Earlier this year, Abby Anderson made her major-label debut with the stunning “Make Him Wait” and it’s generating TONS of buzz on Music Row and beyond.
The soulful singer’s country ballad was written with her father’s advice in the back of her mind on what she should do when it comes to new relationships.
“[Make Him Wait] is honestly the easiest song I’ve ever written and ever will write,” Anderson told CS Country in Nashville. “It’s everything my dad ever taught me about knowing my worth, trusting my worth, and just knowing what I deserve in a guy.”
Written by Abby, GRAMMY-nominated hit-songwriter Tom Douglas, and hit-songwriter and producer Josh Kerr, the expressive single opens by proposing the use of chivalry and patience to reveal character in a suitor. While the intensity of the chase rises, “best practices” of a new love story unfold, and the truth emerges that allowing ourselves the permission to uphold our inherent worth is the key to success in matters of the heart. After listening to “Make Him Wait,” our standards have gone to new heights and we’re loving ourselves even more than we did before because we’re making. him. wait.
Celeb Secrets Country caught up with Abby during the 2018 CMA Music Festival in Nashville earlier this month to talk about “Make Him Wait,” her upcoming shows with Brett Eldredge, and what she has in store for the rest of the year.
Take a read at the full Q&A below and make sure to give Abby a follow on Instagram at @abbyandersonmusic.
CS Country: Your debut single “Make Him Wait” is very soulful. Can you tell us about the writing process behind it?
Abby Anderson: “Absolutely. I wrote the song with Josh Kerr and Tom Douglas. That morning we were actually writing an up beat, up-tempo song about this boy I had a mad crush on at the time. Josh turned to me and he goes, “Well Abby, how are you going to get this guy? I said, “I’m gonna make the boy wait, gonna make him work for it” He heard that turned around started playing those four chords and this song fell out in 45 minutes. It’s honestly probably the easiest song I’ve ever written and ever will write because it’s everything my dad ever taught me about knowing my worth, trusting my worth, and just knowing what I deserve in a guy.”
CS Country: What about “Make Him Wait” made you choose it as your debut single?
Abby Anderson: “I have to give a lot of credit to my amazing team here at Black River Entertainment because at the time I did not even think that would be a single contender. It’s a ballad and we’re in summer. We played it for my CEO, Gordon Kerr, and he flipped out over it. We had the big label meeting to figure out what song it would be and I think everybody just felt the same way that this was the best song.”
CS Country: What was it like to film the acoustic video for “Make Him Wait”?
Abby Anderson: “Black River has a great video team on site and they’re my friends, so I felt so comfortable on camera. It was really easy to just sit down and play. Really my comfort zone when I can just sit in front of the piano.”
CS Country: You were recently invited to join Brett Eldredge on The Long Way Tour, which is very exciting! How have you reacted to this news?
Abby Anderson: “I am excited, but maybe I’m just growing up a little bit. I feel like a career can be a roller coaster, but I feel like I’m just right in the middle. I feel very peaceful and that’s the only word I can use right now to describe it.”
CS Country: How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you before?
Abby Anderson: “I would describe it as soulful, country. There’s also a little bit of pop in there. Maybe if Ray Charles were a white teenage girl maybe that’s what it would sound like.”
CS Country: At what point in your life did you decide you wanted to be an artist? How did that decision come to be?
Abby Anderson:“I’ve always known I was going to be in front of people. I started playing piano when I was five and I hated piano lessons. Hated them! One day I was practicing and a good family friend of ours came in asking where my mom was and I told her, “I’ll tell you where she is when you listen to one song. I’ll tell you after you listen to me play one song.” I was watching her from the corner of my eye and she was tapping her foot. I did that to her six more times and she listened the whole time. I think that’s what sold me I knew from that point I wanted to entertain people through music. I started writing when I was nine; moved to Nashville when I was 17, and I have very supportive parents who taught me to burn the Plan B’s.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BkBl09_B3xO/?taken-by=abbyandersonmusic
CS Country: Where do you see yourself as an artist in five years?
Abby Anderson: “I have a whole spreadsheet of goals and there’s a whole list of things I want to have accomplished by then, but honestly, the only thing on my mind right now is to just keep doing what I love.”
CS Country: We know you are working on your upcoming album release. Do you have any teasers for us about that album?
Abby Anderson:“It’s a little bit of everything, but somehow it still sounds like Abby. I know people don’t know what “Abby” sounds like yet, but this album’s going to cover every aspect of my life. It’s a kaleidoscope of colors.”
CS Country: Since we are Celeb Secrets Country, what is a secret or fun fact about you?
Abby Anderson: “I’m the second oldest of seven kids and I’m lactose intolerant.”
