Rising Stars: Meet Abigail Flowers of Madison

Today we’d like to introduce you to Abigail Flowers

Hi Abigail, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I moved to Nashville in 2009 to study at Belmont. I’d always known I wanted to be a singer, but a tonsillectomy the summer before my junior year drastically changed my voice and challenged my confidence. It wasn’t until well after college that I found jazz, fell in love with it, and realized this is what I wanted to pursue for the rest of my career. In 2015, I was hired to sing in a jazz band at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, MI for a season. It was the first time since the tonsillectomy that my voice felt ‘at home’. Not only that, but the music was such a beautiful blend of challenging and logical; such beautiful compositions that invite you to improvise. It’s an art form I feel led to engage with for the rest of my life.

I’ve been writing songs since I was a little kid–in old home movies, you can hear me composing a song instead of speaking half the time. But when I transitioned to pursuing jazz, all of my creative energy went into learning to improvise and interpret songs in keeping with the jazz tradition. For a long time, I didn’t write any music for myself. Over the past year, thanks to a combination of factors and people, I’ve been writing like a maniac! The next year or so, I’ll be able to release original music consistently and I can’t wait to share all that.

When I’m not performing, I’m often writing for a children’s educational software company called Quaver. I’ve been writing and doing contract work for them for years now, and it’s been such an incredible gift. Their staff is so kind and encouraging, and it gives me the opportunity to grow my skills (in songwriting, arranging, and production) and to work remotely with some of Nashville’s best musicians. With Quaver, I get to write in a broad range of contemporary styles–a recent favorite is a rap song for middle schoolers about embracing new hobbies. This work helps me maintain a sense of play and ensures that I’m consistently working out the songwriting muscle.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My journey as a musician has been distinctly un-smooth! Struggles abound, as I’m sure is true for most folks pursuing a career in the arts. I dealt with depression in college, then a tonsillectomy that drastically changed my voice right in the middle of pursuing a vocal degree. I was able to take voice lessons to rehabilitate my voice, but that left me feeling years behind my peers vocally. After college, I managed an ice cream shop so my husband and I could get health insurance. I had to balance a full time (probably more like over-time) job with pursuing my music career. Then, when I transitioned into music full time, I had to deal with the financial uncertainty, the need to grow my skills while gigging as often as possible, and the challenge of maintaining confidence while rubbing shoulders with musicians who were lightyears ahead of me in their careers. I’ve often struggled over the years with being the only woman in the room. Becoming a mom was also a huge challenge–deciding on health care as a freelancer, needing to take time off without any sort of formal maternity leave, resuming my career as a freelancer while also caring for a child… I don’t think the challenges will ever slow down! They just change over the years and present new opportunities to solve problems creatively and pursue my passion tenaciously.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Big picture, I’m a jazz singer. I’m also a jazz singer who writes original music. I also play the baritone ukulele and am endorsed by Lanikai Ukuleles. That means I’m able to accompany myself, which makes me a more versatile hire. Teaching ukulele online was a huge part of surviving the pandemic for me. I’m also known for vocal arrangements–many of my recordings feature lush vocal arrangements reminiscent of the Andrews Sisters or other classic vocal groups of the 1940s. I’m also a lifelong lover of languages and I regularly sing in up to 6 languages during a set: English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Hawaiian!

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I have tons of recordings available wherever you listen to music, and I’d be honored if you’d take a listen! From the simple, charming vocal arrangements of Charlie Peacock’s “Flower in Bloom” and “My Kind of Night” to the full production of my original song “Nobody But You” (produced by Cody Fry and featuring Eddie Barbash on saxophone), there’s a range of textures and moods available in my release catalog. Perfect listening for a cafe or sitting down with a cup of tea on a rainy day!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.abigailflowersmusic.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/abigailflowersmusic
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/abigailflowersmusic
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/abigailflowersmusic