Abigail Fierce is a 20-year-old singer songwriter and actress. I live in LA as a starving creative (because Hollywood really needs more of those.) I write & play all of the instruments on my tracks, which are available on all streaming platforms. Interview conducted June 14, 2021
By Dan Locke
Under the name Abigail Killmeier, I’ve been on Hulu’s Love Victor, Netflix’s American Vandal, ABC’s American Housewife, and Hannah Stocking’s The Set Up. If you have any songs, you’d like me to cover…don’t be shy & just ask:)
What is your upbringing?
I grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. When I would tell my parents that I wanted to be an actor, they would tell me “It’s pronounced doctor!” But my mom and I moved to Los Angeles, California, when I was 13 to pursue an acting career.
How did you discover music?
Both of my parents are pharmacists and we had periodic table placemats growing up. Music was not a thing in our house. It started with Hannah Montana when I was a kid and then I started listening to everything from folk to grunge and alternative rock.
How did you start to write music?
I’ve always loved to write, but I started writing music in middle school because I didn’t have many friends. I think it was a way for me to control my narrative when I felt like I didn’t have much control over the things that were happening to me or around me. In the 7th grade, I performed in a talent show and some girls laughed at me. I remember crying in the school bathroom when lyrics just started to appear in my mind. I went home and started writing my first song. I’ve always been a bit of a loner, so it was nice to finally have something to just dive into.
How did you get your first guitar, and do you still have it?
I had to beg my parents to buy me my first guitar and when they finally did, it quickly became the sound they’d hear for up to six hours every day. I still have it, but I don’t play it very often, because my parents had bought the cheapest one, they could find!
What is your guitar of choice now?
Year, make, and model? And does it have a name? I LOVE my Martin 000X1AE Acoustic! It’s named Alaska. When I’m in the studio, I love recording with a PRS SE Custom 22 Electric.
Describe your music.
Most of my songs are singer-songwriter indie pop, but my latest release “Scream It to the Whole World” is pop-punk/alternative rock. Lyrics are the most important part of any song to me, so I love music that tells a story no matter what the genre is. I listen to a wide variety of genres, so I think it only makes sense that my creativity would also come out in a wide variety of genres.
What was your first performance like?
When I was 15 years old, I played in front of about 300 people at a fancy party, but not a single person was listening, so let’s go with my second performance! I played open mic night at the legendary Bluebird Cafe in Nashville when I was 16 years old.
Do you belong to any songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI, or ASCAP?
Yes, I am a member of ASCAP.
What makes a good songwriter?
I think a good songwriter is someone who can channel their emotional experiences into words and music in a way that other people can relate to.
What was the title of your first original song?
Did you record it? It was called “Jealousy” and, no, I don’t think I’ll ever record it! (There was another song I wrote around the same time that might’ve been my first…it was called “Plaid Shirts, Ball Caps, Blue Eyes” and I might release it someday!
What’s your creative process like?
It’s different for every song, so I mostly just focus on trying to stay inspired. Usually for me, it starts with the words. Sometimes, I’ll just write pages of lyrics before deciding where to put them and how to shape the story together. Sometimes it starts while I’m just playing my guitar and suddenly, I’ll hear a melody over the chords I’m playing. In that case, I usually just sing gibberish until something clicks…or pour over the million notebooks of my lyrics I have lying around my house.
How was it to be picked up by PRS as Pulse Artist of 2021?
I was so excited! PRS is a great brand, so it’s an absolute honor for them to choose me to be a Pulse Artist.
Last year, you did a cover of a song from the bizarre Joe Exotic Tiger King Netflix show. Did you gain any new fans from the video?
Yes! During quarantine, I made a cover of Joe Exotic’s song “Here Kitty Kitty.” It was insane how that blew up. It was just a fun little video with an AMAZING guitar riff, and it got over 133,500 views across all platforms. It was just supposed to be a silly little video – I was dressed as Carole Baskin – but I was surprised by how much people enjoyed it! I still get comments from people saying “I followed you because of that Joe Exotic video, but now I love your original music!”
Tell me about the making of the music video for “Love You Right”?
