Ashley Geren / Roundup
Chyla’s earliest memories were that of stages and studios.
Her mother, Maxi Anderson, was a background singer and took Chyla along for the ride at a young age.
“[My mom] used to include me all the time, as much as she could. When I was like 3 or 4 years old, we went to Denmark and toured with a big artist out there… the band basically adopted me as their child. So all these rough drummers and guitar players taught me the ropes,” Chyla said of her early experience with music.
Over the years, Chyla has done background singing with artists such as Pink, Alicia Keys, and Barbara Streisand, as well as soundtracks for Hairspray and Gossip Girl.
“Hairspray was fun. That was a couple years ago, and we did the whole soundtrack. They had like segregated sessions, white kid sessions and black kid sessions, since the movie was about racism,” she said.
Chyla decided to try a different path and to explore her options in the world of the arts.
She spent years in the theatre and spoken word scene and attended The American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
“There’s a total different mentality with actors. It’s just not my thing. I knew that I wanted to be in the arts, I was trying to find my thing, but I didn’t want to choose music right away because my mom, that was her thing. I love theatre, but not for a life plan,” said Chyla
After a few years of self-exploration and investigating the arts, she has come to realize that her passion for singing and songwriting is too great to ignore.
She is currently taking classes at Pierce to expand her musicianship skills.
“I was an English major last semester. All literature classes at the same time; it’s too much. So I’m splitting it this time, music and English. I’m taking Fundamentals, Guitar, and I was taking harmony but I decided I wasn’t ready for that,” she said.
Chyla describes her music as “simple soul medicine.”
“It’s like a marriage of folk music and acoustic soul, in one. It’s modern hippie music,” Chyla said.
Although she believes the harder music has its place, Chyla is drawn to artists such as John Mayer, Colbie Caillat, Alicia Keys, and Robin Thicke.
“…I try my hardest to be a vulnerable songwriter because all of my favorite artists (all the Woodstock era artists) that I love to listen to were like that,” she said.
They had substance. People like Joni Mitchell could touch your heart, and people like Janis Joplin could rip it out. I love it! And it’s harder to find music like that these days,” Chyla said.
Chyla Anderson, 21, playing outside a local Starbucks coffee house. (Courtney Coles / Roundup)
