Erie's Brooke Surgener draws from personal experience for songs on new album 'Moon Waves'
Brooke Surgener is ready to release an album that's been in the works for a long time.
"I’ve been working on this one (album) for a while because a lot of them are songs I’ve played out but never actually got to record or find out a style for, and it was when I found the right producer to work with that I was just like, 'Why keep waiting?'" Surgener, 31, said.
Surgener, of Erie, has grown up in the Erie music scene. She graduated from Seneca High School and attended PennWest Edinboro, formerly Edinboro University, for one semester before realizing college wasn't for her.
She plays at various bars, wineries and community events and opened up for local band First to Eleven on its tour in the spring.
When Surgener is not performing, she works at Rock School Studios in Erie, soon to be renamed Monochrome Studios.
"I give guitar and voice lessons, and work with aspiring artists with their songwriting and recording and music videos," Surgener said. "I love my job."
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Now, she's ready to debut her first professionally produced album "Moon Waves" on Oct. 14.
"I think me putting out this album is a testament of where I am in my life to be able to be vulnerable to people and be strong enough to take on that responsibility," she said.
Pulling from personal experiences
Surgener said the album's title represents who she was and who she is now.
"I’ve definitely grown up with the songs and each one has a different place in my life, so it’s very meaningful to me in a way because of that," she said.
Over the past year, Surgener has released several singles off her 11-track album, including "Gimme Gimme", "I Hate You The Least" and "Tidal Waves." She described her album's sound as indie, indie rock and folk, drawing inspiration from other artists such as The Wild Reeds, Julia Jacklin and Phoebe Bridgers.
Surgener said each song details personal experiences, but "Tidal Waves," which she wrote for her father, who died of colon cancer in 2017, is especially meaningful.
"The day before he passed he was at the hospital ... and he said, 'I need you to write me a song, I want you to play it at my funeral and play it for the world,'" Surgener said. "That was the last thing he said to me and I wrote the song that week, but I held onto it because it was so personal to me and I realized I wasn’t ready to share it. This song was the biggest thing I had to do. I think it’ll be one of the most important things I’ll ever have to write."
Since releasing the single in July, Surgener said she's been approached by listeners who have shared their own stories of loss.
It was a response she hadn't expected.
"To know that making music makes people feel comfortable and seen and heard, even though it really sucks I went through something tragic, if I’m able to go through that and make someone else feel OK, I feel like that’s a gift I feel very privileged to have," she said.
A chill celebration
To commemorate her album's release, Surgener is having an album release show at The 10/20 Collective, 1020 Holland St. in Erie on Saturday.
"I’ll be playing with a full band, which I never play with a full band so I’m so excited for that," she said.
Surgener will be joined by Erie band Optimistic Apocalypse and Pittsburgh-based artist Halloway Williams. Surgener said she expects the show's atmosphere to fit the tone of her album.
"I want people to step into this purple, blue, chill vibe and just leave feeling really good and hopefully with a song or two that’s stuck with them," she said.
Surgener is happy to finally be finished with this album and move onto wherever her music career will take her next.
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"I’m really excited to make new music, experiment in different ways with what I’ve learned with creating this and putting all the time into it, and just continue and hopefully just become a better artist in the long run," Surgener said.
"Moon Waves" will be available on all music streaming platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora and more. Physical copies are available on her website brookesurgener.com.
If you go
What: Brooke Surgerner's album release show
When: Saturday at 7 p.m.
Where: The 10/20 Collective, 1020 Holland St. in Erie
Admission: $12/person
Baylee DeMuth can be reached at 814-450-3425 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BayleeDeMuth.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Brooke Surgener, Erie musician, releasing new album 'Moon Waves'
