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Human emotion is such an overwhelming force, and it can be a beautiful thing when it works in our favor. There will be days where you experience nothing but pure joy, and you live those moments high on that ecstasy. This joy makes life simple and allows us to fully enjoy the positive aspects of our days. Then there will be those periods where you will have to endure raw anguish, and those moments can prove to be fairly challenging. It can be difficult to focus on anything other than the turmoil occurring within us. Elise Hayes expresses this feeling in "Human Heart" where she voices the pain she endures by dealing with the overpowering negative emotions. The guitar strums and vocals are heavily highlighted in this piece. Elise's vocals are strong yet simultaneously soft, just as the guitar is. Having these two aspects of the song play such a large role makes this melody feel very personal and allows for the lyrics to really be heard. Elise's lyrics really focus on the battle against negative emotion, and she emphasizes the big ideas of this piece with stronger vocals. She especially emphasizes the chorus with lines that include "does anybody else feel like sometimes it's too real" and "damn it's hard having a human heart." It's evident that Elise put her true feelings about this topic in the song, making it easier for listeners to connect with the piece. Music played a major role in Elise's life growing up, as she was introduced to folk and soul music pretty early on in her life. Artists such as James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder, and Aretha Franklin really spoke to her. She has always felt very inspired by the music she listened to as a child and it helped shaped her music into what it is today. She moved from Boston to Nashville in 2011 to help foster her creativity, and grow her career as an artist. She has written songs for TV shows such as "Grey's Anatomy" and Being Mary Jane," and has just recently released her EP Human Heart. As an artist, Elise hopes to spark inspiration in her listeners and to help others foster a love for music just as she did growing up. Written By Melina Darlas FOLLOW ELISE HAYES:

I genuinely LOVE your new single “Millennium”! Can you guys share a bit about the story behind this song and what the writing process was like? The Trusted: Dale (our guy on guitar) came up with the main riff during a rehearsal just before lockdown. Once we had the main idea, the song basically wrote itself in 10 minutes. Lyrically, I was really inspired by the state of modern culture. We live in a noisy world that constantly bombards us with irrelevant information. It’s so oppressive and terrifying. I’ve always wanted to write about how this stuff makes me feel and this tune gave me that platform. How did you all meet and what inspired you to start making music together? The Trusted: Well, we had all played in bands prior to The Trusted. Dale and I went to the same school but we didn’t ‘team up’ until we were 18. After writing and playing together for a few years, we realised, we were musically compatible. From this, we pulled in my brother on bass and Dave (who we met through a mutual friend) and decided to form our own band. When the four of us get in the room together, it always feels really special, it just works! You guys have such an infectious sound. Who would you say are your biggest influences for your music? The Trusted: All depends on who you ask in the band haha. Dale draws a lot from Hip-hop and alt rock, Dave takes a lot from modern rock music and Punk and Fin is heavily inspired by sixties and seventies rock. I take stuff from all over the place. Bands like Talking Heads, REM, Radiohead, The 1975, U2 and The White Stripes have played a big role in how I write music. The videos I’ve seen of your gigs look amazing! What is your favourite thing about performing live? The Trusted: When people sing our songs back at us. Truly the best feeling in the world. We are definitely a live band; we love playing on stage more than anything else! If you could be the opener for any artist in the world, who would you guys choose? The Trusted: I would have to say The Strokes. The first thing we ever played together was ‘Reptilia,’ so this would bring everything full circle. What can we expect from you the rest of the year? We cannot wait to hear more from you!! The Trusted: Just a ton of new music (we think the next song is coming in June) as well as a bunch of exciting gigs! Interviewed By Sarah Curry FOLLOW THE TRUSTED:

“It feels like I’m alone and there’s no one to listen.” Few people know about our silent battles; the obstacles to inner peace that seem to never cease. Especially with the pandemic, isolation has become an increasingly common coping method. However, that’s like being pulled into the shadows just to run into the same challenges. ‘Glad to be Alive’ by Doppe & Kokke tells us to embrace our fears and to never give up, no matter how rigorous the battle is. Living in the present is easier said than done, but you don’t have to keep fighting solo. Reach out to your friends! Go after that dream! And most importantly, choose to be authentically you, because that’s when you’re at your most powerful! Doppe & Kokke do a phenomenal job of creating a lively backdrop. Motivating acoustic guitar strums lay the foundation for an empowering ballad. The party mood is intensified by a synth-filled EDM drop after each chorus. Featured artist Justin Erinn has a voice like honey. Silky smooth and decadent, his musical agility is made superior by the incredible runs he does in the second verse. The lyrics are nothing short of relatable. Finding your “missing pieces”, living every day as if it were your last, and breaking out of your comfort zone. All of these are difficult to implement, but so rewarding when you realize that it’s all for your benefit. In light of that, this song is a total confidence builder for anyone who listens to it! Raised in Sweden, the now Swiss-based duo Doppe & Kokke are all about feel-good music. Their unique blend of EDM and Tropical House production inspires others to excellence. Transparent in their approach, they create vivid experiences based on personal reflection and mindfulness. What I love about Doppe & Kokke is their brilliantly thought-out motto. In it, they admit that while they can’t change the world with their music, they can change the people in the world. ‘Glad to be Alive’ gives them joy, much like their other amazing projects. Checking out this duo is an absolute must! Written By Kevin Rodriguez FOLLOW DOPPE & KOKKE:

