Chicago native Annie O’Malley is a budding singer-songwriter. Her music flows through the journey of gaining confidence and discovering oneself. We got the chance to chat with her about her music and upcoming projects.
Thanks for chatting with us Annie! Could you introduce yourself to our readers?
Hello, my name is Annie O’Malley. I am a singer-songwriter and I’m so excited to share a few things about me and my music.
How would you describe your sound to somebody who has never heard your music before?
I think describing sound comes in two parts, one being how it makes you feel. I like to touch on very heavy subjects but sometimes it’s hidden by an upbeat pop sound. Both “Island” and “Planet Golden” talk about feeling lonely and leaving something toxic behind, but the songs are fun and sound positive. Then I also have songs that you can hear the emotion in the way it’s produced and you can hear how it’s a heavier song.
If you could write a song with anybody who would you choose?
I often think of this myself because I have always written my songs alone. When I get an idea, or I want to write a song it happens so quickly, and I get so invested that I just finish it on my own. I also love that every line is something that came from my mind and heart which is so raw and honest. However, I would love to write with alt-J, Keane, Dean Lewis, Seafret, Lorde, James Bay – any of those would be a dream.
Describe how it feels for you to perform your songs on stage.
I love performing my songs on stage because I get to explain how I wrote them. It’s so crazy that I will sit at a piano, write a song, record it on my phone, go in the studio and record it, and a couple months later I’m performing it live. I feel like I’m home when I’m on stage, it’s where I am supposed to be. The first time I sang one of my own songs in front of people was when I was about nine and ever since then getting nervous just doesn’t really cross my mind because I’m so in love with it.
What’s your favorite part about writing songs?
My favorite part about writing songs is articulating how I felt about a situation. I write songs when I’m sad, when I’m happy, when I’m bored, or even sometimes for other people. Ever since I was young, I have been so obsessed with making people feel better, talking through feelings, and seeing people happy. Music is such a great way to do that. When I love a song and it makes me feel something, it can change a bad day instantly. It can give you relief even for a couple seconds and that is so powerful.
Who was the best performer you’ve ever seen live?
The best performer I have ever seen live would be alt-J. It was incredible, they are so creative, and they were so amazing live. I often binge watch videos of artists performing songs live to study stage presence and I will sit there for three hours watching it and paying attention to each detail because live performances are so important.
Is there an artist you’d love to work with?
I would love to work with artists who bring different things than I do, I would love to work with Chance The Rapper, Tash Sultana, Flume, NOTD, Fleet Foxes, Vance Joy. I honestly have so many.
What’s next for you?
Next is more music, an EP, and some shows! I can’t wait to see how things unfold, everything happens for a reason, and I’m so excited, this has been an amazing journey.
Last question, pick two songs. First song starts off a road trip and the last song ends it. What are your picks?
This is such a cool question because there’s nothing I love more than driving and listening to music. It’s so hard only picking two songs, but I usually go through different years and genres, it goes from alternative, to EDM, to singer-songwriter, to old Taylor Swift, to 2005 top hits, and back to alternative. Two songs I love listening to in the car on full blast is “Bloodflood” by alt-J and “I Ran (So Far Away)” by A Flock of Seagulls.
You can follow Annie on Instagram. Get to know more artists here.
- Today in Music History: April 7 - April 7, 2023
- EP Review: Michigander’s It Will Never Be The Same - March 31, 2023
- Deep Dive: Spotify’s ALT NOW Playlist - March 30, 2023
