Savannah Keyes: “My biggest influence comes from listening to country radio growing up.”

Ahead of her episode on Monday night we got the chance to sit down with Utah born singer/songwritter Savannah Keyes. Learn more about her state, her source of humor, and wha ASC means for her music career. All that and more below!

Hello Savannah – welcome to ESC United, we are excited to have you for an interview today! For those who might be encountering you and your music for the first time why don’t you introduce yourself? 

Hi! My name is Savannah Keyes! I am a singer songwriter that writes country music! I am from Sandy, Utah originally and now live in Nashville.

Wonderful thank you! And of course, you’re the official representative for Utah in the American Song Contest! How does it feel to represent your home state on such a large scale?

It feels like a total honor! Utah has so many creative people and I don’t think a lot of people know that. I hope represent the state well.

Since so many of our readers are from outside of the United States, they might not know too much about your home state. What are some of the best things about Utah that make it unique?

For me, something that makes Utah so unique is that you can experience all the seasons when you visit… from the snowcapped mountains to the red rocks in Moab. There is so much beauty in one place and it is so rich in history.  I am so lucky to have grown up there.

One more thing… I know this may be cheesy, but Fry Sauce comes from Utah! Once you put that on your burger and fries, you can’t eat it any other way!

As a songwriter, where do you find inspiration for the music you write and record?

I write from a place of honesty. I truly can’t write about things I haven’t experienced.

While I know you are a country artist, I feel like there are so many versions of country out there in the industry. How would you describe your music to our readers?

Country music is essentially a big family. I feel so honored to be part of the genre. Country music to the core is about storytelling. Although my biggest influence comes from listening to country radio growing up, I also pull some influence from the pop genre. Country pop is where I feel most at home!

Now if you had the opportunity to perform anywhere in the world for a one-night only concert, where would you perform and why?

Amsterdam! I got to visit there a few years ago and I fell in love with the city. I will take any excuse to go back!

I noticed that you’ve been very active on social media in the last few weeks and posting a ton of funny Tik Toks and Instagram videos lately – from your Venezuelan in-laws to “Your 20s” with Abby Lee Miller. Where do you get your sense of humor from?

Thank you for watching my videos! Thank you for also finding the humor in those videos! 🙂 I think I get my sense of humor from my mom and my dad. I am really close to both of them and spend a lot of time with them. I am sure their personalities have rubbed off on me!

On top of your Tik Toks I’ve been seeing you post on a lot of your fellow cast member’s Instagram posts. Who are some of the artists that you are looking forward to meeting, either from your episode or from the full cast?

I am a huge Allen Stone fan and I am so hoping our paths cross during this process.

Well maybe a collaboration is on the horizon! Speaking of songs, can you tell us a little bit about the songwriting process for your ASC song? Was it the only song you considered entering for the contest or were there other options?

I considered numerous songs for the show. I have written hundreds of songs over the years and I love each of them in different ways. This opportunity could change my life and the life of the song I chose. It was a fun decision to make, but definitely didn’t come easy.

For our readers who want to connect with you ahead of or after the contest, where can they find you and your music?

You can stream and purchase my music on all digital platforms (Youtube and Spotify).

Alright, one last question for you – is there a final message you’d like to share with our readers?

I am so grateful for this opportunity and I really can’t wait for everyone to hear this song. I so hope that everyone connects with it the way that I do. It was written from a real place. It was a perspective I had been wanting to share with my fans and I can’t wait to do it on a platform like American Song Contest.

Well Savannah, I want to thank you again for your time today and we wish you the best of luck in the American Song Contest! 

Remember #YOU can catch Savannah on the fourth episode of the American Song Contest Monday, April 11th at 8 PM Eastern/7 PM Central. #YOU can also jump into the ASC discussions on social media @ESCUnited, on our discord, or on our forum page!