Learning to Love Oneself With Anna of the North

Interview by Mary Perez

Graphic by Rebekah Witt

She’s magical, she’s confident, she’s candid, and she’s ready to share new music with the world. An artist who finds inspiration in all forms of love, Anna of the North is a Norwegian singer-songwriter who continues to open up with every new release. Crazy Life, her third studio album, dropped on November 4 and included her collaboration with Gus Dapperton in “Meteorite.” Nearly two months before the release of her upcoming record, we talked to Anna of the North after her electric set at the annual Firefly Festival to learn more about Crazy Life, her inspirations, and preshow rituals.

Since we’re here at Firefly, are there any artists you’re hoping to catch while you’re here?

I just saw Gus Dapperton, and we have a song together. That was really fun because I’ve heard a lot of his music but never seen him live. Sadly, I have to go, but I wish I could stay for tonight because you have Avril! She’s so fucking sick; when I was young, she was all over the place. She’s nostalgic like I was dying because I saw her. 

Shot by Mary Perez

You just announced your newest album, so are there any themes you want fans to see? What do you want fans to take away from the album?

For now, it’s up to the viewer or listener to decide, but I’ve spent a lot of time focusing on the visuals, everything around building the campaign of what you see, what you hear. Of course, I’m Anna of the North, and my music is always about love. It’s love in different ways—it can be love towards another person, love towards yourself. I think everything is about self-confidence, whether you love yourself or not. Everything is about the struggle to love yourself or love someone else, so it’s a bit all over the place. There’s a lot of other conceptual stuff about social media and how we get distracted from ourselves. 

I like that you touched on how love is a consistent subject for your music, as I wanted to know about the other things that you are inspired by, given that some of your biggest songs revolve around love.

I think it’s about relations. I think that love and relations are the same thing because the better relationship with the person, the bigger the love. I think, for me, I’m inspired by relations to other people or relations that I have or stories about what people go through or even the relation you have to yourself. I think love and relations are everything. Isn’t that what it’s all about?

I like that you also mentioned self-love in that - what are some ways that you take care of yourself and make sure you’re prioritizing yourself and that self-love?

I’m really bad at that. That’s why I sing about it. Even in my song “Dream Girl,” I have this lyric, ‘I’m gonna buy a drink, and while I wait, I’m gonna eat my cake, make the same mistakes.’ I know myself. I know, if I go to that same old place, I’ll make the same mistake, but I could have stopped it. It’s a habit. I don’t have that self-control. I wish I was better at taking care of myself. We did a show in New York, and we came here to Delaware at 4 o’clock in the morning, and I slept for three hours. You come here and have a drink. That’s not good for you. But I still do it! I think that is my goal and what I’m learning through writing all of these songs. As I’m getting older, I see how important it is to take care of yourself. I think my songs are inspired by that—I’m not really good at that yet—but I’m trying to get there. I think I eventually have to get better at it.

Your latest song just came out to introduce us to your new album, so was there a reason why you chose that to be the lead single?

I just really loved the song. There’s a quite nice backstory behind it, as well. On the note of self-confidence and self-love, I went to the studio with a couple of people I haven’t met before, and I rarely do that. I always kinda work with people that I know because I’m the kind of person who needs to work in a safe environment. I’m in the studio with these people I haven’t met before, and this girl is amazing. Her voice, her vocals were in full control. We were writing, and she was like, “Oh, can you sing it?” I started sweating, and for the first time, was having like an anxiety attack. I get so stressed. I was standing in front of a microphone and was like, “This isn’t me. I can’t do it.” It’s hard to be in a session and know what you want. I just had to stop, and they were so understanding. We chatted about it and exchanged experiences, went for a walk, had some food. Then we went back into the studio and wrote “Nobody.” In that way, it was really special to me because I could have gone home, “I have to leave. Oh, I’m sick.” I could have easily given up, but instead, I opened up. Instead of hiding it, I opened up, and now “Nobody” is out!

The album also shows you starting to open up more and uncovering a more vulnerable side of yourself. I know that you just discussed that you were able to step away when you weren’t feeling okay, so were there other ways that you were doing that throughout the album?

Overall, I’m learning to know myself better. It’s been a really intense album process; I’ve never experienced anything like it. It’s been all over the place. I’ve learned to know myself, and I’m realizing that I don’t want to hide anymore. Most of my songs are inspired by me, but it doesn’t mean everything is real, you know what I mean? I might be inspired by something that happened, but I might make it bigger than it is. I really wanted to be honest with myself, and through this album, both visually and musically, I wanted to challenge myself as much as I can and dig deep and just be honest and not be scared of who I am. I think a lot of people can’t be that and are hiding their true selves, which will hurt you eventually, so now I’m trying to be me and see how that goes.

Do you have a personal theme song?

“Because You Loved Me” by Céline Dion. You should see me sing to it while I’m at home washing the floor. 

Do you have any pre-show rituals before you go on?

I’ve never had any until I got a vocal coach, and I started to do my vocal warmups, and they really work. And a cup of tea. And a lil’ stretch and jump and run a bit.

Do you have any messages for the fans?

After what we discussed today, be true to yourself!

Be sure to listen to Crazy Life now, available on all streaming services.