Pacific Northwest Americana songwriter and performer Stephanie Anne Johnson’s voice is like a prayer. It’s the kind of sound that makes you feel renewed, refreshed, and in love with the higher spirits of the planet. It’s a sound you can bask in, that can wash over you and regenerate the best of you all at once. For evidence of this, look no further than Johnson’s new single, “glory be”.
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We caught up with the effervescent, rejuvenating artist to find out how the new track came to be. Also: what does Johnson, a former competitor on NBC’s The Voice, think about when standing in front of a microphone, ready to unleash their vast god-given talent? Check out the new song and accompanying music video below!
American Songwriter: When you pick up a guitar or stand in front of a microphone, what do you hope to achieve each time?
Stephanie Anne Johnson: I hope I give listeners the opportunity to feel emotional. Singing is definitely a chance for me to commune with the ancestors. Maybe folk who listen feel that too.
AS: I know genres can be silly at times, but if I had to describe your work, I’d say you’re an Americana artist. Would you agree with that assessment? And if so, what does it mean to you to be participating in that genre today with other standouts?
SAJ: The Grand American tradition of owning and playing too many guitars is alive and well in me. Americana feels like the right fit for me, but just because I twang doesn’t mean I count myself out of the soul music game. It’s pretty fantastic to be in the same line of work as Aretha Franklin, Rhiannon Giddens, and Koko Taylor—to say nothing of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who I think we’re supposed to be getting a biopic about soon. Americana isn’t a monolith, and neither am I.
AS: What was the genesis of your new single, “glory be”?
SAJ: The new song, “glory be”, like a lot of rock ‘n’ roll songs, is about a pretty girl. It’s about the first time I played Pride on the Mural Stage [in Seattle Center]. There was a young femme down front dancing in orange hot pants. It was difficult to focus on work that day! The new album is about loving myself, letting myself be loved, and giving as much love as you can stand.
AS: You’re an artist in the Pacific Northwest today, what does the region mean to you, and how does it influence your work?
SAJ: I’m an artist from the PNW and I do feel a connection to the land, the mountains, trees, and water, especially. But also I am a product of a public school education. I am what happens when grown folk decide to spend money on arts initiatives for schools. I would rather hear the kids next door making their own music than the sound of a new apartment building going up.
AS: What do you love most about being the artist you are today, this minute?
SAJ: The challenge and the blessing of being an artist right now is in choosing to continue on the journey I started as a child. The joy is in making my dreams come true, again and again, and still feeling electric delight about it.
Photo via Stephanie Anne Johnson
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