We interviewed fairy tale lyricist Anson Seabra and asked him more about his music, and what goes on behind the “hurricane” of his mind to craft such poetry and prose in his songs.
Earlier this month, the young singer-songwriter released his anticipated single ‘Hurricane’ – a melodic and textural piece that ebbs delicately but strongly at your heart like waves at sea.
Also read: Feel the melodic and textural waves of Anson Seabra’s single – ‘Hurricane’
The new single also came as a follow-up to his debut EP Songs I Wrote in My Bedroom, which was released in May of this year to great success.
Known for his multiple viral hits such as ‘Robin Hood’, ‘That’s Us’ and ‘Welcome to Wonderland’, Seabra is also extremely popular on YouTube and Tiktok, both of which have acquired over 480,000 subscribers and 1.3 million followers respectively to date.
ASL365: Hi Anson, Vanessa here from Asialive365. Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions.
Firstly congrats on the new single and also your latest album! There’s a very coruscating, rain-like beauty to the new song ‘Hurricane’. We saw that it first appeared on your Tik Tok last year and has had over 3.7 million views to date. Why the decision to release it now, and what has the response been like so far?
Anson: Thank you! The fan response, as you said, was really strong for Hurricane based on that initial Tik Tok, so we knew we had to put it out. It’s funny because originally we didn’t really think the song was strong enough to release; it didn’t quite sound like my other work and we weren’t sure that anybody would like it. But I’ve been thrilled to see that that’s not the case. The release has been a really great success and reading the messages I get from listeners all around the world has reassured me that putting this song out was definitely the right decision 🙂
ASL365: Speaking of apps like Tik Tok, we understand that you have a background in app development. Have you ever created your own app?
Anson: Yes! I wrote and released two iPhone apps back in college. One was a game called “Please Miss” that revolved around colorful bouncing balls. The other was a voice-activated timer app that I used to time my performances during my time on the speech and debate team. I think the game got something like 3,000 downloads which at the time I was absolutely thrilled about.
ASL365: Besides ‘Hurricane’, what’s in your cards at this moment? Another single?
Anson: I can’t say much, but there’s definitely more music on the way 🙂 I’m making sure that everything I put out from here on out is really my best work, and I know that when the time comes, my fans will love it.
ASL365: We listened to your latest album Songs I Wrote In My Bedroom and we love it! There’s a certain ineffable iridescence to your songs – almost like wisps of textures that passes through our fingers like an osmosis of emotions. The threads of lyricism are delicately beautiful and it feels like the kind of songs you listened to as you fell asleep or travelled through with the night sky above you. Where and how do you come up with such poetry and prose in your songs? Were all of these songs really inspired and written in your room?
Anson: Wow, thank you for your kind words!
I definitely recorded all of the songs in my bedroom, and I wrote a good handful of them there as well. In terms of the lyrical imagery and the feelings my music conveys, I think one of my strong suits as an artist is that I have an extremely vivid imagination. When I’m writing songs I really try to go to another world; I drift off and really try to pull different lyrics and melodies out of the ether for my listeners to enjoy. That process is so real to me, and the “iridescence” you describe is likely very similar to the feelings I harbored while making the music!
ASL365: We understand that there’s a lot of personal sentiments in your music – it really shows. ❤️ If you could pick your most personal song to date, or a favourite song, which one would it be and why?
Anson: ‘Broken’ is probably my most personal song. I remember where I was when I wrote the chorus, I was in my apartment in Washington D.C. and I had just received some pretty bad news. On top of that I really just felt so, so broken inside. That song was just an attempt to really explain how I was feeling. I never imagined so many people would end up relating, but I’m glad that writing about my own brokenness could help others feel less alone.
ASL365: ‘Robin Hood’ and ‘Welcome To Wonderland’ are such wonderful tunes with very interesting themes. What inspired you to descend into such beautiful fairytale landscapes (and soundscapes) for your songs?
Anson: I wrote ‘Welcome to Wonderland’ mostly because I just really like songs about fairy tales. I remember hearing Ruth B.’s Lost Boy back in 2015 and absolutely falling in love with it. I listened to it over and over again, it’s one of those songs that makes you feel sad, but in a good way. ‘Lost Boy’ is so magical, it really takes you to another place. So I wanted to try to do that with a song, and ‘Welcome to Wonderland’ was what I came up with. As for ‘Robin Hood’, I just had this idea one day of taking the classic story of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor and applying that to a love story. I thought that was a really sick idea so I just went for it.
ASL365: What was your favourite fairy tale to read as a kid?
Anson: Off the top of my head, my favorite was probably Peter Pan. I love the imagery of flying away to Neverland, and the idea of never growing older. Growing up is a theme I think about in my own life, so I’m really drawn to that story.
ASL365: Who did you grow up listening to, still listen to, or who do you feel you are influenced by as you make your music?
Anson: I grew up listening to a lot of early-2000’s pop. Brittney Spears, Backstreet Boys, NSYNC. I got most of my early music taste from my sister, and that’s what she listened to. I think those songs are really radio-friendly and have really strong melodies, and as a result, I have a really strong focus on melody when I write. But they also just make you feel *good.* And that’s always one thing I try to do with my music, I try to make people feel something. Even if it might not always be a super positive emotion, it’s important that your music helps the listener feel something, because that’s how they’re really going to connect with the song.
ASL365: Live performances, gigs, and tours are now on a standstill (somewhat), and many musicians are moving more and more towards digital platforms to promote their music. What are your thoughts on this sudden shift in paradigm in the way music is being pushed out to the public?
Anson: For me it’s actually been a blessing in disguise. I’ve been hesitant to tour for a while now, just because I’ve been through a lot in the last few years and I know that getting on the road can be really grueling for your mental/physical health, so seeing that touring kinda fell off the agenda for every other artist kinda puts me on a level playing field. I’m still more than happy to do virtual stuff like livestreams and things like that. Unfortunately, I think one of the major downsides of all the virtual stuff is that there really is a loss of intimacy when it comes to really connecting with the fans. It’s hard to truly connect with someone over a screen.
ASL365: Any chance for a tour to Asia once normality in gigs and events resume?
Anson: I would love to tour Asia eventually! I’ve always wanted to visit and I think that once live gigs resume, it’s definitely a possibility. As a kid from the United States, it’s hard to even think about touring halfway around the world, but it’s definitely something I’ll be looking forward to when I get the chance.
ASL365: Anything you like to say to your fans out there?
Anson: Thank you guys so, so much for all of your support. I love you and I hope that you know that you are changing my life every day. Oh, and you have great taste in music 🙂
Thanks again Anson Seabra! We look forward to soothing our hearts to more of your music!
