There’s just something about the feeling of falling in love with the beautifully detached vocals, simple chord progressions and guitar riffs of Allison Weiss. Fans continue compare her to female singers that she may have the appearance of and sound similar to, but she is not an incarnation of Laura Stevenson, Ingrid Michaelson, nor Lisa Loeb. Inspired by mainly relationships, Dashboard Confessional, The Avett Brothers, her friends and her family, Weiss, 28, has constructed a musical portfolio. According to Weiss, her music is “super fun catchy songs that are secretly hella sad.” The Flowery Branch native was able to give VOX readers a bit of insight on her musical career.
VOX: Chris Drew Ingle (lead of band Never Shout Never) has said: “The thing is the music industry today is a machine. They bring in an artist – somebody that’s good looking – they put him with the biggest producer they’ve got, the biggest songwriter they got, get him a single, and they’re big for three months, then they’re out. That’s how the music industry is these days, and it’s sad because there’s no true artistry.” Do you agree or disagree with this perspective?
AW: This is how 99 percent of Top 40 music is made. The truth is, if you don’t want that life, don’t sign a 360 record deal. Don’t sign to a major. Nobody was ever forced to be a pop star. If you want to be an artist, be an artist. If you want to make a ton of money, go make a ton of money. Sometimes there’s crossover, but it’s very rare. In a way, I agree with Chris, because I know how the big leagues work, but this has not been the case for me. I’ve been writing and performing and building up a steady following since I started. I’m not interested in the silver bullet or the big break, so I’ll never be in this situation.
VOX: What was the best or worst show that you have ever played?
AW: Best show I ever played was on this past tour with KOJI! We played in San Francisco at a little DIY art space called the Honey Hive Gallery. It was so hot and sweaty, but the room was packed and everyone was singing along. It was just so fun; I’ll never forget it.
VOX: How was it to play at Warped Tour’s Acoustic Stage?
AW: I loved every minute of it. Brian Marquis is the mastermind behind it, and I just have so much respect for what he’s doing. It’s very cool to be able to showcase some great songwriters in an environment like Warped Tour (coming to Atlanta July 2). I think every year the sound system gets better. Give them a couple more, and we’ll be just as loud as the main stages.
VOX: How would you feel if fans admitted to illegally downloading your album?
AW: This happens sometimes, and honestly I’m always bummed. If you literally can’t afford to buy it, I understand. But my records cost $7 on Bandcamp. That’s just a couple cups of coffee, and a record will last you a lifetime. I depend on record sales and merch sales to pay my rent and keep making music. I try and encourage people to think of the dollar or two they spend on a song as just “leaving a tip” for the artist, letting them know you appreciate what they’re doing. Don’t you think your favorite bands deserve a few bucks?
If you’re looking for advice to be as hip as Allison Weiss, she advises, “Don’t be afraid to suck. We live in an age of instant gratification. Everyone wants to put what they made online and see how many likes they can get. You have to write a lot of terrible songs before you can write good ones. Practice, practice, practice. Don’t make music for other people. Make it for you.”
You can catch her performing in Atlanta at the Masquerade on July 9.
