It is a time-less message that is ever-so-important for this year. It’s the center-piece for Americana Savannah Philyaw in her new album A Whisper in the Wind. I recently interviewed Savannah to talk about her music, her musical experiences, and her newest album. But also to answer the most important question: how does the message of “follow your intuition” plays a very important role in A Whisper in the Wind?
Make sure to listen to A Whisper in the Wind and let me know what is your favorite song and what you think of the album in the comments!
First of all, please introduce yourself.
I’m Savannah, an independent singer, songwriter, artist, and animator living in Southern California. I love imagination, thoughts of magic, positivity, friendship, spending time in nature, and creating new possibilities.
I first found my love of music when I would write in my diary when I was young. I started adding melodies to my thoughts and naturally started evolving into a songwriter. It was something I grew into more and more each year. I started performing live shows and writing with other musicians and have been an artist ever since.
The journey has been fun and inspiring. Of course, it has had it’s ups and downs, as most journeys do. I have met the greatest people in my life through this career path. It is a constant adventure of learning and getting better and better at my craft. The release of this album was a culmination of all the years of work coming together in a collection of songs.
What artists or genres inspire you?
I love indie folk, singer-songwriter, and country music. Really anything that is lyric and story driven. I love artists like Kacey Musgraves, Brandi Carlile, Ben Rector, and Phil Vassar for their ability to tell a story through their lyrics and voices.
How is it like to work with and tour with other musicians like Howie Day, Kate Voegele, and Bethany Joy Lenz? What was your favorite memory of working with such musicians and why?
I have loved opening shows for these artists. Not only did they write some of my favorite songs, but their elegance and stage presence is so inspiring. My favorite TV show was One Tree Hill and it was so fun to play shows with Kate and Bethany, who were both actresses on that show.
A favorite memory was from a show I opened for Howie Day when I was seventeen. After the show, there was a line of people waiting to purchase my CDs. It was the first time I had ever sold out of CDs at a show and it was a turning point that inspired me to really believe in myself and choose music as a path.
Creating this album was so gratifying. It consisted of late nights and early morning writing sessions, catching the muse whenever it decided to show up, living in seclusion for a month to just hang out with myself as an artist and see what songs were born out of that experience. Then, the recording process was where it all came together, ideas were solidified, my producer and I really worked together on creating the best album we could make with these songs.
The whole process of creating the album was about following my instincts and making decisions that resonate with who I am as an artist. I also created animated lyric videos to go along with the songs that are whimsical and light.
Did you have a concept for the album or a general theme?
The main theme of the album is about following your intuition and listening to those little nudges within us that we so often ignore. “A whisper in the wind” is a lyric in the song “Go Alone” which refers to the invisible messages that are all around us that can be so hard to catch, unless we are tapped into our true nature. I have found that all the best decisions I have made have been when I have listened to that inner voice. This theme was true when I was writing the songs, and it is also sprinkled within the lyrics and concepts of each song.
What are your favorite tracks from the album?
I really love each of them in different ways. If I had to pick some favorites, I would say “Running to You”, because it lifts my mood every time I hear it. I love that it captures the essence of falling in love and those butterflies I feel. On the softer side, I love “Temporary”. It is a song that means so much to me because it is a reminder that no matter what happens in a moment, soon it will feel different. It is a song that has helped me through several tough times.
You mention in your bio that your songs are crafted/filled with “nostalgia, love, and a glass-half-full attitude”. How does this apply to “A Whisper in the Wind”?
I think the songs on this album evoke a lot of imagination, whether it be imagining the future, remembering the past in a lovely way, or even just relishing in the wonder of the present moment. The glass-half-full attitude is infused in my music, and overall approach to life, because I always like my songs to point to a positive note. Life is too short to focus on the bad. Even in “Too Damn Long”, which is a break-up ballad, the message is realizing that it is time to move on and get yourself back together, rather than letting a loss keep you down.
What do you want listeners to listen for in your music?
I’d love for listeners to listen for something that is inspiring, soothing, hopeful, or even brings a smile. My favorite thing about music is that it bonds people on an emotional and heart level that can’t be experienced through logic. I hope that my music evokes feelings from the hearts of others and inspires people to truly enjoy being themselves.
Finally, what are your future plans?
I am in the process of writing new songs and planning for what a future release would look like. I am refilling my well of inspiration through situations happening in my life and in the world right now. Currently, live shows are not happening, but once they start back up again, I will be booking more performances.
Savannah Philyaw is an acoustic-pop songwriter fusing honeyed words and charming melodies with her imaginative spirit. With indie-folk elements, her sound is organic and crisp. Often written by candlelight on rainy mornings, her songs evoke nostalgia, love, and a glass-half-full attitude. Savannah recently released her debut full-length album, A Whisper in the Wind. Each song is accompanied by a lyric video made by Savannah.
Savannah has shared the stage with artists such as CAM, Tyrone Wells, Howie Day, Kate Voegele, Tyler Hilton, and One Tree Hill’s Bethany Joy Lenz. In addition to writing with Multi-Platinum songwriter, Michael Natter, she co-wrote her latest song “Somehow You Were There for Me” with Eagles songwriter, Jack Tempchin. She won Best Singer-Songwriter in the Temecula Valley Music Awards 2017 and has a collection of songs placed with Warner Brother TV Productions that has been used in TV shows such as Teen Titans Go! and Unikitty. Savannah continues to write, perform, and record songs that can inspire us to see the good side of life.
