Set for a big year ahead, Andra Day performs at The Current
by Brian Oake
January 29, 2016
Will 2016 be the year of Andra Day?
That's the big question Brian Oake asks Andra Day as she stopped by The Current studio during her visit to the Twin Cities.
It's been a startling ascent for Day, a San Diego native who was discovered and championed by Stevie Wonder. "I was singing in front of a storefront in a strip mall in Malibu [Calif.] with just a little mic and an amp," Day explains. "Someone took video of it … Stevie liked my voice, so the person I was working with at the time orchestrated a call with him, and he reached out."
Fast-forward to the present, and Andra Day has numerous festival and television appearances under her belt, and an album — Cheers to the Fall — produced by Adrian Gurvitz and Raphael Saadiq, among others. That album has garnered Andra Day two Grammy nominations, for Best R&B Album and for Best R&B Performance for her song "Rise Up."
And if that's not enough, the video for Day's song, "Forever Mine," is directed by Spike Lee. "It's pretty incredible the way it came about," Day says. "I was at Sundance last year doing a Nina Simone tribute … [Lee] was in the audience and said, 'You got a project coming out?' I was like, 'Yeah, my first album.' He said, 'Who's doing the first video?' I was like, 'Uh, you!'… He reached out to me when he came out to L.A."
Lee was clearly impressed, as he did the video for no fee.
Now Day is looking forward to performing on the Grammys. Closer to home, she's been learning to play guitar, thanks to the tutelage of her longtime guitarist, Dave Wood, who is heard on Cheers to the Fall as well as in this session at The Current.
Listen to the complete session to hear Andra Day's performance and to hear her complete conversation with Brian Oake.
Songs Performed
"Forever Mine"
"Rise Up"
Both songs are from Andra Day's 2015 album, Cheers to the Fall, available on Warner Bros. Records.
Hosted by Brian Oake
Produced by Derrick Stevens
Engineered by Michael DeMark and Sasha Druva
Photos and video by Nate Ryan
Web feature by Luke Taylor
