Waterford musician releases new EP
WATERFORD MUSICIAN RELEASES NEW MUSIC
Writing plays a big part in the musical career of singer- songwriter Anna May.
The 27- year- old from Waterford recently released her fourth studio album, “Kites,” a four- song EP, which adds to a prolific body of recorded work she’s accumulated since 2015.
Her passion for writing began at a remarkably early age, and, as she explained during a recent interview, she wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
“If I didn’t write, and this has been true probably since I was 4 years old, I would just not feel myself,” she said. “I’m used to writing, and I feel inspired a lot.”
Growing up in Waterford, May was surrounded by music. Her father, a college professor, is also a professional musician and a composer, and she’s got an aunt who’s an opera singer and another who plays jazz.
The singers and songwriters she listened to in her youth inspired her, too.
“I started delving into the types of music that I liked by people such as Leonard Cohen, Natalie Merchant, Billie Holiday, Joan Baez and people like that,” said May, who accompanies herself on guitar. “That was when I saw myself not so much as a singer or vocalist, but more as a writer.”
May developed a composing style that sets her music to stream- ofconscious poetry. The “Kites” EP features May’s lyrically rich, delicate vocals, sparse guitar instrumentation and lengthy songs.
Three on the EP clock in at over five minutes, and she’s written others that are even longer. The leadoff track to her “Flimsy Diatribe” CD from 2019, for example, is a 10- minute composition called “Poet Masquerade.”
“There was a phase in my life when I really liked jam band music,” she said, “and I was into jazz in general, how the rules are broken, where songs can go on forever. So I wanted to insert that into folk music and see how it would work.
“Some people want a three- minute song, and I do have some of those. But I grew up with jazz, and I got pulled into that vein a lot.”
May attended Waterford public schools as a youth but eventually chose a different path for her education. “I went to Waterford High for a couple years and then started playing shows and getting into music,” she said.
“Then I began unschooling, which is an independent form of homeschooling. My dad’s a college professor, and my mom’s a teacher, so they started a curriculum for me, and I did a lot with independent mentors.
“I ended up going to a small arts community school in Colorado called Unschool Adventures. It was a travel- based program, where they do a lot of writing. During a writing- intensive project, we wrote novels for the month of November, so I wrote a novel in a month.”
May is also a classically trained pianist, gives piano lessons privately and plays the organ at her church, but performing her own music excites her the most.
“I’ve done other jobs, but when I think of myself, ultimately, I think this is where I feel most comfortable, playing shows and performing my music,” she said.
She’s traveled with her music throughout the country, appearing at the Boston Arts Festival, the Wildflower Arts & Music Festival, the Crying Wolf in Nashville and the Bar Redux in New Orleans.
She’s also opened for award- winning songwriter Jann Klose.
Besides the “Kites” EP and the “Flimsy Diatribe” CD, May’s released two other recordings, “Hey Houdini,” her debut EP from 2015, and her 2017 album, “I’m Still Thinking of You,” released this year.
“It’s like this hidden album,” May said about “I’m Still Thinking of You.” “I never intended to release it, but I did during the pandemic.”
She found that living through the COVID- 19 outbreak allowed her time to work on her music.
“I’ve written tons of songs during this whole time. Totally alone, I have just been writing. So I am excited to record some of this, and I’m hoping to go back into the studio during the summer.
“The songs were inspired by nature. Most of the time we’re surrounded by people, and when we’re not, what comes from that? For me, it’s been these rich explorations into the natural world, and how we as people are intersecting with the natural world.”
One of her goals is simply to perform as best as she can. “Some people would probably describe my personality as intense,” she said. “A lot of people have said that to me, but I think it’s being the best you can be.
“Sometimes that means playing at venues in Nashville, and playing where you’re a small fish in a big pond. Those are the greatest experiences that I’ve had, when you’re in a room with tons of really great musicians. You want to be better.”
“IF I DIDN’T WRITE, I WOULD JUST NOT FEEL MYSELF”