I wrote, “Love You Right” based on the character I played on the Hulu series Love, Victor. I filmed the music video in autumn, so there is some beautiful scenery in that music video. There’s one shot where I’m sitting in a creek and let me tell you, that water was freezing cold! As you can tell from my videos, I love vintage cars. There are some shots with a 1946 CJ2A Jeep. There’s also a vintage VW bus in my “Some Sorta Goodbye” music video.
Tell me about your song “Scream it to the Whole World”?
“Scream It to the Whole World” is about something that happened to me in high school. I was close friends with a girl that I had romantic feelings for, and she said she liked me back, but publicly she didn’t want anyone to know, and publicly, she had a boyfriend. It was a hard thing to deal with at that age…really liking someone a lot for the first time and having them not want to be seen with you. As a member of the LGBT community, it means a lot for me to be able to release this during pride month.
How was it to record your music independently and play all the instruments on the track?
I love being able to record all of the instruments on my tracks! I’m a perfectionist, so I love being able to be hands-on in the studio. I pay a lot of attention to detail and I spend a lot of time tweaking and adding each layer until I’m happy with the track. I loved messing with all of the gritty guitar tones and my fingers actually bled in the studio while playing bass for this track! The drums were played by Victor Indrizzo. Shoutout to Victor Indrizzo (Alanis Morissette, Sheryl Crow, and Lizzo) for playing the drums on the track; he’s amazing.
What is your favorite track that you’ve released?
The latest single, “Scream It to the Whole World”, is hands down my favorite, but my song “Girl in the Mirror” is very special to me too. They both mean a lot to me.
Tell me about Evan Gamble, your mentor?
I wouldn’t be a recording artist if it weren’t for him. I met him when I was 14 and I would play him my songs and he would give me honest feedback, always pushing me to be better without squashing my creativity. When I was about 16, I remember him saying to me “So when’s the EP coming out?” and I had honestly never thought I’d be able to record my music independently until that moment.
What are your feelings about streaming music?
I think streaming platforms are really convenient and a great way for indie artists to get discovered.
Digital vs. vinyl?
I live in an apartment in LA and I don’t have enough space for a record player, so I’m going to have to go with digital! (I know some people are gonna be mad at me for that one!)
What song from the past is on your mind right now?
Moreover, what does that song mean to you? I always turn on “Mr. Brightside” by the Killers whenever I need a mood boost. I love how so many people know the lyrics to that song
You covered “Driver’s License” by Olivia Rodrigo. Why do you think so many artists have covered this song?
Olivia Rodrigo’s great. I think “Driver’s License” resonated with so many people because even if you haven’t been through what she’s singing about, her soaring emotional vocals make you understand it anyway.
If “Video Killed the Radio Star” do you think that the Covid-19 virus has killed live music?
Do you feel that the Covid-19 virus is going to affect live music in the future? I don’t think so. I think that as soon as it’s safe to do so, people will love going to concerts again and hearing music outside of their house.
Both. I think being stuck inside for a year has made a lot of artists able to record more of their music, but it’s definitely been bad for artists who were planning to tour.
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?
Writing and recording music, auditioning for more projects, and interacting with the fans of Love, Victor online. I also got really into exercising during 2020.
Tell me about your plans for acting?
Season 2 of Love, Victor just aired on June 11th, 2021. My character Wendy appears in episode 3 and I can’t wait to see how fans react to the new season.
How was it to film Love, Victor?
Love, Victor has one of the loveliest teams that I’ve ever worked with. I was originally cast in the pilot as “Accepting Girl” but the scene got cut. They asked me back to be a theater kid doing a monologue in class and then again to be one of the main character’s date to the prom. I’m honored to have been able to be a part of something as wonderful as Love, Victor.
How was the Mothman Festival?
Mothman Fest was canceled because of COVID, but the statue they have in Point Pleasant is stunning. I love Mothman so much.
How did you stay healthy during the lockdown?
I exercised a lot in 2020. I walked every day and did 5 YouTube workout videos almost every day. I missed going to real Pilates class
Have you discovered – or rediscovered – any new hobbies?
I turned my hobby into my career, so now I don’t have time for many other hobbies! I’ve been considering taking a dance class
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