Austin’s Suzanna Choffel melds pop, tropicalia & hip hop in sonic collage on “My Words,” out today

JULY 30, 2024 (Austin, TX) — “It’s fitting that ‘My Words’ is the first single from my new album since chronologically, it’s the first song I wrote from this collection,” describes Austin native singer/songwriter Suzanna Choffel on the new single (out today) from her forthcoming album Bird By Bird set for release on September 27, 2024 (pre-save link).

SUZANNA CHOFFEL “My Words”
Link/Embed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwM-zkjCxoY&feature=youtu.be

“My three-year-old daughter’s constant adorable chatter surrounded me,” she explains about the origin of the song. “I was constantly writing down her new words and cute phrases… a new mama taken with her darling child,” Choffel continues, “One night, I sat down and ‘My Words’ came out of me.”

For Choffel, the idea of facing potentially overwhelming situations by breaking them into smaller parts resonated on many levels, from addressing anxiety to recording her album. Not only was Bird By Bird created in sections, but she says it also, “felt like putting pieces of me into a collection that paints the picture of my life these past six or seven years.”

When she recorded her last album, Hello Goodbye, Choffel was pregnant with her first daughter. Now a mother of two, she’s viewing life from the perspective of someone dealing with the ups and downs of parenthood, a long-term romantic partnership, her music career, and being the host of her own radio show on Austin-based Sun Radio.

She knew she needed to step away from her daily routine to get in the zone for this one. She also wanted to work with producer and longtime friend Davíd Garza, who had just become a father and was staying close to home in L.A. She booked a flight; he called drummer Amy Wood and bassist Sebastian Steinberg, who had co-produced Fiona Apple’s GRAMMY® -winning album, Fetch the Bolt Cutters, with him.

“David suggested I turn the last verse/chorus into a bit of a party,” Choffel explains. “The song starts with me reflecting nostalgically on the days when I was alone and had all the time in the world for my words, then moves into the present day of being mesmerized by my child’s words.”

The value of fundamental interactions comes through in the summer-party ambiance of “My Words,” for which Choffel and Garza filled the studio with friends, instilling a feel-good atmosphere with its breezy dance-pop/hip-hop groove. It’s like the icing on the cake when she laughs at the song’s end.

BIRD BY BIRD
Tracklisting:
Little By Little
My Words
Summer in the City
Bird By Bird
Missing Out
How Do I Make You Feel
Get Out
New York
What Do You Want From Me
Fast Asleep
Real Camera

“Recording the last verse was a fun and spontaneous add-on in the studio where I decided to speak instead of sing, something I’ve wanted to play with more. I used to perform spoken word (slam poetry) back in my college days and was a bit of a hip-hop head. So, it was fun to bring that vibe to this song, especially since it was so specifically about words. We even created a party. If you listen closely, you can hear me and some friends clinking glasses and laughing behind my words.”

With Bird By Bird, Choffel finds a noirish sweet spot and hits a new creative peak, segueing from her love of ’80s pop to smoky jazz grooves on which she channels her inner Peggy Lee. “I believe she is truly the voice of Austin,” Garza gushed in a recent interview. “I hope that with this album, folks worldwide will get hip to her artistry.” She’s “graceful” and yet, as Rolling Stone asserts, possessing “all the vibe in the world.”

“My Words” is released today, July 30, 2024. It was produced by David Garza, who also added guitar and piano. It features Amy Wood (drums) and Sebastian Steinberg (bass). Bird By Bird will be released on September 27, 2024.

SUZANNA CHOFFEL – TOUR DATES:

Aug. 31 She Rises International Music Festival Taos, NM
Sept. 7 3TEN ACL LIVE Austin, TX
Sept. 28 State Theater Austin, TX
Oct. 3 Waterloo Records Austin, TX
Oct. 10 McGonigel’s Mucky Duck Houston, TX