Sue Bonzell: This is Up N Country on 93.7, The Bull. It’s powered by V Livecast. I’m your host, Sue Bonzell. Let’s get this show started.
Alana Springsteen. Hey girl. How are you?
Alana Springsteen:
I’m so good, Sue. It’s great to meet you. Thanks for having me.
Sue Bonzell:
Absolutely. So I mean I am so impressed with you. I finally saw you on TikTok, heard your song on Spotify and I’m like, “I got to meet this girl.” Girl, you’re a talent and you started, you picked up a guitar when you were like seven and wrote your first song when you were nine?
Alana Springsteen:
I did. Yeah. Music has been my passion since literally Day One. Growing up, I was always singing around the house, always obsessed with music like Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, those were my girls. Grew up on country music and grew up singing in church actually too. Both my granddads are pastors and then was always also in love with words and telling stories. And I was the creative writer. English was my class. I was always writing poetry and things. But after I picked up the guitar when I was seven, it was just like an instant. I just started writing songs. It just kind of flowed naturally and I realized I was never going to stop. It was just what I was meant to do and, from then on, it’s been nothing else. No Plan B, just music.
Sue Bonzell:
I mean how lucky for you that you discovered your passion and your gift so young.
Alana Springsteen:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
Now I read that you were homeschooled which allowed you to move to Nashville at a very young age too.
Alana Springsteen:
Yeah, honestly, the way it all happened was very much a God thing. Homeschooling for me was great because I was able to finish and then pour myself into something that I really, really loved. It just gave me the freedom to be able to take trips back and forth too. I was 10 years old getting in a van with my parents, driving up to Nashville, driving back four times a year. So from even that young, we were already getting my roots in Nashville and figuring out what the music industry was about. I never would’ve been able to do that if I had been tied down to a school schedule-
Sue Bonzell:
Sure.
Alana Springsteen:
… so it was a blessing for sure.
Sue Bonzell:
Wow, that’s so cool that you … I mean I got to say bravo to your parents because parenting in general, not easy, but then allowing you really to step you who you are and what your dream is which I think is so amazing. So kudos to mom and dad.
Alana Springsteen:
Yeah, they’re literally the best ever. I’m just so grateful to have had them and just people who fed into that dream because it is crazy. It’s not a normal life path, but when you feel called to something so strongly, I think you’ve got to go for it and I had those people in my life. So I’m very, very blessed.
Sue Bonzell:
That is so cool. So now I found out that you recently played your first big arena concert. What was that like? That must have been amazing.
Alana Springsteen:
I’m sure you can imagine. It was absolutely just a moment I will never forget. That’s one of the things where, as a kid at least for me, that was something I had dreamed about. I would sit and daydream about playing shows like that, looking out crowds that big, hearing my music in those kind of arenas, and to be doing that this year is something I never would’ve expected but also Lainey’s fan base is incredible. I feel so lucky to have gotten to be in front of them every single night and they were just there to hear the music which is the coolest thing, just to have that back and forth connection with the crowd. Especially coming out of COVID too, that was something I was missing so much of. So it was an absolute dream come true and definitely so many pinch me moments in that entire tour.
Sue Bonzell:
And also your first time being on the tour bus and the whole tour bus experience, how was that?
Alana Springsteen:
A dream. I mean compared to getting in a van and driving to states and doing makeup in the van mirrors, I’ve done all of that and I still love it. It’s still great. But when you’ve got a bed and you’ve got a home and somewhere your band can hang out, it changes the entire thing. So super, super grateful. Hopefully, we can continue that trend in 2022.
Sue Bonzell:
Yeah. Good idea. I like that idea. So I watched some of your TikToks and you’ve got somebody who’s always throwing out asking you to finish the lyrics. Who is it that’s doing that? And by the way, I like that series. I think it’s pretty killer and you’re really good at it.
Alana Springsteen:
Oh, you’re so kind. I love finding songs to cover and I love music. I’m always on Spotify discovering new music and so the voice behind the camera is actually my mom. So she’s got a great-
Sue Bonzell:
Oh, is it? Okay.
