Anabel Englund

Since then, her career is soared. In the last year, she scored three dance chart number ones, so Hot, Picture Us, and Underwater. All of these can be found under debut LP Messing with Magic, an instant dance party that was released last December. Now a deluxe edition is set to hit shelves on May one, with five new tracks, including

her new single Waiting for You. There's also reimagined acoustic versions of Picture Us and Underwater, plus I hastened to add she's also nominated for Dance Artists of the Year at the I Heart Radio Music a War. It's I'm so happy to welcome Annabelle England. Hi, Hey guys, how are you well. Thank you so much for taking the time today. Your your new record is incredible. It's called Messing with Magic, which I think, just right off the bat is an incredible title. What does that mean to you?

How do you do you you define the magic? Well? To me, Messing with Magic is about kind of going against the grain, and you know, because I feel like in society it's it's so often easier to accept that we dislike ourselves versus bagging ourselves up or or being our number one fan,

and I kind of want to change the narrative. And to me, Messing with Magic is about like cutting out the bullshit, finding yourself love and like saying like I love myself and I care about myself and I did this thing and it's amazing, and being proud of yourself for that too. So it's kind of a journey of self love and you know, love with for other people and know all that, all that stuff, we definitely need more of that. I believe you said that this record

is the debut of the beginning of me. How do you feel that you've grown and change from all the incredible work and songs that that's come before this? Yeah, I mean before I was assigned to Ultra Records, I was just making music to get it out and you know,

have a continuation of songs. I mean, they all are still so important to me, but this debut album is the first cohesive unit that I was able to put out, and it has some older songs I've written, but also some newer songs that I had just written with songwriters and producers that Ultra had teamed me up with. So it was kind of like, like I kind of say, it was just kind of like chiseling away at all the pieces, and then I ended up having this album.

And before people would say what's your sound, like what would be your ideal song that you would make? And you know, so I would have to like go into meetings prepared to say, well, I would cut up this song from the XX and take this song from Robin, but then like have this bridge from Madonna. And really it's like I can only figure out what my sound is by making music and seeing like I like that song, but it's it's not my favorite. And the more songs I write, the more I'm able to figure out what

I like and what my sound is. And that's why I feel like this album is the debut of me, because by making it, I've been able to see what I love and what I'm proud of in making that's got to be such a great feeling because before that, it's it's got to be stressful. Think like you just said, I'm this, but I'm also this, but I'm also this. And now you have a document you can point to and say, this is me, this is my sound, this

is who I am. Take it or leave it. Yeah, And I think like going into label meetings to like prove yourself and you know, management meetings at the time, and and you know, I have to come with my homework, but really it's like you just have to give me a chance so I can show you and give me room to grow and to evolve. And then this is what happens when when you do. And I think, like as an artist that that's starting out like years ago, it's kind of like, you know, people ask these questions,

but you don't really know until you try and you do. Now. You mentioned that some of these songs have been around for a while and some of them are written during lockdown. What was the breakdown like for that? How much of the songs are from like the last year. Two of the songs from the deluxe album were written in Quarantine over Zoom, and all the other songs were written previously before COVID. Actually there are two of my favorite songs. And I at first was like, I just I'm always

open to try anything. Once It's like I'm very open minded with things, and I'm just like, okay, like let's try. And I did these Zoom sessions, and to me, it's almost it's kind of nice because we all have an open Google doc. The co writer and I are like writing our ideas down. We can see it in real time.

