Bekka Dowland

What first drew you to storytelling through music, and how did your early love for poetry and short stories shape the way you write songs today?

I’ve always had a very imaginative mind, and I have always had a love for music in any capacity. Writing has always come naturally to me, and I have been singing since I could talk, so it was very easy for me to transition words into melodies. I think my songwriting showcases my love for rhymes while also giving vivid details to set the scene of a story.

Your father encouraged you to pick up the guitar at 21. How did that moment change the direction of your creative life?

I think I learned early on how short and unpredictable life is. I really wanted to hit the ground running on chasing my dreams and never take a second of this life for granted because of how fast it can change in the blink of an eye.

You blend classic country storytelling with modern pop influences. How do artists like Taylor Swift, George Strait, and Alan Jackson show up in your songwriting style?

I think Taylor is an amazing storyteller, and I’ve really been influenced throughout the years by how she can make her listeners deeply feel something. Growing up listening to the classic style country songs mixed in with modern pop has definitely inspired me to create a unique sound that was inspired by the wide variety of music I was listening to. My songs typically have a classic country theme to them while also providing catchy hooks that are bound to get stuck in your head.

When you attended the IMTA convention in New York in 2019, your career began to take a more professional path. What do you remember most from that experience?

There was something so special about that experience and throughout it I was really discovering who I wanted to be as an artist. I went into that convention as someone who knew almost nothing about the industry or who to work with, and I left with so much knowledge as well as a connection to the team of wonderful people I continue to work with now. I remember feeling like I had finally gotten my foot in the door when it came to music.

Your song “Hole in My Heart” marked an important breakthrough in 2021. What personal lessons did you take from writing and releasing that track?

I learned that if you take heartbreak and add a catchy beat, people really resonate. In all seriousness, that song was the perfect way to get over a breakup and a realization that the person didn’t deserve all the praise they had previously been given in the relationship. I feel that heartbreak is a pretty universal subject that just about anyone can relate to, and having an anthem like “Hole in My Heart” really showed me that. Five years later and that is still a favorite song by some of my fans.

Many of your songs explore themes like love, self worth, grief, and independence. Why are those emotional experiences important for you to explore in your music?

I like to write from personal experience and emotions that I have felt in my own life. It’s important for me to write about these things because if I have felt them, chances are someone else has too. As therapeutic as it is for me to write about these subjects, it’s important to me that these songs find the people who need them also.

Your EP Failures & Fairytales shows a journey through different stages of relationships. What story were you hoping listeners would take away from that project?

I hope listeners took away the different stages of relationships that we may experience. I feel that this EP was a perfect representation of happiness, loss, reflection, and confidence when it comes to relationships coming and going in our lives.

Songs like “Gravity” feel very confident and empowering, while others like “Fairytale” are more vulnerable. How do you find balance between strength and vulnerability in your music?

It really depends on how I feel at the moment and what I want to write about. My writing process is very natural and organic, so I’m never thinking too deeply about the variety of emotions. It’s definitely easier for me to write about some topics than others, but in the end, I really just write when an idea is sparked in my mind and I see where it takes me.

Your recent single “Be A Little Kinder” moves beyond personal relationships and reflects on wider human struggles. What inspired you to write a song with that message?

In short, the world. There is a lot of uncertainty in life in general, and I just felt that we could all use this message right now. As soon as I saw the wildfires happening in California last year, it really solidified the idea of the song for me. Big or small, we’ve all got struggles, and kindness is such an easy thing that we can express every day.

Looking ahead to your next full length album, how do you feel your sound and your perspective as an artist are continuing to evolve?

I feel a lot more confident than I ever have and I think the album will really reflect that. I think as I continue to grow older and live more life experiences, my sound and perspective on things will constantly be changing. I think it’s important to grow and learn as an artist so you can show up as authentically as possible.