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..................................................................................................................................................................... nna Claire is the daughter of Maxanne and Andy Loftis of Pike Road, Alabama. She grew up in Montgomery for a good bit of her life before her family moved to Pike Road and attended Trinity Presbyterian School from kindergarten through 12th grade. Her family attended Taylor Road Baptist Church as she was growing up, so she had a strong Southern Baptist influence in her life. Now living in Nashville, Anna Claire is a singer and songwriter who is making her mark in the music industry. She is an indie pop artist who has been singing and playing in a five-piece band that is made up of friends from her hometown and artists from Nashville. She recently released a new EP titled “Happy on TV,” her second EP since recording in Nashville. Anna Claire started at a young age learning to play the piano but when she was in middle school, she discovered how she could use the piano as a tool in writing songs. Anna Claire said, “When I was younger, I was forced to play the piano, but I just hated it.” She continued, “I would throw temper tantrums and make the teacher cry. I went through a slew of teachers because I was prob- lematic.” Fortunately, she landed with Lynda Aitken when she was in middle school. Anna Claire said, “Lynda saw there was potential in me. At that point I had started working with the youth band at church. I was playing keys and singing. So, she taught me once you have that specific chord format, you can do anything.” Anna Claire learned she could adlib and write with this newfound knowl- edge. Even though she was not fond of classical music as a drill, she now has clear appreciation for the intel to play that kind of music. Anna Claire does not come from a musical family; Mom is a pharmacist, Dad an engineer. When she was a junior, she toured Belmont University in Nashville. However, when it came time to go to college she went to Auburn University, majoring in business. She was active in show choir and was involved in a sorority. But after two years, she discovered this is not what she wanted to do for the long term. “I loved the social climate, but I went to a career fair and went ‘oh no.’” She continued “I’m having the best time here, but I don’t want to do this long term. She prayed about it and decided to transfer to Belmont mid-way through college. Going to Belmont, she got a taste of the music industry. Even when she moved to Nashville, she did not know at that time she would be pursuing an artist career. Her major was in music busi- ness, so she was learning all about the behind-the-scenes work. At Belmont they did not have minors, however her concentration in- cluded a legal emphasis of the music industry, thinking she would practice as an entertainment attorney, eventually planning to go to law school. After graduation from Belmont, she connected with a friend, Logan Pace, who is a hip-hop producer that she used to tour with the Alabama Baptist Association. After re-connecting, they started talking about recording one of the songs she had written. She said, “I had written all these songs, so let’s record and see what happens.” She continued, “It’s not like we had this immense success, we recorded it in his kitchen. It was when I got that first taste of it that I told myself this is what I want to do and if I can, do it forever…” Find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter JUNE/JULY 2020 17 A

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