Singer/Songwriter Ana Egge Speaks

Singer/Songwriter Ana Egge Speaks

In the Spirit of Sharing, Singer/Songwriter Ana Egge Speaks of the Muse That Moves Her
(by Lee Zimmerman)
 
Ana Egge has always been an incisive — and intriguing — singer/songwriter. Over the course of her career, which includes collaboration with such luminaries as Billy Strings, Phoebe Bridgers, Steve Earle, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Iris Dement, and Buck Meek of the band Big Thief, she’s made it a point to relay her own insights, ideas and observations about a world which hasn’t always been tolerant of her particular outlook or lifestyle. Indeed, over the course of her many albums, singles and EPs, she’s not only gained a reputation as a gifted songwriter, but also as a fearless individual who’s never been afraid to be h herself and stand her own ground.
 
Her efforts have not only reaped her the praise of critics and her many admirers, but also a win at the Mountain Stage New Song Regional Competition in New York City and the opportunity to take center stage as the subject of a full-length 2015 documentary titled Bright Shadows, a film that serves to spotlight her life and career.
 
Egge’s new album, Sharing in the Spirit, marks a new chapter in her journey of discovery, courtesy of a series of songs that touch on a number of disparate subjects including sexual desire, obsession, addiction, and the distancing and division spurred on by today’s political posturing. Egge herself had a hand in composing eight of its ten songs, in addition to covers penned by Ted Hawkins and Sinéad O’Connor. It’s an intimate offering for the most part, with Egge’s hushed vocals creating a soothing tapestry of sound that turns songs such as “Don’t You Sleep”, If It Were Up to Me”, and “Mission Bells Moan” into a series of soothing, softly-stroked lullabies. “Where Berries Grow” provides a momentary uptick in energy, while a take on Sinéad O’Connor’s “Last Day of Our Acquaintance” ends the album on the strength of a compelling chorus and an irresistible refrain. 
 
The Alternate Root was recently given an opportunity to speak with Ms. Egge, who graciously agreed to offer insights into her creative process.
 
Lee Zimmerman (LZ): Do you write songs specifically for a project -- or do you decide on the direction of an album based on the songs that have already been written and accumulated?
 
Ana Egge (AE): I often decide the direction once more than half of the album has been written.
 
LZ: How did this particular album come about? Was anything done differently from what you had done in the past?
 
AE: I’ve been doing more work with my dreams and becoming more aware within them. It’s like lucid dreaming, so that sometimes, when I realize that I’m hearing music and I’m dreaming, I can wake myself up and bring it back with me. I wake myself up and sing into my phone. Then, I have these melodies and lyric ideas to collaborate with. Some aren’t much to work with, but then some are real gems!
 
LZ: There are a pair of well-placed covers on the new album. So how exactly did those choices come about?
 
AE: The Sinéad song, “Last Day of Our Acquaintance”, has been one of my favorites since it came out. I was singing along to it in the car and my wife said, ‘you should really record this’. The Ted Hawkins song, “Sorry You’re Sick”, was shared by a friend. Both our kids take the same bus to school and he recommended it highly. So, I put it on my headphones as I walked back home from the bus stop that same morning and strolled through the park. I was so immediately struck by it. Someone very dear to me had just fallen off the wagon, and I was listening and hoping that the song was going to take a turn and say something about how the drinking was part of what was making them sick. ‘What do you want from the liquor store? What you really need, you ain’t gonna find there’. When the song was over, I wasn’t home yet, so I sat down on a park bench and started rewriting the chorus and changing the words to what I wanted them to be. Then I started singing it live, and I got permission from the publisher to record my version. I sincerely hope that Ted Hawkins is alright with my changes from the near beyond, if he can hear them.
 
LZ: So how does your own material germinate? And where do you generally find your muse?
 
AE: I never can tell! Anywhere and everywhere is the most honest answer. I’m always writing.
 
LZ: The songs on the new album delve into different areas and an array of concerns. What did it mean to you to be able to address these different subjects… and why did you feel it was important to speak to these topics from your specific perspective?
 
AE: I suppose this is a follow-up question to the last one. If I feel so moved, which I need to in order to finish a song and know that I’m going to want to sing it on stage every night, it really has to be something worthwhile. It has to be something that I need to say, something that moves me and is super fun and hooky, and/or something that I feel connects me to others.
 
LZ: The title of the album itself, Sharing In the Spirit, obviously resonates withers own universal appeal.  Was it intended to tie the messaging all together as far as the concept of the album overall?
 
AE: It’s about sharing in the spirit of this mystery of being alive. Music is life. Life is spirit. Spirit is music. They’re all just words that try to get to the magic and the truth that we all experience, especially when we’re open to it. 
 
LZ: There are two cute and obviously playful little girls pictured on a minibike on the album cover. Is one of them you?
 
AE: That is me on the cover! I’m driving, and my sister is in the sidecar. I’m five years old and we’re at my uncle’s house in Ambrose, North Dakota. There’s a pic from that same day where you can see my foot barely touching the ground. I spent so much of my childhood on that minibike.
 
LZ: Your albums are so illuminating and inspiring. So how would you describe your trajectory in terms of your efforts from the beginning until now? Are you pleased with your progress?
 
AE: Thank you very much. Well, this is an interesting question. As a person and an artist, I’ve become more and more aware of what I really am, and I suppose you could say I’m happy with my progress in letting go of what I’m not. Getting out of the way is the real secret to getting to the good stuff. I’ve always felt connected, and lately, I’ve just gotten a little better at staying open and clear and not getting distracted.
 
LZ: Having come out as gay while you were a teenager, what do you feel you can share with other people facing the challenges and difficulties of being in the same situation, especially while navigating this particular period when there’s such heightened turmoil and uncertainty?
 
AE: The folks who inspired me when I was young were the artists who were unapologetic about who they were, who they loved, and their talent. I came out because I had to…because I knew who I was, and to hide that, would’ve eaten me up inside. A lot of folks don’t get the love and support they need. If you can start with being kind to yourself and knowing that you’re beautiful and you’re worth it, and that the whole you is what the world needs more than anything, then give that to yourself.
 
 
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