Sue Bonzell: You may know, today’s guest from singing in a bathtub on TikTok. It’s Avery Anna. I’m Sue Bonzell with Up N Country, where we’re bringing you new up and coming country artists. It’s all powered by the vLiveCast. Let’s find out about Avery Anna in that bathtub.
She just sang a song with Parmalee and is currently trending on TikTok where I found her singing in a bathtub. It’s Avery Anna. Hey, Avery. How are you?
Avery Anna: Good. How are you?
Sue Bonzell: I am good. I’m happy to see you. You’re not in the bathtub right now.
Avery Anna: I am not. I’m actually missing my bathtub very much right now.
Sue Bonzell: Now, you said you’re you’re taking a little rest on your voice right now. What’s going on?
Avery Anna: Yeah. So, I lost my voice a couple days ago. So, I’m just recovering, getting over it, trying to rest and give myself some time.
Sue Bonzell: Good. I’m glad to hear that. Now, if you guys don’t know what I’m talking about Avery singing in a bathtub, I mean, as you can tell us. You can tell us why. I think it’s probably for the acoustics. But, girl, you don’t need any extra acoustics. You are so talented, but tell us about singing in the bathtub.
Avery Anna: Thank you. I don’t know. So, one day I was just messing around on TikTok, and my mom’s got this grand bathroom over here with this huge bathtub. And I was like, “I’m going to go sing in her bathroom because it sounds cool.” And I just posted a video for fun, kicks and giggles. And then it blew up, and I just kept doing it. And it sounds good in there.
Sue Bonzell: It does sound good. You kept coming through my feed, and I kept liking all your things. I’m like, “Dang, this girl’s really good. I wonder when I’m going to hear her on Spotify or something like that.” And then sure enough, I’m like, boom. There you were. And I’m all, “Okay. All right. I got to talk to this girl.” You’ve got it. You’ve got it.
And you’ve got a couple of songs. So, the one song that I found was Just Cause I Love You; and that one was, I heard that on Spotify. I think I heard you sing that. And you have a new song called I Love You More. So, tell us about your songwriting. There’s a lot of love there, which I want to hear about.
Avery Anna: Yeah. So, for I Love You More, it was… I don’t know. I was like, “I just love so many people in my life.” I just wanted to write a song about it because you always get in those fights. And I was like, “That’s just so funny like that we love people so much that we fight over who loves who more.”
Sue Bonzell: Yes.
Avery Anna: So, I don’t know. I just wrote the song. It just felt right. It didn’t feel very strategic and song write-y. It just felt like just honest writing and just kind of wrote how we felt and everything.
Sue Bonzell: I like that. That’s that’s usually the best songs because that’s real. It’s not trying too hard.
Avery Anna: Yeah. It felt real.
Sue Bonzell: It’s just real.
Avery Anna: Yeah.
Sue Bonzell: That is really awesome. Are you touring? Are you playing? Where can we see you? Where can we find you?
Avery Anna: Right. So, I just barely moved to Nashville. We haven’t gotten to scheduling a ton of shows yet, but I’m writing a lot. I’ve never really co-written before until now kind of. So, just writing a lot, getting a lot of songs down, and then hopefully soon we’ll be getting shows and then releasing a lot of new music.
Sue Bonzell: Well, I’m super excited for you. When you’re doing these writings, I’m sure you’re meeting a lot of people there in Nashville, songwriters, things like that. So, where are your influences coming from? Because a lot of your songs, they’re… Well, I call your voice, I know this is cliche, but it’s hauntingly beautiful.
Avery Anna: Thank you.
Sue Bonzell: I mean, you’ve probably heard that many times. It’s absolutely beautiful. And you’ve got these love songs and this real delicate sense, but your voice is so powerful. So, where does your songwriting influence and your musical influence come from?
Avery Anna: Like artists wise?
Sue Bonzell: Yeah. Even other genres or anything like that or things that are kind of influence you?
Avery Anna: Yeah. I think very much the little girl in me is screaming Taylor Swift.
Sue Bonzell: Ah, yes.
Avery Anna: But honestly Dolly and Adele and Lauren Daigle even.
Sue Bonzell: Yeah, love her.
Avery Anna: And just Kelsea Ballerini, love her. I really like old country, like Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard and all of them. So, I don’t know. I have so much variety of people that I look up to. I’m obsessed.
