We were lucky to catch up with AJ Odneal recently and have shared our conversation below.

AJ, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I have a song called, Didn’t Know My Name. Today, I’m going to say it is my most meaningful project, but I might change my answer tomorrow.

Didn’t Know My Name is about my relationship with my grandmother. I am a Black woman and my grandmother was a white woman who couldn’t overcome her racism enough to love me during my childhood. She could put on a good show for the neighbors and the people with opinions she cared about, but things were different behind closed doors.

When I was in my early 20s, she started showing signs of dementia. And for the first time in my life, she was excited to see me. Genuinely excited! She would tell me stories of things she remembered, save little gifts for me, entrust me with family photos and recipes, and tell other people about the visitor that she had. I started to look forward to being with her, even if she didn’t know that I was her granddaughter.

Right before her death, when the dementia had taken away her ability to be in control of her body and we knew what was going to come next, she told me she loved me for the first time. Her eyes changed in that moment and I believe she meant it. She didn’t know my name, but in that moment she did love me. And then she passed away.

Writing that song was a way for me to process this strange grief.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Well, if you’ve never heard about me before, hello! My name is AJ!

I’m an indie folk singer/songwriter influenced by pop and jazz who plays guitar, ukulele, and banjo. I’m a performer and recording artist from Phoenix, Arizona. And I think that my music release shows might be something different than what you’re used to.

I love creating community focused events, highlighting local non profits, filling a space with local art and food vendors, and playing afternoon music in a backyard to celebrate new songs! Supporting and building community is important to me and informs the choices that I make in my day to day life. Finding ways to connect and be in community with others is one of the best parts about being a musician, in my opinion!

My favorite shows are house shows, my favorite events are weddings, and my favorite instrument is whichever one I get to learn next! I dream about more of my work being in low budget sci-fi and fantasy shows and am delighted every time my songs show up an a Dungeons & Dragons character playlist on Spotify.

Outside of music, I have a big dog that I adore named Appa, a small tortoise that I adore named Howdy, a crochet business called Tortoise And Yarn that is just beginning, and a constant need to learn/try new things!

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I want people to actively seek out artists in their community(in person and online). Buy a painting made by someone at your local art market, food from a local restaurant, soap from a local maker, find someone who teaches a class and take it! Listen to musicians that make music near you and buy their merch.

I think that finding local creatives and small businesses to support and being more intentional about your purchases(when possible) is the best way we can help creativity thrive!

Instead of honey from the store, find your local beekeepers! They always have the coolest stuff! (I got jalapeño infused honey the other day and I’m obsessed!) And for bread, try your local bakery!

And you could even turn them into fun adventures! Your date night could be trying new local experiences. A local art gallery, concert, brewery, pottery class, restaurant, movie theatre, night market, etc.

And when you find something you enjoy, share it. With everyone! Maybe be a little annoying. I promise you, the artists will love it!

Don’t get me wrong, I make music for a living on a local level. Which is to say, I don’t make a lot of money and I understand that a sudden switch to supporting every artist you meet isn’t possible for most people. So, if you’re down for a challenge, maybe find one to support every season. That’s 4 a year and it’s extra fun to see what people are capable of when you get to be part of their support system, even if you’re just streaming songs or buying soap.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

The most common questions about my job that strangers have asked me seem to all be about the same thing.

I chose a job that I am deeply passionate about even though it doesn’t offer much in the way of stability, but still believe that I, and all artists, deserve to be compensated for our work.

For a lot of people, these two things seem to be contradictions. Some people think that if I love music so much, I should always do it for free. And others think that if I want stability and to be compensated for my work, I should quit what I’m passionate about and find a different career.

But we, as a society and community, love art. And if we want more art, we need to make sure our artists are paid for their work.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajodneal?igsh=MXR4NzFoZzd3ZDlzdA==
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3wkw1cPOxtsAKniZ2o6K0t?si=B9QtsX1uR6G49hVVDHEC6w

Image Credits
Nina Paz Photography