Interview with singer and songwriter Adrienne Pierce

Originally from Horseshoe Bay, B.C., Adrienne Pierce now resides in California. She has performed all over the world and shared the stage with prominent artists (Damien Rice and The Stereophonics, in particular). Some of her songs have been featured on shows like "Grey’s Anatomy," "Veronica Mars" and "The L Word." In this interview, she will tell us about her music and her current projects.

Cendrine Marrouat: Hello Adrienne, thank you for answering my questions. When did you decide that you wanted to become a musician?

Adrienne Pierce: Hi Cendrine. I did not really decide to become a musician. I loved music and loved to sing but it kind of happened accidentally. I was writing poems and realized they had melodies. I borrowed a guitar so I could learn to play and work the poems into songs but I was very shy and had no intention of performing them in front of actual people. A friend convinced me to play at a "Girls With Guitars" night and I have been performing live ever since.  It takes a lot of work now to keep going because I manage and book myself and I put out my records on my own label but I love it and there is nothing I would rather do.

CM: Did you receive any formal training or are you self-taught?

AP: I am mostly self taught. I learned to play guitar from a book. I did have some piano lessons when I was a kid and I played flute in the school band.

CM: You released your third album, "Oh Deer," in September 2010. Tell us a little more about it.

AP: "Oh Deer" is a collection of songs that were mostly written while I was traveling. There are songs written in Bologna, Paris, and all over North America. I started work on this album on my own using garage band and then invited my talented friends to come and work on it with me. There were drums recorded in Vancouver and vocals recorded in Gibsons and Los Angeles. It was a bit of a beast of an album but I am really happy with the way it turned out.

CM: How different is this album compared to the ones you released over the years?

AP: This album is very different because I co-produced it and recorded it over the span of a couple of years. I was really able to take my time and get a lot of my ideas recorded. The production of "Oh Deer" was a lot of fun and kind of a wild ride

CM: Last year, you toured North America and Norway to promote "Oh Deer." Any favourite moment you would like to share? 

AP: We played a show for a radio station on the top of a Mountain in Norway. That was one of my favorite all-time performance experiences.

CM: How is the music scene in California and is it different from what you have experienced in Canada?

AP: The music scene in California is really huge. There are so many artists, bands, musicians, producers and venues. It is kind of overwhelming but there is a lot of opportunity. It is different from my experiences in Canada because I lived and played in Vancouver for so long that I knew a lot of people and it was all very comfortable. I really had to start over again in Los Angeles but it has been rewarding and exciting too.

CM: How do you usually work with a song? Has your creative process changed over the years? 

AP: I used to start with lyrics and melodies but now sometimes it all comes together at once with the music. I quite often write now with my husband. I take finished songs to him often and then we work together to make them even better. We look at the little changes we can make to make them stronger. It is kind of like having an editor and it is a lot of fun.

CM: Who are your main influences?

AP: My influences change weekly but there are some that have made an impression on me since childhood. I grew up listening to Carole King, Stevie Wonder, Leonard Cohen and Cat Stevens. Those influences are pretty strong.

CM: What kind of advice would you give to someone who wants to follow in your footsteps? 

AP: I would just say to write a lot of songs and keep playing out as much as possible. Go where the love is and find your people.  If you love what you do you will find a way to make it work. I think it is good to get out of your hometown and get on tour when you can. Traveling is one of the perks of this lifestyle.

CM: What are your plans for the rest of 2011 and 2012?

AP: I have just started to demo new songs for my next album. I hope to start recording later this year and release my next album sometime in 2012. I think that before that I will release an EP. I will be touring a lot for the rest of 2011 and have been as far as Israel and Alaska this year. Next year I may be going to play in Brazil.

CM: Where can people find more information on you and your work?

People can find more information about me on my official website. I am also on Facebook and Twitter. 

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