EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Alana Springsteen Chats Backstage @ C2C Festival

Yesterday (Friday, March 8th) C2C Festival kicked off in style taking over the O2 Arena in North Greenwich with the event running until Sunday. Music & Tour News have been lucky enough to land media access for the three days and we began our press time with Alana Springsteen backstage before she began her main stage hosting duties.

How are you finding your London experience this time around?

God, I love it here. I love it, every time I come here I’m just overwhelmed by the people and how sweet they are and the culture and the food are so amazing. I had a great English Breakfast this morning haha, it was so good.

I’ve found from speaking to American artists that they feel like the audiences are very different here in the UK, do you find that also?

I do. I heard that coming into it, all my artist friends were like “just prepare yourself, it’s not what you think., It’s very different to the US”, and I felt that too. I actually love it, it’s inspiring to me the way you guys listen to the music and appreciate it. It inspires me and actually lets me experience my own songs in different ways. You know, there are lyrics and there are songs that you you guys kind of pull different things out of, you interpret different ways and it’s taught me a lot.

You played the Songwriters Series the last time you were at C2C, what was that like for you to play in London for the first time?

So beautiful. My first time playing, it just hits so differently on stage when it’s a packed-out O2 and it’s dead silent. You don’t find that anywhere else, that’s only here and I’ll never forget those nights. I debuted a lot of songs out here because I hadn’t yet released my album, I was still in the process of cutting and a lot of the stuff I played during that Songwriter Round was brand new and something I was in the process of writing and it was the best way to get a first reaction.

Do you feel that played a role in you choosing the tracks for the album?

100%, I mean ‘Shoulder To Cry On’ and songs like that, you guys were like “we need this song”.

How have you found the reaction to the ‘Twenty Something’ album so far?

It’s been so surreal. I don’t know if I expected people to relate to it in that way. It’s a very personal album. Every song is about some of my insecurities and mistakes I’ve made, and the really great moments I’ve had. All of these different experiences of being in my twenties. Not only are people my age relating to it but people in their 30s, 40s and 50s are too. I think, we’re always going through the same thing no matter what stage of life we’re in, that’s the thing that I’ve learned and it’s taught me. It’s made me so grateful.

Was there one song in particular that you found the most difficult to write but knew it needed to be on the record?

I would say ‘Amen’. It was one of the most vulnerable songs I’ve written and surprisingly I wouldn’t call it hard as it just fell out and the song was written in like 2 hours. But some of the things that we put in that song were hard for me to say. There were things that I couldn’t;t even say to my mom, my family or people I’m close to. There’s nothing more important to me than my roots and where I’m from, making my family proud and staying true to that. But growing up and being on this crazy journey I’ve been on the past two years I’ve learned a lot about myself and I’ve changed in some ways and in some ways, I’m still the same but it’s very important to me to give myself permission to make mistakes live life on my terms and just grow into the best version of myself. This song was kind of written to give myself permission to do that and my hope was that anyone who heard it would go “yo, that’s me too, and it’s okay that I don’t know if I want to get married. It’s okay if I don’t know what my future looks like, it’s okay that I can’t pay all my bills right now”. Like, whatever it is that you’re going through, we’re all figuring it out and sometimes the hardest thing to do is give yourself grace for those moments. S, that was one of the hardest songs I had to write but on the flip side of that, it’s been so beautiful to connect with people and so rewarding for people to write me messages and just react the way they have.

Has there been a song that’s had the connection to fans that you weren’t expecting to?

Maybe ‘Chameleon’. That’s another song that’s very personal. Chameleon was a nickname I had growing up, my mom would call me chameleon just cos I think she watched me and |I’ve always had this ability to kind of shapeshift to be what I need to be and to be perceived. Like, I think as you’re growing up you’re trying to figure out who you are and like hanging out with this friend group and this friend group you might change personalities and you’re like dating this guy, or this guy and you’re trying to figure out who they want you to be. I think it’s so easy for me to just people please and shapeshift into whatever people want me to be. But I wrote this song, being honest about that. Again, the response that I’ve gotten with people going “This is me too, thank you for writing this song”. has made me feel less alone in that and less weird. We all have a tendency to be that way sometimes. This album for me was about me being myself and empowering myself to be the most me that I’ve ever been and that song did that for me.

Would you say that, that’s been the biggest lesson you’ve taken from this process, learning to just be yourself?

