Romance can blossom in a variety of ways and in the case of Amanda Bjorn and David Donaldson, their pairing evolved into the music project Bjorn and the Sun. There's a soulful glint to the rhythmic folk melodies that comprise their catalog. Their songs unfold as autobiographical odes to growing up and experiencing the wilds of life. Together they're modern day troubadours stomping around from coast to coast, leaving their home base in Los Angeles to weave across the States and record their latest release in Nashville, TN. Their creativity and spirit isn't confined to just making music either. Outside of the band, Amanda steps behind the lens as a professional photographer while David studied recording engineering with an eye on opening his own studio, plus is responsible for editing the super 8 footage for their latest video "Young and Restless." We spoke to frontwoman and one half of the group Amanda Bjorn about their beginnings and the path ahead.

Homebase: Los Angeles

How did you meet?

David and I met as seniors in college in Los Angeles. I used to put on art shows at the student art gallery and I was looking for a band to perform at one of the parties. David ended up playing at the show and soon after, we decided to go on a road trip up to San Francisco together. From the beginning, we both had a love for spontaneous adventures... talking to strangers, getting lost, harmonizing in the car, and being on the road.

We've been together four years, but we only just started writing and playing music together in the last year. 

Amanda, who do you take your vocal cues from? How did you start playing and performing music?

I grew up surrounded by all kinds of music and would sing in the school choir, on family road trips, in church, wherever and whenever. I was introduced to Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, Billie Holiday and Nina Simone at a young age so I spent a lot of time listening to the way they used breath and played with rhythm or how they chose to annunciate certain vowels.

I also did a lot of musical theatre growing up and ended up moving to Los Angeles after high school to pursue acting. I got myself into some trouble and took a break from the entertainment world. For the next six years, I focused on photography and art history and ended up in grad school for art. I was a bit miserable in school so I started learning guitar and writing songs as an escape. I started to crave that feeling of performing and so after I graduated, I focused my energy on music and moved to Nashville to make our EP! 

Who was in your record collection growing up?

My mother had a huge influence on me. She had a rotating list of records of Joni Mitchell, Carol King, Natalie Merchant, CSNY, Fleetwood Mac always playing loudly throughout the house. She took me to the Lillith Fair when I was about 11 and I remember thinking how badly I wanted to be Meredith Brooks. There was also a ton of blues, jazz, musical theatre, and gospel thrown in there.

You also do photography. How would you contrast photography and music? What does each passion fulfill in you?

It really depends on my mood! For me, photography has always been about my intense curiosity for other people...a reason to get to know someone better, or a way to document the faces I found fascinating or pleasing. I find it much more social than music.  Maybe because I'm new to it again, but sharing my voice and my thoughts are much more challenging.  Sometimes I find it so overwhelming, but I quickly realize again how necessary it is to my existence. 

You travel a lot. How does the effect your creativity and output? What draws you the places you go?

I've been fortunate enough to have traveled a lot as a child so I've had wanderlust for as long as I can remember. Being a photographer has given me the freedom to work remotely, which is a great perk. It's also a great way to meet people if I'm new to a city!

The two of you recorded in Nashville. How did that come about?

In making this EP, it was such a necessity to leave LA so that we could establish who we wanted to be with our new music together. We needed to break apart from the identities we each had as an individual visual artist and musician. The great thing about moving to a new place is the ability to tap into a different part of yourself that maybe wasn't quite as present in the last place you lived. We also felt we had something really special that we wanted to protect from the craziness of LA... if that makes sense. 

We chose Nashville because of the musical energy that has been pouring out of that city! I had read about the Bomb Shelter started by producer Andrija Tokic and we both really wanted to create this EP old school style using only tape and recording live with a full band. We also are huge fans of Alabama Shakes and Hurray for the Riff Raff (which he produced)!  

Where's the best place to be free? How do you know you are?

I don't think a particular place will make you feel free because wherever you go, there you are. That took me a while to figure out, but Nina Simone says, "I'll tell you what freedom is...No fear!" I love that. I think she's got it figured out. 

If you could play anywhere in the world, where would you play?

I'd love to play Outside Lands as it was the first festival David and I went to together.  Golden Gate Park has a certain magic that I can't quite describe...and I've been to a lot of beautiful parks around the world. At festivals, people just want to have a good time and they aren't going to let anything or anyone ruin it. I love that spirit! 

What's next on the horizon for Bjorn and The Sun?

We're actually going to stay in one place for a bit and release the rest of the songs on our EP! After a year of traveling, we've found an amazing haven in LA that we'll use to write, record, and gather people together. I really miss my friends so I'm looking forward to being settled for a bit. 

Where would you most like your music to take you?

I hope it takes me to a state of fearlessness.