Alana Springsteen:
Yeah. It’s my mom. She’s amazing. She’s always around the house just throwing stuff at me all the time and it’s something that just kind of started super unplanned. I was like, “Oh, this is fun. Let’s see what happens.” And they started really becoming a thing. So I just like to have fun with it.
Sue Bonzell:
I think it’s great. I mean, honestly, and I was telling my producer, Ryan, earlier, “This girl can literally sing anything and sing it well.” I mean, honestly, I was kind of like, let’s see, what does she sound like? And I’m like is it Carrie Underwood and Taylor, like a little combination?
Alana Springsteen:
Wow.
Sue Bonzell:
I’m not sure. But either way, you sound amazing. And so your song, one song that I really like that I found was your Zero Trucks. Now, the first time I heard it, I was like, okay, this is a killer song. It’s very catchy. Okay, cool.
Alana Springsteen:
Clever.
Sue Bonzell:
Right. Clever, very clever. And then when I found out, oh, she co-wrote it with Walker Hayes. No wonder, right?
Alana Springsteen:
Yeah. I know.
Sue Bonzell:
How was that working with Walker Hayes?
Alana Springsteen:
It was everything you’d expect working with Walker Hayes. He is one of my favorite human beings and truly just everything you think he is like, he’s just the most genuine joyful person. And actually we wrote it during COVID so we wrote it over Zoom and it was the first time we had worked together. I’d been a fan of his music for a long, long time. And we jumped on and he was like, “I’ve had this idea sitting in my phone for a long time and I just feel it could be perfect for you.” And so the second I heard it, I was like I’m obsessed. It’s such a fun play on words and for a project like History of Breaking Up Part One, which is the one that just came out this year, I was exploring all the different sides of heartbreak and loss and relationships and figuring that out at 20 and 21.
It was definitely a piece that I felt like it needed. You’re still losing somebody, but it’s a different perspective on it. It’s like, you know what? My life is actually better without you in it and you get back to you and the things that make you happy and the people that love you most, and you realize how okay you are without somebody in your life. And it’s just a fun little song and it’s always fun to play live. And I’m so grateful to have gotten to work with him. He’s truly one of the most talented people I know.
Sue Bonzell:
That’s so cool. That is so awesome. So History of Breaking Up Part One, that’s the first album, right?
Alana Springsteen:
One.
Sue Bonzell:
So all of these songs, are they coming from your personal experience? Are you songwriting with other artists?
Alana Springsteen:
When you speak of other artists actually, that’s kind of how it all started was last year. The first song in the project I wrote with Roman Alexander who’s another artist in town that I love and it’s called Trying Not To. We wrote it and just fell in love with the song. It kind of took on a life of its own. Everybody we played it for loved it and we’re like, “You know what, it’d be fun to share the first release of this year together.” So that ended up being in the first release on the project, but all of these songs are songs that I’ve written and I’m lucky enough to have gotten to produce several of them too, co-produced them with some amazing people in town. A lot of them are from experience.
As a 20, 21-year-old, you have a really different perspective on love. I’m learning literally things every single day. Every relationship that I go through, I learn something about myself, honestly, and it was just kind of a journey of talking about my experience through these things. I know I’m not the only one that goes through things like this and feels these emotions. That’s my favorite thing about music is just the way it connects us and helps us feel not as alone. It’s like somebody else out there’s going through the exact same thing and if people can find a piece of themselves in my stories, I mean that’s everything to me.
Sue Bonzell:
That’s killer. I love that. I didn’t mean to necessarily compare you to Taylor Swift from the breakup song type things. I was thinking more about the voice, but I mean maybe it is the breakup songs. I don’t know. Maybe it is that too. Who knows?
Alana Springsteen:
No, I just love how honest she always was with her lyrics too. I try to keep that in my songs too. Just real stories and real life and it’s really special.
