A Chat With: Mike Mains

Singer songwriter Mike Mains will play Chicago's Elbo Room this Friday night, May 4th. Before the show, Mains discussed his upcoming album, his creative lifestyle, and some of his biggest influences with us. Check out our full chat below!

Photo by Haley Scott

What is your first musical memory of when you first became interested in creating music?

I'd have to say watching Michael Jackson music videos on the TV as a child. I'd try to replicate his dance moves. Early on I knew I wanted to entertain people.

Who do you consider to be some of your biggest influences and inspiration, both from a songwriting standpoint and as a live performer?

The Holy Grail for me is Tom Petty. Ben Gibbard, Brandon Flowers... Lately I've really enjoyed Big Thief's most recent LP, as well as Day Wave.

For this upcoming tour, you’ve mentioned you’ll be playing some new songs during these shows. What can you tell us about the new songs and do you have a particular favorite new one that you’re most excited to share?

I'm really excited to play the song "Live Forever" on this tour.

With the new songs, what was the writing process like and is there a common theme among the new material?

The new songs all share a theme of damaged love. My wife and I went through a brutal season during the writing and recording of this album, and there where times I wasn't sure if we were going to make it. The songs document the wounds I carried into our marriage and my best attempt at pulling myself together through therapy. It's a window into our lives to a degree I'm nervous about sharing with people. But I'm proud of it.

The writing process was a combination of my usual method of writing on an acoustic guitar with a notebook and demoing on some studio gear I invested in. As I started the deep dive of this album I knew I needed to change things up and wanted to explore engineering and producing. So I bought some microphones and recording gear and carried a lot of those demos to pre-production. The last big batch of songs were written with my producer in the studio during the winter at one of my lowest points. I'm extremely grateful to him for helping me figure out how to put everything I was feeling inside into a song.
 

I also saw that you recently posted about starting a Sunday blog...what has the response been like so far and what are some other topics you’re hoping to touch on soon?

I did! I've been a little lazy at maintaining that! I'd like to dive more into mental illness, spirituality, phycology and travel.

Another really cool thing I saw you’ve been doing is offering creative lessons ranging from life coaching to songwriting. Where did that idea for these lessons stem from, and how has the experience been so far?

It's been wonderful. I've got a small roster of folks I truly enjoy working with. It's been one of the greatest personal growth engines for me. When you're responsible for helping others grow in any area, you will loose steam fast if you don't keep yourself filled up. As I help others grow in songwriting and the art of creative living, I learn a lot and feel sharper. It's satisfying to see someone who's afraid to sing a song they wrote to be out on tour playing shows. Inspiring others to get out there and do it is the reward for me.

Which cities are you most excited to visit and play in on the upcoming tour?

Ludington, Michigan as we have some wonderful family there. I'm looking forward to playing Syracuse, New York as well.
 

Anything else coming up that you’re excited to share with fans?

A new album fall 2018 :)

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Grab your tickets to see Mike Mains at the Elbo Room on Friday here, and keep up with Mike on social media below!

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A Chat With: Chappell Roan

Hailing from Willard, Missouri, 19 year old singer-songwriter Chappell Roan possesses a raw, soulful voice and sings with a powerful sense of conviction that instantly hooks listeners. This past month, Roan hit the road with Declan McKenna, sharing her sweeping and personal narratives to audiences across the country. While out on the road, Roan took some time to chat about some of her newest music, touring with Declan, and what else is in the works for this year. Tune into our chat with Chappell Roan below! 

Photo By Catie Laffoon

What do you remember as your first musical memory?

I remember my mom getting me my first CD which was Pink Missundaztood, and I listened to it all the time. 
 

Who and what are some of your musical and non-musical (i.e film, literature) influences on your writing and vocal style?

Stevie Nicks and Karen Carpenter are my main vocal influences. When I was younger I would try to mimic their voices. Frida Kahlo is my favorite artist. I love the darkness and vulnerability of her paintings. 

 I’m loving your new song “School Nights” that you put out last week! What’s the story behind this track as far the writing and recording process?

"School Nights" is about the feeling of being young and staying up late on a school night when you know you should be asleep and the feeling of being in love for the first time. I wrote this when I was 17 and it was a time that I felt like I was growing up, but I didn’t want to. I wanted to stay 17. 
 

You’ve been steadily releasing songs recently, with “School Nights” coming a month after  “Bitter.” Can your fans expect a lot more music this year?

Yes! Right now I’m working on finishing up the album. I’m not sure exactly when, but sometime later this year. 
 

What has it been like sharing the stage with Declan McKenna on the current tour? Any favorite cities on the tour so far, or anywhere you’re looking forward to playing for the remainder of the tour?

This tour has been amazing. Declan and his band are so funny and nice and welcoming. They make this tour so much easier. I loved playing Lawrence, Kansas and Seattle because I had lost of friends and family at those shows. I’m very excited to play the Santa Ana show too, because I’ll get to see more friends there. 

Is there anyone whose stage presence you really admire that inspires you with your own stage presence and performance style?

Lady Gaga and Beyoncé really inspire me with their stage presence. They are both so confident and really own the stage and connect with the crowd so well. I hope to be like them one day. 
 

What’s your favorite way to stay entertained on the road between shows?

I like to do yoga, watch movies, read, and listen to podcasts in the hotel or van to pass the time on long drives. 

 What are some of your favorite new bands or favorite songs at the moment?

Beach House, Alt-J, London Grammar, and Sigrid are some artists I’m listening to now. 

What else is on the agenda for you in 2018?

As of right now, there isn’t much planned. I am very excited to go home and relax after this two month tour. We have done 41 shows and we only have 4 more to go. It’s bitter sweet, but I’m happy to go home! 

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For all the latest news on Chappell Roan, make sure you're following her on Social Media:

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A Chat With: Billy Raffoul

Singer-songwriter Billy Raffoul has been turning heads and garnering attention with his music that combines soulful and passionate vocals with a raw sense of storytelling. Inspired by his musical family, as well classic rock and timeless songwriters like Jeff Buckley and Neil Young, Raffoul puts a new twist on deep-rooted influences. This month, Raffoul has been out on the road with ZZ Ward, and he took some time to catch up with us in the midst of the six week run. For more on how his creative background and nomadic lifestyle influences his sound, what we can expect from his debut full length album, his take on the Nashville music scene and more, check out our chat with Billy Raffoul!

