Interview: Courtney Marie Andrews on her album, 'Honest Life'.

With a voice that's caught the attention of both Jimmy Eat World and Ryan Adams (the latter of whom called her a "phenomenal songwriter"), there's something special about Courtney Marie Andrews. Having worked as a touring and session musician since leaving home at just age 16, as well as releasing her own music along the way, Andrews is well-versed in the music industry, most recently with her latest album, 'Honest Life'.

We spoke to Courtney Marie Andrews ahead of her first ever New Zealand shows (with her playing at Auckland’s Tuning Fork tonight in support of Joe Pug)…

COUP DE MAIN: You've said about 'Honest Life' that a running theme through it is a great desire to fit somewhere, when nowhere fits - do you think that's a universal feeling throughout humanity? How do you think people learn where they fit in the world?
COURTNEY MARIE ANDREWS: I think a longing to belong is a feeling that all of us feel at some point in our lives. At the end of the day, all we have is ourselves, and it's confusing, but special to be able to find that place where we do fit. I think people find where they belong the more they push themselves to break routines that are hindering themselves from growing. It's a vicious cycle, because people, including myself, can get too comfortable with what is familiar.

CDM: You produced the entire record yourself, which is so impressive. Was it important for you to have total control over the record's sound? Is production something you've always done, or did you learn it along the way?  
COURTNEY: Producing 'Honest Life' was was absolutely what needed to be done. I'm not against having an outside producer, but this record felt too close to me to allow any outside input. I had a very direct vision. Even with a producer, I'm very hands on and heavy-handed in the studio. I generally have an intense feeling of how things should sound or be produced. It's very important for me to have a clear vision for my work. When that becomes blurred or stagnant, that's when I bring in outside ears.

CDM: You've been involved in music for such a long time now - what do you think is the #1 thing that has changed about the music industry?
COURTNEY: The number one thing that has changed is of course how people consume music. When I was starting out, CDs were still relevant. In a matter of years, we went from CDs, to illegally downloading, to streaming. It's a new world for the consumers. There has also been small shifts for women. I love seeing how many more women there are in the industry. It still has a lot growing-room, but I think there are some honest improvements for us.

CDM: What's the #1 most important lesson you've  learnt throughout your career?
COURTNEY: The most important lesson I've learned is that all good things take time. If I had given up early on, it would've been a shame, but I now fully accept I'm a lifer, and am willing to take the extreme ups and downs that come with this crazy career.

YOU WILL LIKE MY MUSIC, IF YOU LIKE... Travelin' singin' singwritin' storytellin' types.

IF YOU ONLY LISTEN TO ONE OF MY SONGS, YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO... ‘Table For One’.

WATCH THIS VIDEO, BECAUSE... It'll make you laugh.

MY TOP FIVE MUSICAL CRUSHES ARE...Townes, Bob, Aretha, Neil, and Lucinda.

YOU KNOW YOU'VE MADE IT WHEN... You show up to a town you've never been and there are people singing along to your songs.

CDM: If you were to curate your own music festival, who would you want to play and what would the festival be called?
COURTNEY: I have to be honest, I get a bit anxious when I'm at a festival and I'm not playing, so yes I'd play. I wouldn't headline or anything, but I'd be playing in there somewhere. This would be the lineup: Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, The Grateful Dead, Little Feat, Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Raitt, Lucinda Williams, Linda Rondstadt. Shooting for the stars!

CDM: What's the most despicable thing you've ever done?
COURTNEY: Oh man, I better keep that to myself.

CDM: If you could pick any five people (living or dead) to be in your entourage, who would you choose?
COURTNEY: I’d choose: Edith Beale, Hunter S. Thompson, John Steinbeck, Beyoncé, Calamity Jane. Mostly because if this was my entourage, I'd have a bottomless well of stories to tell.

CDM: Do you believe in magic?
COURTNEY: In a young girl's heart!

CDM: What is your spirit animal?
COURTNEY: The monarch butterfly.

CDM: If you could steal one thing without consequence what would it be?
COURTNEY: I’d steal the essence of my favourite literary heroes. Yikes, that's dark.

CDM: What is the most heroic thing that you've ever done?
COURTNEY: There was a time when I used to pick up hitchhikers. I always felt like I was saving the day when I did that.  

CDM: What is your first proper memory, ever?
COURTNEY: My first memory is probably me trying to convince one of my daycare friends to escape. We drew a map and tried to break out of the place, but our teacher caught us.

CDM: If you were a country, what would be your national anthem?
COURTNEY: My national anthem would be ‘Super Freak’ because that would be dope and hilarious.

CDM: Stretch your right arm out as far as you can reach, what can you touch?
COURTNEY: A stranger at a bar. I didn't touch them though because that would be awkward.

Courtney Marie Andrews plays at Auckland’s Tuning Fork tonight supporting Joe Pug (July 20th), with door sales available for $50.

Watch the 'Put The Fire Out' music video below...