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Spotlight: Abbey Anderson Shines with Honest Emotion and Heartfelt Storytelling
In this edition of Spotlight: Abbey Anderson, we sit down with the rising country powerhouse to talk about her deeply personal new single Dear Ex Lover. With a voice that’s rich in soul and lyrics that cut straight to the heart, Abbey doesn’t hold back.
What got you started in music?
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had a passion for singing and performing. Anytime there was music on, no matter where I was, grocery stores, restaurants, I was always dancing and singing along. I would put on performances for my family all of the time and would make them all gather in the kitchen to hear me sing Taylor Swift for the millionth time. Pursuing music has always been my dream. I took some vocal and piano lessons, however it wasn’t until a year and a half ago that I decided it was time to actually pursue it and started writing my first single.
Was there a first album you wore out on repeat that you dreamed about doing the same thing live one day?
One album that I wore out on repeat was SOUR, by Olivia Rodrigo. I honestly love that album and just find it so relatable. The lyrics are so amazing and I genuinely think I’ve listened to it start to finish over 200 times. I would sing along in my room or the vehicle and I was fortunate to see her live in concert. Watching that concert made me think that one day I would love to be on stage singing and performing just like her.
Who are some of the out of the box people that influence your sound today?
My biggest musical influences are Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish. Olivia is such an amazing performer, and the writing in her music is incredible. All of her music is so relatable, and it just makes me want to listen to it over and over again. She really inspires me to create music that’s real and raw and uses unique sounds that are interesting to listen to. Billie Eilish is also a huge inspiration to me. The way that she has connected to such a large audience is honestly incredible. She just seems like such a relatable and good-hearted person, which really inspires me to be open and honest when writing music and connecting to my audience. Her music is so unique and inspires me to think outside the box when creating music of my own.
Your release Dear Ex-Lover is out now. Tell us the story behind putting this together.
My latest single, “Dear Ex-Lover,” wasn’t written about one person in particular, as most people would probably expect. The song is about being in any type of relationship (friends, significant other, etc.) and knowing deep down in your heart that even though you love that person so much, at the end of the day, they’re not good for you. Some people just aren’t meant to be in our lives, no matter how much you want them to be. My single, “Dear Ex-Lover,” is all about the breaking and healing that comes with realizing that sometimes you aren’t the problem and you shouldn’t have to ever beg someone to love you. I started with a few lines that I thought were catchy and relatable and then it grew from there. Once it was put together it took a lot of hard work in the studio to make it really come together!
What is your process like when putting together a project like this?
I approach songwriting with an open mind and open heart. My best songs are always written when I’m fully honest and allow myself to dig deep into whatever I’m feeling at that time. I love creating songs that I feel people can relate to and I try to be an open book in terms of the songs I write. My creative process will usually look like me finding a quiet space (most times my bedroom) and writing in this little blue notebook I have. I usually just start by writing down whatever comes to my mind, just certain words or phrases that really pop out in my brain. Then I usually start to add a bit more structure to my writing, and eventually will go to my piano and find chords/melody that I think suits the song best. From there I’ll head into the studio and get recording!!
Is it hard putting yourself into a song like this one with the powerful lyrics behind it?
It can definitely be challenging at times to put myself into a song like this one with such powerful lyrics, however I find that really trying to put myself into the same headspace I was in when I wrote it can help me feel more connected to my emotions and the feelings I want to portray through my song. When I do this, you can really hear the emotion through my vocals.
What do you do to stay grounded outside of music?
Something that I enjoy doing outside of music is dancing. I’ve been a competitive dancer since I was six years old and I do all styles of dance. Along with music, it’s honestly my favorite thing in the world and I couldn’t imagine my life without dance. It has truly shaped me into the person I am today and has really helped me in terms of expanding my creativity. Dance allows me to connect deeper within myself and understand what I’m feeling. It has really helped me think outside of the box in terms of the way that I move and express myself, which in turn has allowed me to think outside the box with my music and songwriting. Dance has also helped me understand music more in terms of rhythm, pace, etc, which has helped me become a stronger artist!
Who plays you in the movie of your life?
Someone that I would want to play me in the movie of my life is Millie Bobby Brown. She’s such an amazing actress, one of my favourites and I would love to see her portray the events of my life!
What would you say was your best concert experience as a fan and what does it take to make a good live show?
My first concert ever was Harry Styles and that was truly amazing to watch. My sister Grace is a huge fan and I thought that might be tough to beat. However, my best concert experience as a fan was going to see Billie Eilish. She is truly such an amazing performer and I had the best time. I went with one of my best friends, Hayden, and we were crying and singing the whole time. To make a good live show I think that having a really strong presence on stage, as well as taking time to connect to people in the audience is super important. It’s important to not let your nerves show and look super confident on stage and really work the stage so that everyone at the concert feels the connection.
What is one thing you should be asked more in an interview that isn’t asked enough?
One thing that should be asked more in an interview is how you stay positive and deal with rejection and judgement. Rejection is a large part of this industry and something that I feel should be talked about more! Social media and judgement and harsh comments can also be difficult to deal with so knowing how everyone stays positive and perseveres is good to talk about.
What do you hope people take away from your music?
The main message that I hope to convey through my music is to go after your dreams. Whatever they may be and no matter what everyone else expects or says. Just put in the work and go for it, don’t be afraid to take risks and if you do, no matter the outcome, you’ll never have regrets. So many people are afraid to go after their dreams but my thoughts are that you can’t lose if you try and just see what happens.
What is the most underrated salad dressing and why?
Well I love ranch, I put it on French fries and pizza but this might be a bit of a strange answer and I’m not sure it really counts as a salad dressing… but I would say that the combination of sour cream and guacamole is the best salad dressing. It’s honestly super good, I started doing this last summer and haven’t stopped since!
What are some of the future milestones you are looking to hit next?
In terms of music, some future milestones I am looking to hit next are reaching over 10K streams on a song. As well as, doing live shows and releasing my next single within the next month and then my third within a few months. I’m also looking to eventually produce my first album within the next few years. Outside of music, some milestones coming up are graduating high school next year, and hopefully attending TMU to major in dance.
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