You’ve been out on the road with ZZ Ward for a few weeks now! How has the tour been going so far, and which cities are you looking forward to for the rest of the tour?

I'm really looking forward to the West Coast portion of this tour. It's been a while since I've performed in Seattle and Portland. Can't wait to get back out there.

What do you usually do to entertain yourself on the road? Any podcasts, shows, or books that are your go-to's?

The band and I are pretty balanced…whoever is driving controls the radio. Could be a Beatles record, an Eminem album, or a podcast. We're all over the place. 

While on the subject of traveling and tour, as I understand it, you now split time between Nashville and LA, but you grew up in Canada. Do you find yourself pulling influence from each of those cities when you're writing?

I feel like I am very influenced by where I come from, my family in southern Ontario and the people I grew up with. Los Angeles and Nashville however are very exciting cities and I am definitely inspired to create there as well. 

What are some of your favorite parts of the Nashville music scene at the moment, from the venues to other artists?

There is so many great local artists in Nashville that it is actually hard to keep track. Then you have legendary venues like the Ryman Auditorium, The smaller but characterful Basement, etc. I have been lucky enough to play these stages a couple times.

Circling back to your start in music, I know you grew up with your dad playing music for a living. What's the biggest lesson your dad has taught you about a career in music?

My dad has really taught me by example what it takes to have a career in music and support a family. He taught me to work hard at it everyday and continues to do so. 

I hear you're also working on a debut album at the moment. Any teasers you can give about some of the songs that will be on it?

I can tell you that some of these songs have been with me for years.. and maybe some I wrote yesterday. It's overused but sometimes you can honestly say your first album you have been working on your whole life.. It feels that way for me. 

If you could collaborate with anyone, who would you like to work with on a future project?

Dan Auerbach is somebody who's music I grew up listening to. I think he also calls Nashville home now. A bit of a pipe dream but I would love to work on something with him.

 In general, who are some of your favorite new artists at the moment, or albums you've had on repeat lately?

I've been listening to Jessie Reyez. Her Album Kiddo.

  What else can we expect from you in 2018?

Definitely new music and hopefully a lot of touring! 

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There you have it! Keep up with Billy Raffoul on social media below, and check out the rest of his upcoming tour dates here!

Billy Raffoul: Facebook // Twitter // Instagram

A Chat With: Emily Warren

Although she just released her second solo single, called "Something to Hold on To," last month, singer-songwriter Emily Warren is well versed in the pop music scene. Your ears may recognize Warren as the vocalist behind the addictively catchy hook in Frenship's viral song "Capsize," or as the mysterious guest vocalist in The Chainsmokers' hit song "Paris," but most of her extensive resume stems from work done behind the scene. With songwriting credits for some of the biggest names in music, including Shawn Mendes, Charli XCX, and Melanie Martinez, there's no doubt that you've heard at least one of Warren's songs. She's toured the world with The Chainsmokers and even won a Grammy, but now Warren's focus has shifted to writing for her first solo album. While you await her debut album, check out our Q&A with Emily Warren for the scoop on her first ever song, her nomadic lifestyle, upcoming collaborations and more! 

Photo Credit: David O'Donohue

ANCHR Magazine: How old were you when you wrote your very first song, and do you remember what it was about?

Emily Warren: Oh god, yes. I was 10 years old, I had just put it together in my head that people wrote songs and that was a possibility. I wrote it about the boy I had a crush on at the time, and it was called "Facing Confusion." It had a thunderstorm theme and I was simulating thunder, lightning and raindrops on the piano... no one ever needs to hear that song, haha!

AM: How does your writing process vary when you’re writing for somebody else and when you’re writing your own songs?

EW: At the end of the day, the processes are quite similar. Whether I'm writing for myself or with someone else, I'm really only interested in writing about the truth. My sessions typically begin with a long conversation - I want to make people comfortable to open up to me so that the song is meaningful to them. One, because there is something very rewarding in helping someone get their story out, but two, I believe that if you write about something honest and true, you will be touching on something that other people have felt, and that, to me, is the beauty of music.

AM: Between writing Grammy Award-winning music and touring with The Chainsmokers, you’ve already accomplished so much this year! What do you consider to be the biggest achievement to come out of your hard work in the industry?

EW: Aw thank you so much! The fact that I get to wake up and do what I love every day is my biggest achievement, the rest is bonus. 

AM: At the moment, which song of yours (that you’ve either written for someone else or yourself) is your favorite, and why does it stand out to you?

EW: I've got some things I'm really proud of that are not out yet, but of the things that are released, one of my favorites is a song I did with Astrid S. on her first EP called "I Don't Want to Know." At the time we wrote it, it was a story that was really resonating with the both of us and I remember getting the mix back and crying my eyes out in my bed. I'm really proud of the song, the lyrics, and the structure - I think none of us were concerned with any "rules" of songwriting which ended up making it quite quirky and strange but that's something I really love about it.

AM: With being born in New York and now working in Los Angeles and even spending some time in London, what have you learned about yourself as an artist by dabbling in those different music scenes? In relation to that, do you think that working in such culturally contrasting cities has influenced your songwriting?

EW: One hundred percent - I've always wanted to travel and see the world and the fact that I can do that with music, and meet like-minded people that I can create with in all these different cities is truly the most amazing thing. It is quite shocking how different the writing culture is from LA to London to Nashville to New York. I've picked up bits from each place and been inspired by the people and streets of the different cities so it has definitely influenced me as a person and therefore my writing.

AM: Where are you in the process of writing your own debut album, and can we expect an Emily Warren tour soon?

EW: All the songs are pretty much written for the album and we're now just finishing up recordings and productions. As for a tour, eventually yes - but nothing planned at the moment. I want to get some more music out first and then figure out what that would look like.  

