BROWNSTOWN
Claudia Hoyser has received “tons of love and shares” on Facebook for her weekly video series.
It caught the attention of Brownstown/Ewing Main Street board member Megan VanLiew.
After seeing a “Claudia’s Classic Country Covers” video, VanLiew reached out to Hoyser to see if she would like to be the second act of the Brownstown Summer Concert Series.
VanLiew was happy to hear “yes.”
“Her blend of traditional and modern country sound is very easy to listen to,” VanLiew said. “She is young, but she appeals to a wide audience. I’m excited to see her perform in Brownstown. Hopefully, everyone is ready to watch a superstar in the making.”
Hoyser said it was great to hear from VanLiew.
“I have to thank our recent surge of Facebook activity for that one,” the 23-year-old singer-songwriter said. “I try to put my own spin on these incredibly classic songs, and people seem to be enjoying them.”
Friday’s show, which goes from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at Heritage Park, 121 E. Walnut St., Brownstown, will be Hoyser’s first time playing in Indiana.
“I couldn’t be more excited,” she said. “I love meeting new people, experiencing new places and trying new food. I hope I can leave a great impression on Brownstown because it would be great to come back again.”
The concert is free, but Pewter Hall and On Target BBQ will have food and drinks available for purchase. People may bring lawn chairs to the event, which will be conducted rain or shine.
The inaugural concert series is organized by Brownstown/Ewing Main Street, and Friday’s show is sponsored by Carl and Jenny Shake.
Hoyser is originally from Fairport, New York, and now lives in Rochester.
She said she has been singing and writing songs for as long as she can remember.
“But I never imagined it would turn into a full-time career for me,” she said. “It was when I met my manager, Tony Gross, about four years ago that my dream started becoming a reality.”
Despite a 34-year age difference, Gross’ extensive experience in the music industry has blended well with Hoyser’s drive to become an indie modern country artist.
Together, they have written more than 100 songs.
“I like to think of songwriting as our superpower,” Hoyser said. “There’s something magical about piecing the right words and melodies together until you hit that moment when you’ve got something moving, whether it’s happy, sad or even dance-worthy. We are always looking for a spare moment to write another.”
She will have some copies of her five-song EP, “Steam,” available for purchase during the show. It’s also available on Spotify and iTunes. One of the songs, “What Kinda Man,” reached No. 58 on the Music Row Country Breakout Charts.
She recently released her third single from that album, “Drinkin’ with the Boys.”
“Radio is something we hoped for but weren’t expecting to happen so fast,” she said.
When she’s not performing, she is in the studio working on her first full-length album, “Red Light’s Turning Green.”
“I think that modern country music should be rooted,” she said. “I think it’s very important for not only singing but instrumentally to be somewhat reminiscent of that classic style. To date, we’ve kept everything very organic and haven’t used any autotune or computer-generated instruments on the record.”
She plans to release the album sometime this year.
“We won’t set a release date until it is ready, so however long it takes,” she said. “It has been hard keeping it all a secret, but I can promise, you will know about it when it comes out.”
Those attending Friday’s show can expect to hear some “Hoyser country,” she said.
“We will do a big mix of songs, from originals and modern country to the classics,” Hoyser said. “My guitar player will be using effects to make us sound a little bigger than your average acoustic duo.”
Singing isn’t Hoyser’s only talent. She also is an actress.
“Acting is something I always wanted to try, and after a director met with us about using some of our music in his film, he asked if I wanted to play a small role,” Hoyser said. “Look and listen for me in the Sony Provident film ‘Wildflower’ on Netflix. It was a blast. I’m looking forward to future roles. The director of that film recently asked if I was interested in a prominent role in an upcoming film.”
Hoyser said she will continue to embrace the opportunity to use her talents and creativity in music and acting.
“I love it,” she said. “Singing and acting were always considered my favorite hobbies, but I never thought I’d get to do them for life. Now, I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
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What: Second show of the Brownstown Summer Concert Series
When: 7 to 9:30 p.m. Friday (rain or shine)
Where: Heritage Park, 121 E. Walnut St., Brownstown
Who: Indie modern country artist Claudia Hoyser
Cost: Free; Pewter Hall and On Target BBQ will have food and drinks available for purchase
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The other acts this year are Six Ways to Sunday on June 15 and U4IA Band on July 3.
Individuals, businesses, organizations or industries interested in being a sponsor for the shows may contact a Brownstown/Ewing Main Street board member via facebook.com/btownewingmain.
The July 3 concert will include kid-friendly activities and fireworks.
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