Sue Bonzell: No. I love that. I love that. So, if you could open for anybody, ultimately, the big dream, the big goal, who would you want to open for?
Avery Anna: That’s a really hard question. But right now today, it could be a different answer yesterday. But today, I would say Adele.
Sue Bonzell: Okay.
Avery Anna: Yes.
Sue Bonzell: I love her.
Avery Anna: I really admire her writing and her voice and everything. It’s just very honest.
Sue Bonzell: Well, I think you… Yeah, exactly. I agree with you. And you guys have a similar… There’s a power. There’s a power to her voice and how she sings in the way that you sing, too. So, I could totally see that. Oh, my gosh. I’m going to have to go to an Adele concert now and see Avery on stage.
I want to play a little game. It’s just quick questions. It’s not really a game. It’s just quick questions, but they’re fun. So, we’re just going to do just a handful of them just to get us going here. Okay. I need to know, what is your go to Starbucks drink?
Avery Anna: So, I’ve only had Starbucks three times in my life, and my cousin put me on the with vanilla bean frappuccino thing. I don’t drink coffee, so I never have Starbucks. So, that’s kind of funny, but I don’t know.
Sue Bonzell: See, that makes you different than most people, which is so wonderful about you. Being different is good. That’s a good thing. Let’s see. Do you own a Hydro Flask?
Avery Anna: I did.
Sue Bonzell: You did. Okay.
Avery Anna: It got lost. I’ve been through five of them.
Sue Bonzell: Okay. Is this a thing? How many stickers do you have on your Hydro Flask?
Avery Anna: I had five, I think. I had a lot.
Sue Bonzell: Okay. See? See? I knew it. Right. I’m like, “That’s a thing. That’s a thing.”
Avery Anna: That’s a typical teenage girl sports thing. Yeah.
Sue Bonzell: Exactly. Exactly. Got the Hydro Flask and all the stickers. So, that’s good.
Avery Anna: Yes.
Sue Bonzell: Okay. How about this, ketchup or mustard?
Avery Anna: Ketchup.
Sue Bonzell: Ketchup. Ooh, look at you.
Avery Anna: Yes.
Sue Bonzell: Going with the ketchup. You like ketchup on the fries and on the hamburger and on the everything?
Avery Anna: Yes. Yes. I used to be a mustard girl, but I don’t like mustard anymore.
Sue Bonzell: Oh, okay. We’ve changed. All right. We’re on to ketchup then?
Avery Anna: Yes.
Sue Bonzell: Okay. What is the weirdest food that you like that other people might think you’re crazy? I’m putting you on the spot. Do you do something weird with food or something?
Avery Anna: I’m so not [crosstalk].
Sue Bonzell: Not really weird, but what other people might go, “That’s odd.”
Avery Anna: Yeah. I’m so not picky. So, I was… Let’s see.
Sue Bonzell: So, you’re not a picky eater. So, you’ll eat pretty much anything.
Avery Anna: I’m not.
Sue Bonzell: Right?
Avery Anna: I literally will eat anything.
Sue Bonzell: Okay. Then what’s your favorite meal, favorite meal?
Avery Anna: My favorite meal, mac and cheese and apple slices.
Sue Bonzell: Okay. Wait, together?
Avery Anna: I can order from any kids’ menu anywhere?
Sue Bonzell: Do you have those together?
Avery Anna: Not together.
Sue Bonzell: Okay. I was going to say.
Avery Anna: But that’s my order if I’m ordering anything.
Sue Bonzell: You’re so cute. Oh, my gosh. You’re all, “I’ll take the kids’ meal.”
Avery Anna: Yes.
Sue Bonzell: As many times when I would like to have the kids’ meal as well.
Avery Anna: Yes. Embarrassing, I will order off any kids’ meal.
Sue Bonzell: Okay. Okay. Along the food lines here, how about your favorite pizza? What’s on your favorite pizza?
Avery Anna: A lot of meat. Any meat.
Sue Bonzell: Okay.
Avery Anna: Yeah. I like all the meat lover’s pizzas.
Sue Bonzell: Okay.
Avery Anna: But I also like pineapple on pizza. I know that’s a big no for a lot of people, but I like it.
