q) You are a part of social media. What kind of response have you already been receiving to the album?

A) The response from my fans has been amazing. Whether it’s sharing the music or making videos to it or sending me messages about what a song means to them. That makes me so happy. It’s one of the reasons I love social media – I get to connect with the people who are listening to my music.

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from exploring it?

A) I hope there’s a feeling of confidence, forgiveness for yourself and that you take a big exhale when you listen. That’s what making it felt like for me.

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

A) Every day it’s different but I am definitely a big feelings person [laughs] so usually it starts with a feeling I can’t quite articulate, then I sit at the piano or get a guitar and see what falls out. Sometimes I’ll wake up randomly or can’t go to sleep and that’s when I’ll grab my phone and sing whatever I’m hearing into my voice notes. That’s always funny waking up and listening back to in the morning. [laughs]

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

A) My producer, Marshall Altman changed my life. I was very involved in everything, but I wouldn’t call myself as a producer after seeing the way Marshall works. He’s unique in that he lets the artist take the lead. He had me play piano on everything. We came up with the parts together but what makes him such a great producer is he was always asking me, “What do YOU think?” I needed a safe place to feel like I could raise my hand and butt heads with someone creatively. I had the time of my life making this record with him. He has this incredible gift of knowing when we hadn’t found “that thing” yet and knowing when we did.

Q) Will there be an upcoming tour to promote Sugar Spice?

A) Yes!! I played my first headlining show August 30th in Nashville and then we’re looking at a headlining run for the Fall.

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

A) I love playing live so anywhere and everywhere [laughs] but I’d say Europe really was an incredible experience. The first time I went overseas was in 2019 and the people there welcomed me with open arms. They sang every word back and just had so much love for the songwriting. I’m excited to go back soon.

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) I’m a huge fan of Teddy Swims. That would be an ideal collaboration [laughs] also Kane Brown. He does everything from country to pop to RnB. I love and admire any artist who crosses musical genres and lines like that.

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

A) Morgan Wade’s album Run is amazing. The songwriting, the production, everything. So that’s still on repeat for me. I really love Beyonce’s new album Renaissance and a band I always go back to is Buena Vista Social Club.

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

A) I love social media for that reason. It is THE way to connect with my fans, see where they are in the world, what they enjoy seeing from me, etc.… I feel like they know me pretty well at this point. I’d like to think I’d make music whether or not anybody listened to it, but people listening to it is definitely more fun. Sharing my heart and getting heart back is the reason I love it all so much.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) Thank you for listening, following and coming to my shows. And that I hope you hear the love and joy in my voice this time around. I have a lot of followers who have been with me from the very, very beginning. They’ve seen me go through a lot, they’ve been through a lot, and in a certain sense we did it together. I feel more “me.” Still learning what that means but I think my fans hear it in my music this time.