Anna Shoemaker Gives Exclusive Backstage Interview in Chicago
Alt-pop darling Anna Shoemaker plays to a sold-out crowd at Chicago’s staple alternative venue Subterranean to headline her upcoming Hey Anna EP release. Before playing fan favorites off her upcoming EP such as “I Think I” and “666,” Unpublished Magazine had the chance to catch up with Shoemaker before her show to learn more about her new single “666,” her most rewarding moments bringing Hey Anna to life and her personal and artistic growth from reactive to reflective.
Shoemaker confesses that in the realm of Hey Anna is her best work to date, as it shifts from a reactive mindset from her debut 2022 album Everything is Fine (I’m Only on Fire) to more reflective in this new era of vulnerability, healing and acceptance.
Throughout the creative process of Hey Anna and bringing her vision to fruition, Shoemaker has manifested to connect with the larger forces around her and to remind herself feelings and situations are only temporary.
“I think that no matter what you're going through or what you've gone through, you can be who you want to be,” Shoemaker says. “My album was very ‘fuck you’ in the moment and hot-headed and Hey Anna is more introspective and reflecting on what was my part in this? We can all be who we need to be no matter what we've done to each other and no matter what I've done to you. We can just move on.”
[UNPUBLISHED]: Welcome back and thank you for talking to Unpublished Magazine, we are super excited to have you talk to us again. Last time we talked, it followed your release for “I Think I.” I would love to catch up and see how life has been treating you and what you have been up to since then?
[ANNA]: It's been really good. I think I was writing about this in my journal, I feel like I always feel like this when I'm releasing music. I'm different now and I've changed. This is the most me I've ever been, but it makes sense because we grow and we change and that's a beautiful thing. I always want to be evolving and growing, so I feel really good.
[UNPUBLISHED]: I love “I Think I” and it’s by far one of my favorite releases from you, from its captivating, angelic imagery to its connection to burying the past. How has the response been from friends, family and fans for the single?
[ANNA]: That one is really special to me, especially because of the video. My friend Josephine and I went really hard on that video. For me, it's such a visual representation of becoming who you want to be and taking the reins of your life and trying. The response has been really good. I feel really cool.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Your EP Hey Anna is about to be released soon. What has been one of the most rewarding or fulfilling moments of bringing Hey Anna’s vision to life?
[ANNA]: Writing Hey Anna was so fun because we were in the studio recording “666” and my producer Constantine was fucking around and singing ‘Hey Anna’ for fun as he was talking to me. He knew we had to have a song called “Hey Anna.” He started to mess around with it and I think it's a really natural song and we've been writing together for so long at that point, whereas “666” is the first song we wrote together. Once we were really deep in our friendship and our working relationship, it just came to life and it was the moment. I love writing with people because it forces me to be my best self all the time and stay on my toes. As our [Constantine] relationship grew stronger, I figured out that he was just normal and socially awkward like me and we're very similar and it became a really beautiful writing relationship. I feel like you can see that through the EP.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Hey Anna touches on a lot of intimate subjects and themes of literally burying your past and letting go of situations, people and energies that don’t align with you in this new era for you. How do you stay grounded during these situations, especially applying it to your songwriting and producing?
[ANNA]: I do a lot of manifesting and trying to connect with the larger forces around me and I don't get really bad anxiety. I try to sit in that feeling for a second and remember that I'm okay and this is gonna go away, like this is temporary. Just really feeling all my feelings and forcing myself to do that and obviously hanging out with my friends, my sister and my cats.
[UNPUBLISHED]: What message, emotions or story do you hope listeners can take away from Hey Anna?
[ANNA]: I think that no matter what you're going through or what you've gone through, you can be who you want to be. Hey Anna is really reflective rather than reactionary. My album was very ‘fuck you’ in the moment and hot-headed and Hey Anna is more introspective and reflecting on what was my part in this? We can all be who we need to be no matter what we've done to each other and no matter what I've done to you. We can just move on.
[UNPUBLISHED]: There has been such a huge evolution in your storytelling to your production in the last year. How would you describe your artistic growth from Everything Is Fine (I’m Only on Fire) to Hey Anna?
[ANNA]: It’s like growing up and being less reactionary. Everything is just a little less diary and more essay-like.
[UNPUBLISHED]: We always talk about the significance that vintage clothes play in your aesthetic and imagery throughout your discography. What have been some of your favorite pieces that you wore and have featured in Hey Anna?
[ANNA]: A real focus for me this time around and for all of the visuals, I wore the same dress that is vintage and thrifted from this random store in Pittsburgh from the woman who owns the store. It was her step mom's wedding dress that she wore in Atlantic City on her honeymoon. I wanted to wear that throughout all the visuals, so you'll see that through every single video. I really only picked a few pieces I had, like this vintage blazer that I love and then I have this vintage letterman jacket that I got on tour. I upgraded to some proper chunky boots that are really fun. I wanted to take the focus off of the clothing and make it more part of the story whereas for my album, I had a stylist and I was doing everything to distract from the fact that I was talking so much shit in my songs. Everything is intentional.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Do you ever discard clothing that you really, really loved and just because it doesn't fit with your new energy. I personally found myself doing that a lot this year.
[ANNA]: It's so hard. If you ask my boyfriend that he'd be like, no, she doesn't get rid of her clothes. I really do try. Now I'm trying to do a thing where every time you get something, you have to give something else. I think I'm gonna do a big Depop sale.
[UNPUBLISHED]: “666” is your upcoming single that gives us a sneak peek into the world of Hey Anna. What do you love most about this song?
[ANNA]: I love performing it live, that's like the biggest thing. That's my favorite song to perform live because it's about being a musician – especially being a young female musician. It's about all this bullshit and it just feels so good to sing my heart out.
[UNPUBLISHED]: You are currently playing two shows in Chicago and New York to celebrate Hey Anna. What are you most looking forward to with these intimate shows?
[ANNA]: Just connecting with the fans and connecting with everyone who has resonated with my music and seeing everyone and talking to everyone.
[UNPUBLISHED]: How are you feeling in this current era of your career and what does the upcoming year look like for you that you'd like to share with Unpublished?
[ANNA]: I feel good and excited about everything I want to put out into the world.
