Ana Popovic has added an extra date to her forthcoming UK tour, with The Old Brewery Store in Faversham, Kent added for Saturday 11th March, with the tour itself running from 8 -1 2th March.
The tour coincides with the release of the internationally renowned guitarist’s new album, Power, on the 5th March, and prior to all that, her latest single, ‘Turn My Luck’, is out now, and proves incredibly apt, with her having, in recent times, overcome breast cancer.
The Serbian-born musician has built her career on defining and describing, on her own terms, the essence of American music, simultaneously pushing limits, bending genres, and reinventing her music and herself with each new record.
Not surprisingly, Popovic can claim any number of notable accolades and achievements from the highest quarters of the music industry. She’s shown her commitment to celebrating her guitar-driven, eclectic music style through consistent touring, awards, and recognition for the past 25 years. In the process, she’s emerged as one of the most thoughtful, dynamic, and committed performers in modern songwriting and guitar.
New album Power will be released through ArtisteXclusive Records, and brings those dynamics to the fore and, apparently, in the process, turns this set of songs into both a powerful and personal tale of survival through faith, determination and tenacity. They were spawned from a decidedly tricky set of circumstances that tested her devotion to making music and her perseverance. “In the fall of 2020, while the world was dealing with covid, I found myself in a dire and devastating situation,” revealed Popovic. “I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Having lost my mother three years before to the same illness, my world just crumbled. My family had just built a beautiful new home in Manhattan Beach, California. It seemed that everything we had looked forward to, suddenly came to a crashing halt.
“It left me with so many uncertainties. We didn’t know what to do,” she continued. “Should we move back to Europe? Should I abandon my music career and simply stop performing? I didn’t know what choices I had or what path I should take.”
Her bass player and musical director, Buthel, gave her the support and encouragement she needed. “You can’t retire! You’re born for this,” he told her. “We’ve got work to do. We need to touch people with our music.” “He simply has that gift, Ana says; he can build people up!”
Consequently, between fourteen chemotherapy treatments and flights back and forth between L.A. and Amsterdam, where she received her treatments, she and Buthel connected on Zoom to write the material that coalesced as the new album. Then scheduled demos, recordings, re-recordings, and live shows with her band took place between her treatments. She never missed a show.
Buthel was there for me,” she recalled. “He took care of the band, oversaw the music, and even chose wigs and hats with me, encouraging my new look, and our new sound while helping me through every difficult day on the road. This record brought my spirit the salvation it needed, and ultimately, the music and my ’64 Fender Stratocaster saved my life. I’m convinced now more than ever that guitars can save lives.”
The songs shared on Power testify to her conviction. Recorded with an all-star line-up of top-notch musicians from Detroit, Dallas, and New Orleans, like the powerhouse drummer Chris Coleman (Beck, Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder), she and Buthel wrote and produced the album, which was then mixed and mastered by multi-talented Grammy Award and Dove Award-winning producer Jeremy Bishop Hicks. The results confirm the emotional investment that allowed each entry to become a testimonial to her potency and prowess. With her skilled guitar solos, always in the service of the song, ranging from sizzling rock and blues guitar to smooth and sultry jazz licks, her vocals range from electrifying to soulful, she and band veer from hard stomping blues to relentless rhythms and searing soulful refrains. “Our sound is so eclectic – It’s a gumbo of rock, blues, gospel, soul, funk. It’s black and white, like the cover of Power.”
Unsurprisingly, then, several songs were spawned from emotions Popovic felt in a profoundly personal way. She described the relentless drive of ‘Doin’ This’ as an expression of the joy of creating something to make people happy. “In my case, it’s music,” she said.
“From the moment a guitar is made in the factory, to the point where I get that instrument, put the band together, arrange the material, record the songs, press it and get it out to the world, we can brighten their day. It feeds my passion and brings me purpose. Chris Coleman’s thunderous drumming brings this track to life, while the backing vocalists add their own touch of gospel and soul. I can’t wait to play this one live.”
The ballad ‘Luv’n Touch’ is fuelled by that singular and steady assurance. The lyrics sum up the sentiment succinctly: “When the load gets heavy, the world seems out of touch, take my hand, and I’ll follow/I need your presence and loving touch”. It’s about finding the one person who can provide an anchor, who is there for support even when the burden appears overwhelming. Or as Popovic said, “It affirms that relationships can be work, but that one special person is all you need to survive in this troubling and turbulent world.”
