Sharon Van Etten: Epic (Ba Da Bing, 9/21/10)
Sharon Van Etten: “Don’t Do It”
[audio:https://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Sharon_Van_Etten_Dont_Do_It.mp3|titles=Sharon Van Etten: “Don’t Do It”]Singer/songwriter Sharon Van Etten was raised in a cozy New Jersey burg named Nutley. She grew up, ventured out on her own, moved to Tennessee — and had her heart broken by a man who made her doubt her own talent. As a result, she came crawling back to her parents’ basement to piece together what went wrong, and there Van Etten found solace in songwriting. Her two major releases — Because I Was In Love (Language of Stone, 2009) and Epic (Ba Da Bing, 2010) — are the byproducts of a person aiming to find a foothold sturdy enough to climb back into the world.
Van Etten’s songs are un-flashy yet sincere, allowing her to build a loyal following in the slow, old-fashioned manner of connecting with people in that place where our emotions overlap. After months of touring, she is planning to disappear into a studio this summer to finally finish her third album with producer Aaron Dessner of The National. From her home in Brooklyn, Van Etten spoke with ALARM about songs, tattoos, wine, faeries, and Fleetwood Mac.
The openness of your songwriting seems to give your fans the impression that they’re allowed to open up to you. Do you feel an obligation to these strangers who tell you that you’ve “helped” them with your music?
It means a lot to me to know that my music connects with other people. That’s why I do it. I do it for me, but I would be completely selfish if I didn’t do it for other people as well. It’s encouraging to hear it. I do feel a certain sense of responsibility to be a positive influence on people, especially since I’m realizing that a lot of people that I’ve met who can relate to my music are younger women seeking advice after getting their heart broken for the first time. I feel pressure because they’re seeking my advice, and sometimes I feel like a fraud. I’m just like, “I don’t really know.” I’m still figuring these things out.
