One Girl Symphony definitely ranks as one of the most stand-out and unique creative forces releasing music independently. We had a chance to speak with her about her new project (now available) and her experience performing on the TEDx stage.

How did One Girl Symphony come about? Why this name?

It’s intentionally pretentious and provocative in the way that it implies that the selection of tracks makes up a symphony and that it’s one person doing it all. But it was not something I came up, people started to call me it as a version of “one-man-band” where I would play all the instruments on the demos. It has stuck with me and I think it’s more catchy and descriptive to get people curious rather than just having a random name. But I really think of the album name as One Girl’s Symphony which is what it really is.

You don’t fit into any standard labels or genres. What inspires and influences your style and sound?

The way music is recorded today where it is easy to do multi-tracking, it is somehow like painting for me. This style is the result of years of jamming with myself, trying out different grooves and harmonies on top of each other to see what fits. The way the different sounds and styles evolved on the album wasn’t pre-planned when I started many years ago writing and producing this material. As to what has inspired me, I think that it is mostly gospel, blues and rock, though many people say they hear country and blues grass these are styles I’ve listened to much.

What was it like performing on the TED stage? Was that your first time in front of a big audience or on a stage as well known?

In terms of performing my own music on a big stage, yes, that was my first time on a big stage and I admit that it felt quite awkward. I’m shy and don’t like to have attention drawn to me. At the same time, growing up as an evangelical it always felt natural to be in front of crowds singing in choirs and often leading services since some years now. But that is a very different circumstance. I think it is challenge to not be self-conscience and self-absorbed when it comes to understanding that the audience is not interested in the person as they are in the performance and the music. It is something I’m still learning.

From my understanding, your TED performance was the first time you physically met William Stewart. What was that moment like?

Meeting William for the first time was one of life’s most extraordinary and special experiences. Finding out that he is the opposite of me as a person shocked me because before I met him I felt very musically connected to him on an emotional level. We had gotten to know each other only over email and making music together for well over a year before he came over. We didn’t even speak on the phone before he showed up. So when he arrived to Ethiopia it took a lot of getting used to with dealing with someone that intense and erratically entertaining in his personality. It was very different from what I had pictured him to be like. In my mind it is like I still know two Williams, the first is the one I got to know through music and over the Internet and the second is the real life character.

What should listeners expect when they listen to your audio autobiography? Is there anything you hope people take away from this aural experience?

It’s hard for me to say what I want with my music but I hope that overall it makes the listener feel like they and their world is a good place to be at. Life it’s colorful with many different shades but no more complicated than you make it. I see this album as being like a version of “four seasons”, each of the four parts has two tracks that encapsulate a different state of mind.

Where can we connect with you online? Stream your music?

You can connect with me on my personal Facebook profile. Connect with me and I will send you some tracks that I chose to not put on the album and will share only with my Facebook friends. They are totally different than what’s on the album. My direct URL is: facebook.com/onegirlsymphony

I’m also on all the streaming sites and you can find all the links on: www.OneGirlSymphony.com