Brooke Annibale

Brooke Annibale is a gifted singer-songwriter, who has great prose with words and a static impression of the rhythmic sounds that envelope her music. - Talent In Borders

Brooke Annibale is a gifted singer-songwriter, who has great prose with words and a static impression of the rhythmic sounds that envelope her music. - Talent In Borders

Some artists are born to move people. They can write a song that hits so close to home, you’d think it was written about your life. When I find an artist like this, I become filled with joy knowing that they are doing what they were born to do. The first time I heard Brooke Annibale, I knew I came across another born talent. - SoundsThatMatter.com

Some artists are born to move people. They can write a song that hits so close to home, you’d think it was written about your life. When I find an artist like this, I become filled with joy knowing that they are doing what they were born to do. The first time I heard Brooke Annibale, I knew I came across another born talent. - SoundsThatMatter.com

Rating: 9.5 / 10
"Pittsburgh-based Brooke Annibale’s fourth project, Silence Worth Breaking, is the best independent recording I have ever listened to. Bar none... Annibale’s vocals are filled with a combination of chilling longing, a downright combustible sort of passion and a wizened sense of knowledge that many people twice her age will never have." - Soul-Audio.com

Creative arrangements and stunning lyrical imagery combine with her impressive vocal delivery and range to create one of 2011’s best albums (so far). This is the kind of record that some artists wait their whole lives to make. Fans of acoustic Folk/Americana music, deeply poetic and insightful lyrics, or astoundingly understated vocals would do well to acquaint themselves with her right now.

- Glide Magazine

“I get by with a little help from my friends.” The familiar lyric from the classic Beatles song rings true for most of us in our daily routines. It also happens to be a notion that resonates with Pittsburgh singer/songwriter Brooke Annibale, who used help from a number of “friends” on a Kickstarter.com campaign last year in order to help bring her latest effort, Silence Worth Breaking, to life.

The album is full of gravitas, passion, joy, sorrow, humility and boldness, and it’s all done in a stunning, hypnotic fashion that is as authentic as anything you’ve heard so far in 2011. And the fact that this latest release (her fourth) is coming from someone who isn’t even 25-years-old yet is all the more astounding given the wisdom that bleeds from every corner of this record. It is clear that Brooke tries to absorb as much as she can wherever she is — be it on stage opening for Hanson in Pittsburgh, or when she was a student at Belmont University in Nashville — and her music is richer because of this.

She’s an overanalyzer — a fact which is further cemented by the frequent pauses that took place during this interview — and while she admits that can be frustrating for some people when they converse with her, the painstaking attention she pays to her words is a large part of what makes Silence Worth Breaking resonate so deeply with the listener, and why this young woman is a talent worth watching.

Stereo Subversion: So what first inspired you to make music?

Brooke Annibale: Well, I started writing lyrics when I was really young, just fun songs. I don’t know really what made me start doing that [Laughs]. But by the time I was about 15, I was getting a little more serious about it. I wanted to be able to put music to the lyrics that I had been writing for a while, and so I decided to start playing guitar. So I started taking guitar lessons. The guitar was a natural first choice for me because I had members of my family that had played before. So I asked my mom if I could start taking lessons and as soon as I knew enough chords to put together, I started writing songs because that was my goal in learning guitar. So I guess songwriting was sort of the main interest that drew me to music.

SSv: Now with writing has that always been sort of the way you process life and emotions and different things?


I love being able to have the opportunity to connect with people, to relate with people, because all my life, whatever my favorite record was, you connect with that artist and what they’re saying and you relate to them and you sort of feel like, 'Hey, I’m not alone in this world.'
Brooke: Yeah, I’d say that songwriting has always sort of been the way I express myself, I suppose. Most of my songwriting is based on experiences — life, faith, whatever struggles or joys that are currently happening — so yeah, that’s always how I’ve expressed myself. So, I suppose “yes” is the answer to your question! [Laughs]

SSv: Tell us a bit about the journey of getting Silence Worth Breaking made. I read about your Kickstarter campaign and how instrumental your fans were in getting it made, plus there was a contest you won through Ourstage.com, is that right?

