Entertainment

Rising country star to perform free show at The Ritz

A couple of years ago, Texas-born country star Abby Anderson released the song, "Heart on Fire in Mexico," which told the story of her mother's life journey, born in El Paso, with a family from Juarez.

The saga of her mom's struggle resonated with many, drawing close to 17 million Spotify streams and 3 million YouTube views. Fan comments included: "First real country song I've heard in forever" and "This is exactly what country music needs to go back to."

"I think it was just a true story," Anderson explained of the song's popularity. "I know that's what I love about songs is when it's a story. It was surprising to see that song do so well because it's a very specific story. But it was fun to see all the comments like, 'Oh my gosh, my grandpa was a GI and he got a Mexican wife too.' I was like, OK, this must be a universal experience. I've found a golden nugget here."

A powerful, soulful singer hailed as one of country's next big things, Anderson will perform a free concert Friday joined by country artist Hannah Ellis at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua's Alaloa Lounge, as part of the Maui Songwriters Festival Summer Series.

"It will be my acoustic show," Anderson said. "We've been doing these acoustic sets now for a year, and they've been so fun. Obviously, I love bringing my whole band out, but anytime I can just sit with an audience with my piano, my guitar, and just tell stories, I love the more intimate settings."

Making her Maui debut, Anderson said she will likely collaborate at the show with Ellis. "I'll pull her out for part of my set. She's a dear friend, and I love her voice."

A U.K. review of Anderson's performance in March at Country To Country, Europe's biggest country music festival praised: "Some acts are just so good that you have to catch them twice."

Named to the CMT Next Women of Country class, Anderson had dreams of becoming a musician from a young age.

"Part of it was just loving attention as a little kid," she said with a laugh. "I grew up with a big family. There were seven kids in my family, and you just learn what's going to get attention. I started piano lessons when I was 5. I've always loved music. Growing up in Texas, country music was always playing. I really don't remember deciding one day I'm gonna be a country artist. I feel like I just always knew."

As far as early influences, she recalled being excited and inspired by Merle Haggard and Loretta Lynn, specifically their songwriting.

"That got me writing songs when I was 9," Anderson said. "Linda Ronstadt is a huge inspiration of mine. Aretha Franklin, Ronnie Millsap, great piano players and the list goes on and on."

Moving to Nashville at 17, she signed her first record deal two years later, but Anderson became unhappy with how she was being controlled.

"That was a turning point in my life," she said. "I had just left my very first record deal. At the time, as a young girl, a record deal is everything. That was like the be-all goal. And I quickly learned as soon as I got it, this is not what I want, and it's not what I thought it was going to be."

So she quit and got out of her record contract.

"I just got so depressed," she said. "I just found myself asking how I was even going to make music, or keep making music. Just not knowing what I was going to do. I remember saying a prayer, and I literally just turned to God and I was like, 'God, if you want me making music, if I'm supposed to do this, please give me a way to keep doing this.' Two weeks later, I met a producer who changed my life. He was like, 'I want to make an album with you.' There you go, answered prayer, and I just kept going."

By 2018, her single, "Make Him Wait," started drawing millions of Spotify streams (it's currently at 24 million), and she released her debut five-song EP, "I'm Good," to acclaim. Her other popular songs include "This Feeling," "Good Lord," "Flowers," "Juicy," "King of Dallas," and the inspiring "Bright Side of Blue" in 2024.

Anderson said she doesn't really have any favorites. "It's so weird to think about anything I write as like a favorite song. I feel like I end up hating everything I write. Write something new, which is so lame. 'Bright Side of Blue' is a cool song."

Having shared the stage with artists like Tim McGraw, Brett Eldredge and Hunter Hayes, she was excited to open some shows for Stevie Nicks.

"Just legendary," she said about Nicks. "I think playing those shows opened my mind to possibilities, and she's such a great example to me of someone who just makes the music that she loves to make, and she's not thinking about genre or anything."

They got to hang a bit. "We were literally just sitting on the couch knee to knee, and she's showing me her designs and talking to me about all the things she's excited about. Very cool lady."

Working on a new album, Anderson has "been teasing some songs on social media, which has been fun."

As far as direction and what she is amplifying: "I would say any part of my personality that I was scared of, I'm showing, which is really fun and very exciting," she said.

In terms of her artistic strengths, Anderson highlights her empathy.

"As a musician, something that's been fun to see is being able to truly put myself in other people's feelings," she said. "As a songwriter, I don't necessarily have to live something in order to write it really well. I never knew how to put a name on it when I was younger, and I always thought it was a weakness. But the older I get, I realized it's such a gift."

Anderson will perform a free concert on Friday at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua's Alaloa Lounge, as part of the Maui Songwriters Festival Summer Series, joined by country artist Hannah Ellis. The show will begin at 6 p.m. Valet parking is complimentary. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.