Pam Ross: Blending Genres, Emotions, and Stories on "Outside the Box"

Pam Ross is an artist who defies categorization, blending rock, Americana, and country into what she calls "Pam Music." With her forthcoming album Outside the Box, Pam continues to captivate listeners by crafting songs that resonate deeply, whether through themes of love, heartache, or the joy of everyday life. In this exclusive interview, Pam opens up about the inspirations behind her latest singles “Doublewide” and “Kansas,” her evolution as an artist shaped by life across diverse cities, and how she hopes to evoke powerful emotions through her music.

Your recent single “Doublewide” was released on August 9th, 2024, as the lead track from your forthcoming album "Outside the Box." Can you tell us about the inspiration behind this song and what it means to you personally?

There really isn’t a deep meaning behind this song. I was playing my guitar and came up with the opening riff and took it from there. It’s just a fun song about the over zealous emotions we all feel when we first fall in love.

The album "Outside the Box" features seven tracks blending your signature rock, Americana, and country style. What themes or stories can fans expect to hear on this record, and how does it differ from your previous work?

It’s similar to the first album in the sense that the songs vary in genre. I’m definitely mixing things up again. The themes range from happy love songs, overcoming struggles in relationships, the joy and craziness of everyday life, heartache, and simply having a good time.

It differs in that I went to Nashville and hired Marc Frigo to mix the record. I also put more backing vocals and production on it. I wanted this one to sound more polished than the first.

Your new single, “Kansas,” was highly anticipated. Can you give us a sneak peek into the story or sound of this track and how it fits within the broader narrative of the album?

I wrote Kansas in the early 2000s while living back home in Seabrook, TX, which is on Galveston Bay. I wrote it about a break-up I had gone through several years earlier that still haunted me. I dusted the song off and thought it was pretty good. I re-wrote about 80% of the lyrics. I didn’t change the meaning. I improved on the imagery of the lyrics. I knew I would definitely put it on the album once I created the keyboard melody. I felt the keyboard helped bring home the haunting melody I was looking for.

There really isn’t an overall narrative on this album other than me blending genres. Each song stands alone and has its own vibe.

You’ve recently performed in Nashville and garnered awards such as 2024 Josie Award for Female Multi-Genre Artist of the Year, Musician of the Year at the 2023 Who’s Hoo Country Music Awards and Fan Favorite at the 2023 Independent Music Network Awards. How have these experiences shaped your career, and what do they mean to you as an artist?

I’m not sure how they’ve shaped my career. I think winning these wonderful awards has helped make me more visible and opened some doors. For me personally, I look at them as recognition for all the hard work I’ve put in. It’s an incredible experience to win these awards. Even when I don’t win, I’m still honored that I’ve been nominated. Recognition for all the effort and time put in really means a lot and I’m very grateful.

With over 350K Spotify streams and growing, your music clearly resonates with a wide audience. What do you think draws listeners to your unique blend of genres, and how do you aim to connect with them emotionally through your music?

I think what draws listeners is that I sound different. People are always asking me what genre I am or what do I call my music. That’s where the term ‘Pam Music’ came from. I don’t sound like anyone else. I blend all of these different genres into something new.

I feel I write about things that people have experienced in their lives. Whether it be heartache, finding love, out drinking with friends, etc. I’m able to write lyrics that people connect with and say, “Yea, I’ve been there. I’ve felt that.”

Your journey has taken you from Pittsburgh to Houston, Nashville, and now Fuquay-Varina, NC. How have these diverse locations influenced your musical style, storytelling, and perspective as an artist? Can you share specific ways each place shaped your identity, both personally and professionally? For example, did the steel city of Pittsburgh, the vibrant music culture in Houston, or your time in Nashville contribute unique elements to your sound? How does life in North Carolina inspire your current creative process?

My earliest musical influences came from my mom listening to classic country and my siblings listening to rock. Those were my years in Pittsburgh, which was really a rock-n-roll town when I lived there.

I got into country when I moved to Houston, but grunge became big right before I moved there and that also had a big impact on me. That’s when I started putting music to my lyrics and really began my songwriting journey.

I think living in Nashville brought out more of my country sound, but at that time, I wasn’t considered a country songwriter in Nashville. Country was still “country” at that time, so I was looked at as more americana.

I left music for awhile when I moved back home to Houston. Then we moved to North Carolina, and I began writing again. I realized I needed to improve my songwriting and began working

with Song U and NSAI, which are both based in Nashville. They really helped me bring my songwriting to the next level. I don’t think living in North Carolina really had a large impact on my writing style or how I approach music. It’s just where I happened to be living when I re-entered the music business.

You’ve described your goal as wanting listeners to feel something—whether happy, sad, or inspired—when they hear your music. What emotions do you hope the songs on "Outside the Box" will evoke, and how do you approach crafting songs that provoke such deep feelings?

More of the same. I hope they feel a spectrum of emotions as they listen to each song. As far as writing, I try to create imagery when I write. I want the lyrics to paint a picture that the listener can relate to. As I stated earlier, I want them to be able to say, “Yea, I’ve been there. I’ve felt that. I can relate.” Regardless of what the song is about, I hope they can relate to it...as if they can see themselves as the character in the song.