Brooke: Well the Ourstage contest was something entirely separate. It was just a contest to open for Hanson, and I saw it on there and thought, “Why not?” [Laughs] I had a friend here in Pittsburgh win a contest on there before to play at Lilith Fair, and that’s how I found out about the website — unfortunately a little too late for the Lilith Fair thing. [Laughs] But I thought, ‘Why not? I’ll give it a shot,’ and ended up winning the opportunity to open up for Hanson in Pittsburgh and that was pretty cool. [Laughs]

The Kickstarter thing I decided to do to raise money for my new record. I think the whole backstory to how this record got started is that I went to Belmont University in Nashville and graduated in ’09. And one of the kids that I was friends with and graduated with started working at a studio down there a couple years ago with this producer Paul [Moak] whom I worked with on this record. As soon as my friend got there to start working he was like, ‘You gotta work with this guy named Paul. He’s great.’

So finally in September, I went and visited the studio with my friend, and it was just the best studio I’ve come across in my years as a musician. Just all the instruments you could want to experiment with were set up and ready to go, and everything was in the studio to work with already, you know? So basically it was like a dream come true to me and I wanted to do anything to make it possible to work there and work with Paul. [Laughs]

So I started a Kickstarter campaign after I had spoken with Paul and his manager for a while and ran that through the month of October. And we reached our goal, which was $10,000, and it did what it said, it kickstarted the project and I started recording in December.

SSv: That’s awesome. That must have been p - Stereo Subversion

"The songs are done in a stunning, hypnotic fashion, encompassing several different genres in masterful ways. And the fact that this is all coming from a 23-year-old is even more astounding given the wisdom that bleeds from every corner of this record." - Relevant Magazine (Blog)

"The songs are done in a stunning, hypnotic fashion, encompassing several different genres in masterful ways. And the fact that this is all coming from a 23-year-old is even more astounding given the wisdom that bleeds from every corner of this record." - Relevant Magazine (Blog)

"Produced by Paul Moak (Third Day, Jennifer Knapp) and funded by her fans, "Silence Worth Breaking" is a lush, polished, major-label-sounding neo-folk record in the spirit of a Sarah McLachlan or Beth Orton. Ms. Annibale has written tenderly about love (mostly) and delivers the songs with hushed bedroom intimacy and gorgeous vocal range."

By Scott Mervis, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Scott Mervis)

Pittsburgh-based singer-songwriter Brooke Annibale certainly knows a thing or two about getting help from her friends. Her fourth and latest release, the phenomenal Silence Worth Breaking, might not even exist were it not for the support she received from a Kickstarter.com campaign last fall. Of course to be fair though, she probably wouldn’t have had the same impetus to start said campaign were it not for a friend who worked with producer Paul Moak at his Smoakstack Studios in Nashville and got Brooke dreaming about working with him.

“I studied at Belmont University in Nashville,”and one of my friends I graduated with started working at a studio down there a couple years ago with Paul and he was like, ‘You gotta work with this guy. He’s great,’ Annibale recalls. “So in September I went and visited the studio with my friend, and it was just the best studio I’ve come across. All the instruments you could want to experiment with were set up and ready to go, and everything was in the studio to work with already. It was like a dream come true.”

Even as she recounts the story you can hear the excitement in her voice, like she is a kid in a candy store all over again.

“I wanted to do anything to make it possible to work with Paul,” Annibale says with a laugh, putting a lot of emphasis on the word ‘anything.’ “So I started a Kickstarter campaign after I had spoken with Paul and his manager for a while, and it did what it said: It kickstarted the project and I started recording in December.”

The Kickstarter campaign, in addition to helping bring Silence Worth Breaking to life, provided her with a number of thrilling and surreal moments along the way as well.

