We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Star Spann. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Star below.

Alright, Star thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

When I was 20 years old I thought I had my whole future set for me, yet despite this, I was quite unhappy. I had wanted to be a singer since I was a kid, and ended up in theater as a way to sing on stage. I had dedicated my life to the theater, I took dance, acting, and singing lessons, went back and forth to NYC to auditions, and was preparing to leave for college to get my BFA in Musical Theater. When straight out of high school, I booked a job as an actress in a regional theater in my home state Virginia. I thought this new job would be the first step to my broadway dreams, but it ended up doing just the opposite. I worked at that theater for two years, and in that time I realized I couldn’t do this forever as my lifes work.

The theater world is not for the weak, and what I really loved was music. I began writing music during that time as a way to express mself and cope with the feeling of being lost. My family, friends, and all I knew was in theater and in Virginia. I knew nothing about songwriting but had a deep love for music, so within the year, I bought a guitar, quit my job, scrapped my college plans, and moved to NYC as a musician without any sort of an idea of what my life would look like.

This ended up being the best decision I ever made. I got a little apartment with my sister, and poured myself into my songwriting. I started busking in Central Park at John Lennon’s Memorial in Strawberry Fields and learned to play guitar through playing Beatles songs. I went to open mics and built a network of musician friends who took me under their wings and showed me how to book gigs and make my way in the business. It’s almost two years now since I made the leap to leave everything I knew in Virginia and go to NYC. I am a full-time musician with a wonderful support system and fan base. I have two singles out, and an album on the way. It’s been a whirlwind but a leap of faith often leads you to exactly where you are supposed to be.

Star, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Star Spann, I am a singer-songwriter from Lorton, Virginia. I make music that tells stories. I currently have two singles out, both in a folk-rock/alternative country type genre. I take my inspiration from the music of past, with elements from the1960s and 1970s. You can stream my latest single “Standing at the Crossroad Blues” now everywhere and follow me on social media at @starspann to see where im playing live next!

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal and mission as a songwriter is simply to help people feel their feelings. I remember the first time I heard the song “Last Train to Clarksville” by The Monkees and it made me feel so alive and free like I never had before in my life. At that moment, I made a vow that if I could make one person feel the way I felt the first time I heard “Last Train to Clarksville” then I’d done my job as a songwriter. My goal is to tell stories that inspire and invoke change. My debut album, which I’m currently in the studio producing, follows a wide range of songs. Some of the tracks are happy and storyteller folk songs, and others a more hard-hitting protest-style songs about the issues of today. I write about what I feel and what I see. Music is one of the most powerful tools on this planet, and as a songwriter, I intend to you it to invoke change for the better.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

The best way society can help support local artists is to show up and enjoy their art. For musicians, this means going to local shows, streaming indie artists/bands, and tipping buskers playing in the park. To help contribute to a thriving creative ecosystem, you simply need to enjoy and indulge in the art that is all around you all the time. If you see a band playing in your local bar, stop in and listen to a song, you might like it! Or if you see a painting you like by a local artist at a coffee shop, buy it! Go to craft fairs, festivals, and poetry readings! Art is all around and to support it, you just need to show up and enjoy it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.starspann.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starspann/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Starsingssoprano/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@starspann?app=desktop
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/starspann/standing-at-the-crossroad-blues
• Other: Tiktok
  

  @starspann

  
  Spotify
  
  Apple Music
  https://music.apple.com/us/album/standing-at-the-crossroad-blues/1770887902?i=1770887903

Image Credits

Photographers used in a few of the imagines were:
Emily O’Donnell
Brendan Thomas Miller