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Anadara’s “Into the Unknown” releases tomorrow, August 29. So Suite’s recent interview with this talented worshipper was right on time. Not to mention a lot of fun!
Spring Hill Worship brings on the rock with Anadara's "Into the Unknown." (See Suite review here). But she comes by her rock chops honestly. Suite: Anadara, first of all, thanks for the great sounds. I really enjoyed your debut album, as I mentioned in our Suite review. I too am a big Joni Mitchell/Carly Simon fan, so I'm wondering what qualities of their sound have influenced yours today?Anadara: Thank you for your encouraging words, Kevan. I am blessed that you are enjoying the music and am glad you are also a fan of Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon. My mom is a singer and raised me on all the great singer/songwriters of the '70s. The style of that era have just become a part of me. I love how Joni's voice can sweep over octaves and I really appreciate her tasteful, melodic and creative way of picking and strumming her guitar. The honest and transparent way she writes captivates me, and I strive to be that vulnerable when I am writing. Her album "Blue" and James Taylor's "Greatest Hits" were in my CD player 24/7 while I was learning to play guitar. Carly Simon has inspired me to be playful and still strong in my lyrics and melodies. Her song "You're So Vain" is one of my favorites and is a good example of that. While her lyrics are conversational, they have significant depth and contain many layers to be explored. Also, I just have fun listening to her! I wanted my record to be uplifting and a lot of fun to listen to while still going to the deeper and more vulnerable places of our hearts and minds. Kent Hooper produced the album and did an awesome job of speaking into the music and capturing that balance. We had a great time creating it. Suite: I read about your 9/11 experience, living in Greenwich Village, and I read what you said about learning the preciousness of time from it. How did that lesson impact your focus today? In other words, how did that change the way you "do" time now?Anadara: I was just talking to a friend the other day who has totally shifted his priorities after going through an operation to remove a cancerous tumor. While I have not experienced a life-threatening disease like cancer, I do feel like experiencing 9/11 in NYC was a bit like getting that kind of wake-up call. One example is that I try hard not to let disagreements with my husband linger. I take Ephesians 4:26--"Do not let the sun go down on your anger"--more seriously now. Since we don't know what tomorrow holds, I pray to constantly communicate my love and gratitude for him and the other people God has placed in my life. Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between living in fear and living aware that we are not promised tomorrow. However, I believe that my appreciation for time and for the people in my life has opened my eyes to why God desires obedient and teachable hearts. He's shown me that it's not so much about getting as much done in one day as you can; it's about BEING a part of what God is doing in each moment andliving it to the fullest. A friend just told me a great quote yesterday, "Life's what we do with God's time." That's a good summation of what I learned experiencing 9/11 in NYC. For more Anadara info, check out her website. And click on through to Part Two of our Suite chat.
The copyright of the article A Chat with Anadara in Christian Music is owned by Kevan Breitinger. Permission to republish A Chat with Anadara in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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