I think so. The only thing worth chasing is the most honest, authentic version of yourself, that’s it. You can be pulled in so many different directions and it’s easy to lose your way and not always be in tune with your gut but that’s been the biggest lesson for me. It’s been so rewarding. The more I am honest and lean into that and open up myself to my community and fans, they just embrace me and love me more for it, that’s been beautiful.

It has been incredible to watch your growth over the past year and how the country community has embraced you. Have you felt that?

Thank you so much. Yeah, I love that C2C does that and gives us a chance to be a part of a festival like this and find fans so early and start to build our fanbases.

And you’re hosting the main stage this weekend with Bob Harris, how’s that experience been like for you? How did you react when you found out the news that you’d also be playing the Aftershow?

It’s gonna be insane beside Bob Harris. He’s a legend, there is no country music in the UK without Bob Harris. We’ve been together all day and had drinks last night, he’s kind of my partner in crime all weekend haha. We’re getting a lot of hang time, it’s surreal. I’m so grateful for him. I was so excited because I know you guys like to turn up and so do I, especially after the main show. You know, you’ve just seen the insane main stage show, we’re drinking we’re having fun and we just want to take it to the next level. I’ve got together my band and I’m also playing with a couple of local people for that show. We’re gonna turn up, we’ve got a banging set and it’s gonna be a lot of fun.

Moving away from your own music, who are you listening to at the moment?

Beyonce, I’ve listened to that. I love it, it’s amazing. It just feels like it’s country music’s moment and more people are finding it and realising “oh maybe I do love country music”. I think that’s so cool. I’m listening to a lot of Dua Lipa, I love me some Dua Lipa. I love the new Kacey Musgraves song I’m really excited for that album to come out. Zach Bryan, as always, some classic Kenny Chesney.

How does it feel to be playing C2C on International Women’s Day?

I think it’s perfect. There are so many many amazing girls tonight. Lauren Alaina, Carly Pearce. It’s really exciting to see just the voices of women in country music really having our moment and feeling so embraced. We just have so much to say.

Who are you most excited to see play during the festival?

I’ve actually never seen Kane Brown live so I’m super excited for that. I’m just gonna be fangirling the whole time haha. I can’t wait for Carly’s show, I know she’s rolling out the new record and I heard her sound-checking some new stuff. She’s my girl, she brought me up in New York randomly, I was just coming as a fan to see Adam, see Carly and just hang out. She was like “you should get up”, We ended up doing ‘Never Wanted To Be That Girl’ together and it was special. She is truly lovely and incredible.

You’ve mentioned previously about your love for London, do you have a favourite spot of the city that you’ve explored?

I got to visit Notting Hill the last time I was here and that was beautiful. I love the movie. There’s this great spot close by, with vintage shops and stuff. Camden, I love that area but I’m excited to explore more, we’re staying a couple of extra days.

And after this weekend, do you have any plans to start work on any new music?

Yes, we’re actually flying out to LA to start cutting for the new record and get new music. I’m in my villain era, I’ve dug deep and done that work and it’s made me more confident and a more fierce version of myself and that’s coming through in the music too. I’ve been having a lot of fun tapping into that.

And going back to ‘Twenty Something’ what do you see your life looking like when you reach your 30s?

Hopefully, I’m still doing what I love. Writing songs, playing shows getting to travel the world. I want to keep adding countries to this thing, keep seeing more parts of England and be able to tour globally. I hope I’m even more empowered and confident and even more myself. The growth I’ve experienced in just a year, like I’m a completely different human than I was a year ago. I hope I’m just continuing to be grateful and live in the moment. I think that’s the hardest thing to do sometimes, and something |I challenge myself to do, It’s so easy with the schedule and how crazy life is to just find those little moments that really matter. That’s what I want to keep in front of my mind, just to actually take it all in.

Is that the message you would give to your younger self, to just take it in?

Yeah, I would say just be patient. A lot of the time you’re rushing to get to the next thing and worrying that it’s never going to happen but I think I’ve realised that everything happens exactly when it’s supposed to. Like, when I look back on my journey, if I had released these songs early, if I had done anything small thing different it wouldn’t have been right. I’m so glad that I took the time I did to release that album. I’m so glad everything happened how it did, and I found the writers that I did. I think that’s where it comes back to my faith, faith is the most important thing to me and it keeps me grounded. It’s so clear that God has been there every step of the way, just looking out for me.

One last question, what would be your message to your UK fans?

My message is first of all thank you, thank you for making me feel so seen and understood. I want you guys to know that I can’t wait to get back and can’t wait to start headlining.

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