‘Queen of The Pack’ is assertive in another way. “My band calls me “The Boss Lady”, and it’s funny to me because I don’t feel that way at all,” she maintains. “But fronting a great band — one that has a reputation of being a great band fuelled by great players — always needs to live up to that renowned reputation. So, it’s my job to ensure we maintain that high bar. Fronting a band or any group of people can be very demanding. You want to be their friend, but at the same time, you need them to respect you as a leader and a front person. That’s especially true when you’re a woman in a male-dominated world.” Or, as the decidedly pointed lyric insists: “Crack your whip, you’re the queen of the pack, lick your wounds and never look back, get your team back on track”.
The assertive ‘Rise Up!’ transforms that singular stance into a larger and more universal perspective. Although this anthem may not be an original song, the arrangements were altered to help convey a forceful message about the need for change and bringing justice to those communities that have been underserved and marginalised by society. “Mankind has only come so far, but we still have miles to go,” she suggests. “We need to fix what’s left to be fixed. We must do better! Don’t stand in the way of progress. Don’t turn a blind eye to injustice and the people that need our love and support. Support inclusiveness and unity. That’s what this song is all about.”
On this record, Ana plays Fender Strats, Gibson Les Paul, D’Angelico jazz guitar, and even classical nylon string guitar. She takes the audience on a voyage from rock riffs to hard stomping blues, to fast, slick, jazzy licks to slide guitar, and more.
Given that forthright approach, its little wonder her music continues to have such an indelible impact. Described as “one helluva guitar player” by Bruce Springsteen and has received nominations for eight Blues Music Awards. She’s appeared on the covers of various magazines, with earlier releases, Pick-Of-The-Week by USA Today and given prominent radio airplay. In addition, most of her albums have climbed to the Top Five of the Billboard Blues Charts and continue to receive regular airplay on radio stations worldwide.
Notably, Ana was the only female guitarist to be included in the 2014-2018 All-star Experience Hendrix Tribute, a USA tour celebrating the music and legacy of Jimi Hendrix that also included such celebrated participants as Buddy Guy, Eric Johnson, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd, among others. In addition, she and her six-piece band continue to tour relentlessly, having shared stages with B.B. King, Gary Clark Jr, Jeff Beck, Joe Bonamassa, and many others.
Initially introduced to the blues by her father, a storied musician in Belgrade, Popvic took up guitar as a teenager and formed her first band, Hush, in 1995. She started the Ana Popovic Band in 2000 and never stopped touring. She proudly states that she has the best job in the world, and: “It’s the only job I ever had.” Following her debut album, also named Hush, in 1999, she subsequently moved to the Netherlands to study jazz guitar and other musical pursuits at The Conservatory of Music. Now affiliated with ArtisteXclusive Records, she claims no less than twelve albums in her storied catalogue.
Stronger and more driven than ever before. She wants to inspire people: no matter what life throws at you, pick yourself up and come back twice as strong. She is a mother of two and is enjoying her second hobby – interior design. She’s learning a new instrument – playing drums. Popovic performed 150 shows in 2021, and she’s directing music videos. The music video for the new song ‘Recipe Is Romance’ is a strong message to all women that “you can still feel attractive, you can feel sexy, feel good in your skin, even if you’re still recovering after such life struggles, you can reinvent yourself and find power in that.”
Well positioned among today’s blues elite, her confidence and credibility continue. “Once I found myself back on my feet, everything instantly crystalised for me,” she reflected. “I was able to embrace myself, reinvent myself, both my appearance and my sound. I’m ready to keep celebrating life through music. That’s where I am now, and happily, I don’t want to look back.”
New album Power is intended to symbolise unity. The album cover art depicts two holding hands, black and white, and what this world needs. It’s the power, and it’s the force that’s going to move this world forward. Without that power, there wouldn’t have been so much remarkable music today, ideas, and reforms. And indeed, not this record. This story is about friendship and embracing yourself with everything life throws at you.
Tracks featured are: ‘Rise Up!’, ‘Power Over Me’, ‘Doin’ This’, ‘Luv’n Touch’, ‘Queen Of The Pack’, ‘Strong Taste’, ‘Recipe Is Romance’, ‘Deep Down’, ‘Ride It’, ‘Flicker & Flame’ and ‘Turn My Luck’.
You can pre-order Power on CD, vinyl & digital from here and check out the video for new single ‘Turn My Luck’ right here at RAMzine.
Ana Popovic’s UK tour, with special guest is Toby Lee, takes in Chester, The Live Rooms (March 8), Stroud, The Subscription Rooms (March 9), London, O2 Islington Academy (March 10), and Southampton, The Brook (March 12). Tickets are available from here.
