Songwriter, singer, and guitarist Anna Faye Caldwell with her drummer and producer Mark Everetts have created a familiar yet distinct sound in a short amount of time. When Caldwell relocated to Fort Wayne from Indianapolis two years ago, the duo formed and wrote their first EP and established themselves as a bright and forward band that isn’t shy about their style or their message.

“We unapologetically try to be who we are and want to live life being a light for others,” Caldwell said.

“With the first album specifically, I wanted to offer songs of hope and encouragement. The song ‘Demons’ is talking about how we sometimes let the negative voices in our head tell us we’re not good enough but we shouldn’t give in and listen to those negative thoughts, but to believe in ourselves. ‘Come Alive’ is also a song that I hope tells people to feel free to be themselves and not try to hide or change who they are.

“These themes of hope and encouragement will continue into future works. As cliché as it sounds, spreading positivity, encouragement, and acceptance is a main goal for us as people, something that connects us as a band, and likely will always be a part of the music,” Caldwell said.

Morphing from Punk to Rock

Like a lot of musicians and bands, Anna Faye’s debut into music yielded a much different style than what it is currently progressing into. For Caldwell and Everetts, that sound has morphed from pop punk into a more even indie-based genre that feels more at home and genuine.

“With our first EP Don’t Bite Your Tongue, we were pretty focused on a pop-punk sound,” she said. “Currently what I’m writing seems to be leaning more toward rock or indie though. I think for that first release I was too focused on what I wanted each song to sound like. I unintentionally put myself in a box.

“This time around, I’m just working on writing whatever comes naturally and authentically. I always want what comes out of me to be honest and true to how I feel.

“Right now I am just letting the writing happen and letting it come naturally with no style or genre in mind. I don’t want that to limit my creativity when writing. However, in addition to the indie/punk/rock mentioned before, you might hear more pop and hip-hop influences show up on our next release. We are both excited about being open right now and just seeing where everything takes us.”

Angsty and Mature

Anna Faye’s music is angsty and mature at the same time. It sounds young but much clearer and measured than most budding artists who have a similar sound. It’s got enough attitude, grit, and most important, talent, to bypass any harsh judgment or opinion.

“My favorite thing when listening to new music is connecting with it, hearing that line that gives me hope or makes me sad even,” Caldwell said. “Those moments made me love music. I hope that a theme in my music is just humanity and if you have emotions, you can connect with my music in some way. I hope my music is inspiring and allows our humanity to connect us all.

“Sometimes though, inspiration just comes out of nowhere. I could be getting ready for bed, then one thought pops into my head and starts a song idea. Or I could be binge-watching something on Netflix and have the same type of thing happen. I try to keep my creative side open and continually practice something creative whether it be music, art or just learning something new. Doing these things help me stay creative.”

Following in the steps of other leading women like Kendra Johnson from The Snarks, Caldwell gives enough attitude to stand out but not seem adamant about doing so on purpose. Their voices are a welcome break from a male-driven sound that is unavoidable to some extent, especially in a local music scene. With voices like theirs cutting through, it’s an inspiration without any purposeful intention to be.

Producing music, playing shows

While Anna Faye has accomplished some of their goals, like playing the final Warped Tour in Noblesville and Middle Waves this past summer, they are still working hard to produce music and play shows.

Ticking boxes on the goal list doesn’t have to slow you down. It can add a momentum that otherwise would be lost.

“Currently we are in the writing and recording process and hoping to get two projects out this year,” Caldwell said. “We will be playing shows here and there so keep an eye out for show announcements. This year we would like to do a few more mid-sized summer festivals, do a one or two-week tour going south or east, and slowly start to cover a larger region outside the state that we play regularly.”

You can find Anna Faye’s music on all your typical streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. You can also find out more at www.annafaye.com.