Actor And Singer/Songwriter Alicia Witt Celebrates New Music With Release Of Her EP ‘Witness’

Alicia Witt balances her many talents with an incredible work ethic. In the early part of this year, she shot a film with Nicholas Cage in Vancouver, flew back and forth to Los Angeles to shoot The Masked Singer, worked on her upcoming EP in Nashville, and crisscrossed the country doing live concerts to promote her music.

As a longtime actor and musician, she loves doing both equally. Although Witt was classically trained as a pianist as a child, she also began acting professionally at a young age. She made her film debut at the age of 7 in the science fiction classic Dune. Since then, she’s had roles in films like Last Holiday, Mr. Holland’s Opus, Vanilla Sky, and many more. On television, she’s been featured in The Walking Dead, Justified, Orange is the New Black, a host of Hallmark movies, and others.

But, in the midst of the SAG-AFTRA strike which prohibits her talking about upcoming acting projects, and with this week’s release of her new EP Witness, Witt is taking time to focus on her music.

She’s enjoyed doing live shows this summer in cities like Nashville, New York, Chicago, and elsewhere.

“The feeling of performing in front of a room full of people is indescribable to me,” she says.

Her music is deeply personal and throughout her shows, she shares some of the stories behind the songs. “Witness,” the title track from the EP touches on what she went through, and a thank you of sorts to those who helped her through a diagnosis of breast cancer and the tragic loss of her parents at the end of 2021.

“When you go through something and you come out on the other side and it’s in your rearview mirror, you don’t have much to say going forward, but you want to acknowledge it because it was monumental, and it changes you.”

Through her lyrics, she shares her feelings with the hope of connecting with those who’ve been through something similar, and perhaps give them strength or peace.

Though many are more familiar with Witt’s many roles as an actor, she’s been building a strong and solid foundation with her music.

Her single “Chasing Shadows,” from her album Conduit in 2021, spent five weeks on Billboard’s Top 30 AC chart. She’s performed on the Grand Ole Opry and opened for Ben Folds Five, Rachel Platten, Jimmy Webb, and others.

For Witt, who now calls Nashville home, music has always been front and center in her life. But it took a while for her to use it as a way to express herself, especially through songwriting.

“I played piano for many years as a teenager, and I was playing background music at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel when I first moved to Los Angeles. But I didn’t have the ability yet to quite put things into my own music and lyrics.”

As her acting career took off professionally, music may have moved to the sidelines, but it never stopped calling her.

“Ultimately, about 14 or 15 years ago, the gnawing urge to make my own music and play in front of people just became too impossible to ignore.”

The need to express herself through music in a way she’d never done before, came at the end of a long-term relationship.

“It was a really good relationship, but when it ended, it felt like it was definitely something that needed to happen, and I felt a surge of rebirth and inspiration. And when he walked out the door with the last of his things, I sat down at the piano and began writing what would become my first song. And it just snowballed from there.”

Since then, music has led to so many new opportunities. In Nashville, she’s been able to work with a number of established musicians, songwriters, and producers, allowing her to grow and evolve professionally. And with each live show, she’s become more comfortable and more appreciative of performing for live audiences.

She was excited when asked to perform on The Masked Singer and worked to learn several different cover songs in preparation for her appearance. It’s not always clear ahead of time which song an artist will be asked to perform. Witt, as mystery guest Dandelion, ended up doing a beautiful rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

Witt says she plans to continue pursuing both acting and music. For now, though, with the new EP, she’s focused on sharing a collection of songs that matter deeply to her, with others.

In addition to “Witness,” tracks include “Clever Mind,” “Loop,” “Always Tuesday,” “One Last Drink,” and “Someone to Write Me a Song.”

“It really comes down to every little show and every little song, and I keep doing it in the faith that people will hear them. And, hopefully, the right people who need to hear the songs, for whatever they are feeling and going through, will find them.”

Witt has a live streaming event set for Sunday, August 27th (visit www.aliciawittmusic.com for more information). She’ll also take part in a SESAC Songwriter’s Round at the legendary Bluebird Cafe in Nashville on September 26th.