And all I did was like send voice memos on my phone own and then email them to the producer to have them put it in the track that the producer was making at the time, and and then within three hours we had a demo and all I had to do was go record the vocals and and then it's done. And a lot of the time, I you know, one of the songs called Don't Say Goodbye is about my grandma and my dog, who I had seen their declining health. And I was in a really sad mood and I was like, I don't want to do this

session today, but I went in. I mean, I went on Zoom and then I just kind of started writing about that like that that I'm going to have to say goodbye to these people that I love so much and there's nothing stopping it. And and it's a way that I was able to be so much more vulnerable almost because it's like literally just walking from my living room to my to my music area and all my emotions are still with me. And it's not like I shut the car door and I walk into a session

and I just leave everything be hind it was. It was really personal and beautiful. So it's been I actually haven't minded it at all. I've kind of loved it. I mean, you mentioned the song don't say Goodbye, I'm not ready. I mean just that song obviously comes up such a personal place for you. I know, your grandmother really was instrumental in a lot of ways in starting you on your musical journey. Is that is that fair

to say? Yeah? I mean, it wasn't until she was gone that I realized how much of a inspiration she has been throughout my entire life, because to me, she had always been my grandma who was famous, and you know, it was cool and all that, but she was always my grandma. But when she passed, it was like Wow. I realized I would not be I wouldn't be where I am today without her. I wouldn't be the human being I am today without her in every aspect of

my life. And so it was really I don't know, I still miss her a lot, even though you know, she was older and she just had her time. And it's not like I wish that she was still alive in the state she was in before she died, But I just I miss her essence on this planet, I guess. So the song is really important to me, and I

hope that many people can resonate with it too. It's such a powerful back For those of you who don't know your grandmother was Cloris Leachman, absolute legendary actress, went an Academy Award for the Last Picture Show, Amazing Comedian in mel Brooks Movies, Young Frankenstein, Oh my gosh, Mary Tyler Moore. The list goes on and on and on.

So I mean, just what an incredible inspiration. I mean, did having someone in your life who had that degree of fame, did that sort of make it feel possible from an early age that like, yeah, this is something because I feel like so many people it's like yeah, I sing, but I don't even know the first thing about how to actually follow my dream. But you have someone who's just such an influence right in front of you. Yeah.

I mean I think having her and growing up going to movie premieres and just like meeting with famous people and it just being really common for me and not you know, I've seen some people who aren't from l A, who are just from like the Midwest or something, and then they see a famous person. It's like, oh my gosh, that's that's Tom Cruise over there. You know, they just don't know how to act because it's a famous person

and they think that they're not a person. And so for me, because I grew up with it, it felt just very normal, like I know that, Okay, that's a person and I'm a person, and we can just have a casual conversation. It doesn't need to be this big thing.

And I think just growing up in that scene, I felt like it only made sense, like I already knew that it was okay, Like I don't know, my scene is completely different than her scene, and she didn't, you know, pull any strings for me, Like I did everything on my own, and people only found out she was my grandmother until after we had started working together. So but I do feel like because I saw it in my mind and I had already lived it in a sense

that it was it was easier to achieve potentially. How did you when you were first starting out, how did you make the jump from from singing to writing your own music. I mean, I've always written my own music. I started by writing songs for ABC Family. They found me on YouTube and they asked me to come in and play some songs on my guitar. And I self taught on guitar. I knew like a few chords, so

I had written songs on my guitar. I mean, I don't know how good they were, but with just two chords, but um, they I went in and then they hired me for a contract to write and sing five songs for their network, and then I mean the rest is history. I just kind of fell in love with the dance scene in Hollywood in l A. And I just kind of like became infatuated with that. And I always wrote

my own music. Wow. So even when you when you first started singing, that was that one hand in hand with with when you were you know, a kid, and just just beginning to make your own music that just came from you. Yeah, I mean I don't. I'm not opposed to singing another song that's written by someone else if I really love it and I feel like it's super it's spoken to me. But I feel like it's just I have to write my own music. I just feel like I narrate so much of my life and