No one likes to get dragged along. If someone is going to break up with you, it’s better to just get it over with, and the TV show Friends taught us that taking a ‘break’ doesn’t do any good. In his song ‘Have Fun (Without Me)’, Ari Zizzo is letting his ex go. When Zizzo went off to LA, his partner said that they’d stay together and everything would work out. At some point, his partner’s plans changed. Zizzo was cut out and had to learn he wasn’t going to be a part of his ex’s life anymore. Now, Zizzo thinks back on his relationship and everything they used to do together. It’s not the big things that make him miss his ex, but the mundane things, like sleeping in bed together. Zizzo is working to move on, yet he can’t help but wonder if his ex misses him like he misses them. ‘Have Fun (Without Me)’ is a breakup song that takes you through the artists emotions. During the first verse, Zizzo is accompanied solely by an acoustic guitar. The isolated vocals layered over the guitar create this feeling of loneliness and isolation. When the chorus builds and percussive beats come in, the emotion moves away from a lonely sadness and morphs into an emotional flurry. Zizzo wants to know how his partner is doing but he can’t ask those questions. The emotions from the heartbreak combine with the emotions of this exclusion making the chorus super charged with emotion. After the first chorus the rest of the song is charged with a heightened emotional energy. Zizzo does a great job at creating a breakup song that doesn’t pull the listener down. By juxtaposing the more serious moments with upbeat moments the song doesn’t create a sad feeling. It’s the perfect song when a breakup isn’t fresh anymore but the feelings are still heavy as you try to move on. Upper East Side native Ari Zizzo has always been surrounded by music. His mother, a successful songwriter, and his father, a record producer, greatly influenced his musical pursuits. By the age of 4, Zizzo started to learn instruments. He knew from a young age his dream was to be an artist. Zizzo’s music is influenced by his life experiences, one such experience being the struggle to find your identity. As a transgender man, Zizzo had a different experience than many whilst growing up, but at the core of his growth was finding out who he is. He has said that the struggle to find your identity is a shared experience, even though everyone’s struggle is different. This understanding that life experiences are different, but the general problems are universal, is something Zizzo implements in his work. He creates music that any listener could find themselves relating to. If you liked what you heard, ‘Have Fun (Without Me)’ and Zizzo’s other singles are available to stream now on Spotify. Written By Maddy Mahady FOLLOW ARI:

Your new single "Hurt You" evokes deep emotions as you sing about a painful breakup experience. Can you tell us what inspired this song? Cate: Yes. It was more the end of a situation than a relationship, but basically it’s about a comically bad experience I had with a guy I liked. I got home from the bar after this interaction and I knew I needed to write about it. The song pretty much explains what happened, and the bridge is basically a step-by-step itinerary of the night. Since it was so specific I made sure I didn’t exaggerate anything in the rest of the song. Everyone in both our friend groups know what it’s about, and until now I’ve never released anything with the intention of having the person it’s about hearing it, but I had a lot of fun with it. You mention on your website that you're a Music Industry major at Northeastern University. What has that experience been like as you combine your passion with academics? Cate: The Music Industry program at Northeastern is great. It’s really nice to be able to take classes I can apply to my life right now—on the creative side I’ve taken production and songwriting classes, and on the business side I’ve taken artist management and marketing classes. Both have been helpful with my music, and my experiences as an independent artist have been helpful with school. So it’s mutually beneficial. What has been your experience with the Boston music scene? Do you plan on staying there after you graduate? Cate: I am going straight back to California after graduation, haha. Boston is great and I wanted to live on the east coast for part of my life, but I feel like I belong on the west coast. The music scene is amazing though, Berklee is right by Northeastern and I’ve met some extremely talented kids and had some cool collaboration experiences. But I’m still going back to California. You mention you got started a bit later in the music industry. What difficulties or challenges have you faced breaking into the industry? How have these shaped your path forward? Cate: I’ve always had a strong sense of self-confidence, but I’d say holding onto that while entering a new industry with people who have been in it for a lot longer than I have has been one of the biggest challenges. But I have learned a ton from practicing that skill. Having confidence in my writing and performing and believing I should be in the room while being open with people that I still have a lot to learn has benefitted me the most so far. Learning to play piano by ear, which you mention on your website, is impressive! What kind of songs did you like to write and listen to as a kid? Cate: I grew up on Taylor Swift and that’s definitely been one of my biggest influences since I started writing. I used to strictly write pop, but I would listen to everything. My dad would always play rock in the car, and I think that’s starting to influence me more right now. I’ve been really into Lenny Kravitz lately, and I’ve started experimenting with adding rock into my own stuff. What song has been your favorite to write and record? Cate: Definitely “hurt you.” It was a weirdly cathartic experience and I love how it turned out. I recorded the demo in my apartment in Boston, and then my producer added live guitar, drums, and bass to replace some of the midi stuff. It came together pretty easily considering I never went into a studio for it. I’m really happy with it. Interviewed By Hannah Conkin FOLLOW CATE:

