Ahead of Wednesday's show at First Avenue that featured Jagjaguwar lablemate Justin Vernon, Sharon Van Etten stopped by The Current to play songs off her latest record, Are We There. Between songs, host Jilly Riley asked Sharon about the story behind the stunning "Taking Chances" video. After taking a spill on slippery ice and spraining her ankle, Van Etten had a tarot card reading in New York City that inspired the video's imagery. Sharon has had her aura read, too. Conclusion? She needs more sleep, but her heart is always full even when times are tough.

Though rest is hard to come by when you live in a city that never sleeps. Sharon Van Etten — or Sharon Van Halen, as she goes by on early demo tapes — moved to New York ten years ago after Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio fame and other friends encouraged her to move to the city to jumpstart her career as a musician.

And it's her bandmates that keep her going. Guitarist Doug Keith pushed Sharon (in a friendly, not fiery way) when she first stepped foot in Williamsburg, and it was Heather Woods Broderick that first introduced Sharon to the omnichord that has become a key component of her sound. Thanks to her, Sharon is now a notable user on the omnichord Wikipedia page next to Brian Eno, Damon Albarn and Jim James. Sharon has opened up to harmonizing because of Heather, too. Prior to Are We There, Van Etten only harmonized with her own vocals and reveals that this is the first time she's felt comfortable with another vocalist since her Mini Singers choir days in elementary school.

She's come a long way since then. In 2012, after the release of Tramp, Sharon fulfilled a lifelong dream of meeting John Cale. He and Sharon were on the same taping of Later... with Jools Holland. After the show, Cale asked Van Etten to play a Nico tribute, which she of course agreed to. Whether or not John knows Tramp's album art is a homage to the Velvet Underground's Fear is still a mystery.

Listen to the full in-studio to hear host Jill Riley chat with Sharon about how the Everly Brothers shaped her voice, what it was like recording the album at Hobo Sound with Stewart Lerman, who shares the studio space with punk legend Patti Smith, and what is was like playing on Electric Lady Studio's grand piano for the album's ballads.

Songs Performed

"Taking Chances"
"Tarifa"
"I Love You But I'm Lost"

All songs off Sharon Van Etten's new album, Are We There, out now on Jagjaguwar.

Hosted by Jill Riley
Produced by Jade
Engineered by Mike DeMark

Brad Cook
Doug Keith
Heather Woods Broderick
Darren Jesse