AM: Do you have any other collaborations in the pipeline?

EW: I've got some stuff coming out with Melanie Martinez, and have been doing more work with Sean Paul, David Guetta, The Chainsmokers, and actually just went down to Nashville to work with a bunch of Country artists so I'm very excited to see what comes of that!

AM: If you could co-write a song with any artist, dead or alive, who would you work with?

EW: THE BEATLES!!!!
 

AM: What’s your best piece of advice for someone trying their hand at songwriting?

EW: NEVER compromise what you believe in - if you have a gut feeling, you're probably right, and you should stick to it regardless of how much resistance or push back you have to face to make that happen.

AM: Lastly, who are some of your favorite new artists that you can’t stop listening to?

EW: Right now I can't get enough of the new albums from SZA, Harry Styles and Lorde. 

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Keep up with Emily by following her on Twitter, Instagram, and Spotify.

A Chat With: Julia Jacklin

Australian singer-songwriter Julia Jacklin has had a year as incredible as the songs she writes...releasing her debut album, touring nonstop, and being announced on massive festival lineups all over the world, like Glastonbury and Spendour In The Grass. Her music blends her rich and haunting vocals with retro-tinged folk music, and a pinch of twang. In the midst of her current North American tour, Julia took some time to chat with us about her first album and what's in store for her this year. Get to know Julia Jacklin now before she takes summer 2017 by a storm.

Thumbnail Photo Credit: Scarlett Mckee

Photo Credit: Nick McKinley

ANCHR Magazine: Congrats on releasing your debut album last year... it’s a big accomplishment! What have been some highlights for you since you’ve released it?

Julia Jacklin:  I’ve kind of been on tour since I released it. So I’ve done a lot of things. Playing music festivals has been cool. We played...it’s a pretty big bill back home, it’s a festival called Laneway Festival. We got to do that, which was like a teenage dream come true. We did Tiny Desk two days ago, which was also on the list of dreams.

AM: Cool! Talking more about your music, you wrote, starred in, and directed the video for “Leadlight." Was that your first experience directing?

JJ: The first one I did was “Pool Party” actually. I released that quite a long time before I released the record. That was my first experience, just kind of coming from having to make it work. I needed a music video and had to make it happen.

AM: Do you have any interest or background with films, or was it really that you just needed someone to direct it and stepped into that role yourself?

JJ: I definitely have an interest...I definitely have a lot to learn in that regards. I’m a person who has grown up watching many things. It’s something that I ended up really enjoying, but honestly it wasn’t like an “Oh, I really want to do this all on my own.” It was like I just had to do it.

AM: Do you have any all-time favorite music videos that you were inspired by when you were planning what you were going to do for your own music videos?

JJ: Probably my favorite is a Grimes clip, called “Oblivion.” Have you seen that one, where she’s in like a football field? It’s really cool. I wish it was my music video.

AM: Cool! So then as far as the live show, what have been some of your favorite songs from the album to play live since you’ve played a bunch of shows since the release? Are there any that have sort of changed and transformed in the live sense?

JJ: Yeah, they’ve all kind of changed over time. They’re quite a lot bigger than on the record now. I’ve kind of had a few---just cause I’m touring a lot in many different places, I’ve had a few line up changes in the band. That’s always changing the songs in a way. I definitely hated a couple of songs a few months ago and now I’m enjoying them. It kind of changes all the time. I’ve been really enjoying playing “Leadlight” lately. Which I was always really scared of for some reason. It was always the one song in the set that I was thinking I was gonna screw up.

AM: So you’ve had a few different line up changes with touring different countries. What’s the current set up on this tour?

JJ: I’ve got Eddie from back home. He’s played with me the whole time. Then I have Ian and Ben from Toronto, who joined a couple of weeks ago. They are fantastic. We’ve been really getting to know each other.

AM: Nice! Any random outings or fun stories from this tour so far?

JJ: It's been a very chill tour so far. The whole first part was driving up the west coast of America, and getting to see the Red Woods. Like staying in really secluded Air BnBs, and just feeling like a real tourist for once. Instead of like a really tired musician just coming in and out of cities and never really seeing anything. I felt like I really got to see some of America this time.

AM: Any cities coming up that you’re excited to go to on this tour?

JJ: We’re going to a few places on this tour we’ve never been to, like Raleigh and Atlanta. So I’m just keen to see what the deal is, what’s going on. I’m pretty excited about playing in New Orleans. I’ve been there a few times as a backpacker, just wandering around, soaking it all in. It’s a nice turn of life events that I’m gonna play there.

AM: That should be great. I hear a lot of musicians say they like playing there because the crowd is really receptive.

JJ: Totally, yeah.

AM: Have there been any culture shocks for you playing in America? It sounds like you’ve been here before even as a backpacker, but anything being a musician that is completely different here than back home?

JJ: It's very different to back home, as there’s so many more cities and venues to play. In Australia it’s like you tour for a week and you’ve pretty much covered it. Really long distances between places as well, and you have to fly. That’s super different- being in a new place every four hours that seems to have a pretty different culture, like food-wise and the music scene seems to change a lot between each state. It’s a completely different experience than back home. It kind of feels like you’re in different countries every couple of days.

AM: What’s been the most surprising show, like where the crowd or city was different to what you thought it would be like?

JJ: We just played in Montreal actually, and that was quite different to what I was expecting. Just a very a vocally appreciative crowd. They were yelling a lot at me, but nice things. Kind of throughout the whole set. They were really into it.

AM: So kind of circling back, do you have anyone who inspired you to start making music? Both musical and nonmusical, what first inspired you to start writing and playing an instrument?

JJ: I guess my friend to be honest. My friend Liz, who I got to know when I was 18. She was a massive fan of like Annie DiFranco and she had a classical guitar. She used to do really cool finger picking, and I was like I really want to be just like you. So I bought a classical guitar and started doing exactly what she was doing. We still play music together. She’s been the biggest thing for me in the beginning. The first band I was in was with her, and she’s just someone I really looked up to.

