Rising Pop Singer ANNA GRACEMAN Opens Up About Writing Her Latest Album, ‘The Way The Night Behaves,’ Being A Part of An ASAP Songwriting Camp and More!

Meet the rising pop sensation Anna Graceman! Hailing from Juneau, Alaska, this singer delivers dynamic, robust vocals and vulnerable lyrics in her new album, “The Way The Night Behaves.”

“Each song tells its own unique story. They’re all very personal, but I try my best to write the words in a way so other people can apply them to their own lives, to their own stories,” explains Graceman. “I’m very vulnerable when I write. I think it’s important for people to know they’re not alone in the things that they go through. Even if we haven’t had the same experiences, we all feel the same emotions.” In her new album, Graceman writes about personal and intimate material to show others they are not alone in their hard times. “This album has songs about love, about losing a loved one, reflecting on the good times, and working through life-changing experiences.” Her music is a way for her to cope with her own struggles and deliver personal lyrics the listeners can relate to. “Music has always helped me through the ups and downs. I’ve always written songs as a way of celebrating and coping with life. Connecting with people through these songs is an added bonus. Whether it be something to cry to or dance to, I hope my music can be a light for someone out there,” she explains. 

Stream the album here: http://smarturl.it/annagraceman

Her versatile and intimate album has music anyone can connect to whether it be a pop anthem to dance to or an emotional ballad to cry to.

Anna Graceman has had two residencies in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace Colosseum and the Venetian’s Palazzo Theater, and she has shared the stage with artists like The Lumineers, Kacey Musgraves, Beck and more. Her music has been placed on TV shows such as Station 19 and Songland. She has also appeared and performed on The Ellen Show and American’s Got Talent. Most recently, she is set to appear on this season of NBC’s hit show, Songland where she pitched her own song to pop star, Bebe Rexha.

Connect With Anna Graceman Online Here: WEBSITE

Learn more about Anna Graceman in the following All Access interview:

Thank you for your time. So given these unusual Covid-19 times, what does a typical day look like for you? How have you adjusted to these times?

I always try be, best to focus on music. I’m still able to write on my own, but writing with other people has definitely changed. Zoom is great and I’m thankful that I have the option of writing with people that way, but it’s not the same. When I take a pause from music I try to go outside, bake something or spend time with family.

What has been the hardest/most challenging part about being quarantined? Is your city starting to open up more now?

Things have started to open back up a little bit, but I don’t really go out if I don’t need to. I feel fortunate that the most difficult thing about all of this for me has just been that I’m stuck at home. I miss being able to socialize and travel, but I’ve been able to work from home at a pretty normal flow, I’m healthy and I’m with family. I feel very blessed.

What has it been like having to reschedule so many of your spring, summer and most likely fall shows? What shows in 2021 are you are already excited for?

There’s still just so much that’s unknown, so I haven’t scheduled many set-in-stone shows yet. I’m excited for live music to get up and running again though!

Since we are all desperately missing live music, can you recall a favorite show of yours from the past? What do you think ultimately makes for a great show for you?

A few years ago, I had a residency in Las Vegas. I did about 50 shows at the Palazzo Theater at the Venetian. The best shows were always the ones where I just had fun. Enjoying the moment and getting out of my own head is important. I normally sit behind the piano and perform, but during that residency I’d switch it up and walk around the stage singing. There are lots of good memories from those performances.

Let’s talk about your brand-new album, “The Way The Night Behaves.” What was it like creating this collection? Did anything surprise you about the overall process? Any unexpected challenges?

This album started off by me challenging myself to release a song and video every month for 2019. Every month was different, full of twists and turns. It was cool because I looked at every song individually. I’d tune into what genre the song naturally leaned into and run with it. I wear a lot of hats because not only am I totally involved in writing and producing the music, but I’ve also been co-directing videos, creating album art and running the business side. Creating this album was a huge learning experience and even though there were some stressful moments, it’s been extremely rewarding.

Can you pick out a few of your favorite songs on this album? How did they get written and come to be part of this collection? What was the inspiration for them?

I love all the songs on this album. A couple I want to highlight are “Fragile”, “Bad For Me” and “Night Follows”.

“Fragile” was the song that kicked off the 2019 monthly releases. I wrote it with Sophia Scott, John Gomez and Stephen Gomez. It was our first time writing and I’d never met any of them. The title came up in the session when we saw a box with a “Fragile, handle with care” sticker. The word “fragile” is normally thought of as being negative, but we thought it would be cool to spin it into a positive. So we did! It’s about being vulnerable and being in love.

“Bad For Me” was written with co-writer Aron Forbes. I was on a writing trip to LA and we had never met before. We wrote most of the song in the session and I knew it was special. After putting out a few singles, I was looking at songs I’d written hoping to find the next single I wanted to release. I came across the “Bad For Me” demo and remembered how much I loved it. As the production got developed and the rest of the song was written, I loved the song more and more. It’s gritty, catchy and one of the songs off the album that I listen to the most.

“Night Follows” took a very long time to write. I had a really traumatic experience. As soon as it happened, I knew I wanted to write about it but for some reason, I couldn’t. It wasn’t until about a year after this event that I came up with the idea for “Night Follows”. It’s a metaphor for the fear and anxiety that still follow me around. After writing the first verse, pre and hook I brought it into a session with writer, Henry Brill. Once again, Henry was a writer I had never worked with. I told him my story, shared what I’d written so far, and we finished it out together. It’s a very personal song. Writing it was a little bit like therapy.

What was it like creating all the music videos for the songs on this album? How creatively involved were you with the making of them?

I was extremely involved in creating the videos. I co-directed, did wardrobe, hair/make up, booked the venues, etc. I always tried to come up with ideas that would share the essence of each song in its corresponding video. It was a lot of work and it allowed me to push myself. It was fun seeing the vision I had in my head, come to life.

How would you say that this album shows how you have grown as a musician since you first started writing songs and performing?

I feel like the songs themselves are a testament to how much I’ve grown. I’ve gotten to a place where I can share personal stories and experiences in songs while also writing something that other people can relate to. Co-producing every song and working in different genres is another way in which I feel like I’ve developed as a musician.

I’d love to know more about what it was like being a part of the writing camp focused on writing songs for Mary J. Blige? How did you get to be a part of this camp?

The camp was hosted by ASCAP which I’m associated with. I was so excited and being there exceeded my expectations. Everyone involved was female. The writers, producers, engineers. History was being made and it was such an honor to be a part of it. We had a chance to sit with Mary J. Blige where she talked with us and told us about where she was at in life. She is inspiring. So talented and incredibly strong. It was an experience I’ll never forget.

How do you think future music is going to be influenced by this incredible and absolutely necessary Black Lives Matter movement that the US and even the world is going through now? Is it inspiring you and your music today?

It is extremely inspiring. In these past few weeks I’ve written a couple tunes about it. I hope that it’ll inspire other writers and musicians to use their voices and songs to shed a light on the movement. To speak about what’s going on in the world. We need some modern Bob Dylan’s speaking truth and making a change.

If you could get into the studio with any artist today and collaborate on a new song, who would it be and why?

There are so many artists that I’d love to collaborate with. One of my favorite songs ever written is by Labrinth. He’s an incredible artist all around and I’d love to collaborate with him in any way.

Would you like to share anything else about yourself or your music with our readers?

I’ve always been vulnerable in my music, but I feel like in this most recent album I’ve poured my heart into every song. It’s important for me to do that because I know I’m not the only one going through the ups and downs of life. I know for me, when I discover a song that says exactly what I’m feeling, it means something special. I hope that my songs can connect with others in that way.