I feel like it just it has to be. Would you do write? I'm so curious about your process. Do you start with the beat and go from that or do you go to a piano and work out the melody and kind of put the beat to to the melody. UM. A lot of the time, I it helps me to write UM when I hear a producer, when I have a producer playing a few chords, because I'm able to

hear melodies from chords. I mean, with a beat. It's kind of harder for me because it's literally just just the drums, and I've already written music to just rounds for so long. Like I just i feel like I've exhausted all my melodies with just the drums. So for me, I love hearing someone play chords and then I can just go from there and like the words just start

coming out. And then a lot of the times I just kind of say a story that I'm I start singing a story and then I realized how it attaches to my current life situation, and then I either write about that or I write it from someone else's point of view, and I just kind of go from there. One of my favorite songs on on your new record is that Picture Us. It's just such an amazing song. The song and the video are both so powerful. It's about love of all kinds. Can you tell me a

little more about about that track. Yeah, So Picture Us I'm so proud of too, because, um, I pretty much wrote that all the melodies myself. So to know that something I wrote basically all on my own made it to Billboard number one. It was my first ever Billboard number one was a big comblishment for me. But that song is definitely it's just about love and it's about having that one person that you know has your back through thick and thin, and you know, finding that light

in the world. An amazing song. I also loved burn It, which I just think it's such as the album Closer, it's a stripped down ballad. I loved how just like it's it's very there, but you can just the bones of the song are just so great and so strong. It really shows up your your songwriting. I think it's it's an amazing track. And tell me a little about that one. Yeah, so burn, it is really important to me.

I wrote it years ago actually, and I started with the chords and I just kind of started describing my situation and I ended up writing it about my relationship with my mother and my relationship with an X, and then about a few dreams I had and like the swimming Far from Shore a part was was about a dream. And so it's really about like holding on to someone or something for so long, and its just like, at a certain point for me, it was just so painful to keep holding onto it and I didn't know how

to let it go. It's like I would rather die than let this go, but I have to, and so I will. And yeah, that's what it's about. And I hope I know, like it hadn't gotten playlisted really because it's most of my songs are dance tracks, and this is one of the only ones I have out right now on Spotify that is just me and piano, so I definitely want people to listen to it more or

get in their ears somehow. That's one of my favorite tracks on the whole album, and on the deluxe edition that that's coming out one there are acoustic versions of Underwater and Picture Us. I believe what made you decide to to revisit those songs in that style. Well, picture Us is a fan Phaise and so is Underwater, and I love both of them. I mean, I love Underwater

so much. And you know, I in a sense because of Burnett and wanting to showcase more of the dynamic that I have, which is that I play acoustic instruments. I sing like I'm not just a dance artist, and so I think what we're trying to show is that I'm not just here to sing and dance, but I'm also here to you know, sing you to sleep, or

you know. I want to start doing I want to start doing like acoustic strip backsets, so you know, maybe one day I can do a show where it's like me and a guitar and some drums, and then later that night I d J in after hours at like two to four am, to show that there can be multiple facets to me. Yeah, I feel a though that that for so often in in the dance music realm, it seems to be such a producer's medium and a lot of times the producer's mail and they kind of

get their name out front and the center. And how how have you combat at that? Because on yours, your your name is is front and center right there. I mean, has that been something that was a challenge to kind of push past? I mean, at first, I was so happy being a featured artist when I was younger, and I was like just starting out, like the fact that my name was going to be on something that all these famous DJs names were on, Like I was in

love with that. But then I started making my own music and I was like, well, I don't have to have my career dependent on them. And it happened slowly. But now that I'm signed to this label, it's my project and I am a dance artist, and it is It is frustrating because a lot of these producers tracks like get really big, but the big thing about them is the vocals, and the vocalist isn't even credited. But a lot of the time sometimes these women don't even

want to be credited. So we can't say that, you know, we don't know the backstory. But all I know is that I want to make a stand with who I am as an artist, and I'm not just here to sing on people's tracks. I'm here to be an artist and have my own music, that dance music. When you when you first started out releasing songs about about ten years ago, what did success look like to you back then? What? What did what did you you really want more than anything?

I mean, honestly, back in the day, I was like this little tumbleweed that was just gaining so much success, and all I knew was who I wanted to work with, and I just made it happen. And I don't know exactly how. I just put myself in the places, in the situations where I would end up meeting the people I wanted to work with, and I ended up just traveling literally around the whole globe performing just these amazing songs.