AM: Very cool. So are there any new albums or bands that you’re listening to a lot?

JJ: I’ve been listening to Mitski’s new record a lot. That’s been a big favorite. I’ve just discovered Cass McCombs. I’m very late to the bandwagon on that, but I’ve been enjoying listening.

AM: So then last thing, you’re on the Splendour in the Grass line up. It’s a big Australian festival and your first time playing it right?

JJ: Yeah the first time, it feels really good.

AM: Awesome, so anyone else on the line up you’re hoping to check out?

JJ: Well we have to fly straight to LA to play FYF Fest. So it’s one of those things where it’s like oh cool there’s all these great people playing, but we have to play and leave straight away to get to the airport. Which is usually the case it seems with music festivals once you start playing them. So I’m choosing not to look at the lineup and when people play so I don’t get disappointed.

AM: Anything else you’re looking forward to this year?

JJ: We’re moving to Spain in a month, doing the European Festival circuit, doing like Green Man, Glastonbury, and Primavera. So I’m really looking forward to that. Summer time festival life.

AM: Very cool. Are you writing new material on tour?

JJ: Yeah I have been. We had quite a lot of down time at the beginning of this tour, so hopefully I’ll have something new soon.

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Follow along with all things tour and other updates from Julia here.  Chicago, you can see Julia Jacklin with Andy Shauf this Saturday, May 13th. Grab tickets to their show at Lincoln Hall here, and get ready for the show by listening to Julia's debut album below!

Get To Know: Skela

Independent, fearless, genuine: Skela is the New York based singer-songwriter you need to know about. A power vocalist and a poet with the knack for crafting catchy pop melodies, Skela's not afraid to pack a punch with her message. After playing an incredible show at The Mercury Lounge in NYC last month, Skela took some time to chat with ANCHR about her upcoming debut EP, new music video, and her other writing projects. Get ready for Skela's takeover in 2017 by reading up on 6 things you have to know about Skela. 

Photo Credit: Grace Watts (@gracexless)

Powerful Vocalists and a Chipmunk-Tuned Cassette Player Got Her Started in Singing

As a self-taught musician, Skela definitely took an unconventional approach in teaching herself to sing. "I actually have one really distinct memory," She revealed. "My earliest memory with music and realizing how obsessed I was with it...I used to live in Sunnyside in Queens, and we had this little Mickey Mouse cassette player. I was really little, I think I was maybe 5. It had this little chipmunk option that made it go really, really fast. It was this song called “Toy Soldiers" on one side, and on the other side was Mariah Carey or something. And I remember that’s how I taught myself how to sing. By mimicking exactly what I heard over and over again, and I would mimic the chipmunk voice. I wanted to sing high. That’s when I first started singing. I would do that all the time until my mom came in one day like 'What are you doing?” I was like in a trance, it was just so normal to me," she continued. 

As far as other inspirations behind teaching herself to sing, Skela credits a lot of female power vocalists, from popstars to pop punk front women. "It’s so broad, it changes over the years when you go through different phases," Skela says about her influences. "Growing up I guess I started off with all the great vocalists. You know, Aretha, Etta James...Christina Aguilera was huge. Mariah Carey. We would listen to a lot of Janet Jackson. As I grew older and kind of got my own ears going, I would listen to The Beatles all the time. I went through that whole emo pop-punk phase of Paramore, you know," she revealed.

Although her influences include a meld of all these different artists and they're ever-changing, Skela says, "I definitely started out with vocalists. That was like my number one. It still is. I could listen to Ariana Grande sing for days."

She Directed Her Upcoming Music Video 

Skela's got a new single on the way, but rather than just releasing the song, she's going all out. The new track, called "Hella," will be accompanied by a music video that she directed. Talking more about the new video, Skela says, "We have Mithsuca Berry as the romantic lead, then the very talented photographer based in New York called Maksim Axelrod. I’m just so excited. I feel like it really is coming together artistically." The new single was originally scheduled to drop in April, but it sounds like everything will be well worth the wait. "We’re wanting to make everything kind of perfect," Skela elaborates about the pushed release date, also mentioning the wonderful flexibility and freedom that comes with being an independent artist. Regardless of the exact release date, get ready to be "Hella Skela" when this music video drops! 

She's Not Far From Releasing Her Highly Anticipated EP

Skela says that her EP should arrive shortly after her new single premieres.  Speaking of new music, some lucky New Yorkers recently got to hear some of the new tracks performed live at Skela's show at The Mercury Lounge last month. Talking about the show, Skela gushes, "I was actually shocked how well it went. It was a pretty packed room. Which is crazy. I’m a small artist, I’m pretty indie...So to have so many people out was really really special. We had a lot of cross promotion with a company called What’s in Your Box? And then we had female based brands like Millioneiress. We just had a lot of love and support. The new music went over so well. Like all of the unreleased music that we played people were like 'Where can I hear that?' And that’s such a good sign that people want to hear it again. I can’t wait to put out the new music. I just can’t wait."

Skela also revealed more about the theme of her new music and her writing process when we chatted. "I think I’m kind of like an odd songwriter because I never really...," she pauses before continuing on to say, "I do write about experiences and events to a certain degree, but most of my music is based off of the literature and the subjects I’m interested in within a certain time period. You know what I mean? I read up a lot on my interests and all of that sort of pours through to poetry, and then I’ll make songs from the poetry. So I’m hoping to release some poetry with the EP. I guess it just shows a little more of what the songs truly are about."

In a way, you could say that her poetry is the skeleton of Skela songs (say that five times fast).  

Her Advice For Other Independent Artists Is...

Skela recently wrote a guest blog for Tunecore about her experience in the industry as an independent musician. Touching more on that subject, and being a new artist, Skela gives her number one piece of advice. "You’re just so overwhelmed with where to start. And just eager. But I think-- just navigate from a point of rationality and logic as best as you can, and it’s gonna take a while 'til you can. Cause you’re so eager that you’re just down for anything and excited to work with everyone. That’s so great, but at the same time, you should be focusing on who you are and what’s right for you. What’s your decision. It’s easy to let people tell you what to do, from agents to managers to you know, anyone with opinions. It really takes a long time to be like no, I got this. I got this cause I got me. For me, my number one thing is just to stay as grounded as possible. And not in a humble way. In a literal, grounded place. Be grounded in your music and who you are. That’s a very hard part of chasing your dream. You lose that because you get discouraged, or you get one good thing that happens to you and it doesn’t work out. Then you’re devastated again. Just staying grounded."

