For those who are unfamiliar, Anna of the North is a captivating musical force, whose soulful melodies and haunting vocals take listeners on a journey of pure sonic enchantment. Her music resonates with a profound sense of introspection and emotional depth, infused with a delicate balance of vulnerability and strength.
With a voice that is both ethereal and commanding, Anna of the North transports us to a world of musical wonder, where every note is a brushstroke in a vividly painted canvas of sound. From the soaring highs to the melancholic lows, her music is a testament to the power of raw, unfiltered emotion.
We had the opportunity to catch up with Anna before her Los Angeles show at El Rey Theatre. She let us know about everything going on in her life and some stories behind some of her songs.
ANNA OF THE NORTH INTERVIEW
First and foremost how are you feeling about all of your concerts on your headline tour?
Being on tour is amazing. It’s been a while because of covid. It’s so good and inspiring to meet the people who listen to my music again. Talk to them. Hear their stories. How we all connect through music is a very beautiful thing.
What were some of your favorite moments and highlights from the concerts you’ve had so far?
I was talking about that with the band today, and every show has been really good. We’ve met a lot of great people and every night has been so much fun. I’m really gonna miss being on the road. A big highlight for me was getting to bring my dad on stage to perform “Someone Special” with me in New York. My mom was there too and it was great to have them both there.
Congratulations on releasing Swirl! I love this song. Would you be able to tell me the story behind Swirl?
Swirl is a song that I wrote a long time ago. It’s a song from the era of writing Crazy Life. It didn’t go on the album, but I knew it had to be out in the world. It’s a happy song about sad feelings.
What was your favorite part about making your single, Swirl? Can you talk a little bit about the writing process?
I wrote it with two friends in Sweden, such a long time ago. I remember everyone thinking that the song had something very special, so we kept working on it. I really love the lyrics and I think a lot of people can relate to them.
I know this album came out a while ago, but I cannot stop listening to it. In your album Lovers, the first song you hear is Moving On. It is such a fantastic track, and I feel like with most of the songs on the albums, you take us through different stories. Later on in the album, after we have heard some of these stories or listened to your experiences, we then hear Friends and All I want. I was wondering if you could tell me a little about how these tracks compare or contrast with each other.
I’m an album person. There is a story to be told. I want to give the listener an experience. Every song is chosen wisely. I want to show every side of me and the writing process. From the all I want part, to the moving on. Lovers especially was inspired by one of the hardest breakups I’ve ever been through so, I guess the songs speak for themselves.
When your fans listen to your music, what do you hope they take away from it?
I hope they find joy and happiness, but also hurt and sadness. I hope they feel something, something that inspires them.
What artists do you currently listen to and draw inspiration from?
My favorite artist of all time I think is The Japanese House. So excited about her new releases coming out.
What should we get excited about in the future? What is on the horizon for you? Is there anything that you can maybe hint at or let us know about first?
“Try My Best” is out now. I think it is one of my favorite tracks from this period of writing. It’s about the numbness we all feel sometimes. My favorite part is the lyrics “yea we both got feelings but sometimes we can not feel a single thing.” It’s about accepting that we need the highs and lows in life, to stay in balance.
ANNA OF THE NORTH BTS FOOTAGE
The clip features BTS footage not only from the sets of various music videos from the Crazy Life era, but the building and making of those sets as well. Giving the concept of the album concrete form as a ‘house,’ Anna teamed up with Australian designer Montana Kitching to design the house, which was later built to scale for the set of her music videos, with each video taking you through a different part of the house. As “Dandelion” introduced viewers to Anna’s living room, complete with her fluffy dog and thriving plants, “Bird Sing” captured the image directly outside Anna’s bedroom window, giving you a 360- look at Anna’s dwelling. “Nobody” provides a stark overview of Anna’s bedroom with the messy bed and leftover cereal that we’ve all been privy to at some point. You can explore the full house digitally HERE.
WORDS// WILL BOLLINI*
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PHOTOS//Natalie Somekh