Elwood

BAKER CITY — Anna Katarina drove through Baker City when she was 14, and this month — just a few years later — she’s back, this time to play a show at Churchill School.

Local musician Elwood opens the show on Thursday, July 25. Doors open at 6 p.m. at Churchill, 3451 Broadway St. Tickets are $12 in advance at churchillbaker.com or $18 at the door.

Katarina grew up around music — she sang in church and took piano lessons.

“It was instilled as a really important part of existing,” she said of music.

She attended music school in British Columbia and Boston, Massachusetts, and played “off and on” through her 20s.

In early 2020, she decided to become a full-time musician.

“Then the pandemic hit,” she said. “I had all this time to focus and take a step back.”

She also learned how to play the guitar — something she’d wanted to do for a while.

“I’d tried multiple times for a decade,” she said. “Now it’s my main instrument.”

Music school, she said, didn’t exactly prepare her for being a traveling musician and the business side of the career.

“You learn how to be an entrepreneur,” she said.

She’s already played in 11 countries this year, and in May she toured Europe for three weeks through Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Denmark.

She is currently recording her second record, “While I Was Dreaming.”

She describes her music as “indie soul-pop or indie Americana,” and lists Sheryl Crow, Kasey Musgraves, Alanis Morrissette, Taylor Swift and Stevie Nicks among her musical influences.

“Amazing female role models,” she said.

As for her songwriting?

“I like it when the melody is gripping and catchy,” she said. “I like music that makes me feel good.”

She’ll perform solo in Baker City, but also tours as a duo and a four-piece band.