For anyone starting a creative project, not just in the music industry, that advice to remember your intent behind the art is so important. 

“It’s easy to let people tell you what to do, from agents to managers to you know, anyone with opinions. It really takes a long time to be like no, I got this. I got this cause I got me. ”

— Skela on standing your ground as an independent artist

She's Not Just a Singer, But a Screenwriter As Well

Singer, songwriter, director, poet, blogger, and that's not all. The gem of Skela's writing possesses many different facets. "I actually just wrote a short film script," Skela says while talking about what's next for her this year.  "It’s going into production this year, and I’m actually really excited about that. That’ll be pretty cool to have my first screenplay actually going into production. It’s called 'Le Reve,' and it’s being produced and directed by a very close friend of mine, Chiara Gerek," she continued. 

So besides the massive amounts of writing talents, does Skela have any secret talents? "I don’t know if this is a talent, but I always twirl my hair, and I can do it really fast. It’s more of a nervous tick, really," she confesses. 

She's Got a Love For Lo-fi Music

Skela will easily become one of your favorite musicians once her EP comes out, but talking about her favorites, she says, "I’ve been listening nonstop to this one artist called Ben Rosenfield. He’s very awesome. I have this big love for lo-fi music. I’ve been listening to him a lot. I always go back to the basics, like [Sandy] Alex G...Day Wave...Mitski. Diet Cig is really dope, they just came out with a new EP that’s really good. Those are the ones that I go back to. Oh, Active Bird Community. My friend- he goes by Kraus, but his name is Will Kraus and he’s super talented. I feel like he’s about to blow up in that scene. I listen to that music pretty regularly, and it serves as a strange platform for pop music. If you listen to the new music, you’ll definitely hear it. It’s in the melody...it’s all over."

Elaborating specifically on her favorite local artists, Skela has some hot tips about the NYC scene. "I have some friends and musicians that I think are really talented, and I really only try to work with people that I genuinely support and love. A few of them are Josh Jacobson. He’s a producer and a songwriter I work with. He’s dope...he’s got great stuff coming out. Florio. He actually opened for me at the show. Then the Frances Rose girls are so talented. They’re kind of Synth, 80's pop. This girl May, she is amazing. She has this crazy voice, just crazy operatic training behind her. There’s a lot of great musicians in New York, but I feel like right now those are the ones I really pay the most attention to cause they’re somewhat in my lane, but I also really admire them," she says. 

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Stay "Hella Skela" by keeping liking Skela's Facebook page to keep up to date with any updates. You can also listen to this killer Spotify playlist that Skela made, featuring some of the artists she hyped as her favorites while you wait for the EP. 

A Chat With: Sarah Potenza

With yesterday being International Women's Day, this feels like the perfect week to have chatted with the fierce and fiery Sarah Potenza. During her set on Saturday night at Daytrotter Downs, Sarah slayed us all with her powerhouse, soulful vocals, which some of you may remember from Season 8 of The Voice. After her set, I complimented Sarah on her incredible performance, and that lead to an impromptu interview backstage at Daytrotter. In our chat, we talked about being badass boss ladies, moving to Nashville, being on The Voice, other great singer-songwriters, and more. Get to know more about Sarah Potenza now...

The Powerhouse: Sarah Potenza 

Photo Credit: Jeremy Ryan

ANCHR Magazine: Can you start by telling me a little of your story, like your background and how you wound up in Nashville from Chicago?

Sarah Potenza: I’m from Rhode Island, moved to Chicago in 2003, and then I moved to Nashville in 2012. That’s pretty much it. I moved to Chicago pretty much because I got in a car accident, and I got $3000 for my old car. So I decided to move there on a whim, I was like Chicago, I don’t know, I like Rosanne…

AM: So what’s been your favorite city so far?

Sarah Potenza: I really love Nashville so far... I mean I love Chicago. It’s weird, when you move somewhere, you feel like you have multiple homes. Like Rhode Island will always be my home in my heart, but I will still long for certain parts of Chicago. For certain things, like Chinatown...being able to get what you want to eat at any hour. Ethiopian food at 2 in the morning...the dude on the corner in a wheelchair who barks at you. Chicago has these amazing things. When I was in my early 20s, I posed for a naked painting in Chicago. Things that you wouldn’t do at home or Nashville, which is more conservative. It’s the south. Chicago was a little more wild... I got pretty wild in Chicago. Nashville is more peaceful because I rent a house, I don’t have an apartment on the third floor in Chicago in Humboldt Park. It’s a different kind of environment. I really enjoy that it’s like a suburban city in a way, but I wish they had more eggrolls, They don’t have a lot of great food [in Nashville]. They have good food, but not Chicago food.

AM: So what about the venues, what are your favorite Nashville venues?

Sarah Potenza: I’ve gotten the opportunity to sing at the Grand Ole Opry a lot, which has been amazing. That has been just a dream come true for me. When you sing on the stage at the Ryman Auditorium...

AM: Ahh, I haven’t even been there yet but its on my list to go!

Sarah Potenza: Oh my god, you should! People are in the pews and the moonlight comes in from the stained glass windows and you feel the presence of like Loretta Lynn, and Patsy Cline. You just feel it, it’s incredible. I sing a lot at the Bluebird which I love. There’s a place called The Basement that I really love. There’s a of great places. 

AM: So then who are some of your influences? I know you just mentioned Loretta Lynn.

Sarah Potenza:: Lucinda Williams is a big influence, I love her music. 

