Ava Earl is Too Much

The phrase, “Ava, you are a lot,” has been a familiar refrain in the life of Alaska singer-songwriter Ava Earl. Uttered with loving amusement by her parents, mild frustration by more than one teacher, and joyful admiration by a few key mentors, this notion of “being a lot” is at the heart of her latest studio album, fittingly titled, Too Much

Earl is currently a junior at Northwestern University, located just outside of Chicago, where she’s channeling her near boundless energy into a packed schedule of academics, athletics, and of course, music. Her studies include political science, critical theory, and creative writing. Before and after class, she’s also racking up some serious mileage as a member of the school’s NCAA Division-I cross country running and track teams. Somewhere in there, she also writes music. 

How does she make it all work? “Really, I think this is just the way I’m wired,” she says. “I’ve been balancing school, running, and music since I was about ten. The stakes are obviously higher now—and I definitely get stressed at times, but running and music have always been my two biggest loves, so taking both of these things to a higher level makes me incredibly happy.” 

Last fall, Earl was one of seven Northwestern runners who helped the team qualify for the cross-country national meet. It was the first time the team made it to nationals in 20 years. That’s the kind of success Earl hopes to mirror with Too Much. “I honestly do see a lot of similarities in this trajectory,” she explains. “We made it to nationals because we put in the work, we had the support of our coaches, families, and friends, and we believed in our potential. I feel that exact way about my music right now.” 

Having opened for the likes of Maggie Rogers while still in high school and releasing four albums by the time she was 18, Earl has already solidified herself in the Americana scene as an emerging artist. She made a big step up in 2021 with her album The Roses, produced by GRAMMY-nominated JT Nero. Well received by Americana UK, Holler, and American Songwriter, several songs were featured on Spotify editorial playlists, with “Mountain Song” amassing more than 100,000 streams. 

Too Much continues on this path. Produced by JUNO-winner Zachariah Hickman and recorded at Great North Sound Society in Maine, the album champions a new sound––one that breaks away from previous recordings while staying close to Earl’s unique writing style. Rooted in lyrical rock, there are tracks that evoke the pop sounds of Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, and Gracie Abrams, while others hint at Americana artists Phoebe Bridgers, Elliott Smith, and Laura Marling. Thematically, the album takes us through Earl’s journey of early adulthood, including the concept of being “too much.” 

“Women are often told or made to feel like we are too much,” Earl says. “We are too much for our surroundings, too much for our peers, too much for our own good. We are supposed to wait our turn, couch our ideas in questions, and just be small. That’s never worked out for me. From a young age, I have been labeled ‘too much’ and I know from experience, I couldn’t be less if I tried. This album works through those feelings of being too much—both for others and sometimes for myself.” 

The title track, “Too Much,” tackles this duality head-on. Written in the aftermath of COVID shutdowns and her experience of sudden and permanent single-sided deafness, the deceivingly upbeat tune confronts her hearing loss anxieties, which are purely internal, as well as her romantic insecurities, which are far more external. 

In “Ears Bleed” the concept of “too much” turns wholly inward. “After going deaf in my right ear, I was left with emotions that took months to unravel, sort, and explain. Six months in, I thought I had come to a semblance of peace when this song tumbled out of me, surprising me with a pain that was still so palpable,” she says. 

Songs about being too much for others tend to have more bite. That’s certainly the case with “Better Than,” and “The Things You Said,” where Earl works through old feelings of being too eager and too earnest, labels that she says used to make her feel embarrassed, but today she wears with pride. 

“I am too much, and I don’t think that will change,” she states. “But I do hope that this album can show other women and girls like me that being too much is actually a wonderful thing.”

Videos

Albums

Singles

Too Much - August 2023

Ears Bleed - August 2023

Jealous of Her - July 2023

Acronyms - June 2023

Photos

Media

Press from too much

Alaska Public Media
October 2023: State of Art: Singer-songwriter Ava Earl explores new sonic space with ‘Too Much’

Turnagain News 
October 2023: Girdwood's Ava Earl Releases New Album, Helps Power Northwestern U Running Team

Clout
October 2023: ‘Resist You’ is a Thoughtful and Lyrically-Driven New Release From Ava Earl

Roadie Music
September 2023: Aprecie Novo Single De Ava Earl: “Resist You”

Lefuturewave
September 2023: Ava Earl – Resist You

Black is the New AP Style
September 2023: The Moment I Knew I Wanted To Make Music: Ava Earl

Glide Magazine
August 2023: SONG PREMIERE: Ava Earl Offers Unique Pop & Folk Twist On Expansive “Too Much”

Global Pop Magazine
August 2023: AVA EARL: un viaje de introspección y auto reconciliación con “Ears Bleed” 

Caesar Live N Loud
August 2023: Ava Earl Shares New Single ‘Ears Bleed’

Iggy Magazine
August 2023: Ava Earl enchante avec son single émouvant ‘Ears Bleed’ qui raconte son parcours face à la surdité

Country Queer
August 2023: CQ CORRAL: AVA EARL – “EARS BLEED”

Femmusic.com
August 2023: Ava Earl – Ears Bleed 

Somos Grandes
August 2023: Descubrimientos Semanales: Alternative Indie, Pop, Soul Y Más.

