Anna Mae
Anna Mae has just released an ANTHEM. Titled “BETTER”, the new single was co-written and produced by artist/producer Carobae.
Empowering and catchy, “BETTER” offers a great message of hope and positivity. I immediately fell in love with this song and its message and I’m sure many people will agree.
Congrats Anna on this new smash ! “BETTER” is out now :)
Photo credit: Fadwa Ward
Hi Anna, how are you? What have you been up to since our last conversation?
I’m doing great and soaking in lots of sun and travel this summer. I’ve been working on a lot of new music and I got a puppy which has pretty much consumed my life in the best way.
"BETTER" is your new single - what's the story/inspiration behind this song?
During a previous song release, I had been really struggling. I was sick with Covid and was feeling pretty down about life, which is what the first verse of “BETTER” is all about. I remember feeling at such a low point right then, but inevitably, things got better. That’s really what the song is all about - it’s a reminder that regardless of how low things might feel sometimes, it’ll get better.
Could you describe the songwriting/production process for this song? When did you start working on it?
A few months after my low point, I woke up one morning with the first verse, pre-chorus, and chorus, playing through my head. It’s like it had just fallen right into my lap, which is always such an exciting feeling as a songwriter. I took a quick voice memo of the ideas and then a few months later, I brought the idea to my friend Caroline Baker (aka Carobae) who helped me finish up the song.
How was it like to work with carobae on this record?
Honestly, it was so easy! It was like she instinctively knew what I wanted the song to sound like before I even told her what I was thinking.
What's your favorite lyric on "BETTER"?
I really love the second verse, which is almost a long run on sentence but I’ll just go ahead and quote the whole thing here: “I could hold my breath and count to 10, wait for all of it to end, give up and miss out on the feeling of a broken and dismantled heart becoming a piece of art, but I’d rather feel it beating.
What made you want to release "BETTER" as a single? What message do you want to convey through this song?
As soon as we wrote the song together, I knew it was something special and I think it marked a new season of writing for me. It’s a song that feels really hopeful and I needed to feel that hope for myself and want other people to experience that too.
What can you tell us about the artwork?
Honestly, the entire shoot and artwork process was just filled with powerhouse women and it was so fun to create with all of them, from makeup (Courtney Hagen) and hair (Tiffany DeGuire) to photographer (Fadwa Ward) to bts footage (Lyndsey McFarlane) and graphics (Emily Hoang.) I’m a very visual person and am so thrilled with how the artwork turned out.
What biggest life lessons have you learned so far?
Embrace who you’ve been since you were a child. I keep finding myself trying to channel little Anna Mae, more and more. Whenever I do, I think I create art that feels the most like me and experience life and relationships in the most fulfilling way.
What can we expect to hear/see from you?
A lot more is up ahead in the not so distant future! More music. More visuals. And maybe a couple other fun ventures as well :)
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