A Star on the Rise: Q&A with Connecticut’s Own Drew Angus

Photo Cred: Daniel Recinos

It’s no question that Connecticut generates some of the world’s best musical talent spanning across multiple genres. From The Carpenters, to John Mayer, to Michael Bolton, to Charles Ives, to Horace Silver, to John Scofield, to Goose - the list goes on. The Constitution State has produced an incredible amount of talent, and should be proud of it!

Now, if there is one artist that can be added to that list, it’s Westport-raised and Brooklyn-living singer/songwriter Drew Angus. An incredibly hard worker, with well-crafted, witty, and catchy songwriting that produces a nostalgic feeling paired with his voice as smooth as wine, Drew’s music intersects many styles loved by all. As he describes it, it’s “The intersection of Americana and Rock ‘n Roll with a little bit of Funk and Retro Soul.” What’s not to love?

I got the privilege to have a little Q&A with Drew, to help share his story, and let you know what makes him, him.

What are some of your earliest memories of music making an impact on you?

There are a few key moments that made an impact and pushed me on this path. I was in the back of my folk’s almond Chrysler Town and Country minivan on the way to or from Delaware one night in the third row with one of those portable battery powered DVD players we had in the early 2000s and I’d just gotten this double disc and DVD set of this guitar player named Stevie Ray Vaughn. Sally from Sally’s Place in Westport said I had to check him out. So I pop open the player, put in DVD one of SRV's “Live at Montreux,” press play, and the announcer goes “Stevie Ray Vaughn, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble!” in a French accent and Stevie blows right into Hide Away, and by Pride and Joy tears were rolling down my cheeks. The way he commanded his beat up Fender Stratocaster was mesmerizing. I wanted to be like that guy. That was it for me lol. It didn’t take much to get me lost down this path of music!

When did you first start playing guitar and singing? Did you take lessons? And when did you begin to start writing original music?

My mom bought me my first guitar as a barter for going to manners class in 5th grade and she put me in lessons where I was never really a very good student. I’ve always been pretty impatient when it comes to learning music, probably to my disadvantage. I’ve been singing from a pretty young age in musicals and the like, but it wasn’t until I got to the end of high school that I finally figured out how to take control of my voice a little bit. I have a distinct memory of hearing Aaron Carter’s cover of “I Want Candy” and laying stomach down on my bed and scratching out the lyrics to my first song which was probably titled “Candy” or “Please Give Me Candy” and then running downstairs to show my mom who told me maybe songwriting wasn’t for me. To her credit, it was most definitely not a good song. Ha!

Where are you from in CT, and where do you live now?

I grew up in Westport, CT and after 8 years living in NYC I am now living in Black Rock, CT. When I’m not on the road I’m either in Black Rock, Vermont, or Nashville these days.

How did your upbringing in Connecticut shape your musical tastes and interests? Who were some of your influences (musical and not) early on? 

I grew up on the greatest hits records my parents always had in the car. Tom Petty, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles, Allman Brothers, and your classic rock favorites. Once I realized music was my calling, I  played all over Westport, at Bobby Q’s and Toquet Hall. Buying records at Sally’s Place and Sam Goodie. This small town helped lift me up and support me on my musical journey.

What are some things you like about living in the NY-Metro area (as a musician and also as a human being).

We’re super lucky to be in a corridor of the country filled with live music and tons of music venues. The community here in Fairfield County is extremely supportive of the arts and the musicians are great. I like being on the coast and only a quick ride to NYC or Brooklyn.

Did radio play a role in your influences? Or were you more of a CD / iPod guy? 

My dad was a big radio guy. All the classic rock stations - WEBE 108, 95.9 The Fox and Cool 96.7 were popular. I remember listening to a lot of Deliluh while I waxed my skis for ski races in high school. I was more of a CD guy growing up though. We used to burn CDs of music, my friends and I would torrent off of Napster or Limewire or Kazaa and pass them around. I didn’t get an iPod until maybe junior or senior year of high school and even then I think I stole it from my dad who didn’t really know how to use it.

Photo Cred: Daniel Recinos

Photo Cred: Shari Goldenberg

At what point did you realize you wanted to make music your career? Did you do any different jobs along the way / simultaneously?

 I think from an early age I loved the idea of being famous and playing MSG and stadiums like many of my heroes. What I didn’t understand was just how hard it is to get there. When I got to college and started exploring what record labels were and recording studios and the business side, I became obsessed. After college I had a management client who had a pop of success - a viral moment in 2012 and I watched my dream unfold in front of me. When he moved on I realized this was the path I wanted for me. I moved to New York and while writing music, I worked for a beverage company pouring drinks at festivals like Gov Ball in NYC. I did that for 3 years until I realized, here I was, pouring drinks, watching all these bands doing the exact thing I wanted to be doing and I asked myself, “why am I doing this?” I was working two full time jobs; beverage all day, gigs all night, when I knew all I wanted to do was to be on stage. That’s when I made the decision to quit and do music full time. It was a no-brainer to lean into the music and I haven’t looked back yet!

Can you think of 3 moments in your career (whether they were gigs, conversations with certain people, or a specific experience) that has put you on your trajectory and has helped shape where you’re at right now in your career.

