Ava Earl, an 18 year old songwriter hailing from Girdwood, Alaska, has just released the first of two tracks what will be available prior to her forthcoming album which was recorded in Nashville and produced by JT Nero, one half of the Americana-outfit, Birds of Chicago. Today’s release of “Forever Girl” highlights Earl’s keen sense of self, intricate fingerpicking, and graceful melodies.
Of “Forever Girl,” The Boot points out that Earl “…is ready to break free from a toxic relationship,” and highlights that “the song’s protagonist is dreaming of leaving an abusive partner—and, fortunately, by lyrics’ end, she’s seized the opportunity to run.”
Earl told Guitar Girl Magazine about the simple-is-best format she applied to “Forever Girl,” saying that she “recorded this song in my bedroom…sending a voice memo of the song to Steve Dawson (Birds of Chicago), who then laid down the rhythm guitar track. When he sent me back the guitar, I put my vocals on top. I have a small Tascam recorder that I used to record, and I listened to the guitar in one ear and my vocals in the other.” The song, which shines lyrically, benefited from sparse production, as evident in Earl’s emotional vocal delivery.
Previous to this single drop, Earl has written and co-produced three full-length albums which includes Am I Me Yet?, her latest project, that was released in July 2018. Am I Me Yet? is a 15 song collection recorded at The Hallowed Halls studio in Portland, Oregon, and features Earl on guitar and vocals, Andy Mullen on guitar and bass, and Anna Tivel on violin. The album was engineered by Hawkins Wright, who is also the album’s co-producer.
An engaging performer, Earl thrives in a live concert setting, drawing audiences in with her music and stories. Highlight performances over the years include opening dates for Maggie Rogers, Rhett Miller, and Tim Easton.
For more information and to stay abreast of Earl’s forthcoming album, please visit avaearl.com.