And I think it was all happening so fast, and I was so young that I didn't have the opportunity to sit back and be like, WHOA, this is happening, And no one really kind of took me under their wing either. It was kind of just like, come on, let's go, and and so I went, and I didn't know, like I it all happened so fast, and now like I've really I think it was really important. But um, but now I have a different outlook on my life

and a different trajectory for sure. I mean, you've worked with so many great artists, even just on this record, I mean Jamie Jones, Leefoss and of course MK. What are you looking for in a collaborator? Is there is there a common thread between all these names or is it just just a spark that you you just know when you when you're in a room together. It's it's a lot of the time just a spark. Because like I said, I'm really open minded and I'm down to

work with anyone honestly. As if someone says from my label or my management team or my lawyer or whatever, if they're like, I really think you should work with this person, then I'll say, Okay, I don't even really look into the specs of who they are, what they put out, if I haven't heard their name, I'm down to make something. Because if someone who I know and trust in my tight circle, like UM offers and things that I should work with someone, then then I say yes,

because you never know what can happen from that. So yeah, it's just it's more just a spark. And then if I make something great, no, and sometimes you know, I've made plenty of songs with Lee Foss and some of them just aren't up to the up to the cut, you know, and he and I just choose not to release them. So there's a lot of other songs that just haven't been released. Are there any wishless collaborators that

that you really want to work with? Yes, I really want to work with Black Coffee, and I mean like in the dance scene or anywhere. I really would love to sing a song with Scissa. And oh, Kate Ronata. I really love Kate Nada's album So good. Yeah, put Madonna on that list too. Oh yeah, obviously the Don's she's the easy go to. But yeah, I mean, of course, I I definitely want to work with her to some degree. I even messaged her and was like, you know, yeah,

yeah she did. I was just like because we were messaging because she follows me on Instagram. She's been following me for years. So I almost had a heart attack when when I saw that, but what did she say? Well, so we were kind of dm ng back and forth, just kind of because she has a face line, like a face line of like lotions and stuff like that, and they sent me stuff and then I tagged the face line and then I also tagged her, and so she was like giving me tips on how to use

the products. And at the same time, I was like, oh my god, like I was breaking out, but I was trying to play it cool. She's the only person ever who I don't know, like I think I would legitimate lee just like freeze and act like a fool for real, you know, because we had been dm ng back and forth. I was just like, you know, she says it herself, if you don't ask what for what you want, you're not going to get what you want.

So following her advice, I just said, um, I basically I don't remember exactly what the words were, but it was just like, you know, I would love to work with you, whether it be music or video or whatever, like I have to say. And she was like, oh, thank you so much. That's amazing. I mean, you are a true Madonna fan. I think I read that American life is like one of your one of your go to Yeah, that's that's that's a how should I put this? That is an unusual choice for a go to album,

which I think makes you a true fan. Yeah, I mean I know, honestly, I know most of her songs by heart, like every single one of them, which is a little cray cray, But I literally do absolutely not is that they go to andy go to karaoke tracks. I mean, I haven't done karaoke since I was in Tokyo like three years ago, but I don't know. I mean, I've been listening to the music album recently, which is

just an amazing one. So yeah, She's I just people don't understand, like, for instance, people born in two thousands or whatever, like my cousin who's sixteen, Like she just doesn't understand that Madonna is like so important to society. She's literally been the soundtrack to my entire life, and like what artists you know, consistently puts out music that you can listen to your whole lifespan. It's just kind

of amazing. Aside from d m NG with Madonna, which is like, oh you need really, But aside from that, have you had what would have been some more like, oh my god, moments from from your music career. I know Elton John is a big fan. Oh yeah, that was crazy. Yeah, Elton John gave me a shout out, which was amazing. That was so unexpected. Um and oh my god for me was getting three number three US dance number ones in a year where we've had a freaking global pandemic. I mean that was insane. I just

