Interview: Bonner Black On Debut Album “Hopeless RomANTICS”
March 12, 2024/
With a number of accolades under her belt, Tennessee native Bonner Black has been writing songs before she could even write her name. Now she has released her debut album “Hopeless RomANTICS” available everywhere now. Despite it being a debut project, Black is no stranger to the music industry. The singer/songwriter proudly calls some of Nashville’s most iconic venues home such as The Bluebird Cafe and The Listening Room. Her artistry has not gone unnoticed, as an independent artist Black has garnered over 11k listeners on Spotify alone. Alongside that her music has been playlisted on featured playlists like “Fresh Finds Pop” and “Next Gen Singer-Songwriter,” – just to name a few.
I had the opportunity to talk with Black about her debut album, the Nashville music scene, and more.
How has your 2024 been?
My first 5 minutes of 2024 was on stage with Devon Gilfillian’s band singing ABBA and then halfway through February I dropped my album so it has been exciting so far!
So can you talk about who or what got you into songwriting?
I don’t remember a time in my life where I didn’t write songs. Even before I could write my name, I was always making up little songs in my head. I started taking guitar lessons when I was 12 and that is when I began putting real structured songs together.
You released your album hopeless romANTICS. Could you dive into how you landed on that title and what you hope listeners will gain from listening?
When I decided to go from just releasing singles to putting everything together on an album, I went and listened to the songs over and over next to each other. The overall theme to me is “an idealistic view of romanticism.” The lyrics are also very quirky so that’s why I came up with capitalizing ANTICS.
What’s the story behind the track “Either Way?”
There’s a lot of generational trauma in my family. It’s a song about unconditional love for my family and friends, but I hope people are able to translate it to their own unique circumstance.
What was the hardest song for you to write for this project and why?
I don’t know that any of the songs were hard to write, but “Breaking A Sweat” was the first song we started to produce and it took us a while to hone in on the sound. We retracted a lot of parts, deleted a lot of parts, and spent a lot of time finding “the thing”. Once we got it, it made the rest of the songs flow quicker and I’m glad we took the time to get it just right.
Who were some of your musical influences when it came to writing this album?
Haim, Fleetwood Mac, Lana Del Rey…. We had so many different reference tracks for different parts. We would go listen to Beach Boys to find guitar tones we liked or Elliot Smith to find vocal textures.
What has been your favorite show or venue to play at and why?
The Listening Room Cafe in Nashville. I’ve been performing there since I was 16 years old and it is my home base.
What song or two might you be most excited for people to hear and why? How about songs you’re most excited to play live?
“I’m Not Your Girl” is my favorite song to play live. It gets people hyped and it’s so fun to end with. “Take Off” is my story of moving to Nashville and gives the listener a look into my journey.
What does success as a musician and songwriter mean to you?
My full time job is music and has been for the past 4 years. My life is writing songs, playing shows, coming up with silly videos for social media, going into studios… That’s success to me. All I want is to keep doing it. I’m in love with the work.
What are some of your goals – whether musically or otherwise – for 2024?
Book another tour and write another album! I want to go meet my fans, meet new fans, and keep making better music. I’m a bird watcher and I’d like to get 150 species on my list this year. Last year I got 104. My #1 goal is to live to the fullest and find as much joy in every day as possible.
Interested in more Nashville-based Artists? Check out our features here!
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