Nashville-based artist Abby Nissenbaum continues to carve out a space uniquely her own with honest songwriting, emotionally rich storytelling, and a sound that blends indie rock edge with heartfelt vulnerability. Ahead of the release of her new single “Growth Story,” Nissenbaum connected with The Country Note to talk about songwriting, stepping into the contemporary country space, and the experiences that continue to shape her music.
CN: For our readers who may not be familiar with you, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
CN: Which artists have influenced you both personally and as an artist?
AN: Brandi Carlile. In addition to doing so much for women and the LGBTQ+ community, I love how she wears so many hats and uses it to inspire her songwriting. I just saw a video she posted on her boat, about to go halibut fishing, while still wearing her suit from the Billboard Women in Music Awards. Talk about having a well-rounded, full life! I really think that’s how she writes songs that evoke deep feelings while remaining universally understood, and that’s the kind of vibe I want to bring to my music.
CN: Can you take us through your songwriting process?
AN: From a process flow perspective, I usually start with a throughline or hook idea. I’ll take that to a chord player tool (shout out to One Motion’s Chord Player app!) and figure out the key, then build out the rest of the song using a chord palette or my guitar (although I’m a truly awful guitarist, so the latter only happens if I’m working with simple campfire chords!) Once the song is fully fleshed out, I’ll usually have a friend make a scratch demo instrumental for me (or attempt to play it on the guitar myself) and send to my producer with reference tracks. I care a lot.
CN: Your upcoming single “Growth Story” marks your first real step into the contemporary country space after years in Nashville. What made now the right time to explore that sound?
AN: I grew up doing lots of musical theatre and taking opera lessons, so I have a big, theatrical voice that has always suited country music particularly well. As a kid and middle schooler, I competed in a few regional “Idol”-style competitions, and would always choose country songs like Patsy Cline’s standard “Walkin’ After Midnight” or Martina McBride’s “Independence Day.” I’d been veering into the Americana space for a little while (particularly with 2023 single, “Sad Hour,” which was co-written and produced by indie folk-pop artist David Karsten Daniels) and wanted to challenge myself to write a real country song.
CN: “Growth Story” touches on the emotional complexity of being part of someone else’s self-discovery. How did writing this song challenge or change you personally?
AN: It challenged me from a writing perspective because I wanted to tell the story through mirrored phrasing, where the sections use symmetrical wording but the meaning shifts slightly as the song moves forward. It starts off calm and collected (for example, the line “no hard feelings to confound”), but by the end, more vulnerability is exposed (the lyrics shift to “hard feelings, push them down”). It felt like a truthful representation of a situation I was in earlier this year where I played something off to the person like everything was fine, but privately felt more hurt about it than I let o n.
CN: Your music often balances vulnerability with humor and strength. How do you approach writing songs that move across such a wide emotional spectrum?
AN: One thing I love about country music is that it traditionally has allowed for unfiltered storytelling. As I’ve been writing more country music, I’ve find that there is more room for playfulness and genuine storytelling in my own voice. And I love that country fans resonate with vulnerability and the art of storytelling in and of itself, even if they can’t necessarily relate to the exact situation an artist is singing about.
CN: You’ve received praise for your raw and emotionally precise vocal delivery. How do you tap into that level of honesty when you’re in the studio or performing live?
AN: A producer of mine once remarked that I’m a “straight shooter,” and I think that’s the perfect descriptor. I don’t necessrily need to tap into the honesty… it’s inherently there and hopefully translates through the music.
CN: If you could collaborate with any one artist, who would it be?
AN: Have to go with Brandi Carlile again. I would do anything for her to co-write and produce an album for me.
CN: What was your first concert you ever attended?
AN: The first one I vividly remember attending was the American Idols Live tour in 2003. I was a big Clay Aiken fan (actually still am — he’s amazing!)
CN: If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be and why?
AN:Intentional. Whether it’s my music, my day job, or just the way I handle people, I always bring a level of deliberateness and care. I don’t just do things for the sake of doing them… I spend a lot of time thinking about strategy, subtext, and how things will land to others.
CN: What else can fans look forward to this year?
AN:I have one more single, “Growth Story,” coming out on 5/15 ahead of my EP release in late June!