The Honey Pop
August 2023: 3 Early 2000s Characters Who Would Love 'Ears Bleed' by Ava Earl

Chorus.fm
August 2023: Ava Earl – “Ears Bleed” (Song Premiere)

Music For The Misfits
July 2023: July Roundup

Grimy Goods
July 2023: Artists You Should Know: Ava Earl Struggles To Not Be “Jealous of Her” On New Single

buffaBLOG
July 2023: Ava Earl – “Jealous of Her”

Visual Atelier 8
July 2023: Ava Earl – Jealous of Her

Podcart
July 2023: Ava Earl: ‘Jealous of Her’

She Makes Music
July 2023: Ava Earl releases new single ‘Jealous Of Her’

Dusty Organ
July 2023: Indie Singer-Songwriter Ava Earl Deals With Unrequited Love On New Single “Jealous Of Her”

Roadie Music
July 2023: Jealous of Her – “Ciumes Dela!! Conheca o Novo Hit de Ava Earl

R+
July 2023: Ava Earl presenta el sencillo «Jealous of Her» (EE.UU.)

UpToHear
July 2023: Ava Earl - “Jealous of Her”

Northwestern Now
April 2023: From the trail to the stage, Ava Earl is in perpetual motion

The Daily Northwestern
January 2023: A conversation with Ava Earl, Northwestern singer-songwriter and romantic

press from the roses

North by Northwestern
June 2022: Ava Earl: The New Sound of Music 

The Daily Northwestern
May 2022: Singer-songwriter Ava Earl learns to smell the roses with her latest album

Americana UK
August 2021: Album Review: Ava Earl "The Roses"

WUSB 90.1 FM, Stony Brook NY 
December 2021: DJ and Editor Album Picks for 2021

Holler.
July 2021: Staff Picks Album Review: Ava Earl - The Roses

Anchorage Daily News
July 2021: Six female artists from Alaska to add to your summer playlist 

The Bluegrass Situation
July 2021: LISTEN: AVA EARL, “NEW LIGHT” 

Holler.
July 2021: New Artist of the Week: Ava Earl

American Songwriter
July 2021: Daily Discovery: Ava Earl Sets Patriarchy On Fire With “Chaos”

Anchorage Press
July 2021: Ava Earl: A Story of Americana

Underground Music Collective
July 2021: Premiere: Ava Earl releases Title Track from "The Roses"

Amplify Music Magazine
June 2021: PREMIERE // AVA EARL’s single/music video for ‘Mountain Song’

Red Line Roots
May 2021: Singled Out: Ava Earl "Springtime"  

Underground Music Collective
May 2021: Premiere: Ava Earl Enchants us with 'Cimorene'

Guitar Girl Magazine
April 2021: Young Singer-songwriter from Alaska, Ava Earl, On Her New Single “Forever Girl”

The Boot
April 2021: Ava Earl Isn’t Your ‘Forever Girl’ in New Song [Exclusive Premiere]

Anchorage Daily News 
May 2020: AK Quarantunes: Ava Earl performs 'All the Promises'

Anchorage Press
Feb 2020: Ava Earl: A Story of Alaskana | Meet Ava Earl | A Look Back: Ava Earl's Am I Me Yet?

radio and podcasts

Live at EXT | WEXT Radio
June 2022: Ava Earl is Running for the Roses

Sound Source Podcast (The Daily Northwestern)
May 2022: Deep Dive: Ava Earl

Songsurfing Podcast (Chicago)
October 2021: Episode 24: music by Theory of Why, Sugar House, Ava Earl, Sick Day, Salvatge Cor, and BEAU SEJØUR

Country Pocket WUSB 
August 2021: Ava Earl "The Roses Interview"

Alaska Teen Media Institute (Anchorage)
July 2021: Zoom Room: Episode 20 - Singer/Songwriter Ava Earl  

Store

The Roses: CD
  • The Roses: CD

The Roses: CD

In cart Not available Out of stock
$15.00

Ava's 4th studio album, recorded in February 2020 at the Henhouse Studio in Nashville, TN. Produced by JT Nero.

Read more…
Am I Me Yet?: CD
  • Am I Me Yet?: CD

Am I Me Yet?: CD

In cart Not available Out of stock
$15.00

Ava's 3rd studio album, recorded at the Hallowed Halls studio in Portland, OR. Co-produced by Hawkins Wright and Ava Earl.

Read more…
ava earl: CD
  • ava earl: CD

ava earl: CD

In cart Not available Out of stock
$15.00

Ava's first studio album, recorded at the Hallowed Halls studio in Portland, OR. Co-produced by Hawkins Wright and Ava Earl.

Read more…
"The Roses" Title T-Shirt
  • "The Roses" Title T-Shirt
  • "The Roses" Title T-Shirt
  • "The Roses" Title T-Shirt

"The Roses" Title T-Shirt

Color

Size

Range:

In cart Not available Out of stock
$25.00
"The Roses" Album Art T-Shirt
  • "The Roses" Album Art T-Shirt
  • "The Roses" Album Art T-Shirt
  • "The Roses" Album Art T-Shirt

"The Roses" Album Art T-Shirt

Color

Size

Range:

In cart Not available Out of stock
$25.00

"The Roses" album art on your shirt! All options are Bella Canvas unisex.

Read more…
"The Roses" Sticker
  • "The Roses" Sticker

"The Roses" Sticker

In cart Not available Out of stock
$5.00

4" die-cut "The Roses" stickers that your water bottle needs! Get two for $5.

Read more…

Contact

Management: 
Abbie Duquette | Loudmouth Management | abbie@loudmouthmgmt.com

Booking:
Denis Grabill | Black Oak Artists | denis@blackoakartists.com