An Akron singer-songwriter is gaining worldwide attention. In this week’s Shuffle, WKSU’s Amanda Rabinowitz talks to The Devil Strip Magazine’s Brittany Nader about blues-folk singer Angie Haze, who’s made it to the top of an international songwriting competition:
Angie Cevasco performs as The Angie Haze Project, and she's been performing with her band throughout Northeast Ohio for years. You'll see her on stage with a kazoo. Or an accordion. Or a tambourine.
Brittany Nader describes her music as folk-gypsy-jazz. But Haze also incorporates some blues into her songwriting.
"It’s so diverse and eclectic, but she’s also got that soulful quality to her that can be very appealing to people who don’t necessarily see shows in Akron or don’t listen to folk music," Nader says.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTpgrS_Eza4
The moment she knew
A few years ago, Haze toured with David Mayfield and got the chance to open for The Avett Brothers.
"She told me that was one of the first experiences when she got up on stage and her knees were shaking," Nader says. "She feels so confident on stage but, she said, 'That’s when I knew that’s what I was meant to be doing.'"
International Songwriting Competition
Now, Angie Haze's music is getting worldwide attention. Her song "Wave Goodbye" in the top 25 of the International Songwriting Competition in the blues category.
The competition is open to all genres, from AAA to Christian. It's judged by established music industry insiders and artists, including Tom Waits, Chris Cornell and Lorde. There's also a separate online public vote through April 14.
Haze recorded the song "Wave Goodbye" years ago.
“She basically said she kind of holed up in her basement, didn’t really see daylight for an entire week – didn’t eat, didn’t sleep. She was just obsessed with getting this perfect. So now Tom Waits gets to hear it," Nader says.
Nader says Haze refers to herself as a gypsy and believes in the law of attraction, which is, if you want something to happen, you tell yourself it’s already happening. "She’s telling herself big things are going to happen and they are starting to happen," Nader says.
The Angie Haze Project tour dates can be found here. Also, earlier this year, Haze collaborated with Akron's Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts for a concert called "The Bigger Picture." It airs on PBS Western Reserve Public Media next week.
