Check out our interview with queer Nashville based lush indie pop artist Annelle Staal who just released her new single “Tonight.”
The track is about “falling fast for someone around a fire, which is something that happened to me a lot in highschool, confides Anelle. She further explains, “I have many fond memories of allowing my mind to run wild with the possibilities of a new person and a new life. As a closeted queer living in the south, sometimes that was with another girl. As a young adult who is learning to celebrate my identity, my thoughts travel back to those moments.” Musically, if the sand was the acoustic singer-songwriter genre and the ocean was pop, “Tonight” is the moment the land meets the sea.
Follow Annelle @annellestaal
Hi Annelle, please tell us a little about you?
Hi! My name’s Annelle, I’m a singer-songwriter who writes folk, blue-eyed soul and pop. I stream on Twitch TV, write and record music, and create content for most other platforms full-time. I have a passion for comedy, people, and nature.
Describe yourself in 3 words?
Playful, Introspective, Romantic
We’re sure you have been asked this million times but how did you get in the industry?
I started performing in bars and restaurants when I was 17. It was my first job, and after many years of theater and creative writing, I found being a songstress and a performer suited me well. I was signed to a management company and moved out to Nashville, TN, where I worked as a writer and joined the sea of young creatives trying to catch a break. After a few years I decided I wanted to go back to live shows full time, so I quit my job, my classes, and booked an East Coast tour for 2020. After the pandemic cancelled every last show, I started streaming online–where I found a beautiful community that helps me thrive as an independent artist.
How has this changed your life?
I currently have my dream job. Making music full time has its unique challenges, but being able to connect with people around the world the way I do is magical. I wouldn’t change a thing.
Describe your sound in 3 words?
Lyrical, sultry, inspiring
Who influenced you and why did you choose to make music?
My greatest influences are a bit of a mis-matched group. I love Jack Jonson and Nora Jones, but I also love Lady Gaga, One Republic, Ella Fitzgerald, and Simon and Garfunkel. I love music that captures the human experience in a unique way. I make music because the world makes sense when I’m writing a song, and I know I’ll be chasing that feeling my whole life.
Tell us about your new single “Tonight?” What’s the story behind the song?
“Tonight” is about falling fast and allowing yourself to imagine a new life with a new person. I grew up in the conservative south as a closeted queer. I never allowed myself to imagine what life could be like with a girl, and as a young adult embracing my identity for the first time, I wanted to rewrite history. The thawing of the winter and the electricity of a fire inspired me one night, and I wrote “Tonight” about “opening your eyes,” dancing, and imagining a new reality.
What is the most rewarding part of your work?
The connections I get to make with other people, without a doubt. I feel so lucky to get to create for my online community, or entertain an in-person crowd. Seeing other people’s faces say, “me too!” when I play a song they relate to is inspiring.
What advice would you give to your younger self and why?
The opinions of others aren’t worth the heartache. There will be people who hate you for everything you’re not, and people who love you for everything you are. And it’s the latter ones that matter.
What’s next for Annelle Staal in 2022?
I have more music on the way and secrets up my sleeve. I am embarking on a season of releases in anticipation for my album in 2023. I’d love to do more in-person live shows this autumn.
What is your favorite healthy food?
An apple and some almond butter is the key to my heart, always. But kale caesar salad, smoothie bowls and hummus are all pretty consistent parts of my diet.
And your favorite cheat food?
I don’t believe in cheat foods, but if I had to pick a dessert I’d be a caramel apple, and if I had to pick a savory indulgence, it’s Taco Bell all day long.
Where do you see yourself and your career in 5 years from now?
I want to tour, have a stand-up routine, and continue telling stories through music and visuals. Where that will take me, I don’t know, but my mind and heart are wide open to the possibilities of hosting, voice acting, skits, and all kinds of live performance and content creation.
Favorite song? Why?
Scarborough Fair, by Simon and Garfunkel. It feels timeless in a way my heart can’t explain.
Book: “Words Can Change Your Brain” by Andrew Newberg and Mark Robert Waldman
Quote: “If it costs you your peace, it’s too expensive.”
Movie: “Pride & Prejudice” 2005
Tv Series: “Our Flag Means Death”
Favorite Food: Indian Food, specifically korma
Travel Destination: Somewhere I want to go would be New Zealand, but a favorite travel destination of mine otherwise is San Francisco.
Sports Team: I don’t watch sports!
