We're all about femme-powered country music here. Abby Anderson is well on her way to taking over and it warms my heart to see more Texas girls out there making waves. She just released her new EP 'I'm Good' and we're already in love.
Hi Abby! How did you get started in music?
My parents put me in classical piano lessons when I turned five and I absolutely hated them haha but then my mom showed me videos of Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and Elvis Presley to try and convince me not to quit and I was sold. I've always known I wanted to be an entertainer in some form. After that day, I knew music was it for me.
What led you to gravitate towards Country music? How does it feel to be a young woman in the genre?
Being raised in Texas, country music was a way of life. My favorite memories growing up was driving to East Texas to visit my Granny Joe and PawPaw and having back porch family jam nights. He taught me Merle Haggard and Patsy Cline songs on guitar and my mom always had the Judds, Lee Anne Womack or Garth Brooks blasting in the car. I love being a young woman in general!! So being a young woman in country right now in my mind is even better. I just want to make great music. I've never thought of myself as "a woman in country music" but more so as a person who wants to create great music and put on the best show I can every night. However, I do think being a woman makes it more fun because heels are a powerful thing haha
I love your song “Dance Away My Broken Heart” can you tell me about the story behind it?
AHHHH so so happy you love it!! I had just been absolutely heart broken over this guy and my label president played me this song and it just felt like it was mind the second I heard it. What's even cooler is my label mate Kelsea Ballerini wrote it with Thomas Rhett, Aahley Gorley, Rhett Akins and Jesse Frassure. I'd never sang a song I didn't write before so this was fun for me to take something and really make it mine.
Your debut single "Make Him Wait" has such an important message, especially for a younger audience. Can you tell us about why you chose this as your first single?
Thank you! Oh man I gotta tell you, the day we wrote that, I didn't even think I would sing it. I really thought it'd be cools to hear someone like Tim McGraw sing it but people around the label started hearing it and just flipping out over it so it made me think "okay, maybe I'm missing something here". I never thought I would lead with a ballad as my first single but heck why not. At the end of the day, best song wins in my mind and it's something I wanted to say.
Your EP is coming out soon! What can we expect and how do you feel about the release?
ALL THE SASS!! This EP is confident, sassy and soulful. I think it's a nice little introduction of all the different sides of me and what's to come.
You’ve been touring a lot recently, how does it feel performing live for so many people?
Oh man i'm just the biggest attention hog of all time haha the stage is my comfort zone but it's only because of the loving, beautiful people I am blessed to play for. I'm just thankful that people care enough to listen.
What has been one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your career?
Listening to my gut. I'd like to think I've always done a pretty good job of that but before I knew it, all of a sudden I had a whole bunch of people throwing their opinions at me. Thankfully I have amazing people surrounding me who are dang good at their jobs. But at the end of the day, they tell me the same thing. To listen to my intuition.
What’s your best piece of advice for young women?
Go mow a five acre lot with a push mower in the Texas heat in the middle of August. You'll never say to yourself "...yeah but I'm a girl" again.
Follow Abby on Twitter and Instagram and listen to her new EP now.
