“It was such an incredible experience,” she said about working with Gareth Emery on The Lasers album. “Gareth is a huge inspiration and such a pro at what he does, so it was an honour to be the solo vocalist on the whole album. We had great fun recording it and I loved chatting to him about the backstories behind each song.”
“The lyrics are so personal to him, which makes the album immediately sentimental, but within each of those songs and each of those situations, is something that everyone can relate to in their lives,” she said.
“It was so exciting watching the album come together,” she exclaimed. Some highlights for me were shooting the music video for ‘You’ll Be OK’ and performing in his ‘Unplugged’ concert alongside all the other amazing artists who took part. I’m really enjoying seeing everyone’s response to the album and I hope everyone continues to love it as much as Gareth and I do.”
“Working with a legend like Gareth and being the solo vocalist on The Lasers is definitely one of the most exciting projects I’ve been involved with so far,” she added.
On her personal favorite songs on The Lasers album, she said, “‘End of Days’ is definitely up there as one of my favourites on the album. It’s so hard choosing one as there are so many brilliant songs on there. If I had to pick one, it’d have to be ‘Gunshots’ because the lyrics are so powerful, and the music gives off such a haunting vibe. When I first heard the demo, I had goosebumps everywhere and I couldn’t wait to record it. When I finally got to hear the final version a couple of months later, I fell in love with the track all over again.”
“It’s also more relevant than ever at a time like this with all the madness going on in the world right now, which gives the track a whole new layer of depth. I’d love to know what everyone else thinks,” she said.
Regarding her plans for 2020 and beyond, she said, “Like everyone else, a lot of my plans for 2020 have unfortunately been put on hold. Luckily, we’re all going through this together and it’s been a great opportunity for me to spend more time focusing on my songwriting. I’m in the middle of putting together my first EP, which I hope to release next year. I’m not going to give too much away, but I’m really excited about it and I can’t wait for everyone to hear what I’ve been working on.”
On her music and songwriting inspriations, she said, “I love to create different moods in my music, like that song that someone can vibe to in their bedroom or that heartbreak song that everyone needs. I think it’s important to have a song for everyone so they can identify with my music and think ‘oh yeah, I know how that feels!’ rather than it be completely personal and specific to me.”
“My writing is usually based on relationships or observations that have stuck with me. When I have a new experience or I have something on my mind, I like to get it down on paper and make a song out of it – whether that be good or bad. Even though I’m young and I don’t have the life experiences of a 40-year-old, I hope that my music and my writing exhibit emotions or feelings that everyone can identify with and relate to,” she elaborated.
On being a recording artist in the digital age, she said, “The way we listen to music today is completely different to how my parents’ generation listened to music at my age. People these days definitely have a shorter attention span due to the developments of technology and the need for quick entertaining content.”
Annabel continued, “As a recording artist, I have to be aware of that and make my music as captivating and engaging as possible so that people actually want to listen to the whole track through. We’ve all been there when we’re listening to a song and then we get bored, so we click shuffle or click to the next song, and as an artist I want to avoid that.”
“While streaming is the most popular way people listen to music now, I have always loved performing on stage and it’s something I can’t wait to pick up again when all the craziness comes to a stop and it’s safe for everyone to be together again. There is nothing better than a bunch of people who love music coming together to listen to it live,” she said.
Regarding her dream collaboration choices in music, she said, “I look up to so many artists in the industry, the list is endless. In the dance genre, I would love to collaborate with Disclosure or Flume as I find their music so clever and easy to listen to over and over again. I remember watching Disclosure live when I was 14 and thinking ‘I want to work with them one day’.”
“I also love artists like Billie Eilish, Finneas, JP Cooper and Oh Wonder. Their music always finds a way into every playlist I make or listen to, so a collaboration with them one day would be a dream,” she added.
On her definition of the word success, she explained, “I think it is relative to the stage in one’s own life and at this moment, it would be for people to just love my music. The idea of ‘success’ for me is directly related to how others receive and perceive my music. I want people to enjoy what I create and then feel the urge to bombard me about when I’m going to be making more. If they want to hear what I’m doing or working on next, I think that’s a good sign.”
For her fans and supporters, Annabel concluded, “A massive thank you for all of their support and encouragement. They have been such a key part of my experience in collaborating with Gareth on The Lasers and I can’t thank them enough for supporting me in the early stages of my music career. I hope to continue making music they love.”
To learn more about Annabel and her music, check out her Instagram page, Facebook page, and her official homepage.