AM: That was an awesome cover by the way [Sarah covered a Lucinda Williams song during her Daytrotter Downs set]

Sarah Potenza: I also really love Bette Midler, the kind of gaudiness and the showmanship like [sings example]. You know, I love that kind of energy and that kind of shiny jewelry and crazy everything. Definitely as a songwriter, Lucinda Williams. Somebody who throws down, Charles Bradley and Mavis Staples. The soulfulness. Really it’s just a mish-mash of different kind of things.

AM: Yeah for sure. So I have to ask, you were on The Voice. So how was that experience?

Sarah Potenza: It was actually a great experience because when you’re on a stage of that magnitude, it’s very challenging because you’re being scrutinized by people on your voice. So it’s not so much the energy and the performance, like tonight when there’s a live crowd and you’re performing for the spirituality of it, as much as it’s an execution of perfection. Even down to emotions, so you challenge yourself to execute things on a higher level and things you think you can’t do. You go out there and you do it in front of 20 million people and it helps you to grow. So it was really a great experience in that regard.

AM: Do you still keep in touch with any of the other artists that were on the show?

Sarah Potenza: I do! My friend Meghan Linsey lives in Nashville and I never would have met her if we weren’t on The Voice because she is a very polished pop singer [and] pop performer. She’s just like a sister to me and we’ve become such good friends. Seeing a different side of the industry and the way that she approaches songwriting, melodies, and approaches her look...it helps us each to grow, I think. When you’re around a lot of the same, you kind of do the same. So when you’re around people that are different you pick up different things from them. We’ve become really good friends. She’s the one I’m in the most touch with.

AM: What other artists are you really into at the moment?

Sarah Potenza: I’ve really gotten into Parker Millsap, who I recently did Cayamo with, which is a cruise. Like a songwriters cruise. Brandi Carlile...Buddy Miller, all these people who were on it that are amazing. I got on there, and I was so lucky to get on there. Parker Millsap was on it, and I assumed that he was gonna be more folk. He was like blues-rock, but not like cheesy, dad-jeans blues rock...blues rock that you wanna hear, like modern, indie blues. It was really refreshing and I really enjoyed his music.

AM: Anyone else?

Sarah Potenza: I also really dig this guy called Aaron Lee Tasjan. He was also on that, he’s a Nashville guy. I’m really digging his music. I’m also really getting into more pop stuff in a weird way. I really became obsessed with Lemonade, but like who didn’t? It was so empowering as a woman. To watch somebody show what it meant to be from the South, to be black, to be a woman. The problems that women have in relationships, in their job. It’s so interesting to see that even fucking Beyonce has those problems, so being a woman isn’t something you can escape. So no matter how high up you go. Like what happened with Clinton, you encounter these obstacles. It’s discouraging in one way because it’s like my god, even Beyonce has these problems, but it’s enlightening in a way to see somebody express these problems and be like goddamnit... and empowering women. To deal with those problems that we all deal with as women. It kind of blew my mind.

“It’s so interesting to see that even fucking Beyonce has those problems, so being a woman isn’t something you can escape. No matter how high up you go”

— Sarah on the obstacles women face

AM: Speaking of that when I introduced myself, you said you love supporting women in the industry, so do you have any advice or experiences you’ve learned from?

Sarah Potenza:  It’s really important for women to lift each other up. To support each other and not knock each other down. For example, there is another really amazing soul singer in Nashville named Alanna Royale. We’ve become really good friends, and in my youth perhaps I would have been jealous of her or vice versa. As you get older you realize there’s room enough for everyone. Women kind of have this mentality where they wanna be the only one getting attention. Because we’re raised that way, because society treats us that way. It’s so important that we stick together. That we say 'hey listen, I got a deal from Mac Makeup, they’re sponsoring me, how about I hook you up?" or "hey I got this gig, it’s really great, I can’t make it, wanna do it?" Instead of keeping all these secrets to ourselves just because you don’t wanna see someone else rise.

AM: Yeah, I feel like the more you help people, the more you’re gonna get that back. It’s Karma…

Sarah Potenza: It’s so important. It’s Karma, and it also just encourages a behavior in the industry. I'm in the Americana Music Association, and I did a gospel show. I chose to pick all women, and I’ve done a bunch of lineups where I pick all women. Because we do get overlooked. I look at record labels..there are record labels in Nashville right now, and I won’t name names, but there are labels that have 7 women and 49 men. This is routine because women don’t sell as much as men, and there aren’t as many female musicians. It’s so much harder for us because it is a boy’s club. I learned to play guitar because I couldn’t get any guys to let me be in their band. I was like fuck it, I’m just gonna do it on my own. It makes a difference when I walk into a room, into a rehearsal, for me to be able to say it’s in this key, or no, do it like this. And to show what I’m trying to do on guitar... to talk about the chord progression.

AM: Yeah, and even your email address has "big boss" in it.

Sarah Potenza: It’s important for me. I like to be...I’m the boss. As a woman, that can be seen as oh well, she’s a bitch, she’s a diva. But if I was a guy, people would be like oh, that’s so sexy. So I don’t care. I’m doing my thing, you know.

AM: So how did you get this opportunity to play here?

Sarah Potenza: My publicist from my last record had hooked me up with Daytrotter to do a session. Then my booking agent just happened to have Gaelynn Lea playing [the festival] and I told them I really wanna do because I thought it was cool. A lot of times I do these gigs that are really great, but they’re not like the it, happening thing. I wanted to do this because it’s the happening thing.

AM: So you said earlier you don’t know a lot of these bands, but--

Sarah Potenza: I don’t know a lot of these bands, but I’m listening to them and it’s been great! I’m going to listen to my friend Lawrence Peters with his band tonight. It’s a new band...Velcro Lewis Group. I’m gonna go see them because he's a friend of mine from Chicago who used to be in band called The Lawrence Peters Outfit, which I think he still does. But it’s more country so this is something new for him.

AM: Cool! Lastly, what else is in store this year for you?

Sarah Potenza: I'm working on writing more, cause I love to write. I feel like I wrote my old record and got all that stuff out. I’m ready to write my next one. So writing, traveling around the country playing as many shows as I can. Getting my music out to as many people as I can. Writing and Traveling, that’s pretty much it.