Sue Bonzell:
Absolutely. Well, I got this, I’m going to read this. This is a quote from People, so People Magazine, and then I’m going to see if you’re willing to play a little song for us, but I got to share this with everybody. So “History of Breaking Up Part One,” that’s your album, “serves as Springsteen’s most important and most anticipated project of her still young career, a magical mixture of deep thoughts on love and heartbreak, all delivered by a voice that seems to represent the future of country music.” That is killer. Congratulations.
Alana Springsteen:
I mean to hear that is absolutely crazy. And from People Magazine, I don’t know, it’s really, really special and it makes me go how lucky am I to get to do this every single day and get to put together music with people that I love and adore. I’m just living the dream every day and I feel so, so lucky for all the fans out there listening and supporting it. And people like that that write quotes like that, I’m like, “Oh my gosh, my life is made.”
Sue Bonzell:
Right? Well, you’re definitely fan worthy. Like I said, you have an incredible voice. You’re an incredible talent. So I would love it if you would play a song for us, if you’re willing?
Alana Springsteen:
I would love to. I got you.
Sue Bonzell:
Great.
Alana Springsteen:
I’m going to play you something from the project that I just put out called History of Breaking Up, the one we’ve been talking about. People ask me what my favorite song is on the project and I think this might be it. It’s really hard because I think all my songs are like my children, they’re my babies. I bring them into the world and I love all of them equally. But this one, this one’s really special. I’m really proud of it. I got to write it with Pete Good and Travis Wood here in town and it was just a really, really great day.
Sometimes no matter how much you love somebody, you’re just not the one. Like you can try, you can want it really badly, but sometimes there’s just somebody else. I think everybody has that person they’re meant for. This song is really vulnerable. It’s one of the more vulnerable songs on the project, because it hurts but I think the cool thing about it is there’s also a lot of power in realizing when you deserve better and when you need to let something go. And so that’s kind of what this song is about. It’s called Girlfriend. I hope you guys love it. Here we go.
(Singing)
Sue Bonzell:
I love that song. Well done.
Alana Springsteen:
Thank you so much. Thank you, Sue. I appreciate it.
Sue Bonzell:
That is awesome. So now I was just thinking about, I watched a video, I think it was on your TikTok where you were getting ready to go out on stage and forgot your earpiece there and you were kind of freaking out. So tell me about that experience.
Alana Springsteen:
Oh my gosh. First of all, I just had to share it because I went back and I watched that video and I was like, oh my God, this is what it’s really like backstage sometimes. And honestly the crowd half the time doesn’t even know those things go wrong backstage. But basically we have a system before stage where I’m there, I have my team hand me my in ears, hand me my pack. We missed our routine and so I didn’t realize that I didn’t have my in ears in. I had my pack but I didn’t have my in ears and I didn’t realize it until the intro track started. And I was like something is wrong here. So mad dash backstage and we found the in ears and we’re just wrangling to get them in.
I could tell you my heart was beating out of my chest. I was just stressed and anxious but honestly my team had my back. We made it work and these things happen all the time. The show must go on. My band covered me like absolute pros. So I’m very lucky to have a good team, but I just thought it was hilarious. I laughed about it for the next few days.
Sue Bonzell:
No, you know what? I love that. I appreciate that because seeing something that’s real and authentic and when stuff happens, because that’s reality. That’s what we love to see. We want to know what’s really happening behind the scenes. It all looks good on the front but you’re like what’s happening behind the backstage?
Alana Springsteen:
Right. Oh my gosh, I’ll be the first to admit I am far from perfect. I do not have everything together all the time. Sometimes shows go off without a hitch and it’s amazing. And then sometimes you get things like this happen and it’s just part of it. So I like to share all of it with you guys.
Sue Bonzell:
Absolutely. Yeah. Please continue to do so. We love that. So now I understand you are a coffee lover.
Alana Springsteen:
Oh, that’s an understatement.
Sue Bonzell:
What’s your favorite coffee drink?
