An Interview With Rising Singer-Songwriter, EVIE ARCHER About Her Inspirations, Favorite Experiences So Far and More!

Based in Jersey City, Evie Archer is an up and coming singer-songwriter who writes thoughtful and inspiring music. Her current single “Love Heals” is a love filled, wistful song about how things don’t always seem to go the way you thought they would.

She credits her songwriting skills to her studies at Princeton University, from which she graduated with a Bachelors Degree in English Literature. During college, she also received important music lessons from Electronic Music pioneer, Paul Lansky.

Moving forward, Evie’s work with producer and musician Andrew Williams on her upcoming “Chocolate And Whiskey” EP has allowed her to embrace her quirkiness as an artist, discover her retro-soul leanings, and step fully into the joy of making music, which is something that she hopes to do for the rest of her life.

Learn more Evie in the following All Access interview:

Can you talk a little about your musical upbringing? When did you decide that you wanted to be a performer?

My parents tell me that I asked for piano lessons at the age of 2! I started playing piano as a toddler and writing songs at an early age. I was also always a ham as a little kid, giving impromptu performances for the family and taking part in all of the school plays. As I grew up, though, I ran away from the idea of pursuing performing professionally, fearing rejection and thinking that I should do something more “practical.” It was only within the last few years that I decided I should really give music a go!

What was your first original song “Candy” like?

Now THIS song was special…Really passionate vocals, wailing “Caaaaaannnndyyyy” over and over again during the chorus. It definitely had the makings of an 80s classic! But seriously, I love that my parents recorded it and encouraged me to keep writing and singing even at such an early age!

What was it like winning Princetonian Idol? Do you think you would have ever tried out for American Idol or The Voice even?

Winning Princetonian Idol was a very cool moment for me, as it was completely unexpected! I wrote and sang songs at that point in my life, but definitely didn’t think of myself as a “singer-songwriter.” So to hear the judges so moved by a song that I had composed and performed, and then to win the competition – it validated something for me that I had been afraid to admit to myself: I really WAS a singer-songwriter!

A lot of people have told me that I should try out for American Idol or The Voice, but I have always shied away from doing that. I think it’s still largely because of fear of something going wrong on national television. That, and I don’t like waiting in line at 4 in the morning or whatever time you need to start waiting in line. Yuck!

Tell me about your new single “Love Heals”. What was the inspiration for it?

“Love Heals” was born out of a chord progression that I loved. I started writing it in a different time signature, but it wasn’t really working, and then I listened to “Unchained Melody,” and something “clicked.” I thought, “I want to write an homage to that song!” So, “Love Heals” is my nod to the Righteous Brothers. I wanted it to be a sweet and tender ballad with a retro vibe, and I think it turned out beautifully. I’m very proud of it!

Your unofficial video for it is pretty funny! Can you talk about what it was like making it? Was it your idea?

Thank you! I am extremely proud of this video, because I can claim total creative ownership of it. I knew that I wanted to make the video myself so that I could put it on YouTube quickly, but I actually didn’t know how to make a video! So I thought about what I could do with the knowledge I had, and realized that I have all of these photos from my life that tell a story – my story. In true “Evie style,” I decided to lay it all on the line: I am not where I want to be yet when it comes to love, but there are different kinds of love, and we can find fulfillment in different ways. And I am still cautiously optimistic. And thanks for commenting on the humor in the video – I’ve gotta laugh about all of this stuff! I try never to take myself too seriously. Otherwise, life’s a drag. And where’s the fun in that?!

How do you think your sound has changed on your second album, “Chocolate and Whiskey”?

The sound on “Chocolate and Whiskey” is quite different than on my debut album, “Life in Sand”. It’s a lot less pop and more “quirky,” for lack of a better word. I worked very closely with Andrew Williams on the production of “Chocolate and Whiskey,” and I feel like the sound really captures my unique voice as an artist. I came into my own on this record – the sound is totally “me.”

What artists have consistently inspired you and your music? Who would you love to work with in the future?

I’ve always been inspired by a very eclectic collection of artists and genres of music. My first major influence was Broadway, and musical theater songs – how they tell stories, some of their chord structures – still come into play in my music. In terms of singer-songwriters, I have been very inspired by the classics: Paul Simon, Carole King, Billy Joel…and of course, I could never forget the Beatles!

In the future, I would love to work with Max Martin to see what kind of monster pop song we could co-write! I think it would be super fun!

What is currently on your musical bucket list? Where do you see yourself in the next 10 to 20 years even?

I would love to have a song of mine in the soundtrack of a blockbuster film, either in the title or closing credits or in a particularly heart-wrenching scene. (Hey, a singer-songwriter can dream!) In the next 10 to 20 years, I would like to be creating, recording, listening to my songs in movies and on the radio, and writing my memoirs. Then I’ll be moving to the French countryside and eating cheese and drinking wine for the next 10-20!

What would you like the message of your music to be?

I want the message of my music to be about being unafraid to be authentic, honest with yourself and others. I think it’s only by honoring our true feelings that we can learn and grow as people, and that’s what I do for myself in my music. I hope that other people also recognize their own feelings and experiences in the songs I write, and that they are able to connect more authentically with themselves. That’s what it’s about for me – besides the pure pleasure of the sounds, of course!

Anything else you would like to share with our readers about yourself or the music you create?

I would like to share how much it means to me to be able to connect with listeners and fans. Social media is a double-edged sword that can serve to make us feel isolated or interconnected, depending on how we use (or overuse) it. In my personal life, I have found that social media can make me feel isolated more often than not, but in the musical realm, my fans never fail to lift me up and to provide support and kind words, and they mean the world to me! I wanted to take a moment to thank them!