Quick Q and A with Anne Heaton
 by Kathy S-B  ·  8 May 2010

Anne Heaton is a hard-working songwriter. She’s been a welcome addition to the Boston music scene for a few years and always puts on a thought-provoking yet entertaining show. Anne’s latest CD, “Blazing Red” oozes honesty and raw emotion. It’s impossible to listen to it without being moved by the exquisite sounds. To learn more about Anne, visit her website and Check out this promotional video which includes an interview and song clips.

I am totally fascinated (and impressed) by your Life Is Alchemy project. Can you explain the concept and how you got involved with this activity?

I am particularly fascinated by stories of transformation. I love hearing about how people have overcome obstacles and met different challenges in their lives. A few summers back, I had the opportunity to visit Bogota, Colombia where there are a lot of children and teenagers living on the streets. I was introduced to a man named Papa Jaime who runs several centers/schools that help get kids off the streets and back on track. I was able to interview several of these children and find out their stories.

I’ve also written a handful of custom made songs for a few fans of mine over the last 3 years . . . songs uniquely crafted for particular occasions such as engagements, weddings, anniversaries, etc. because I do love getting inside of and telling other peoples’ stories. So when I had the chance to interview these kids, I realized that I wanted to turn their stories into songs as well. I’ve continued to interview all sorts of folks in the US as well - from fans at shows, to illegal immigrants, to police officers, to veterans etc. about their stories of transformation. I expect to compile a group of songs around these themes.

Your list of influences is quite broad but I’m especially intrigued by the following. Care to comment?

Joseph Campbell?

— I love the book “The Power of Myth!” I love learning about the commonalities amongst the religions and peoples of the world. I was inspired to write a song called “Maybe It’s Peace” by Campbell’s book. In it, he talks about a doorway and how one side of the doorway is Desire and the other is Fear. He then talks about how if you can travel through the doorway, navigating between these two seeming opposites, Peace is on the other side waiting for you.

Dali?

— I lived in Toledo, Spain my junior year in college and became a huge Dali fan. I guess I never suspected that someone could depict all the internal weirdness that was going on in my brain and as a young person, I was very relieved to find out (my interpretation) that I perhaps wasn’t crazy after all! ;).

As an adult, I love his delving into the subconscious. I want to do this in songwriting as well. Whether it is through a particular sound or melody or even the way certain words are strung together, my hope is to always delve deep and bring things to the surface within myself and the listener that perhaps were hidden from view or needed to be healed, but needed to come up first in order to be healed.

Goldie Hawn?

— Goldie Hawn is an inspiration because she makes me laugh and she makes me smile! I like to bring humor to a show and (hopefully) make people laugh because I know I really appreciate when others make me laugh. It always changes my perspective for the better!

Wes Anderson?

— Great writer and filmmaker.

One of your most recent ventures has been performing with Antje Duvekot, Meg Hutchinson, and Natalia Zuckerman as Winterbloom. How did that configuration come about? And we’re thrilled to see that Winterbloom does bloom in the summer and will be part of this year’s WUMB Music Fest!

We are thrilled to be playing the WUMB Music Festival this June 6th. Antje, Meg, Natalia and I are all friends and have performed together over the years. Michelle Conceison had the idea that we could make a holiday album and tour together during the winter season. We had so much fun playing traditional songs as well as our own originals. It was way more fun that I ever expected!

And now Winterbloom has entered a collaborative song into the Lilith Fair Boston contest. The amazing local singer-songwriter Rose Polenzani will also joining us in this. We imagine it would be such a treat if we won and got to perform in Boston at this historical event!

You’ve been part of some extremely cool videos. Do you have a favorite?

My favorite is the “Where Your Scar Is” video that Rose Polenzani and I made.

My other favorite is for the first song on my newest record “Jump.”

We made this video from footage we took here in Somerville, MA at Q Division Studios and also from when I was living in Brooklyn. I think it sums up visually the idea of taking risks in order to live the life of your dreams :) I hope it does anyway.

I’ve got to tell you: “Blazing Red” is a phenomenal recording. Your songs have a way of penetrating right to the core. One reviewer referred to this CD as a “tapestry.” That, of course, reminds me of one of my all-time favorites, Carole King. But did you feel that the songs on this CD had an intertwining relationship to each other as you recorded them?

Thank you Kathy. I’m glad you like it. In terms of the songs having a relationship, they definitely do. This record is a lot about transition and making big changes, sometimes foundational ones. The reason the album is called “Blazing Red” is because I was likening one’s soul to the sun. I asked myself: “What is it that we need in order to make foundational changes in our lives?” The answer I came up with was courage and I imagined that this comes from our soul. I believe there is a place within us - underneath our fears - where we remain fearless. And similarly with the sun, sometimes we can’t see it - perhaps it’s behind the clouds (especially here in Massachusetts ;))- but it is still always there and we can rely on its power and strength.