A Chat with Her Mountain Majesty (04.07.25)
Celebrating the highs and lows, darkness and light, noise and whispers of human existence, US-based Her Mountain Majesty brings raw vulnerability to audiences in powerful “mountain rock” music. We speak with lead vocalist and guitarist Andi Lee Scher about their album, Above The Water, what music means to her, future plans, and much more.
OSR: Cliché, but what drew you to music? How did Her Mountain Majesty come about?
Her Mountain Majesty: I’ve been walking around writing songs in my head ever since I can remember as a little kid. Songwriting has always been my way to process the world around me and to say all the things I’d be too afraid to say out loud otherwise. You’ll hear that reflected in the lyrics of ‘Relief’ – “I so rarely say exactly what I mean / except for in my songs if you listen carefully.” Writing songs has always given me permission to be honest about what’s going on under the surface. This record is just that – a reflection of my inner world even when I was smiling and laughing through a lot of guilt, trauma, shame, and heartbreak.
I gave up music for nearly a decade for the sake of someone I loved, only to wake up one day and barely recognize myself anymore. Coming back to music was a part of coming home to myself. For many people, Covid was a terrible time of loss, grief, and disruption, but for me, I finally felt free after leaving an abusive relationship and had the chance to make up for lost time just as the world stood still. I went and bought a few simple pieces of recording gear and set up a home recording space. I started releasing songs that I had recorded fully myself except drums and violin under the moniker Her Mountain Majesty. Not a lot of people know that the choice to no longer use my name was out of the discomfort of having my name postered all over town with my precise location and time, begging to be found.
As someone who feels most at ease when I’m surrounded by wilderness, the name Her Mountain Majesty came to me when I learned that it was actually a woman who penned the words “purple mountains majesty.” Of course it was, and why didn’t I ever learn that?! America, the Beautiful was written by Katharine Lee Bates – a poet, scholar, and social reformer – a woman forgotten in history though these words have echoed through the American consciousness for an entire century. The name Her Mountain Majesty gives homage to the many women forgotten in history as well as reverence to the land that we are so privileged to walk upon. It’s not an ode to this country as we know it, but a reimagining of the kind of world we can create when we come together and begin to see ourselves in one another – the kind of world I believe we can create when we put more woman and marginalized voices in positions of power. Voices that will protect what is sacred – this planet and each other.
Somewhere between making my first friend in Seattle at a songwriter’s event, Katrina Burrows, and jamming on a boat with Jerett Samples who would later become my lead guitarist, the band basically formed itself. I think we were all just moths looking for some light, and we found that in each other. Sharing songs is the equivalent of bearing your soul to complete strangers, and I’m profoundly grateful that my band has held such incredible space for me to process everything and heal over the past three years.
OSR: What does music mean to you?
Her Mountain Majesty: I believe that we as humans are not wired to go it alone. For me, the meaning of life is connection, and music is one of the greatest vessels on the planet for that. I do not take for granted that music flows through me in a way that allows me to connect with strangers through my songs, to create vulnerable and connected spaces when I’m on stage where people feel seen and gain a sense of belonging, to connect with other musicians on and off stage by speaking the same musical language and creating something that is fleeting and beautiful and will never quite exist in the exact same way again, and simply to connect to myself and understand my own place in the world. Years ago, I learned of a sociological concept by Émile Durkheim called “collective effervescence”, where people transcend individual consciousness and experience a heightened sense of joy and unity when participating in rituals and shared experiences. Music has the power to do that, and that feels worthy of dedicating my life towards chasing.
OSR: You recently released your debut album, Above the Water. What can you tell us about it? Is there a particular theme or backstory involved in its creation and composition?
Her Mountain Majesty: Originally, the album was going to be called Paper Wings – a lyric from ‘Above the Water’ that is a metaphor for the illusion of strength and resiliency I had created when I was secretly folding under the pressure of always appearing like I was thriving. “Unfold these paper wings / They’re creased, and they’re frail / I cannot fly / I just get by appearing like I can.” I grew up in a family that sweeps things under the rug and pretends like everything is fine all of the time. I felt a tremendous amount of self-imposed pressure to be perfect, and I’d wind up having panic attacks in the basement as a kid. I was meant to laugh, be easy, and diffuse any tension in the house, and I was an expert at it. I still am, though I’m learning to be more honest with the people that I love. I’m learning that those people will show up and catch me, but only if I let them see me first.
Much of this album is taking off that mask and being incredibly honest. It lives in the thick of the healing process after leaving an abusive relationship. The album opens with the lyrics, “I haven’t seen myself in years.” It finds some closure in the final track ‘Bread’ – “Would you look at me now?” Despite its moments of deep grief and sadness, this album still holds on to a sense of hope and light. It finds respite in the trees, grounding in the mountains, and even new love in ‘Build a House in the Forest’. I am so grateful to have this second chance at life where I have been revived by music, community, and this very band that has witnessed me through the messiest part of my life.
OSR: What do you hope people take from Above The Water and your music in general?