Alana Springsteen:
My usual go-to is an almond milk latte, almond milk because I try not to do dairy and I do it hot or iced, either way, but sometimes I’ll just go with a classic cold brew. I don’t need a lot of flavoring in it. I’ve been drinking it so long. I’m just like, “Give me the caffeine, all the caffeine.” I’m probably a two cup a day person. I don’t know. My life would be so incomplete without coffee. I also do this series for anyone who’s watching on my Instagram where every city I go to or just around Nashville. I will rate coffee shops because I think we all need to help each other out and find the good spots. So I try to do my part.
Sue Bonzell:
They see you coming and they’re like, “Uh-oh, hurry up. Make it good.”
Alana Springsteen:
Oh my gosh, [inaudible 00:17:09], mission accomplished.
Sue Bonzell:
Now did I see you deliver a coffee to a fan?
Alana Springsteen:
Oh yeah. That was on my TikTok. Yeah. Basically what happened was I was getting coffee the last day in Tulsa and it was a really cold day and I’d been getting DMS from people all morning, “We’re in line, it’s cold, but we can’t wait to see you.” Just that dedication means the absolute world to me, the fact that they’re going to get out there and stand in the cold to come see me is crazy. So I was getting coffee. I had a fan DM me. She was like, “It’s cold out here. Bring your girl a latte,” laughy face or whatever. And so I was like, “Okay, seriously, I need to do this.” And I was like, “What’s your order?” And she was like, “I’m just kidding.” But she said her order. She was like, “You don’t need to do that.” So I literally, I bought her a coffee and just went out in the crowd and tried to find her.
She ended up being with a bunch of friends and we just got to chat and hang out for a while. They were at the front of the line, had been there since like 4:00 a.m.
Sue Bonzell:
Wow. Oh my gosh.
Alana Springsteen:
Just absolutely crazy. So I try to do what I can. I got to help a girl out. And yeah, it’s just-
Sue Bonzell:
That is so [crosstalk 00:18:16]-
Alana Springsteen:
My favorite thing on tour is just meeting the fans and getting to hug people. Especially after COVID, that’s everything.
Sue Bonzell:
Right, absolutely.
Alana Springsteen:
That connection is everything. So I try to go find people whenever I can and say hey.
Sue Bonzell:
That is so cool. I love that you did that and I love all the stuff you’re doing on your social media. So you guys, follow Alana Springsteen.
Now I have to ask. I got to ask this one last question. Springsteen, last name, any relation?
Alana Springsteen:
I get asked that all the time.
Sue Bonzell:
I figured.
Alana Springsteen:
I don’t think there is, but it’s pretty freaking cool that we share the same last name. It just worked out perfectly.
Sue Bonzell:
There you go. Exactly. Well, I was like she’s a pretty incredible musical talent. It would make sense if you were related. I mean that would make sense.
Alana Springsteen:
Yeah, I mean maybe there’s just something in the name. I don’t know.
Sue Bonzell:
There’s power in that name. It’s a powerful name.
Alana Springsteen:
That’s right.
Sue Bonzell:
Awesome. Well, thank you so much for being with us and sharing everything that you’ve got going on. You’ve got History of Breaking Up Part Two coming out. Is that coming out next year?
Alana Springsteen:
Yes, Ma’am. I’m so excited. This music I’ve been writing, I literally got out of a write today. I’m writing all through this month and next month just finishing it up and in the studio. So you guys stay tuned. I’m so excited about this music.
Sue Bonzell:
Well, I am super excited for you and all of your success and I hope we get to meet in person some time soon.
Alana Springsteen:
Oh, I would love that. Thank you so much, Sue, for this. I love getting [inaudible 00:19:44] and talk for a bit.
Sue Bonzell:
That’s fantastic. Thank you again.
Alana Springsteen:
See you later.
Sue Bonzell:
Okay. Thanks for tuning in to Up N country where we have new episodes every Tuesday and be sure to visit upncountry.com for all of the episodes and information about our VIP Club, where you’re going to get exclusive backstage access. And if you’re on Instagram or TikTok, make sure to follow me, Sue Bonzell. I’ll see you next week.
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