COURTNEY MARIE ANDREWS
Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
AFTER relentlessly touring since leaving her Arizona hometown at 16, Courtney Marie Andrews came to our attention with her 2016 breakthrough album, Honest Life, inspired by a life on the road.
In her latest record, May Your Kindness Remain, she connects with people she’s met along the way, their stories, and her own. “More than anything,” she says, “it got me thinking about my childhood, and the people around me that I’ve known, and the stories that come from my family. It became clear how many people are struggling through the same issues.”
The winner of the UK Americana Awards International Artist of the Year chats to SUE ATKINSON.
Tell us where you’re from, where you are now and a bit about the journey in between.
I’m from Phoenix, Arizona. I’m sort of in-between places right now, and have been essentially living on the road for the past few years.
Is it possible for you to describe your music?
It’s tricky to describe because it’s a little bit of everything. A little bit of country, folk, soul, and gospel. I like to draw from many wells of influences.
When did you know a life in music was for you?
I knew music was the life for me when I was fairly young. I started booking my own shows around Phoenix almost as soon as I’d written my first batch of songs. As soon as I went on my first tour, it was a done deal that’d I’d be doing that for the rest of my life.
How does the songwriting process work for you?
My process changes song to song. I like to shake things up. If I’m dry on guitar, I’ll move to piano, and vice versa. I’m always writing down lines that pop into my head, and I’ll usually build something from those if I’m not getting inspired by any ideas from scratch. Sometimes the melody comes first, but not often. I’m not judgmental of how a song arrives, I just allow it to.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I’m inspired by experiences, stories I hear, and feelings that permeate my being. It’s hard to describe what inspiration is. It’s sort of synonymous with hope. May Your Kindness remain is a wonderful title for a record. Can you tell us a bit about that? Thank you! The song May Your Kindness
Remain came first. I wrote that song after dinner with a friend. He was afraid that I’d be changed by LA and the music industry. I wrote it from his perspective as a reminder to myself to not get broken down by the things in life that don’t maintain their importance.
How do you feel about being named UK Americana Artist of the Year?
I am very grateful for the honour. It’s nice to have what you’ve worked very hard for recognized and honoured in that way.
How’s life on the road?
Life on the road is exciting, taxing, crazy, low, high, and everything in-between. It’s simultaneously boring and exciting. It’s not a job for the faint of heart. You sort of have to love extremes.
What would you like the audience to take away from your shows?
I think the most rewarding part about performing is giving someone a memory, a feeling, or a song to relate to. I like to give a little bit of everything in a performance. The most important part is that someone takes away a feeling.
What can we expect from the gig?
You can expect a little bit of everything. Heartbreaking ballads, mid-tempo rockers, a little bit of jamming, and a little bit of vocal gymnastics.
■ Courtney Marie Andrews will be performing at the Rescue Rooms on Monday. Tickets ar £15 plus a booking fee from ents24.com.