Call Me, SANNA
By Gabriella Rudy
In the wake of the release of her most recent single, “pieces,” I had the pleasure of sitting down with USC junior Ava Trepeck to discuss her musical journey thus far as well as her aspirations for the future.
Ava Trepeck, called SANNA in the music world, has been passionately writing music since she was six years old. Penning lyrics in her diary and dramatically performing them for her family marked the start of a dedicated musical journey.
“I was so dramatic back then, I don’t know why I thought my life was so intense when I was literally only six,” she said, laughing.
Trepeck always dreamed of being a singer/songwriter, but didn’t think it was a possibility until a couple years ago when she discovered the software platforms that make the art of constructing a piece of music accessible for everyone.
“I didn't really believe in myself that much before because I was just like, ‘That's such a big thing to do, to put music out into the world, it’s such a hard thing to do,’” she said. “But now I feel like we live in such a fast paced type of society that has all the available options and anything seems possible.”
Her unique stage name, SANNA, actually pays homage to Trepeck’s middle name, Susanna.
“At first I had this obsession with the name ‘Glitter Girl’ and I wanted it to be my name,” she said. “And then I was like, ‘Maybe it should be something a little less juvenile.’”
She formulated this name in the same fashion that she composes song lyrics, by typing out thoughts and options on a Google Doc in stream of consciousness style until something eventually clicks and feels right.
“I honestly just freestyle random lyrics, whatever comes to mind, and I'll play random chords in them if I get something that I like,” she said. “I workshop the lyrics after a bit, and then they start to become more of a story.”
While ‘Glitter Girl’ was abandoned as a pseudonym, the musical style that the name connotes is apparent in each of the songs Trepeck has created so far. Her voice stylistically compliments the poignant guitar riffs, harmonious undertones and indie/pop production that’s become characteristic of her discography, which currently comprises four vibrant singles.
“I would describe [my voice] as airy, poppy, very spacey.” she said. “I feel like the effects that we put on my voice often sound glittery, it reminds me of glitter.”
While her vocal tone remains a consistent motif in each of her songs, her lyrics describe a range of personal life experiences and feelings that have meant something significant to Trepeck. She often chooses to pair a conventionally sad theme with a more upbeat backtrack, creating a unique contrast for her listeners.
“A lot of these songs are written when I'm feeling weird, which is really interesting,” she said. “I think it really helps me with the thoughts that I have that are a little bit more uncomfortable; I can turn them into something, so then I don't view them as uncomfortable anymore. Instead, I view them as an inspiration or a piece of a little moment in time.”
While her songwriting is focused on meaningful moments in her own life, Trepeck intends for her music to be consumed and interpreted in whatever way makes the most sense for her listeners. She says lyrical relatability is key, but that doesn’t mean that her listeners will relate to her lyrics in the exact same way that Trepeck did while writing them.
“I want my listeners to take whatever they get from my music, it doesn't have to be what I intended, and it doesn't have to be my inspiration or the story that I'm telling,” she said. “I know there's no better feeling than hearing something or reading something that you're like, ‘Oh my god, that's how I feel,’ or, ‘This song reminds me of how I feel about this situation,’ or something like that.”
To her delight, when Trepeck’s first single, “call me,” dropped, that was the exact reaction she received. She credits the “fulfilling” response with opening a lot of new doors for her in terms of collaborators while also encouraging her to take her gift more seriously and put out additional music that she’d been working on.
“That was a crazy experience because I just never really thought those things were possible for me,” she said. “It just seemed so out of reach until that defining moment.”
Trepeck plans to continue her journey with the release of a six-song EP, and also hopes to gain more experience with live-performing over the next couple of months. And for “call me” lovers, an extended version with an unreleased bridge may be on the way.
Until then, SANNA’s songs can be streamed on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and Tidal Music.