by Alli Marshall
photos by Brent Fleury

When local singer/songwriter Angi West started kindergarten 20-something years ago, she wore a tutu and belted out Neil Young tunes, certain that being herself was the key to charming the rest of her class. These days, she’s still winning hearts (and an ever-increasing roster of collaborators) with her soulful, folk-tinged ballads.

Though West’s singing career is fairly new (her self-released debut, Orange Thread in a Blue Sea, came out just last year), her influences suggest an older soul. Nineteenth century German composer Robert Schumann makes the short list, along with silent Indian guru Meher Baba. The sway of female voices like Joni Mitchell’s can be felt in West’s blue notes and soprano sweeps, but it’s the mood-crafting style of Stevie Nicks and Imogen Heap that spice up the live show. “I try to keep any and all things I want to do as a possibility,” she says—from quieting a crowd to donning a hairpiece. “To me, it’s like I am my own brand. Whatever I do is myself. If I’m always honest in that, from the way I dress to the way I make a hand-made card for someone, then whatever I do is my own aesthetic.”

That artistry surfaces palpably in her outfits. West, who was born and raised near Cullowhee, admits to brooding over what she wears to a show, her clothing reflective of her mood. (She gets many retro-inspired items at Asheville’s Minx Boutique, where she also works as a bookkeeper.) That mood is what the singer hopes to share with her audience. “I can’t really play without being able to connect with everyone,” she notes.

West started recording her second album a few weeks ago, teaming up with well-known local performers like Jar-e’s Jon Reid and Michael Libramento of Stephanie’s Id. As for her live-show milieu, she reveals, “I’m not just going to offer my songs in a bland setting because that doesn’t seem fair to them.” One of her favorite stages is Bo Bo Gallery, the small but decidedly ambient art bar central to the local singer/songwriter scene. That musical genre, by the way, is seeing a big resurgence. “I think this is a new life for music because of the crumbling of the industry,” West muses. The genuine-ness of her material and do-it-yourself initiative are a sign of the times. “The days of the pop star are over,” the singer says. Now it’s her time to shine.