“Every day I’d get a couple more backers and it was almost like opening a Christmas present every day, you know?” She laughs when she says this, and it’s not difficult to imagine what she is talking about or how great that must have felt each time she received word of new support coming her way.

“It was so exciting to see a lot of people I knew, and some people I never would have expected. Some people I had no idea who they were!”

Armed with a groundswell of support, Annibale set to work creating her album. Filled with gravitas, passion, joy, sorrow, humility and boldness, the ten tracks that make up Silence Worth Breaking are done in a stunning, hypnotic fashion, encompassing the genres of folk, rock, Americana and pop in masterful ways. And the fact that this is coming from someone who isn’t even 25 years old yet is all the more astounding given the wisdom that bleeds from every corner of this record. Considering how loaded the album’s title is—and how much it could have backfired if the album had been done wrong—the achievement is all the more mind-boggling.

“There was one song I made that didn’t make the cut of the record that was called ‘Silence Worth Breaking,’ and when I shared that title with Paul he was like, ‘Oh! That sounds great!’ But I was like, ‘Wait, doesn’t that sound a little pretentious?’ And he said, ‘No, no. It makes me want to listen to it and see what it’s about. That title intrigues me.’”

Despite the encouragement of her producer however, Annibale still wasn’t convinced right away. She pondered whether or not this was the right title for the record, and the more she considered it, the more it seemed to make perfect sense.

“It felt a little weird picking a title of a song that didn’t make the CD,” she admits, “but I think that the song is more about having difficult conversations that need to happen. So in that sense, it’s silence worth breaking. So I thought it was kind of a cool way to label this record.”

The album is a smorgasbord of emotions, sounds and character traits, never quite being the same thing twice. And just when you think you’ve got a handle on what Annibale’s doing, she throws a change-up. It’s this dichotomy of being comfortable listening to her songs and yet constantly perking up at each new wrinkle in the formula that makes her record so memorable. A lot of this comes from the fact that she is exacting and hell-bent on getting every last detail right.

“I’ve always been a thinker and an over analyzer,” Annibale confesses. “I’ve found that sometimes people are frustrated with me in a conversation because I take so long to express my thoughts or feelings because I have to analyze my thoughts before I express them. And so that’s why I put a lot of time and thought into lyrics—especially on this record—to make them say what I want them to say in a new and interesting way, hopefully.”

The album is loaded with subtleties that give the songs added depth. Whether it’s the bluesy grooves of “Bullseye,” the John Mayer-meets-Colbie Caillat sounds of her first single “Yours and Mine,” or even the dreamy, ethereal “Feels Like Home,” Silence Worth Breaking is filled with a number of critical decisions that enhance the record’s power in a multitude of ways. One of the best examples is on “Tryi - Glide Magazine

Pittsburgh-based singer-songwriter Brooke Annibale certainly knows a thing or two about getting help from her friends. Her fourth and latest release, the phenomenal Silence Worth Breaking, might not even exist were it not for the support she received from a Kickstarter.com campaign last fall. Of course to be fair though, she probably wouldn’t have had the same impetus to start said campaign were it not for a friend who worked with producer Paul Moak at his Smoakstack Studios in Nashville and got Brooke dreaming about working with him.

“I studied at Belmont University in Nashville,”and one of my friends I graduated with started working at a studio down there a couple years ago with Paul and he was like, ‘You gotta work with this guy. He’s great,’ Annibale recalls. “So in September I went and visited the studio with my friend, and it was just the best studio I’ve come across. All the instruments you could want to experiment with were set up and ready to go, and everything was in the studio to work with already. It was like a dream come true.”

Even as she recounts the story you can hear the excitement in her voice, like she is a kid in a candy store all over again.

“I wanted to do anything to make it possible to work with Paul,” Annibale says with a laugh, putting a lot of emphasis on the word ‘anything.’ “So I started a Kickstarter campaign after I had spoken with Paul and his manager for a while, and it did what it said: It kickstarted the project and I started recording in December.”

