Today we’d like to introduce you to Autumn Fowler.
Hi Autumn, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
Music was a huge part of my world and environment growing up, but it was something I was so used to that I didn’t really focus on it. I was a creative, an artist more than anything, whether I was drawing or writing stories, or singing songs with my sister. My parents were always very encouraging and really gave my siblings and I the space and time to explore our own interests and create things.
For years my big dream was to become a writer. I read constantly, and repeatedly checked out this writing book from the library that inspired me to carry a notebook around everywhere I went–a habit I still keep. I’ve always been very observant, but the notebook gave me a place to archive, capture details, and preserve my experiences and perceptions of the world around me. And the world around me was very inspiring–I grew up along the central coast, near Santa Cruz, exploring estuaries and the ocean and the redwood forests, and my music now is full of imagery and references to these natural spaces, the landscapes, the birds and plants and wildlife that were the backdrop of my childhood.
In high school, I shifted away from narrative writing and more towards music, and singing in high school choir inspired me to apply to music school. I kept up my writing habits and amassed hundreds of snippets of songs (stray lines, short voice memos), but I struggled to stay with a song until completion.
My freshman year of college I started playing guitar and finally got over the hurdle of actually completing songs. As I developed and honed my musical skills and understandings, everything finally coalesced: my music combined with my notebook-keeping habits, my observational personality, my love for language, and I discovered my strength and identity as a songwriter.
Last spring I graduated from USC Thornton and now almost a year later I am in the process of recording my first project!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of my biggest struggles in recent years has been with comparison and feeling “behind,” especially as a neurodivergent person. College was very overwhelming for me, and I really struggled with anxiety and overstimulation. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t handle the same workload or navigate the same social situations as the people around. The summer between my junior and senior years, I hit an extreme period of burnout and was really forced to do a lot of reflection and self-discovery. My body and brain had reached their limit. It really forced me to learn the importance of slowing down. I stopped holding myself to other people’s standards and started listening to and accommodating my own needs. It’s a learning process and definitely something I’m still working on, but I do my best to practice self-compassion. It’s so hard at this stage of life, especially as a young musician. There’s no one path; everyone is moving at a different pace… but that’s okay!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar with what you do, what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a singer-songwriter who writes introspective, often literary-inspired indie folk music. I think my love for language and all the writing and reading I did as a kid really gave me an advantage when it came to lyric writing, and songwriting has been a real refuge for me in recent years.
I think majoring in jazz gave me a unique perspective–the way I see it, jazz is really the “classical” music for contemporary music, and I think understanding the history (and acknowledging its Black American origins) is vitally important for any musician. Even though the music that I’m writing now isn’t really “jazz”, I can really see its influence and hold onto the same core concepts of improvisation and expression and commitment.
My friends started a band called FAUNA, and we recorded a song I wrote with them called “The Full Moon” for their debut EP in 2022. Writing and recording with them was such a fun process, and I’m looking forward to recording more. I feel really proud of the songs I’ve been writing recently and have been working on recording my first project! It took a long time to feel “ready,” but I’m glad to finally be capturing these songs and taking the next steps.
What were you like growing up?
I was a very curious child, I loved nature and books, and for whatever reason I was obsessed with tiny stuff–I obsessively sharpened my pencils to make my handwriting as small as possible, taught myself to fold miniature origami, cooked miniature food for my dolls…I had a lot of fun.
I was pretty shy, but I loved to perform. I did school plays and sang for my family with no problem, and I never had stage fright, but then, at the same time, I was scared to make a phone call or talk to the cashier at the grocery store. And honestly? Nothing’s changed. I still hate making phone calls, getting nervous making small talk, and meeting new people–but on stage, it just feels totally different.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://fauna.hearnow.com/
- Instagram: @autumn.fowler
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@autumn_fowler?_t=8l3kAjfCOiM&_r=1
