First off, it’s an honor to be doing this interview with you, thanks for taking the time to sit down with us. What motivated you to start creating music? What age did you begin?
Anna Vaus: I have been writing and “performing” since I was a kid. I grew up in a really creative family, my dad was a singer/songwriter and my mom was a journalist. So I’d come home from school and my dad would be working in the studio, and my mom would be on the news. When I was bored, I would pick up a guitar and write songs, and perform them to the walls of my room.
Who were your musical influences, idols, or bands growing up that have helped mold you into the musician you are today? Or helped mold the music that you create?
Anna Vaus: I love female storytellers, when I was young that was Taylor Swift, The Chicks, and Kacey Musgraves. As I’ve gotten older, I have stumbled into the female storytellers of different decades like Stevie Nicks and Joni Mitchell. There is something so unapologetically vulnerable about their voice that inspires me to share my story in the same way.
What’s the ultimate goal you want your music to achieve, or for you to achieve in your career as a musician? Any particular message you wish to send?
Anna Vaus: With every song I write and every show I perform, my hope is that people hear a lyric and go “wow, I thought I was the only person that felt this way” and in turn, feel more connected and less alone when they leave the show.
You’ve played on the iconic Grand Ole Opry stage, multiple times now! What has that experience been like?
Anna Vaus: It’s such an incredibly historic place, and everytime I am in that building let alone in the circle I feel very fortunate to walk the halls of such a sacred establishment. It’s very humbling to perform my music on a stage that has shaped the course of country music. Everytime I play it goes by so fast because I feel like the whole I’m thinking “I can’t believe I’m here!” and by the time I come to terms with it, the set is over!
You’re latest release is ‘Trace of You’, which we love! What inspired this track? What’s it mean to you?
Anna Vaus: Thank you so much for loving it! It was inspired by my current relationship. My partner, Kevin, and I have been together for six years and I have loved the ways in which our relationship has grown and changed. I love the certain “traces” of our younger selves that find me in the world like how the first warm day of summer reminds me of when we first started dating. I wanted to write a song that captures that sweet nostalgia and that feeling became Trace of You!
Like so many, you’ve went from California to Nashville to pursue your music career. What’s it been like in Nashville? Everything you hoped it would be?
Anna Vaus: I love Nashville. I’m a California kid at heart, and I think living so far away from home has really inspired me to turn my music into the place I feel closest to the spirit of California. I call my genre “Laurel Canyon Country” because I want to capture the feeling of driving down the coast with my hand on the window and the sun on my back.
You’re finding a lot of success as an independent artist, what tips or advice would you give to other indie artists to find similar success in the future?
Anna Vaus: If I could give any advice to another indie artist, I would really just encourage you to hold tight to who you are and don’t be afraid to think outside of the box.
What else are you working on? What can we expect to see and hear from you in the future?
Anna Vaus: I’m currently finishing up my debut album which will come out next spring. I really felt like I lost sight of who I am for a time and my debut album feels like a return to myself. I’m so excited to share it with my fans.
Anything else you wish to say about yourself or your music? Any message for your fans?
Anna Vaus: I’m so looking forward to the new music that is coming out and I can’t thank you enough for being on this journey with me!
