By Cully Schneider
Santa Claritan and singer/songwriter Savannah Burrows burst onto the country music scene in 2016 after winning SCV’s 35th Nationwide Country Showdown with a performance in front of over 8,000 guests.
Later that year, at July’s Concerts in the Park, Savannah wowed the crowd of 15,000 with her own unique twist on contemporary country and pop music.
Ever since the showdown and Concerts in the Park last summer, Savannah finds her calendar filled with invitations to perform in the country music circuit. “I get calls every other day and I get to perform every weekend,” she explains. A few of these events include Veterans Day celebrations and performing for the Young Marines. Earlier this month she performed at Hart High School in a benefit concert for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. “To be able to be a voice for that and to be able to encourage people through my music and share that community aspect is truly incredible,” comments Burrows.
To add to her list of credits, Savannah opened for the Swon Brothers and played at the Bluebird Café in Nashville, the same café where a young Taylor Swift was discovered in 2005.
Burrows has long been inspired by the singer and songwriter. At eight years old she started writing her own music and asked her dad to allow her to take guitar lessons after attending Swift’s concert. It was after the concert that Savannah realized country music singing was her niche.
“For eight years, now I’m 16, I’ve just been working really hard and performing…” says Burrows. “When I was in the (Nationwide Country Showdown) competition and then I won it; it was thrilling and it was humbling because it taught me that there was still a lot for me to learn. And it showed the competition aspect…It was a different experience, you know. I was being judged for who I was and that was really cool. Being able to win it was a great accomplishment and ever since then life has been pretty great.”
In addition to her successes over the last year, Savannah’s ties to her community have instilled in her a sense of pride and accomplishment. She hopes to be a positive role model for young fans and would like to inspire them in the same way that her role model Taylor swift inspires fans.
“I write about love. I write about the experiences I go through with boys – also with friends and family. My first song was called ‘I know G-d will protect me’ and I was about 7 or 8 years old and I was in the car on the way to the beach with my mom – my dad was going to meet us there…I was so joyous…”
Savannah’s early inspiration comes from her musically-inclined family. Mom was a music major at the University of Madison Wisconsin. She did a lot of studio work and performances back in her college days. Her dad co-writes.
Burrows loves to perform for ever larger crowds, introducing her original music to fans of all ages.
Savannah is hoping that next year her first album will be released. “We are traveling to Nashville regularly, making sure our songs are submitted properly for copyright and maintaing the musical relationships we have formed.”
“Things are cooking, things are cooking,” repeats Savannah. “It’s in the development process and now things are going full gear – more gigs, more performances, and that’s when people will first hand hear my music.”
Until then, fans can view her performances on her website or catch her live soon at Santa Clarita Valley’s newly opened dinner and live music venue The Canyon, located at the Westfield Valencia Town Center. Savannah is honored to be opening for legend Petula Clark. “She is so talented and to be able to open up for her – you know my parents loved her…I can’t wait and I am so fortunate,” says Burrows. “I can’t wait to show people what I got and to be able to meet her. She is such an inspiring figure.”