AM: Do you record in a certain place?

Sarah Potenza: In Nashville, with Joe McMahan. It was the first time I used a producer and that was game changing for me because I didn’t know the things that I had to change to really get the best out of myself for the songs. Cause I’m so in it.  So having a third party say, "this is too long, we need to drop a verse" or "what if this was a fast song and not a slow song?" You know? It was so worth every dollar. Game changer. 

Make sure you keep up to date with all things tour and new music on Sarah's Facebook Page. You can also listen to her album Monster now: 

A Chat With: Charlotte OC

We recently caught up with the on-the-rise singer-songwriter Charlotte OC while she was over in New York City, fresh off her debut television appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers. Hailing from Blackburn, England, Charlotte creates music that blends her soulful, powerhouse vocals with dark pop melodies and deeply personal lyrics. Prior to the release of her debut full-length album, Careless People, we got to know the down-to-earth and relatable songstress. During our conversation, Charlotte revealed the story behind her The Great Gatsby-inspired album name, how she handled the culture shock of recording in Los Angeles, which soul singer inspired her, and how she deals with her darkest times. Find out all that and more in our chat with Charlotte OC...

The soulful sweetheart, Charlotte O.C

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ANCHR Magazine: So I wanted to start out by saying congratulations on finishing your debut album! How are you feeling about releasing it out into the world?

Charlotte OC: Petrified. I don’t know if I should feel like that, but I just recently did the Seth Myers Show, and it was just the most petrifying thing in the world. I just said to my friend, I was like you’re baring your soul to quite a soulless room-- it’s like a studio and it just felt so bizarre. And that’s what it’s gonna feel like when I’m releasing the record, I don’t know. I’m scared.  But I’m also really excited.  

AM: Well I’m sure it will be great!

Charlotte OC: Thank you!

Album Artwork for Careless People

AM: So talking a little bit more about the album, I know you named it after a passage from The Great Gatsby, so how did that idea come around to you?

Charlotte OC: I was just reading the book, and then I watched the movie cause I just wanted to get as much of it as I could into my system, because I loved it so much. And just when I was watching the movie, it kind of like stood out to me... just a little bit more, just that line. After being so moved by the story, and what happened, the fact that she doesn’t even end it with him and she just kind of goes back with Tom.... Gatsby was just along for this massive ride, and it ended up costing his life. I just really related to that. I just think that that happens quite a lot. People just make you think that something is a really good idea, and then all of the sudden it’s not that fun for them anymore. You’re like “wait, it was still fun for me!” Like, why is it stopping? And I think that that’s really sad, but it happens constantly. I also was just kind of taking my own experiences of being careless, and caring a bit too much about stuff, and it just kind of felt right. I think the whole record is about me finding out what I care about and what I shouldn’t care about, and I think when you realize that someone’s being quite careless with your emotions, as much as it hurts, if you can actually see it, I think that’s like you taking 10 steps forward. Some people just don’t realize it, and that’s what the record is...me realizing and growing up a bit. Being present. I think by the end of the record I turned 25.  When I was a bit younger I never felt like I knew what was going on. It’s just about me finally becoming present. Hopefully you understand what I mean.

“I think when you realize that someone’s being quite careless with your emotions, as much as it hurts, if you can actually see it, I think that’s like you taking 10 steps forward.”

— Charlotte OC on her album's theme

AM: Yeah, totally! I’m about the same age as you so I totally get what you mean. So going back to your songwriting, did you draw inspiration from any other classic literature when you were writing the record, or is it mostly personal experiences that you draw from?

Charlotte OC: There’s a song called “In Paris,” which is about Princess Diana. That was the first song that I wrote where it wasn’t about me. I think I was quite young when that happened, and I didn't really understand it. Like the Twin Towers I was young when that happened as well, and I didn’t really know what was going on. It’s just one of the those things you think about when you’re a bit older and you think “what the actual fuck happened there?” It just moved me in a way, I just thought it was slightly romantic and glamorous, and just a bizarre thing to be happening to a royal family....and it’s such a huge all-over-the-papers kind of thing. [Princess Diana] just really fascinated me. I wrote it in her perspective of singing it to Prince Charles like, “I know you don’t even really care for me, but I don’t really want to be your enemy.”  That was the first song I wrote [like that]. Then weirdly, after it happened, after I wrote it, the Paris attacks happened. It felt kind of connected to that, that song has got quite a lot of heavy meaning.  

AM: Oh, very cool. It’s crazy how you said right after you wrote it the Paris attacks happened. I feel like that will happen a lot, where you’ll write something and it’s very relevant later on and it takes on new meanings.

Charlotte OC: Oh yeah, it happens constantly!

AM: So talking about the recording process then, you recorded out in LA actually. I read that your writing is often inspired by your hometown in Northern England, which is totally different to LA, so how was it recording out there?

Charlotte OC: It was weird! I think it was good for me. I think it’s good to feel weird when you’re making a record. I don’t think you should feel comfortable, and I didn’t feel comfortable. I still feel weird when I go to LA, and like it’s just I think as somebody from the Northwest of England, which is quite a... I don’t know how to explain it. It’s just, LA and the Northwest of England are so different.  The type of person is very different too, and yeah, it was bizarre. I also met Tim Anderson, who I work with, and he’s my producer, and his studio is in the heat of LA. If you walk inside his studio, it’s all black and it’s got like, it’s quite spooky, like it shouldn’t be in LA. That’s what, I think that’s why it worked for me...because the studio wasn’t like an LA studio. That’s why I think it just worked. It was like this little safe haven for me. It was was interesting. I don’t know if I would do it again, but it was definitely interesting.

AM: Yeah, so how was it working with Tim. Would you still continue to work with him?

Charlotte OC: Yeah, I love working with him...totally! I just love working with him, and he’s a great friend of mine. He’s my A&R guy, which sounds weird, but he started working as an A&R rep at Harvest after we started working together. It sounds weird, but it kind of works in our favor at the same time. Because I’ve always worked with him.  We work really well together.

