Ava Rush is a singer-songwriter on the rise, creating x pop-country music while studying at Berklee College of Music. Rush spoke with NYOTA about her creative process, upcoming projects, and what Berklee has taught her.

When did your love for music begin? Have you always known that you wanted to be a singer?

My love of music started at a young age. I grew up watching Hannah Montana and singing and dancing around the house. In middle school, I was in choir, and I was always the first one to volunteer for a solo; any chance to sing, I was after it. I have always written my own songs, but during COVID that’s all I did. I would wake up, take my remote online classes, and then write songs until two or three in the morning, and that was my routine every day for over a year. Since I was little, I have always dreamed of performing on big stages with people singing my songs back and connecting to my lyrics.

More specifically, what sparked your interest in pop-country music?

I really love the storytelling within country music. I love setting the scene and then enhancing it with a clever hook or a twist that pulls people in. The instrumentation also really intrigues me: in my band, I have a pedal steel player and a banjo player, and it just feels right. They bring another element and sound that takes the production of my songs to a new world. 

You’re originally from New York and are currently studying music in Boston. Has navigating the East Coast music scene been challenging?

Being at Berklee has helped me grow as a musician tremendously. Being around the best musicians 24/7 not only sparks me creatively, but also pushes me to always keep growing as a writer, singer, and artist. The East Coast music scene, specifically Boston, is good but small. After I graduate, I am excited to move to Nashville. I visited Nashville for the first time a few months ago, and the opportunities there are endless. When I visited, I saw how strong the community is and all the venues that I will play.

What opportunities has Berklee College of Music offered that have helped guide you toward your career goals? In what ways has attending Berklee already given you an advantage as an artist?

Being at Berklee is so different from attending any other college. Not only am I in classes learning, but every day I am also working on my career and developing my skills. My day-to-day consists of going to class, recording sessions, writing sessions, rehearsals, practicing, networking, etc. The list can go on forever and that’s what I love about it; I am so eager to work towards my career that I make sure every second of my day is planned to meet my goals. Most people go to college, then build their careers, but at Berklee, we do both at once. The thing I love most about Berklee is the community it creates. The people I am writing with now will be the people I write with when I move to Nashville and when I visit LA and New York. All of my friends are taking on the music industry, and the understanding and support we have for each other will last beyond our Berklee experience. 

Every artist has a different approach to songwriting and music production. Can you walk us through your creative process for a song? 

Every time I write a song, the creative process is so different, which is exactly what I love about it. Sometimes I will be talking with my friends, and they will say a phrase or a word that I find intriguing, and then I’ll write based on that title or lyric idea. Other times it will be midnight, and as I’m trying to fall asleep, I will run to my phone and quickly record a melody that popped into my head, while also not trying to wake my roommate up. That’s the fun thing about songwriting; it’s so different and personal each time you sit down to write. Within the past year, I have grown to love collaboration. Writing with writers at my college that I admire has led to some of my best songs yet. As an artist, it’s my job to have the idea and concept, but when you work with other amazing writers who believe in your ideas and support you, magic can be made that you wouldn’t have been able to do all by yourself. 

Are your songs mostly inspired by personal experiences from your childhood and younger years, or do you tend to write more about recent experiences? 

Almost all of my songs are inspired by my recent experiences. I love telling my story through a song while also incorporating clever, funny lyrics. I used to get nervous about how personal my writing is and if the person the song is about would know, but now I think it’s the most fun part of the process. I love using a guy’s name in the song in a clever way that no one else would understand but me and the person it’s about. It always turns into an inside joke between my friends and me.

You performed at Bills Bar on May 5th for your final show of the semester, showcasing several original songs. Is there a song you performed that holds a special meaning for you?

Playing my songs live will always hold a special part of my heart. Playing my songs with my band brings another life and a different kind of energy to the songs. My song “You Don’t Deserve My Love” is one of my favorites to play live. It’s a slower song about realizing that although you really want it to work with someone, they simply don’t deserve all that you have to offer. When I play it, it makes me reflect on that time in my life and how I felt during the writing process. It was one of those songs where it all just flowed out of me. Another song I love playing live is my song “Never Trust A Man,” it’s a blues rock song that’s upbeat with cheeky lyrics. I also find it funny cause my band consists of all guys, and handing out the chart with the title always gives me a good laugh. 

As you continue to grow as an artist, what upcoming projects or exciting news can you share with us?

Within the past year, I have been working on my debut album. Since being at Berklee, I have discovered exactly who I want to be and the world I want to create for my artist project. Although I am not from the South, my album will showcase how New York attitude meets Nashville storytelling. The songs pair playful, cheeky lyricism with a bold, self-assured presence to talk about my relationship experiences. The album twists the standard idea of what “country music” really is by adding my New York lifestyle throughout my visual brand identity. I can’t wait for people to hear all the songs I’ve worked so hard on within the past year and to bring them into my world.