The Kickstarter campaign, in addition to helping bring Silence Worth Breaking to life, provided her with a number of thrilling and surreal moments along the way as well.

“Every day I’d get a couple more backers and it was almost like opening a Christmas present every day, you know?” She laughs when she says this, and it’s not difficult to imagine what she is talking about or how great that must have felt each time she received word of new support coming her way.

“It was so exciting to see a lot of people I knew, and some people I never would have expected. Some people I had no idea who they were!”

Armed with a groundswell of support, Annibale set to work creating her album. Filled with gravitas, passion, joy, sorrow, humility and boldness, the ten tracks that make up Silence Worth Breaking are done in a stunning, hypnotic fashion, encompassing the genres of folk, rock, Americana and pop in masterful ways. And the fact that this is coming from someone who isn’t even 25 years old yet is all the more astounding given the wisdom that bleeds from every corner of this record. Considering how loaded the album’s title is—and how much it could have backfired if the album had been done wrong—the achievement is all the more mind-boggling.

“There was one song I made that didn’t make the cut of the record that was called ‘Silence Worth Breaking,’ and when I shared that title with Paul he was like, ‘Oh! That sounds great!’ But I was like, ‘Wait, doesn’t that sound a little pretentious?’ And he said, ‘No, no. It makes me want to listen to it and see what it’s about. That title intrigues me.’”

Despite the encouragement of her producer however, Annibale still wasn’t convinced right away. She pondered whether or not this was the right title for the record, and the more she considered it, the more it seemed to make perfect sense.

“It felt a little weird picking a title of a song that didn’t make the CD,” she admits, “but I think that the song is more about having difficult conversations that need to happen. So in that sense, it’s silence worth breaking. So I thought it was kind of a cool way to label this record.”

The album is a smorgasbord of emotions, sounds and character traits, never quite being the same thing twice. And just when you think you’ve got a handle on what Annibale’s doing, she throws a change-up. It’s this dichotomy of being comfortable listening to her songs and yet constantly perking up at each new wrinkle in the formula that makes her record so memorable. A lot of this comes from the fact that she is exacting and hell-bent on getting every last detail right.

“I’ve always been a thinker and an over analyzer,” Annibale confesses. “I’ve found that sometimes people are frustrated with me in a conversation because I take so long to express my thoughts or feelings because I have to analyze my thoughts before I express them. And so that’s why I put a lot of time and thought into lyrics—especially on this record—to make them say what I want them to say in a new and interesting way, hopefully.”

The album is loaded with subtleties that give the songs added depth. Whether it’s the bluesy grooves of “Bullseye,” the John Mayer-meets-Colbie Caillat sounds of her first single “Yours and Mine,” or even the dreamy, ethereal “Feels Like Home,” Silence Worth Breaking is filled with a number of critical decisions that enhance the record’s power in a multitude of ways. One of the best examples is on “Tryi - Glide Magazine

"From the varied and creative arrangements, to the crystal-clear lyrical imagery, to Annibale’s impressive vocal delivery and range, there isn’t a single aspect of this album that is subpar. Not even close." - Stereo Subversion

"it's sincere, warm and the best kind of radio-ready" - Pittsburgh City Paper

Brooke encapsulates so many high profile pop singers it's hard to separate who she sounds like exactly, needless to say though, her voice is mainstream quality. "Yours & Mine" jumps out as the album's highlight right from the start, but gems like "Under Streetlights" and "Bullseye" are scattered across the entire record giving 'Silence Worth Breaking' the potential to be Brooke's breakout release. - The Album Project

Pittsburgh does indeed have special local musical talent, clearly displayed by Pittsburgh native musician, Brooke Annibale, who's gaining area visibility and growing fan base. Brooke

is from suburbia Pittsburgh and like many other talented area musicians, dreams of becoming a well known performing artist, singer and songwriter. Brooke is indeed waking up the music world and by using the Internet and social networking, was able to enter and WIN the OurStage.com contest to appear with nationally known Hanson at the Carnegie Library Music Hall in Munhall, PA this August 20, 2010. Brooke is tremendously excited about the potential coming from this opportunity. Brooke's music has been described as "acoustic pop-rock, infused with a bit of blues". Check out her website and give her a listen.