Her Mountain Majesty: It finally clicked for me what this album was about once I received the wood burning art that became our cover. It was commissioned by Beau Gromley, a pyrography artist in Centralia, WA, that we met on tour. Just as death in the forest creates conditions for renewal, growth, and more biodiversity, so do the end of chapters in our own lives. There is no light without darkness. No love without pain. No beginnings without endings.
Above the Water is about self-reclamation. It reminds me that I am resilient and that sometimes the hardest decision is the best decision. It also reminds me that life is precious, and each breath is a gift. This album is a testament to how music can carry you through even the darkest of times. It is a dedication back to music and back to myself, as I sing in ‘Made Up My Mind’, “I ain’t wasting no more time.”
OSR: Do you feel Above The Water is a good representation of your music and style now? Why?
Her Mountain Majesty: Above the Water stretches wide across our sound from its big boisterous Southern Rock opening to the more delicate places rooted in folk and Americana like ‘Made Up My Mind’ and ‘Echoes’. I’m never quite sure where we fit in, but we lovingly call it “mountain rock”. I’ve never been very interested in defining my style or writing within a particular genre. The songs tend to pour out of me in the way they need to in that moment. Right now, we are working on some new tunes that are quite groovy which is fun, but I also just finished a tune I wrote on mandolin, as well as a ballad where I envision a choir and a string section. Regardless of where we live sonically, the backbone of the music is vulnerable lyrics that force you to feel something. I think Above the Water embodies that and is a bit of a charcuterie board of our different styles.
OSR: If you were to introduce a new listener to your music, which track would you recommend?
Her Mountain Majesty: I would start with ‘Too Hard to Love’ because sometimes the songs that hurt the most, feel so good! I think the reason this song strikes a nerve is because it gets at one of our deepest insecurities – the feeling of being unworthy and unlovable. It is cathartic, bluesy, and the ending simply rocks. For listeners looking for something more folky and easy going, ‘Build a House in the Forest’ is another fan favourite.
OSR: If you had to give emerging artists some advice, what would it be?
Her Mountain Majesty: Just keep writing and creating. Holding too tightly to songs clogs the creative arteries. I personally try to finish a song a month which I know isn’t even that ambitious compared to some writers, but it does feel sustainable and builds a habit. Some of the songs won’t be great, but that’s not the point. The point is to keep creating and dedicate yourself to your craft.
Similarly, we tried not to be too precious with this album. We recorded all the instruments live at Bear Creek Studio in Woodinville, WA, across 2 days. We played each song 3-4 times and moved on without listening back. I did the same thing with vocals the following two days. There was no over-perfecting or over-producing. It’s just our real sound, raw and honest. I personally think that imperfection is what makes music alive and gives it character. I’d always advocate for artists to show their true self in their music instead of some over-manufactured version of who they think people want them to be.
OSR: Women tend to be under-represented in the music industry, and as a female-fronted band, what are your thoughts, and how do you feel this can be addressed?
Her Mountain Majesty: The name Her Mountain Majesty is all about women taking up space and having our voices heard. Historically, women in male-dominated spaces have been required to be assertive and tough to gain respect, but I believe it’s time to challenge that false binary. I want to see more empathetic leaders with integrity who make people around them feel valued and seen. I believe that has more power to change the world than women emulating toxic masculinity to get ahead, only furthering the patriarchy – which hurts us all, not just women.
After many years of trying to erase my woman-ness and just be one of the guys, I now play with my femininity more than ever on stage. Despite the societal pressure on women to stay small, I get loud and take up a lot of space. It is liberating! Women are powerful, and I think the more we see musicians challenging the binary and gender expectations on stages, in studios, and on screens, the more expansive the world becomes.
We need more women engineers, producers, managers, and bookers; more women on festival line-ups; and more men in the industry not turning their heads when they see misogyny happening. I hope in my own career to work with young artists in the studio as they develop their voice and build confidence as they navigate this male-dominated industry.
OSR: What can we expect from Her Mountain Majesty in the future?
Her Mountain Majesty: We just finished shooting our first music video. We also have another unreleased track that didn’t make the record that will be released later this year. Plus, we have an entire albums worth of new songs that we’ve been working on in addition to 10 years’ worth of old songs that I never shared that perhaps will be unearthed someday. In this moment, I’m simply trying to take some big belly breaths, be present, and let my body metabolize the release. It feels like a closing of a chapter, and I’m just trying to go gentle on myself for a little bit and recover from the emotional hangover.
OSR: Do you have a message for our readers?
Her Mountain Majesty: It’s never too late to rebuild your life. I have found that staying stuck is far more painful than not knowing what is going to happen next. I have also learned that as I expand my window of tolerance for pain and discomfort, I also expand my window of tolerance for joy and love. The more vulnerable I am in my relationships, the deeper they become. It’s still easier for me to say what I need to in a song, but the more I flex the muscle, the easier it becomes to be more real and authentic in every facet of my life. For anyone struggling right now to stay afloat and even more so to say it out loud and ask for help, I see you. I promise that nothing is permanent, and this too shall pass. You are resilient and deserving of love!
Many thanks to Her Mountain Majesty for speaking with us. Find out more about Her Mountain Majesty on their official website, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Spotify.