For fans of Izzy Bizu, Lapsley, and Jessie Ware... you have got to check out Charlotte's latest single "Medicine Man."  

AM: Very cool, what was the most culture shock thing coming to LA, then?

Charlotte OC: Just that there’s nobody walking anywhere! I feel a bit petrified walking anywhere, it’s weird! Like everyone just stays a bit safe in their cars, and everything is just air conditioned. And that’s not good for my voice. It’s a bit like, I don’t know how to describe it. I don’t drive either, and I’m learning, but at the time I didn’t drive and I found that quite hard. There’s a lot of homeless people, and it’s such a glitzy and glamorous place. One minute there’s an amazing house and then the next minute there’s Skid Row. It’s just like...I don’t know, bizarre. It was really extreme.

AM: Yeah for sure. Well on a slightly more positive note, who would you consider some of your musical influences?

Charlotte OC: First, I think my favorite vocalist is Aretha Franklin. She...have you ever watched the Muscle Shoals documentary? Watch it, it’s amazing! But there was a bit about her and how her journey started, and how nobody really knew what to do with her. She had this amazing voice, but nothing really made sense. They had all these songs for her, and it just wasn’t connecting. I think that she may have just found herself and it all really just fell into place. I think that’s what makes a good artist. When you just kind of, figure out stuff, instead of being told what to do. She just knew what to do, and I feel like I could have related to that. Plus she’s got the best voice in the world I think. I grew up listening to The Talking Heads. I’m constantly inspired by the Stop Making Sense album and the film that they made with it.  It’s the music video-- have you seen it?

AM: No, I haven’t!

Charlotte OC: Oh please, write that down, you have to watch it. It’s Stop Making Sense and it’s live, the whole album. They filmed it--it’s a show, but it’s also just incredible. The whole way through his suit just keeps getting bigger and bigger and his head keeps getting smaller and smaller. It’s just incredible, and all live...I love it so, so much. So that inspired me when I was younger...I just used to watch it over and over again. I used to love Freddie Mercury…”Bohemian Rhapsody.”  What else? Lou Reed...Leonard Cohen. I think Cohen lyrically, how he paints pictures, it’s really amazing. I like lyrics like that. I don’t like throw away lyrics.

AM: Very cool. So talking more about your live show, I know you’ve played SXSW and Gov Ball in NYC, which is awesome! Are there any other festivals on your bucket list to play?

Charlotte OC: I’d love to do Glastonbury I think. That would be my ultimate ever. Pyramid Stage...Straight to the top [laughs]. That’s not gonna happen anytime soon, but that’s just the dream. I’d quite like to do Coachella, even though I find it quite a bizarre festival. It’s a strange one, and I didn’t really enjoy myself when I was there, but I’d really like to do it. I think it’s different when you’re not playing. I always find festivals really hard when I’m not playing and just wanting to play. I’ve got Secret Garden Festival coming up, which is a great one in the UK. It’s amazing, especially if the weather’s nice! I can’t really think of any at the moment, but Glastonbury definitely.  

AM: Yeah, that’s like the top festival. So are there any songs in particular that you’re excited to play for a live audience?

Charlotte OC: Yeah, I’m excited to sing “Running Back To You.”  That’s always a feel good one. It’s so much fun to do, I feel great after I’ve done it. I’m excited to release “Shell.”  That’s the next single, which I’m just excited for people to hear. “Where It Stays,” that’s a ballad on the record.  

AM: Do you amp that one up when you play it live?

Charlotte OC: Yeah, exactly.  I have fond memories of writing it, and I’m really proud of it.

AM: Are there any cities or countries that you’re really hoping to play this year?

Charlotte OC: Yeah, I love doing shows in America. I’d like to do some more over here.  I’ve got some shows coming up in Berlin on the 21st of March, which I’m excited about. Just anywhere really. I’d quite like to do some shows in Poland. I’ve never been, but I’d really like to go. I heard they’re amazing. Like they’re just music lovers and they just go for it.

AM: Very cool. So I was reading when you first started playing guitar, you were actually upset about it and dreading your first lesson at 15 years old. So if you weren’t doing music, what would be your backup career choice?

Charlotte OC: I totally don’t know...I don’t like to think about it! It makes me feel a bit sick. It’s just always been like that, I’ve got this constant feeling of discomfort if I’m not doing it.  I think that I would always be writing...writing music. If not for me, for other people. I do love writing music and it’d probably still be something in music.

AM: When did you write your first original song?

Charlotte OC: At fifteen. It’s called “One of the Angels,” and it’s about death. It’s super depressing, but my mum and dad loved it!

AM: Speaking of depressing, your big single out now is called “Darkest Hour.”  What advice would you give to any of your fans who are going through their darkest hour?

Charlotte OC: Talk to somebody. Keep talking about it, get it off your chest. Don’t bottle it up. I think that’s the biggest...silence feeds the biggest darkness. Being able to talk to someone is the most important.  

AM: Ok now last question, a lighter question...are there any other bands you’re into at the moment?

Charlotte OC: I’ve been listening to a lot of Echo & The Bunnymen, which is an old band from Liverpool. I don’t listen to a lot of newer bands, but let me pull up my Spotify.  I’ve listened to The xx, obviously they’re not new, but that last album was incredible! There’s a girl called Sigrid and she’s got a song called “Don’t Kill My Vibe.” I can only listen to it once, like I understand that it’s a good song, but I can’t listen to it a lot. I think Rag’N’Bone Man is great. I love him, he’s amazing. Sampha’s new album is brilliant! I haven’t listened to the new Ryan Adams album but I’m going to!

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Speaking of new albums, Charlotte OC's debut is now available for pre-order here, prior to the release on March 31st.  We've been listening to it all this week, and every song is just incredible.

Careless People Tracklist:

1. Blackout

2. Darkest Hour

3. Medicine Man

4. River

5. Shell

6. Choice

7. Running Back To You

8. Higher

9. I Want Your Love

10. Where It Stays

11. In Paris

You can also keep up with all of Charlotte's tour news on her website. More dates are on the way soon. 

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