Andrea Shelly’s “Tear It Down” Named December “Best Song Of The Month”

Andrea Shelly, a rock/pop songwriter based in Wasilla, Alaska (near Anchorage), has won the SongwriterUniverse “Best Song Of The Month” Contest for December, for her song, “Tear It Down.” This song is included on Shelly’s EP, On The Ground, which she released independently in October (2022).

“Tear It Down” is a compelling song that blends rock, country and blues music. The highlight is the song’s chorus, which has a strong hook, and features expressive lead and harmony vocals. This is recording was expertly produced by Shelly and Tyler Rifley of North Heart Studio in Anchorage, and it presents Shelly playing guitar and piano, with lead guitar by Will Ingram.

Shelly is originally from the south side of Chicago, where she started writing songs at age 15, and began playing local gigs as a teenager. When she was 19, she made her way to Northern California, and then she moved north to Eugene, Oregon, where she attended the University of Oregon. Musically, she was inspired early on by listening to such favorite artists as Jackson Browne and Patty Griffin, and more recently to writer/producer Luke Laird, and artists Neko Case and First Aid Kit.

After graduating from college, Shelly moved to Alaska, where she continues to write songs, record, and perform live. Interestingly, she has also become a professional pilot, and earned her commercial flight rating in Alaska.

This year (2022), Shelly has been very busy with her music career. Notably, she has released two EPs: Silver Moon (which contains her song “Good Stuff”), and On The Ground (which includes “Tear It Down”).

Shelly explains how she wrote “Tear It Down.” “It took me years to finish writing this song. I started writing it 10 years ago, and it evolved recently. The song is about growth in a small town, and it’s also about tearing down nature. There was a street I was living on which was a dirt road, and then they paved it. I believe that change is inevitable, but we can work with nature [and protect the environment].”

Currently, Shelly is promoting her two EPs, and she’s been recording a full album that she’ll release next year. She’s also putting a band together, and she’ll be playing live shows in Alaska, and her goal is to launch a concert tour on the west coast (Washington, Oregon, California).

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Dale Kawashima

Dale Kawashima is the Head of SongwriterUniverse and a music journalist. He’s also a music publishing exec who has represented the song catalogs of Michael Jackson, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Motown Records.

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