In 2013’s final installment of the Women Who Rock series, No Country favorite, Anna Haas, has curated a spectacular night of music that focuses on the fierce, female side of Nashville’s ever-increasingly eclectic voice.
This Friday night at the High Watt will, of course, include Anna and her band, The Effect, as well as the new-t0-Nashville-via-Chicago, Gina Venier & The Gentlemen, plus Jessica Breanne’s band, The Electric Hearts, as well as the brand new all-girl a cappella act, the seriously fatale, Forte Femme.
Tickets are just $10 in advance and available here. It’s 18+, doors at 7pm, show gets started around 8. Tell everyone on Facebook to find you there!
This week, we’ve been spotlighting a different artist each day leading up to the year-end event and have brought you interviews with Gina Venier, the ladies of Forte Femme, and Anna Haas herself! Today’s final installment features headliners, The Electric Hearts!
Anna Haas: Who is your favorite female artist of all time?
Jessica Breanne: I’m not one of those people who can just name off my favorite of all time when asked questions like this. I don’t have a favorite of all time because it always changes with what’s happening in my world or my brain. So here’s a few of the ladies that inspire me constantly: Linda Ronstadt, Dusty Springfield, Carole King, Darlene Love, Joni Mitchell, Dolly Parton, Etta James, Bonnie Raitt.
AH: Any up-and-coming/indie artists that excite you?
JB: Here in Nashville it’d have to be Natalie Prass and Steelism. Outside of Nashville, Phosphorescent, Ty Segal and Father John Misty.
AH: What are some of your favorite things to do around the holidays?
JB: Spreading love, happiness and appreciation
AH: Who has put on the most fun show you’ve ever been to?
JB: Nick Cave and Paul McCartney. In Nashville, Natural Child.
AH: What’s the last great book you read?
JB: I just re-read The Alchemist for the third time.
AH: Do you feel that being a woman in the music industry provides any particular challenge?
JB: I’m surrounded by males! My creative and professional relationships within the industry are with all males. That is a challenge within itself! When the testosterone or filthy jokes start to wear on me I literally say out loud, “I am a lady, damnit!” You have to have a sense of humor or it’ll drive you crazy!
AH: What are you working on/promoting at the moment?
JB: We are currently getting ready for a tour in February. We are also writing, writing, writing for a new album we will be recording in the spring/early summer.
AH: Ok, SCREW, MARRY, KILL: The Golden Girls (Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, Sophia)
JB: I have honestly never seen one episode of The Golden Girls. Don’t shoot.
AH: Is there any particular cause or charity that you stand behind?
JB: The Electric Hearts took part of Music Moves Festival which generated support and awareness for music education. We all believe this is a very important cause. Music is the greatest communicator and it’s important children have the opportunity to learn how to play an instrument or just learn about music. Causes and ventures I support alone are local farms, GMO labeling in TN and outreach with children. Supporting and eating food from our local farmers is very important to me. I volunteer once a week at local farms. Currently I volunteer my time at FarmOne with the beautiful mission of growing food and growing lives “through agricultural education and growing vegetables, herbs and fruits and distributing it to those in need in our community.” Something else very dear to my heart is taking the time and volunteering with the kids in our community who could use some positivity in their life. There are kids here in our community we can help by just spending some time with them and spreading some positive energy. It’s also important to challenge a kid to put down their devices/technology and really use their imagination. Technology can really do a number on imagination!
AH: How do you like living in Nashville?
JB: I love living in Nashville. Nashville is full of wonderful places and wonderful little communities. It’s these places and people that make Nashville so special. Here are some of the places that make Nashville so unique and special to me: The Belcourt Theatre, The Stone Fox, Grimey’s, The Basement and all of the beautiful farms and passionate farmers here in Nashville that make it one of a kind.
AH: What one piece of advice would you give to new and aspiring artists?
JB: First ask yourself the question, “Is this something you HAVE to do?” If it’s not then run away now! But if you HAVE to then make sure you don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. Listen to the voice you’ve been given and do exactly that! It’s your life, do what speaks to you. The others aren’t going to matter as much to you the older you get. Not everyone is going to like you especially if you are doing something a bit different. Allow yourself to feel that negativity and then choose to let it go or turn it into positivity/passion or more drive! All in all, focus on impressing yourself rather than impressing others.
AH: Your band underwent a name change from “Jessica Breanne and The Electric Hearts” to just “The Electric Hearts” – why the change?
JB: Well first off, it’s too much of a mouthful! When we started the band it was centered around songs that I’d just written around town so it seemed fitting. (Also we were having a really hard time finding a name that we felt represented all of us) The more we played the more we became a unit creatively. When it became more about all of us together and what we could do together then we changed it.
Catch The Electric Hearts (plus all the other awesome acts) this Friday at the last Women Who Rock of 2013 at the High Watt – grab tix now!