Also, be sure to bookmark this article and check back for a Live Stream of Hanson interviewing Brooke before the concert on August 20 at 5:30 PM EST that will also feature a preview performance by both Brooke and Hanson!

Brooke has graciously taken the time from her busy touring/writing schedule to answer a few questions for Associated Content. Here is the Interview:

DL: How is the music career going currently and how did you go about trying out for the Hanson Opening?


This summer has been extremely busy! I've done some touring, performing in Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York, DC, Vermont, Boston, Portland (Maine), and of course, my

hometown Pittsburgh. I didn't actually "try out" for the Hanson opening gig. Hanson and Ourstage.com held a contest for the opening gigs on their current summer tour (Shout it Out Tour). Bands and artists could enter into their respective hometowns, or nearby cities (within a 300 mile radius). Then fans were asked to rank the artists, which made it less like a voting process, and more like a judging process. The top 20 was decided from 100+ entries, and then a top 10 decided from those top 20. I placed 1st at the end of these 2 rounds of judging. Then there was a final judging round, where the artists were judged by a professional panel, which I would assume was Hanson and/or their management. I was contacted a few weeks later and told that Hanson's team had selected me to open for them on August 20th and Carnegie Library Music Hall here in Pittsburgh!

DL: What area of Pittsburgh are you from and have you found you have to make connections outside of Pittsburgh to succeed as a recording artist?

BA: I'm from a suburb outside of Pittsburgh. I have been increasingly reaching outside of Pittsburgh for shows and contacting other artists. I think you have to perform in as many places as possible to grow your fan base and continue to connect with more people.

DL: Have you been able to do well as an Independent artist or have you found you needed to sign with someone to manage your career?

BA: I supposed to fully answer this question, I'd first need to define "well" and would need to sign with a management company. I feel like I've made steady progress over the past year, and that I'm doing a decent job as an independent artist. I had the opportunity to sign with an independent label back in 2007 before I released my latest album (The In Between - 2008), but decided against it, and released my album independently. I haven't had any offers for management deals, but would definitely consider one if I did. Sometimes, a management company has more connections, and frees the artist up to focus more on the music than having to do everything themselves.

DL:Are you finding that being a recording/performance artist is a full time career or do you have a "day time job" also?

BA: There is definitely enough work to do as an independent artist to consider it a full time job. I do all of my own booking and promoting, including running social networking sites and my new website (Brookeannibale.com). I also write all of my own music and, of course, perform all the shows I book. The pay, however, fluctuates! I don't have a full time job elsewhere, because I'm not sure I would ever be able to tour with a full time job. (I do volunteer part-time at my family's business, when I'm in town.)

DL:Who are your favorite artists and who has been your major influence in music?


BA: I'm not sure who has had the single most influence on my music, because I listen to so many different people! When I was a kid, I really liked the Beatles, and continue to listen to them to this day. Some other

influences include: Coldplay, The Swell Season, John Mayer, Missy Higgins, Brandi Carlile, and many more.

DL:Are you working on a new album or one soon to come?

BA: I have been writing new material for the last couple of months. I hope to begin recording within the next month or two, as soon as my performance schedule slows down a bit. I'm really excited to make a new record, but I don't want to rush the process. I'm making sure I'm ready, with the right songs and the right idea about wha - David Lindberg / Associated Content

http://www.speakerheart.com/staffpicks.html

Brooke Annibale
Acoustic meets Pop from Pittsburgh, PA

"Her soulful voice and laid back style are attention-getting. I saw her perform live and was immediately a fan."
-Cherie
- SpeakerHeart