In Conversation with Annika Bennett: Debut album and personal growth.
We sat down with future star Annika Bennett to chat about her debut album and much more. This album is beautifully written and illustrates the ups and downs of your twenties. Top to bottom it's incredibly crafted. Post-album she'll be hitting the road with Role Model as direct support in Europe (Nov-Dec). You may also recognise her songwriting in tracks for Chappell Roan, Role Model, Lauv, and more, or from touring with Sabrina Carpenter in the UK last summer.
Manny:
What did you want to achieve with this new record?
Annika:
I wanted to get closer to myself as an artist and show myself that it's worth it to invest time and energy into my own songs. I've been writing for a really long time, but it has taken me until now to intentionally build out the world the way I have for this project. I think I’ve already achieved what I set out to achieve, which is to give myself the space to create something I’m really proud of and that I think represents where I am currently at.
Manny:
What’s the thought process behind the album cover?
Annika:
I’m not fully sure. Both the album title and the idea for the cover started as jokes and then began to feel real the more I sat with them. I thought the album cover captured an energy, loneliness, and existential feeling that a lot of the songs convey, but in a different, more bizarre visual way.
Manny:
A personal favourite song of yours is ‘I’m So Scared of Getting What I Want.’ Is ‘Big Star’ a part two for that song, almost like sister songs?
Annika:
I actually wrote “Big Star” before “I’m So Scared of Getting What I Want,” but I never put it out because at the time I hadn't written the other songs to give it the right context. I think those two songs are definitely related, though, because they come from a very similar emotional place and share similar thoughts about my life, career, and happiness. They both boil down to trying to find the balance between striving to be something and just being.
Manny:
Which artists were you listening to the most during the making of this record?
Annika:
A lot of folk and country music! Adrienne Lenker, Tyler Childers, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell. I also listen to a ton of pop music, and I write a decent amount for pop artists, so having my finger on the pulse of what's popular also informs my music.
Manny:
How do you feel you’ve grown since your debut single to this debut album?
Annika:
This album feels more in line with my debut single than most of the things I've put out in between. I made "Boy Who Has Everything" with my friends when I was a teenager, and the production wasn't super involved; we just played the song and followed our first instincts, trying not to get in the way of what was taking shape. Over the last few years, I've put out a couple of EPs that I tried to make more "pop," concise, or commercial, but on this record I circled back to simplicity and lots of organic sounds. We just tried not to interfere with each song's essence.
Manny:
Is there a song you thought fans would particularly connect with more than the others? One that maybe hits a little harder than the others?
Annika:
I think it depends on which fans, but I thought a lot of fans around my age would relate to “Roaring Twenties” since many of my friends have loved that one since I wrote it. I personally love that song because it captures such a specific angst and the awareness that the feeling will pass. Also, “Dig Myself Out” has been a favourite among my friends, so I'm not surprised that's a fan favourite too. I'm a little surprised at how many people like “Oregon,” because to me that song feels so specific and personal that I wasn't sure people would relate.
Manny:
So much of this record has such main character energy with its atmospheric feel. Where do you feel is the best place to experience this record?
Annika:
I think overall, it's best to listen to it on a solo walk or drive, preferably in the evening. The record is super introspective, so finding a moment alone to listen and let it sink in a bit is the way, in my opinion ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚
