Minnesota singer-songwriter Annie Mack’s EP, “Testify,” mixes blues, country, rock and soul. It’s a beautiful combination.

Host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Mack ahead of her two shows at the Minnesota State Fair, Monday, Aug. 29 and Tuesday, Aug. 30.

The following transcript has been edited for length and clarity. Click the audio player above to listen to their conversation.

Tell me a little bit about Walking Around, the song.

I wanted to write a love song that was for myself and to encourage other women to think about ourselves in a loving way. I think on the radio and just kind of what we're accustomed to, we hear a lot of love songs about somebody else. How cool would it be to write about myself with my head in the clouds, it'd be kind of mushy. I'm not the most mushy person, but I took a stab at being kind of whimsical and loving and romantic just with myself — what would it feel like to just have these really great things to say and just to take some ownership of my own path and journey and to be grateful for that.

What does that feel like?

It feels really good. I was thinking about the words of what I wanted to say to myself and then also make it accessible to others. Like, for instance, there's a line that says “I'm not giving my energy no more to what no longer serves me.” I'm choosing to let things go, just really speaking edification to my spirit and honoring my journey. And that it’s not perfect, and it's mine. I get to claim it.

You started production on this EP in February of 2020 but you went back into the studio to finish it after George Floyd was murdered. What was that like?

It was powerful, humbling, beautiful, intense — it was really important to me to create something that was beautiful and Black from Minnesota. And it was really important to me to honor my contribution to liberation, my contribution to encouragement and my contribution to my own way of saying, you know, as a Black woman, I am here and I won't be silenced by violence and murder. And so it was my own declaration, my own militancy if you will.

You grew up in Minneapolis. Now you're based in Rochester. So that was a fairly big move, right?

I went to school at the Minnesota Bible College. At that time, I was going to school to study Christianity and spirituality, and I thought I was going to be a missionary worker and all these things. And I ended up staying, it was a very big change of scenery. I think it was important for me to kind of get out of my environment.

Has the move been positive for you?

It was a really hard adjustment. At first, there weren't a lot of people of color or a lot of Black people. It was not the established city that it is now, it's come a long ways. As a matter of fact, I don't even think the buses ran after 6 p.m. and this is a place that has the Mayo Clinic and IBM and it was not accessible to me.

Can I ask you about your musical influences?

I love truth tellers. I love people that push the envelope in their innovation and creativity. So I'm a big fan of Taj Mahal and Etta James and Ray Charles. Individuals that can kind of do everything. And then you know, I love Valerie June and Ruthie Foster. You know, these are some of my favorite artists that just kind of pay attention to,

The Star Tribune, as you know, called you, Minnesota's heir to the Mavis Staples throne, which I thought was actually a very apt description of you, but what do you think of it?

I have a good sized ego on me, but I'm not foolish. I struggle with that tremendously, especially if I'm on the same lineup, which did happen when I was down in Florida. But you know, I'm honored. I walk in those realms of a truth teller but I have my own distinctive voice and delivery. But you know, I am so inspired by her, but I made sure to do my own thing.

I was also really pleased to see that you were on the Star Tribune list this past February of 10, current black Minnesota musicians you need to know.

I am so grateful. I'm grateful that I need to show up and that's good enough. It’s just really beautiful, it speaks to my spirit. And just to continue, you know, showing up. I tried to play the game, whatever that is, for a while and it didn't feel right. It wasn't authentic. I love all kinds of music. I love pushing myself as an artist, I'm inspired by these local peers, whom I've come to respect and just really admire. And so it's always an honor and privilege to be here to share space with creatives.

Now, I mentioned to folks that you have got to State Fair shows this week. So what should people expect?

It's gonna be hot, sweaty, soulful, loud — we are here to take care of business, we are here to handle it. We do not phone it in. We really try every show, maybe the first song or two I'm going to ease into it but then after that, I'm the hot sweaty mess. And I love that, I love that we have a reputation for being live performers and that really means a lot to me.

And there's an art to that. There's an art to live performance.

I mean to engage and to tell stories and to know what to do with your energy and your stamina that comes with time. I work with amazing musicians and it feels good to get hired to do my thing. Eighty percent of songs we do are all originals. And I'm so incredibly grateful for that. In the covers we do our own obscure things to pay respect. When people hire me or they want to work with me, they know exactly where they're getting.

Do you have anything you’re looking forward to?

Yes, I am excited about live music I do have some really cool opportunities. We're just going to continue to have a good time and show up and work on an album in the fall and winter.

Subscribe to the Minnesota Now podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.  

We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast. When ready they will appear here. 

This story originally published on the MPR News website.