We had a chance to chat with singer/ songwriter Anna Orbison and have a premiere of her new single After All.
Anna grew up in Boulder, Colorado and found a love of music and performing from a young age.
She studied piano and flute early in life and later discovered her voice in the school choir and theatre programs at Boulder High. She attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia before moving to New York to pursue musical theatre. Anna performed Off-Broadway and in a number of regional theatre productions before making the move to LA. Once in LA, she acted in episodes of Jane the Virgin, Lopez Tonight, Guiding Light, and others.
She also began teaching yoga at this time and has worked at many studios around LA sharing her love of the practice. After years of singing other people’s music, she began to explore writing her own songs as a means of moving through life’s challenges. She has been writing and singing with the band, The Sound of Ghosts, and an Americana Rock band for the last eight years.
When did you start writing music?
I started writing music occasionally really early on in my life, but I never thought anything of it. It felt more like playing around. I think because I didn’t really see girls in bands or writing music as a kid, I didn’t think of it as an option for me. All the people I knew in bands were guys, so I just worked on my singing voice and learned other people’s music. It wasn’t until I started a band with my husband and some friends ( The Sound of Ghosts), that I started to write music and consider the craft of writing as something I wanted to explore.
What is your creative process like?
I get ideas for songs all the time, so I generally begin with a cellphone recording of an idea. Sometimes I’ll play with that idea while driving or walking my dogs or something and fill it out a little more or play with the melody a bit until I have something I like. Then I’ll sit down when I have more time and fill in the rest of the pieces. The melody and lyrics tend to come to me at the same time and I typically write starting with my voice, because that is my strongest instrument.
What inspires your writing? Do you draw inspiration from poems, music, TV, or other media?
My songs are inspired by events in my life for sure, but I also take a lot of inspiration from other people’s art. I’ve written songs inspired by museum exhibits, movies, and books. I tend to take whatever peaked my interest, apply it to a personal situation, and start writing from there. That’s part of what I love so much about creativity… your creativity can inspire someone else to create something completely different and their creation can inspire something else. It amazes me what people come up with and I love being a part of that world.
If you could go open a show for any artist who would it be?
I would LOVE to open for Maggie Rogers. I find her music so inspiring and creative. I love that she has her own sound and is such a strong songwriter, singer, musician, and producer. She would definitely be someone I’d love to play with, open for, or collaborate with.
What are your plans for any future releases?
I have another 3 songs already recorded and ready to go, so be on the lookout for those coming out in the next few months. I’m also already back in the studio at Moosecat Recording with Mike Post working on four new songs. Mike and I have shaped all these songs together and he’s been great to work with. The plan is to release an EP in 2023.
What would be the ideal food to have cooked for you on a date night?
Vegan tacos… or go out to Thai food. I’m also a big sucker for dessert, so a homemade dessert would be a major win on a date.
Would you rather be the one in a movie who gets the hero/heroine or the baddie with all the good lines?
Definitely the one with the good lines.
What makes you nostalgic?
I love watching classic movies. They definitely make me feel nostalgic for the clothing, the elegance, and the simplicity of a certain time period. Of course, things were much more complicated than what was depicted in movies, but I do love watching classics and diving into those worlds.
What was the last TV series you watched on TV?
You know I’m watching House of Dragons and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power right now. I’m totally into fantasy books/shows.
If you could learn any language fluently what would it be?
I have been learning Spanish for the last three years on Duolingo and I’m still doing it every day. I have to speak to more people, but hopefully, I’ll be fluent eventually.
“After All” is Anna’s first solo release after working in music, bands, and musical theatre for nearly her entire life. She combines intimate personal experiences with indie pop beats and melodies to create her distinct style.
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