Sue Bonzell: Yeah. That’s a big controversy. It’s like pineapple, not pineapple. I don’t know. And then do you dip your pizza in ranch? That’s the other controversy?
Avery Anna: Yes.
Sue Bonzell: Yes. Okay.
Avery Anna: Yes.
Sue Bonzell: Okay. We are on the same page. We can have pizza together for sure.
Avery Anna: Okay. Sweet.
Sue Bonzell: And then, okay, your dream vacation, where are you going?
Avery Anna: Probably Maui in Hawaii.
Sue Bonzell: Oh.
Avery Anna: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Sue Bonzell: Very nice. Have you been?
Avery Anna: I have been.
Sue Bonzell: Very good.
Avery Anna: That’s where we go, and that’s so my favorite place.
Sue Bonzell: Okay, cool. All right. So, you want to sit on the beach. Is it beach time, or is it adventure time when you go?
Avery Anna: Yes.
Sue Bonzell: Yes, good answer.
Avery Anna: Yes, very adventurous. We went surfing, and we love to go snorkeling with my family and everything, and hiking. We did everything when we went.
Sue Bonzell: That’s fun.
Avery Anna: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Sue Bonzell: Do you mind if I ask how old you are? I know that’s rude, but how old are you?
Avery Anna: No, that’s totally fine. I’m 17.
Sue Bonzell: 17, okay. So, you’ve got the support of your folks. I’ve seen some videos with your mom in them.
Avery Anna: Yes.
Sue Bonzell: That’s awfully sweet. So, have they come to Nashville with you, and they’re there with you?
Avery Anna: No. I have three other siblings.
Sue Bonzell: Okay.
Avery Anna: So, it would feel wrong for my mom to leave them to just move with me and everything. So, my mom and dad are back in Arizona in Flagstaff.
Sue Bonzell: Okay.
Avery Anna: And it was hard to leave them and for them to bring me here and leave me here. But I have a cousin that just got married in December, and she decided to come and live with me. So, we’re like a little family in this house.
Sue Bonzell: I love it. It’s like a satellite family. Right?
Avery Anna: Yes. Yeah. Yeah.
Sue Bonzell: Are you still in high school? Have you finished high school? What’s the status?
Avery Anna: So, I am doing an online program through my high school, and I only have two classes left because I took a couple classes over the summer. I’ll hopefully graduate early and be done, but I’ll still get to walk with my class and everything.
Sue Bonzell: Very good. That is awesome.
Avery Anna: Yeah.
Sue Bonzell: So, now when you first started, when did you first realize you had this voice? How old were you?
Avery Anna: So, I’ve been singing my whole life, and I didn’t really take it serious. I’ve been super passionate about it since I was little. My mom will tell you if you ever ask about it. I would wake up at 5:00 in the morning in middle school so I could sing for an hour before I’d go to school every day. I’ve been super passionate about it my whole life just because I love it so much. It’s addicting.
And I never took it seriously until people really started believing in me. I saw that as a chance, I guess. I’ve just been doing it for fun my whole life, and now it’s a career. So, yeah.
Sue Bonzell: Those are the best careers, the ones that you go, “I can’t believe I get paid to do this.” Right?
Avery Anna: Yeah. I’m like, “What the heck? This is awesome.”
Sue Bonzell: This is awesome.
Avery Anna: Yeah.
Sue Bonzell: Good for you. What a blessing. That is so awesome. So, you’ve got the new song out. We can find that everywhere, I’m assuming. I’ve seen it on Spotify for sure. We can find that everywhere. Any nearby plans for an EP or something like that?
Avery Anna: Well, have been writing a lot, and we have some things under our boat. We’re working on it. So, yes.
Sue Bonzell: Yes.
Avery Anna: Soon there will be new music. So, stay tuned.
Sue Bonzell: Okay. Good. Well, I can’t wait. I am so excited. If you guys don’t already follow Avery Anna on TikTok, for sure you got to do that. You’re also on Instagram, too. She’s always putting up some of your new music and some fun things that you’re doing and your adventures. I’m excited for you that you’re in Nashville. Congratulations on that move. Yeah. Thank you so much for being here.
Avery Anna: Thank you so much. It was good to meet you.
Sue Bonzell: You, too. We wish you all the best in your big journey.
Avery Anna: Thank you. Thank you.
Sue Bonzell: 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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