In a pop radio climate saturated with solo songwriters that have an earthy feel, the emotive Tristan Prettyman is a woman looking to rise above the surf.

Prettyman said she is excited about coming back to the Maintenance Shop after performing there last fall. This time around, she is bringing Ben Taylor, James Taylor’s son, along on the tour.

“I expect this show to come very close to selling out because Tristan [Prettyman] did so well on her own the first time and she is bringing a really good opener with her,” said Eric Hutchison, Maintenance Shop co-director and junior in elementary education. “[Last fall] we had a large walk-up crowd and were about 50 people away from selling out.”

When singer/songwriter Prettyman grew up in southern California, she was surrounded by beautiful beaches, surfing and the music of Whitney Houston, Bobby Brown and Joni Mitchell. It wasn’t until she heard Ani DiFranco’s album “Puddle Love” that she realized anybody could play music.

“It went from me listening to everything that was on the radio to discovering music on my own,” Prettyman said about DiFranco’s musical motivation. “There’s a lot of great music that exists outside of what’s thrown at us everyday.”

Prettyman taught herself to play guitar and began writing her own songs. Although DiFranco is her main inspiration, Prettyman described her lyrics as unique and from the heart.

“I like to sing what I would be thinking in my head, because it’s more honest for me that way,” Prettyman said. “[Writing music] is like a subconscious thought coming out and it usually won’t be until a couple months to even a year later that I figure out what that song is about.”

Prettyman’s music is often said to sound like Jewel, Norah Jones and Fiona Apple, as well as Jack Johnson, who is also a California native.

“I just think it’s funny because people just assume ‘Oh, you both surf and play guitar so your music must be identical,'” Prettyman said of Johnson. “But I know there are enough people out there that think [my music] is unique. I definitely think it’s unique.”

Many of Prettyman’s songs are written on the road and are based on her own experiences in life and love. She has recently released her first full-length album, “Twentythree,” and she won Best Acoustic at the San Diego Music Awards.

Although Prettyman never had the opportunity to go on to a university after attending a junior college in San Diego, she doesn’t feel like she has missed out on anything.

“Personally, I think the purpose of schooling is more social interaction and learning how to deal with peers,” Prettyman said. “I don’t think college could’ve prepared me for the job that I have right now.”

Instead, Prettyman has many memorable experiences that she gained from touring and being with her friends. One in particular is the story of the star tattoo that now adorns her back.

“I was really drunk in Cabo San Lucas and got kicked out of the bar for bringing beer into the club,” Prettyman said. “There was a tattoo place next door and I was like ‘I’m going to get a tattoo!’ So, I ended up getting a tattoo in Mexico, which is really not a smart idea.”

When she has time to relax, Prettyman said she can usually be found in the ocean on her surfboard.

“Right now when I come home, all I want to do is go surfing and hang out with my friends and family,” she said. “It’s difficult being away, but at the same time I know that I’ll probably end up living somewhere close to the beach and have the rest of my life to surf. It just happens to be that right now, it’s crazy in my life.”

On a break from her boyfriend, fellow San Diego musician Jason Mraz, Prettyman is focused on her music and touring, enjoying her experiences along the way.

“Up until now, music was so lazy for me. It just happened and everything came to me pretty easy. So now I feel like ‘It’s all right, I’m putting a good amount of time into really working towards this’ and I think I owe myself that,” Prettyman said. “I can’t just coast for the rest of my life.”