“I’ve been dreaming of playing at the Royal Albert Hall for a long time,” said country singer Alyssa Bonagura, who returned to the UK to perform at Highways Festival.
Speaking to Erazer backstage only minutes after her performance, Nashville’s Alyssa said the set was unbelievable.
“To be asked to play here was a real honour,” she said. “I think the Royal Albert Hall is such a great venue for country music. The sound of the room is fantastic. I feel really welcomed here, it’s so cool people love country music.”
Alyssa’s Highways performance was as part of a songwriter’s round, where musicians take it in turns to speak to the audience and play music.
“It’s a space where you can tell your stories,” she said. “Hearing the stories behind [the songs] is a very Nashville thing to do. UK audiences are such good listeners.”
Although a staple in the country music capital, Highways was host to the Royal Albert Hall’s first ever songwriter’s round.
“All the amazing songwriters who write all the hits you hear on the radio do these awesome nights together. To do one at the Albert Hall is so spectacular.”
From studying in Liverpool to referencing the UK in her songs, Alyssa is no stranger to the UK country music scene, and one topic she talked about in her set was the upcoming marriage to her Welsh fiancé Steve.
She told Erazer that getting married is good inspiration for a song.
“He only makes me happy, so I write a lot of happy songs. We’re so excited. If I start writing sad songs, you know something’s gone wrong.”
Photo Credit – Jim Cooke
Alyssa performed at C2C Festival in March and will be back on tour in June to support the release of her fourth album, America’s Backroads, a record inspired by growing up on the tour bus with her musician parents.
“A lot of the songs are old to me. They’re new to everybody else but I’ve had them for years. My life was on the backroads of America. That’s what I like to write about.”
With more music planned and a marriage on the way, it’s fair to say the UK will be seeing a lot more of Alyssa Bonagura.
“Y’all are going to be stuck with me, I’ll be half British!”
Alyssa Bonagura will tour the UK throughout June, stopping off in Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Norwich, Glasgow, Leeds, Nottingham and London.
Photo Credit – Jim Cooke
