Ana Popovic has recalled how she resisted early attempts from promoters who wanted her to invite friends to her shows.
She was determined to keep her social circle distant from her fledgling career – to the point that she didn’t encourage companions to show an interest.
Popovic tells the Huffington Post: “I always wanted to keep those worlds separate. I had friends through guitar lessons and we would hang out and listen to blues.
“But my school friends, I never wanted to force the blues on to them. It was really just my world. When I started to play in clubs they’d ask me to invite my friends, but I never did. I never talked about what I do.”
She received an early start from her father Milton, a blues afficianado, which eventually resulted in the pair recording duet album Blue Room together.
Popovic says: “I would go to night clubs to listen to the blues bands – I was 12 or 13 at the time, so I could listen to the first two songs, then it would be time to go home.
“My father was really supportive. He would drive me there, wait for me, and drive me back, just so I could hear some blues. I really started to listen at home because he had such a large collection of blues records. I also listened to him jam with friends – I thought it was an excellent way to spend a Sunday evening.”
Popovic tours North America from January to March, then returns to Europe. Blue Room is on sale now.
