Meet Alyssa Ann

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Ann.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born on March 9, 1995, in Upland, California. When my mom was pregnant with me, I would rock out inside my mom any time music was playing. After I was born, nothing changed. I guess you could say I found my calling for music at a young age.

When my Grandma, Evelyn was a young girl, she had the opportunity to sing on the radio. But her father would not allow her to because, at that time, it was not proper for a young lady to be involved in the entertainment industry. In a way, I am carrying out my Grandma’s dreams as my own and honoring her memory.

When I was one, a friend of the family happened to hear me humming to the melody of a song. He told my parents that they needed to take me to a Kindermusik class. I continued to thrive in music classes after that. The music schools I have attended include Colburn School of Music, Claremont Community School of Music, Burns’ Music School, and Moultrie Academy. I was also involved in different choirs every year from elementary school through college at Azusa Pacific University. Additionally, I was involved in musical theater for 10 years in a row and experienced many different shows and character roles. But, my main passion and area of interest was always in my solo career. Growing up, I was in many different vocal competitions where I competed as a finalist multiple times. One of the most recent competitions was for the West Coast Country Music Association, where I won Female Vocalist, Entertainer, and Songwriter of the year in 2018. This qualified me to represent California as a finalist in the North American Country Music Association International competition in Tennessee.

I graduated May 2017 with a BM in Commercial Music and an emphasis in Vocal Performance and Music Business. I am currently still at Azusa Pacific University working hard to complete my MA in Music Entrepreneurship and will be graduating May 2019. Today I am writing music and performing every chance I get. Some notable places I have performed are: The Viper Room, The Mint, State Social House, and The Study in Hollywood. My overall goal is to become a prominent singer/songwriter in Country Music and keep teaching piano and voice lessons to the youth. I want to serve others through the musical gifts God has blessed me with and change lives the same way music has changed mine. But, I couldn’t have gotten this far without the unconditional love and support from my family and friends.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I’ve been blessed with wonderful and supportive parents who have made sure I have the best education and life. Was it always easy? Heck no. But, what in life is worth it if it’s easy?

I’ve been told “no” way more times in my life than I have ever been told “yes”. Every audition would be so close, but the answer would always be the same “no.” I’ll never forget when I tried out for the top choir in my high school three years in a row and each year it was always “try again next year.” But, the last year my teacher told me, “You should consider going to college for a different major because you don’t have what it takes”. He couldn’t have been more wrong. But, all of the no’s I was told in my life made that one “yes” so much sweeter. In 2016 at The Voice tryouts cattle call I was finally told yes and moved forward to the next round of auditions. This affirmed that I was going in the right direction and proved wrong anyone who didn’t believe in me. This taught me that having faith in yourself will go a lot farther than having doubts. No one can tell you what you’re capable of, but you.

When I was younger, I felt lonely being an only child. My only company was my two dogs (Simba and Sasha) at the time, so they would be my audience when I practiced my singing. This would make me feel a little less alone. I think I chose singing in the first place because I yearned to build that connection between me and other people. It made me realize how much I love people and being social. Now I don’t mind that I’m an only child because I have found a way to connect and help people through music.

On a more personal note, I have suffered from really bad allergies my whole life. I have to deal with some of the side effects of this every day. But, I have learned to take life one day at a time and to keep praying. Sure enough, any set back I have experienced is just a phase and teaches me to get back up.

Please tell us about Alyssa Ann Music.
I am a SoCal based singer/songwriter. I consider myself a Country artist with influences from other genres like Pop, Rock, and the Blues. I am currently working on writing songs for my debut EP. I love to spend my time collaborating with other talented artists and musicians. But, I am most proud of how far I’ve come. I went from singing in the shower to writing my own music and performing it in Nashville, Tennessee. In my eyes, there is no better reward for an artist than having a complete stranger come up and say how much they connect with your music. I don’t want to be labeled or put in a box because I am so experimental with my sound. But, I think that is what makes my sound unique. Music is an entirely different language and yet the purest form of communication. One of my favorite quotes is “where words fail, music speaks” –Hans Christian Andersen. Additionally, I teach piano and voice lessons to children on the side. It is very rewarding to have the opportunity to shape the young musicians of the future. I look forward to future collaborations and I can’t wait to see where my journey leads me.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
It is such a cliché to say that I wouldn’t change anything because it made me who I am today, so I am not going to do that. Instead, I would like to tell my younger self to have more fun with music. I know it is easy to get caught up with winning competitions and being perfect on stage. But, I think sometimes we forget that music is supposed to bring people together and be a fun experience. We lose the magic of music when we think of it as a chore. So, I would change my perspective back then about performing by being less nervous and having more fun!

Also, I would have liked to put myself more out there by trying out for more opportunities. I think half the time I was too scared of rejection that I wouldn’t even try. This is such a dangerous mindset to be in and I am glad I grew out of that silliness. A quote that comes to mind is, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”- Wayne Gretzky.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyssaannmusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alyssaannmusic/
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzuAevh5Y1wEP3D5c7h60TA

Image Credit:
Halle Keeth, Jerry D. Photography, John Matthews

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