Contributed by the Asheville Downtown Association
After growing up in Charlotte and spending five years studying in Boone, Carly Taich says she felt called to explore Asheville’s “vibrant music scene and promising collaborations.” And that decision was fruitful, she says, listing recent accomplishments like her full-length album Reverie and participation in the increasingly competitive Music Video Asheville.
“My music video for ‘Give Me A Likeness’ was announced as an official selection,” she says. “And I have a single called ‘My Own Stages’ coming out very soon.”
Also on the horizon for Taich are summertime performances at Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival and local event All Go West. In advance of her upcoming solo performance at the Pritchard Park Songwriter Series on Thursday, June 14, she participated in a Q&A with Xpress.
Asheville Downtown Association: What topic has been appearing in your recent lyrics and why?
Carly Taich: The longing for connection with others. I tap into the emotions behind being so close to people but hardly knowing them at all. I — and I believe all people deep down — long to understand those around me and to be understood. To not strive for that is something we so easily accept as a culture.
What’s unique about your songwriting process?
My best and favorite songs are the ones I wrote in one sitting.
Who do you hope to influence with your music? How do you hope they’ll be influenced?
Ultimately, I just want to love others. That may not be obvious right away through my often sarcastic lyrics, but I think honesty is important. [I want] to let people know they’re not alone in their thinking, and it’s okay to be flawed. I hope people feel less alone when they hear my music. I also have that opportunity through live performance and just getting to know the community through music, so I hope I can use it more.
What stereotypes — good or bad — do you think the public holds about musicians who play your instrument? How do you reinforce or counter those assumptions?
I think people tend to have very boxed-in expectations when they think of the female singer-songwriter. Surprise is usually the first reaction I get when people hear my music, because they had specific and low expectations that I would sound like the stereotypical guitar-playing female singer — whatever that means. I counter it by writing songs that challenge that belief and also by having a kick-ass band that backs me up and takes my songs to new genre-defying places.
WHO: Carly Taich
WHERE: Pritchard Park, 67 Patton Ave., ashevilledowntown.org
WHEN: Thursday, June 14, 5-7 p.m.
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