Picture This. Think of style of Bonnie Raitt, mixed with a splash of the lyrical quality of Bob Dylan, then add the soulfulness of India Arie. Combine it all together and what do you have? Well the answer is actually very simple: Ms. Stephanie Nash, a brilliant singer-songwriter/guitarist who originally hails from Lenoir, North Carolina. However, don’t let her youthful look and small-framed stature fool you- this young lady is extremely wise beyond her years, and it shows in both her stage presence and her music. I had the extreme pleasure of going to Stephanie’s show this past Friday at the Waltz-Astoria- a popular Queens venue and haven for singers/songwriters, musicians, and comedians. It was a very intimate performance, in which for 1 hour, we (the audience) got to know the heart and soul of Ms. Stephanie Nash. Now I’ve heard Stephanie perform before while attending Tuesday night Open-Mics at the Waltz, but on this particular night, while getting to listen to more than one of her songs, I was absolutely blown away by her grace and poise, as well as the truthfulness in both her music and lyrics. The inspiration of her music comes from a place of raw emotion that is straight from the heart- and by listening to her, you end up getting swept away to that very same place. The cleverness in her lyrics captures your attention in a way that makes you listen to each and every word that she is singing. Songs about life lessons learned, new love, and love lost are what makes her music so relatable. These are feelings that everyone has felt at one time or another in their lives, and can fully understand. During her set, she performed a nice blend of both originals and covers which ranged to everything from folk rock to blues. She even did a great rendition of Eagle Eye Cherry’s 1997 hit, “Save Tonight;” which had everyone in the audience singing along.
What impressed me the most about Stephanie is that you would never expect such a rich, alto voice, filled with that much depth and emotion to come out of someone who looks so young. She clearly comes from a generation of strong, storytellers of the past- women songwriters who have something poignant to say and demand for it to be heard. I wanted to get more information about Stephanie and her origins/influences, so that you, our readers could learn a bit more about her. Here is what I learned:
Tanya: Who are some of your influences?
Stephanie: My parents, first and foremost. They are both musicians and I grew up watching them play in bands and in church. And my mentor Robert Austell. Other artists include, but are not limited to: Patty Griffin, Florence Welch, Bonnie Rait, Ingrid Michaelson, Led Zeppelin, James Morrison, Bob Dylan
Tanya: How long have you been playing/performing? How did you get started?
Stephanie: My mom sang on stage with me until she was 6 months pregnant, so I guess since then. Haha! For as long as I can remember I've been singing and playing the piano. Performing has been my life.
Tanya: How would you describe your sound?
Stephanie: My sound is an urban acoustic folk rock.
Tanya: How do you feel about the current state of the music industry?
Stephanie: I think that where the music industry is right now is pretty interesting. Because of social media and the internet the underdog has more and more of a chance to make it to the top. Big labels just aren't what they used to be. And the more I talk to friends (who are musicians) that work in the business side of the industry, the more I find that most of the people working at big labels aren't even musicians. They are just business people. I understand the importance of having staff that understands business, but it's the MUSIC business. Just goes to show what their priorities are.
Tanya: How do you go about writing or composing music?
Stephanie: I write in bursts. I will go months without writing, and then BOOM! It all pours out. Every writer has seasons, I think. You have seasons of living and learning and soaking things in and then you have seasons to reflect and put it all into words and songs. On a song by song basis, I usually start with an idea, or a feeling, I have a few phrases floating around in my brain, I find chords that match it, and then the pieces just kind of fall together from there.
Tanya: What do you find to be most rewarding about being a musician?
Stephanie: The most rewarding aspect of being a musician/songwriter is when someone comes up to me after a show and says, "This song really hit home for me." I love it when people can identify with my music and maybe find peace in it. Music is the greatest form of therapy, and I hope that some of my songs can help people.
If you want hear more from this amazingly, talented artist, please visit her Sound Cloud page at: www.soundcloud.com/stephnashmusic. We will be keeping you up-to-date with any future shows coming up for Stephanie Nash and her band, “The Burn Down.”
For booking purposes, you can contact the “Stephanie Nash and the Burn Down” band Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephanie-Nash-and-the-Burn-Down/306710096030764?ref=ts
