It’s been an incredible year for Anna Dahl; first debuting with ‘Top Shelf’ a few months ago, the American songstress is now back with a wholesome, relatable EP, ‘Little Bit Country’, taking the country-rock scene by storm and perhaps fulfilling a destiny. You see, Dahl is certainly not new to the music industry. Boasting a successful past as a performer on the verge of a record deal, Anna then decided to take a step back from the limelight and pursue a different path.
Yet, the universe had other plans. Life brought Dahl back to Nashville, where she had the opportunity to develop her musical flair once again. ‘Little Bit Country’ is the perfect evidence of that, a stunningly striking and vibrant EP showcasing all of the creative allure Anna has to offer. It is pure, unfiltered country goodness, a stream of fierce, heartwarming guitars and catchy, tongue-in-cheek motifs. Dahl’s vocals are charming and anthemic, drawing the listeners in from the first verse.
Intrigued by the project, we caught up with the American star to find out more about her peculiar story and overarching artistry. Interview below!
Hey Anna, thanks for chatting with us! Congratulations on your newly released EP ‘Little Bit Country’, it’s surprisingly good for a debuting artist. Reading through your press assets, I understand that music has been a longstanding affair for you. I’d love to dive into it a bit more, giving readers a wider context of who Anna Dahl truly is. First of all, how proud are you of the new EP? 🙂
Thank you! We put a lot into this first EP, I’m incredibly happy with how it turned out! I feel like the songs, production, and instrumentation greatly depict the messages I want to portray, setting the stage for who I am, what I stand for and what’s to come!
Take us into the mind of young Anna Dahl: you were an incredible talent making a name for yourself in Los Angeles. What were your hopes and dreams at the time? Was the music industry different from what it is today?
The music industry has changed vastly since my time in LA. For one, we were still selling CDs at the time. Haha! Social media was just beginning to take shape, and my MySpace page was happening! I was a 16-year-old, blonde kid with dreams of being a rocker, though my young, clean and undamaged voice didn’t have the ‘gravel’ it needed, so I fell more into the pop-rock world. I had my sights set on being the biggest star of my generation.
There’s mention of a record deal offered to you; I’d be keen to know more about what ultimately led you to take a different path. What happened?
The offer came through with a subtext that twenty other girls had been signed that year. I was worried about being shelved, and I saw what the same thing did to some of my friends. I’ve always had a very practical instinct, and that’s allowed me to make some really hard decisions, like passing on what seemed like a dream at the time. Instead, I went to college to study music business to better prepare myself for the business side of the industry. Retrospectively, I can now look back and realise I only get to do exactly what I’m doing now because I made those decisions back then.
I have always believed that there’s some kind of universal order out there, and that things happen for a reason. Life took you to Nashville and made you record ‘Little Bit Country’, an EP that’s fierce, uplifting and catchy. Simply, it’s country goodness at its best. What first sparked the willingness to come back into the industry?
It was sort of forced on me! Fast forward from LA, music took a bit of a back seat as I started businesses and became a mother. It wasn’t until COVID that everything slowed down long enough to allow time for my creativity again, though playing locally and writing again seemed to fill the void, I needed something more. My partner and ‘Soundboy’ got me a birthday present of recording three songs at the well-renowned Sound Emporium in Nashville. I was overwhelmingly excited! It was meant to be a fun getaway that quickly snowballed into something much bigger! My life experiences, maturity and stories had developed into something I needed to share with the world.
You spent some time at Sound Emporium Studios, one of Nashville’s top recording studios. Did such a legendary ambience remind you of your love for music? Would you say the final record would be different without it? Are there any collaborators/team members you’d like to mention?
Absolutely! Juanita (the studio manager) said they normally don’t do independent projects there, but she made an exception for us. The overall vibe of that studio is incredible! You can feel the creativity coming out of the walls. The studio musicians are among the best artists there are. Recording my first three songs in a space where so many of my idols have before gave me the sense of this is where I’m supposed to be, this is what I’m supposed to be doing.
What does the record mean to you from a lyrical standpoint? The imagery appears pretty uplifting and euphoric, in true Country tradition; there were common threads, or were you mostly trying to pen the best songs you could?
My producer, Don Miggs, asked me some very pointed questions in our first meeting. He asked, “Who are you?” and “What do you have to say?”. I wanted to write about what was true to me. I’m no longer a high schooler. I’m a woman who has lived through some wonderful, but also trying, times. I want to write music that lifts people and encourages them to stand up for themselves, be who they are, know what they deserve and go get it! Life is what we make it. If you’re unhappy, make a change for the better. Life is too short to do anything else. All this very much shaped the music and stories we wrote and recorded.
Is there a specific challenge you had to overcome in the last couple of years? Anything you learnt that’s worth sharing?
I don’t typically share much about this, but it’s an important part of my story and why I’m so keen on songs of empowerment through this EP and (eventual) album to come. I made the very difficult decision to leave an unhealthy relationship a while back. It was the hardest decision I’ve ever made, but it was absolutely something I needed to do for me and for my daughter. The thing about unhealthy relationships is that they typically don’t start that way. As they start going down the wrong path, you adapt to accommodate until it feels normal, and as it continues to get worse, you adapt again.
The cycle continues over and over again until one day you wake up and you’re living in an unrecognisable nightmare, so fogged that you’ve lost your sense of self and don’t remember how you got there or how to get out. Though it took all my strength, I was lucky enough to get out and, in time, heal from my past. Though the scars of my past remain, they don’t define me. Whatever the cause of your unhappiness, make a change, heal, and move on. Life is what you make it, so own it, make it your own and don’t let anyone or anything steal your happiness.
Are you planning any live shows? What’s next for Anna Dahl?
Absolutely! We will be playing shows in and around Nashville this fall/winter and planning a tour in the spring/summer because THAT’S what it’s all about! Playing LIVE and making the connection with people in the room!