Marlon Saunders, my vocal coach when I moved to New York, introduced me to my mentor Skip Brevis. Skip taught me how to really play a bar gig, learn songs on the fly and that you could actually make a real living playing music in bars, clubs, and event bands.

I got a call on a Thursday afternoon as I walked in the door from a two week long tour asking if I was available this coming weekend. I said yes and the next call was from Shawn Pelton from the SNL band. He told me that they needed background singers for a sketch and if available, I had to be at 30 Rock for rehearsal in 40 minutes. It all happened so quickly that by the end I turned to my friend Ian who also got the call and said “did you just see what I saw?!” This business is all about the right person knowing you at the right time and then just being available and willing to make things happen. Singing backgrounds on SNL was the first time I’d been given the opportunity to work at such a high level and It pushed me to keep working hard.

The first time I opened for Marc Broussard in 2018 I got a real taste of what the road could be like, playing in proper 500-1000 cap venues every night, with real sound and my fanbase growing way faster. People would come up to me after these shows and tell me stories about how my music connected with them. It was the first time I’d really experienced anything like that at that scale.

What was your American Idol experience like? Do you think it has helped your career?

My  experience on the show was such a whirlwind and when the dust settled I was left thinking “Ok, what now?” I met so many incredible singers and musicians who never got a second of TV time in that casting process. Some of them are still my friends and collaborators today. It’s a tough game show and you really have to play the game to get farther in the contest. I made it to the Top 75 before I got kicked off and although I had a great time, I think that was enough for me. It’s one way into this business but it’s not a surefire way to the top, though it has helped me land gigs from time to time.

What’s your songwriting process, if you have one?

 Songwriting is a habit first and foremost. I usually write from a title and most often the melody comes first followed by lyrics. On occasion, it’s the other way around. Sometimes songs come out in 20 minutes and sometimes they take a year to unlock. Songs are like little puzzles you have to solve before you get the good stuff.

Who are some of your favorite people in the industry you’ve worked with?

I have a super supportive team around me that I’m grateful for every day. Shout out to Shari Goldenberg, Drew Small, Mikhail Pivovarov, Lisa Bernstein, Marlon Saunders, and the musicians I work with, Spencer Inch, Nick Trautmann, Jeremy Goldsmith, and Kris Yunker.

 I’ve also had the opportunity to tour and open for Marc Broussard, LFO, and Tyler Hilton, among many others who have been really fun to work and collaborate with.

From what I’ve read, you’re a hard worker - what keeps you going? Playing 100+ gigs a year is no joke.

This business is not an easy one for sure. From writing, producing and recording, to marketing, payroll and booking, I do it all. And this is all on top of performing and trying to make a living off music.  Sometimes it’s not easy to discipline yourself to focus on the necessary business obligations instead of just singing.  I’m lucky and have been able to create a team over the last year who have helped me be able to focus more on the music. In this business, behind all the accomplishments and successes are many more unsuccessful projects and ideas that just never quite worked out. It takes a certain kind of drive and a sick love for things not working out to be successful in creative ventures like music. That mentality has given me the drive to continue on in this business.

Do you still get nervous before gigs?

If I didn’t, would it be better?

What was it like playing at Sound on Sound this past fall? Did you have a bunch of family and friends in the audience? Was that the biggest crowd you’ve played in front of?

Sound on Sound was a real highlight of my career so far. It was my first major festival billing and it was everything I imagined and more. It was such a rush to get on a stage that size with all the production and roadies - I’ve never had so many hands to carry gear in my life! We had a whole crew of family and friends come out. Folks flew in from around the country to come see me and the band and we made a ton of new fans in the crowd. But SOS was not the largest crowd I’ve ever played for. Largest for my original music. I’ve sung at Citi Field in front of 40,000 people a couple of times. No matter the crowd size, it’s the best feeling in the world to step on stage to sing.

I know this is a sinful question, but who are your Top 5 influences of all time?

 Right in this moment: Tom Petty, The Beatles, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Joe Cocker, The Cheetah Girls.

Who are some artists you love listening to that don’t necessarily show in your original music?

These days, I’m big on Ben Rector, Kasey Musgraves, Anthony DaCosta, Bon Iver’s old stuff, Gabe Dixon, Emily King, Allen Stone, The Lone Bellow.

 

If there’s any advice you could give to young aspiring musicians, what would it be?

My advice to aspiring singers/songwriters/performers is to finish those songs and put them out. There's a point of diminishing returns when changing lyric, melody, or mix on a song no longer makes it better but just different or actually worse. Sometimes version 1 is actually the magic take. The other piece of advice I might give myself and others is to not share your work until it's done. Everyone has an opinion and there's no need to cloud your creative greatness with someone else's opinion.

What do you hope for in your future as a musician?

I hope for a lot of things as a musician. I want to reach as many people as I can. I want to help people tell their stories. I want people to feel comforted by my music. If my music can help one person today and everyday, I’ve done my job.

In October, Drew and his band headed down to Nashville to record acoustic versions of his favorite original tracks at Spotify Notable Studios. The first single, titled “My Place (Acoustic Cover)”, released on streaming platforms March 3. Keep a lookout for more to follow in the coming months.

Check out Drew’s website for links to his streaming: https://www.drewangus.com/