We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Annabelle Oyler a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Annabelle, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I’ve always loved making noise, I was a loud, hyper, goofy kid pretty much all the time; I needed an outlet where I could channel all of the energy. I loved to sing, make any noise from any harmonica, train whistle, kazoo, or recorder I could get my grubby little hands on. When I’d visit my grandparents I‘d be so excited to play the piano in their basement. My Pop-Pop had a banjo; I’d hold it in my lap and pretend to play it like a hillbilly on a porch, dreaming one day I’d understand how it was played.

I had a music class in seventh grade, where we learned some basic chords on acoustic guitars. It seemed so daunting at first. Switching back and forth from each chord seemed impossible, let alone memorizing each finger placement and string. I told myself I would never be able to get it down, but at the same time, I was determined to learn. I had to at least try.

After the class ended I spent the summer practicing and building up that muscle-memory instinct with an old acoustic my dad bought years ago and never played. A few years after that, I performed in songwriting camps, which strengthened my skill in lyric writing and composition. I took supplemental lessons as I got older, where I learned how to read tabs and adapted some useful techniques into my own playing style. I got an interface for my 15th birthday, which kickstarted my production/recording endeavors.

Now I can play most chords and lead lines with ease, I’ve familiarized myself with guitar/bass enough to be confident in playing in front of large crowds. I’m proud of myself for not giving up. Twelve year-old me would be very impressed. I’ve had multiple opportunities to give up, but I persevered even on the worst days.

I’m not a classically-trained musician by any means, but I’m proud of what I’ve been able to understand and adapt to my own ability. I wish I had taken guitar lessons as a child, but it never clicked to me that this is what I wanted until much later in life. I knew I had something important to share with the world. When you find your purpose in the world, everything starts to make sense of itself. Discovering that gift is a journey on its own, and always worth the trouble taking.

Sometimes you become your biggest obstacle. The best advice I have is to be realistic, set yourself up for success, and hold out a little hope for yourself. Look back on your past, and use your knowledge to push through to the future. Stick to your goals. Even if you’re in the deepest, thickest, muddiest pit. Keep trudging through it all with a smile, or a scowl. It pays off well in the long-run. I am extremely proud of myself for everything I have accomplished, and I honed in on a new skill in the process. Trust yourself more.

Annabelle, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a self-taught musician & artist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I’ve been writing and recording music in my bedroom since 2015, and have been playing shows in Philadelphia and NYC since 2021. My songs have been played on multiple radio stations across the world, from WXPN in Philadelphia to Radio Movimento Lisboa in Portugal!

I create music for people who carry deep emotions and don’t exactly know where they should go. I have a unique perspective on the ways of the world, and I want to share that with others. I want people who are struggling to know that they’re never alone in whatever situation they may come to face. Emotions can be a hard thing to manage and override. Dealing with complex feelings can be mentally taxing. Knowing all of this, I’ve found a lot of strength in music, and I want others to find that strength too.

I create paintings, collages, and drawings capturing my feelings in the moments I’m working on them. The process is more important than the final piece. When working on these projects, I turn on a part of my brain I don’t typically use, and I get engrossed in a new piece very easily. I work in very sporadic and intense waves, which I found just works best for me. Creating art is therapeutic for me, it captures my mental-state at the time, and I am able to put a visual to the swirling thoughts that run through my mind. And it looks great on a wall.

I want to be a voice for the people who feel under-appreciated, beat-down, misunderstood, to inspire those to keep pushing forward; to be the light in a dark world.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

A constant issue I combat with as a creative is the self-doubt, or “Impostor Syndrome” that becomes a belief if left unchecked for too long. Self-doubt can become debilitating. Some days, everything works out better than I’d expect it. Some days, a small mistake is an absolute and I jump to the worst thoughts imaginable. I’’ll stop myself from creating anything for a period of time.

Cutting yourself down before allowing yourself a fair chance is one of the worst things you can do for yourself. It’s hard to re-center when you’re thrown so far off course, but it is possible. Keep your head up and keep fighting. I had to teach myself to be open-minded, fully accept who I am, stop beating myself up so much. Look for moments in each day that inspire you to keep doing what you love. Reinforce the positive thoughts. When you push through a difficult process, it’s rewarding to see the other side. Always keep going. Try something new. In retrospect, taking the risk is worth all of the effort.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding thing about being an artist is the impact I’ve made on so many people. I’ve gotten messages from strangers telling me about how much my music has impacted their lives. They give me insight on how it’s helped them through tough times, and they feel less alone through it all. It makes my life worth living and gives me a purpose. Music can make life worth living.

I love the way music makes me feel, and I’m glad to know I have what it takes to pass that feeling on. The reception and feedback I’ve received continues to inspire me to push the boundary with my creative outlets, so that I make a positive impact on many more people that need it.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annabelleoyl/?hl=en
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@notannabelle145?si=wr7G1mTUcmANx86Y
• Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/GRsLvwe3dPm1iDzbA
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4eLLenc8erO63EgHD6GWx5?si=scgpNo6MTyegU_tuSGQq8ghttps://music.apple.com/us/artist/annabelle/1480169783

Image Credits

Kevin King