people would be like, how do you feel? Like this is so amazing, and I'm like, I don't know. I'm at home my couch, like nothing's really changed, Like how do I know? I know. I just I was just like, I don't really know how I feel because nothing in my life has really changed other than you're telling me that I have a number one. You know, I don't know how to process that. Um But honestly, off the top of my head, I don't know because I don't

like collect my like things. So thank you for the reminder of that, Elton John, because I like totally forgot

about that. But um, I think I think just seeing I guess for me what's been really cool is to just see, um how well my music is taking off and like putting out my music and seeing just huge platforms support me is just it's so amazing to see and it's so like it makes me feel validated because I've been working so hard for so long and I finally have a team and a label and all of these people like, you know, lifting me up and I'm like leading the way, but they're lifting me up, and

it's just I feel so supported and so loved and like that in itself is just so powerful. Last year, I mean, even if it's professionally great, I'm sure on a lot of levels has been hard. I mean not only just being able to not go out on the road and tour, but just you know the way it's hard on all of us. Like it's just an uncertain, freaky time. Have there been any silver linings for you? Just this time to sort of be still, kind of be at home maybe reflect Is is there anything good

from you come from that? Yeah? I mean I needed this time to stop everything, like, and I think the whole world did. I mean, so many people were like, I can't wait for this year to be over, you know, fuck or whatever. And for me, it was like this year was so transformative for me. It was like I went into it and as a caterpillar, and I like cocoon myself and it was weird. I'm not gonna lie.

There was some like roller coaster up and down moments with like the no food, no dry canned goods at the grocery store moments, but like coming out of it, I feel like I'm someone completely different, and I feel like if people didn't use this time in quarantine, then it's it's a shame because I feel like this was really meant for all of us to grow and evolve and learn. And it it breaks my heart to see how many people have you know, taken their lives or

things like that. It's been a really dark time for so many and it just it breaks my heart to think that people feel like there's no options for help. But this year for me has been really important. And I've had a time to release music and see who likes what and see what my brand is just with photo shoots and clothes and makeup and you know whatever. So I I've loved and it's its own sentence if I don't know if that makes sense, But absolutely a lot more in the Oh, yeah, how's that been going.

That's been going freaking great? I mean I have a gig every month, every weekend in this month, um, except for Mother's Day weekend, but I have at least one gig every weekend this month. And um, I mean, it's going to be a lot of djaying and I'm so used to playing. I'm so used to djaying for live streams. Like I didn't really consider myself a DJ before Quarantine, and now I would consider myself a DJ because you know, I've been playing so much and doing so many live

streams and festivals, virtual festivals. But I feel like, Okay, well, what's it going to be like when I start like playing to festivals, Like there's gonna be hundreds of people there and it's going to be all different. And I hope, you know, I think it might be better, but I don't know, we'll see. I hope so well. Playing off that theme, my my last question. You're throwing a No More COVID party. What's on the playlist? Definitely some disco, I would say, like I would say, like a b

GS album. That's kind of the first thing that comes to mind in like some Dauna summer get some chic in there. Yeah, I would play some of my music to just see like everyone dancing and to like see how everyone reacts to it um in person. And I've been listening to like a lot of salons recently and just kind of hanging out and vibing and like this kind of like fun, groovy, sexy. Wait, I have one

more thing to say. What's that? It's that I forgot to tell you that a big moment for me is getting nominated for the Hurt Music Award for Best Dance Artists. That is right, Oh my god. So yeah. I mean that's freaking incredible and I hope I win, but if not, it's okay. I'll forgive the people who didn't vote for me. Well you got my vote, a cross, my fingers, my hands. Annabell, thank you so so much for your time to day. It's been such a pleasure. Yeah, thank you too. It

was really nice. We hope you enjoyed this episode of Inside the Studio, a production of I Heart Radio. For more episodes of Inside the Studio or other fantastic shows, check out the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.