How country star Alana Springsteen prioritizes health and fitness amid a busy touring schedule.
Music hosts a myriad of benefits, from reducing stress to improving your quality of sleep. For rising country star Alana Springsteen, songwriting has been vital to her mental health, serving as a form of therapy since before signing her first publishing deal at age 14.
Through writing, Springsteen gives herself permission to view vulnerability as her superpower and, in turn, embrace her most authentic self — on and off the stage. “I grew up in a very large, loud family and, as an introvert, it wasn’t always easy to identify and express emotions,” says Springsteen, who’s collaborated with Chris Stapleton and toured with Luke Bryan. “I found that writing songs helped me process my thoughts and my relationships in a way that thinking or talking couldn’t.”
Fresh off the 2023 release of her debut album, Twenty Something, Springsteen has stayed booked and busy with a touring schedule that will see her perform at several upcoming music festivals, including “bucket-list show” Hangout Fest in Alabama, Coast City Country in Vancouver, and Windy City Smokeout in Chicago. Despite back-to-back shows, the “amen” singer still carves out time to round out her wellness regimen with meditation, journaling, exercise, and healthy eating. “It’s become much more of a conscious daily practice than a subconscious one,” she shares.
Ahead, Equinox+ chats with Springsteen about finding balance on the road, her pre- and post-performance rituals, and her ultimate desire in life.
Health and fitness are big parts of your life. How and why do you prioritize both?
“It all comes down to feeling great and being able to perform at my best. My lifestyle is really demanding. I almost always don’t have the rest I need and it can be tough to stick to routines when it comes to nutrition, exercise, and mental health, so I do my best to make sure my team and I look for every chance to prioritize those things. That can look like getting to a city a day earlier so I have a chance to get a good night’s rest and hit a solid gym and work out the morning of a show; picking a hotel near decent restaurants and hiking trails; having healthy snacks and drinks on the rider; finding yoga classes nearby when we have the time. Making sure my team understands the importance of these things has been crucial as well. Accountability is everything.”
How has your relationship with wellness evolved over the years?
“Over time, I learned to listen to my body. I figured out what made me feel good and what made me feel sluggish and more prone to getting sick. I realized how easy it was to stick to those habits when it was convenient and when I wasn’t touring — and how much of a challenge it’s been since my touring career has really kicked off. I’ve had to be so intentional about protecting time for working out, meditation, and journaling. My team knows that dipping into that time is a very last resort. You can say it’s become much more of a conscious daily practice than a subconscious one.”
Promoting a high-performance lifestyle has always been the goal at Equinox. How do you define and achieve this?
“In my mind, a high-performance lifestyle involves giving your mind and body the tools and resources it needs to operate at its peak for extended periods of time. The most important part of this for me has been staying in tune with both my mind and body and being aware of what they’re asking of me. I’m also always learning. It seems like there are new tools, practices, and supplements coming out all the time that can help us support ourselves. I try to stay on the lookout for those.”
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Touring can be overwhelming. How do you take a moment for yourself before and after a performance?
“Those 10 to 15 minutes before a show are crucial for me. They can be the difference between a great show and an alright show. I try to lock myself in my greenroom and clear my mind. I visualize the show in my head and set an intention for how the next hour is going to go. Same kind of thing post-show. It helps me transition between wildly different environments and levels of stimulation. Being on stage is an assault on the senses. There’s so much coming at you all at once, and you have to be present enough to be aware of all of it. That time before and after also helps me process and retain those memories and be present for interactions I have with fans after the show. I try not to just mindlessly step from one thing to the next.”
What is your ultimate desire?
“To know that I lived my life to the absolute fullest and to leave behind a legacy that won’t be forgotten. I want to inspire others to dream big and to have the courage to pursue those dreams.”