Introducing Stacy Antonel
Stacey Antonel, photo by Lindsey Patkos
Hey Stacy, how the heck are you?
I'm a little tired from traveling, but doing great overall!
I’ll ease you in with the first question then… where are you right now, and what are you up to today?
I got back to Nashville a few days ago after spending a few weeks in California. I'm having a boring logistics day: scheduling, booking shows, running errands, etc.
Introduce yourself to our readers.
I'm Stacy Antonel, a Nashville-based Americana artist. I grew up in San Diego playing piano and singing all the time, but didn't seriously consider music as a career for a long time. I got my start singing commercial jingles in Argentina before starting a classic country cover band called Ginger Cowgirl back in California. I moved to Nashville about 5 years ago to pursue a career as an original artist.
Tell me a bit about your background; what was your journey to Always The Outsider?
I released one EP as Ginger Cowgirl in 2019, and I was planning on recording my first full-length album in 2020 right when the pandemic hit. Which turned out to be a good thing, because I wrote much of what became Always the Outsider in 2020 and 2021, and those songs were much cooler than what I'd written before. I decided to drop the Ginger Cowgirl name and start going by my actual name so I could feel more free genre-wise.
In two sentences describe your new album, Always The Outsider.
It's a vintage-yet-modern Americana album, exploring concepts like alien romance and past lives as well as everyday emotions like isolation and disconnectedness. It's rooted in classic country but laced with elements of jazz and bluegrass, and featuring a bunch of hot pickers (namely Paul Sgroi on electric guitar).
How did you write for the album? All together or over a longer period of time?
Definitely a longer period of time. A few of these songs I'd written before I released my 2019 EP, but they didn't fit well on that record. About half of the record, I wrote in pandemic times, and those songs reflect a relationship I was in at the time, as well as my deep dive into metaphysical concepts.
There’s some terrific pedal steel on the excellent ‘Kicking and Screaming’, how did that song come together?
I wanted to write a Spaghetti Western tune from a feminist perspective, and a guy I was dating went a little crazy on me (stalking, harassing etc.), which provided some source material for feeling utterly disdainful toward a man. Doug Pettibone plays steel on the record, and of course we added baritone guitar.
‘Absent Captain’ is a different type of song, more dreamy and ethereal, how did you write that song?
I wrote 'Absent Captain' on the piano shortly after I'd moved to Nashville. I struggle a lot with feeling ungrounded and lost in my head, and being alone in a new city had me feeling particularly hopeless in those days. The dreaminess is definitely a sonic representation of the feeling of being totally confused and adrift in life.
You used to play cover songs as Ginger Cowgirl, what were some of your go-to songs?
I love doing Ray Price's version of 'Night Life,' 'Blue Bayou,' 'Make-up and Faded Blue Jeans' by Merle Haggard (among many other Merle tunes), and 'Six Days on the Road' will never get old for me.
What’s the biggest difference between performing someone else's songs and performing your own?
I feel much more confident when I'm singing someone else's songs. It's funny, even if it's a more obscure cover that most people in the crowd won't know, I still feel more comfortable singing it than an original that no one knows. It's such a vulnerable thing to sing my own music. I still need a lot of reassurance from people I trust that my music doesn't suck before I feel okay about singing it in public.
Always The Outsider is full of great songs, I also love ‘Texas Lasts Forever’. Which song have you had the chance to talk about least, and what’s the story to it?
Probably 'Not Looking for Love.' We recorded it three separate times, and it still didn't quite land where I'd hoped, but I have great affection for it. It's my feminist, punk rock anthem about how my ambition in life outweighs any desire for the conventional marriage-and-kids path. And the lyrics led me to create my favorite merch item, shirts that say 'Pussy in Rebellion.'
“Another random man has some more career advice for me…” - ‘Better Late Than Never’ is a great closer, how close to the truth is it?
It happens all the freaking time! People want to be helpful, and I can appreciate that impulse, but it gets old after a while, especially when they have no understanding of the music industry.
You’ve released the album independently, was that a choice or the only way to get the record out?
It was the only way to get the record out, although honestly I didn't even try to shop it to any labels. Almost every musician I know releases albums independently, so I didn't really consider the alternative.
What’s the biggest challenge with being an independent artist?
Having to handle every aspect of my career by myself, from writing the songs to daily social media posts to booking all my own tours. And working multiple day jobs to make it all work financially. Burnout is always just around the corner.
And the best thing?
Having total creative control.
What can you tell me about the album cover artwork?
The cover shot came from a photo shoot that was not supposed to be for the album. I had already decided on a picture from a previous shoot, but when I saw this picture it just demanded to be on the cover. It has a vintage vibe, and my facial expression is a bit mysterious, which I think is a perfect representation of the music itself. We shot it at the Paper House in Nashville, and I'm wearing a dress I bought at Fanny's House of Music in East Nashville.
You’re in Nashville these days. What was your first music-related experience in Music City?
I visited Nashville in 2016, and it really taught me what country music was. I had already started Ginger Cowgirl, but nobody in the band really had any experience with country music. We were playing country songs but with a blues guitar player and a rock drummer. Seeing actual country players on Lower Broadway really changed my perspective and made me want our sound to stick closer to the classic country style.
With the poor $ numbers from streaming, what’s the best way for people to support you and your music?
Coming to live shows is number one. Buying merch is huge too, either in person or on my website. Just today I decided to start a Patreon, so keep an eye out for that.
What else are you up to in 2022?
I have a few small tours planned, but mostly I'm gonna stay in Nashville and try to recharge emotionally and creatively. I plan on being on the road for all of 2023, so I need to save up some money and start writing my next album.
If you could recommend one artist to listen to this week, who would it be?
Sophie and the Broken Things. She released a killer album this year, and we're doing a few shows together soon.
What’s the question I should have asked you today but haven’t?
Hmm, maybe what am I watching lately? 'Severance' on Apple TV.
Finally, how do you take your coffee?
I don't! Even a few sips of green tea can make me shake. It's almost embarrassing, but you gotta respect your nervous system.
To find out more about Stacy you can visit her website or check out her Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Her album is available to stream everywhere now. Tidal embed below.