Fights happen in relationships. There are bound to be things you and your significant other disagree on. Some of these fights are more intense than others. In the truly bad fights, threats of leaving can be made. In their new song ‘The Weather’, Your Paris tells the story of what happens when those threats are turned into action. A couple has been fighting, and this time, one of the partners has packed up their things to leave. The partner being left is desperately pleading to talk about anything in hopes that things can be fixed. Your Paris is made up of Nick Babcock and Laila Kharouba. In ‘The Weather’, Laila is the primary vocalist, with Nick having a verse after the first chorus. The duo use their individual voices to tell a complex story. Laila is the partner being left and her vocals reflect her sense of loss and desperation. The repeated phrase “let’s just talk about the weather” shows how she’s trying to grasp onto anything to rekindle this relationship. She isn’t ready to give up yet. Nick’s verse shows how this breakup is hard for him as well, but he is done trying to save a sinking ship. “I’m afraid to hear you laughing/ or even think about what’s happened/ I can’t be the one that’s calling.” Nick is trying to distance himself from the situation so he can go through with his leaving. He knows that if he calls Laila first, they’ll end up talking and he might not be able to walk away. In breakup songs you typically get events told through one perspective. I thought it was unique how Your Paris uses each vocalist to tell a different side of the story. Both partners are struggling, this relationship hard on them, bringing that much more emotion to the song. ‘The Weather’ is not your run of the mill breakup song and is definitely worth an addition to any ‘In My Feels’ playlist. Nick and Laila created their pop duo, Your Paris, just two months before the pandemic began. In the time since they have released a handful of singles. If you ask Nick and Laila, they will say their sound is a mix of Fleetwood Mac and Ariana Grande. While a pop group, Your Paris draws inspiration from a large variety of genres including folk and rock. The love the duo has for one another can be heard and felt through their music. ‘The Weather’ is available to stream now on Spotify. Written By Maddy Mahady FOLLOW YOUR PARIS:

Your new song "Of Blood and Star" evokes chills with haunting, melodic vocals. What's the meaning behind this song? ISYLA: As we moved into creating our second collection of songs Amy tried hard to channel Lizzie's spiritually driven perspective into lyric themes. In one sense this song is a dance between the two of us. Lizzie is hugely rooted in her soul but Amy can be much more head in the clouds. It's also a love song that reflects upon our human need to rely on each other for comfort, strength and rootedness. Humans are made to be a team. When we look at what is happening to our beautiful home we can see what becomes of us if we try to operate on a 'I'll do me and you do you' basis. We are all connected when we share the same sky. What is the meaning and story behind the name "ISYLA"? ISYLA: It's just a pretty word! It sounded soft and feminine to us. Though we did later realise it was a combination of 'Isla', which was Amy's name for the first few hours of her life before her parents did a switch up for a name that was vastly easier to spell) and the iz of Lizzie! From your website, I understand your project aims to raise awareness about climate change. How have you seen that goal realized in the last few years? What kind of plans do you have to continue with this mission? ISLYA: Pretty hard to measure, we would say! We started as artists from a total standing still. Gaining attention is a slow burn. We feel pleased to have got to a point where the music is being heard and enjoyed. We stand by the hope that brought us into being that music is a great way in to the issues as it reaches out in such an emotionally appealing way, Artist Es Devlin says 'The role of the artist is to make the revolution irresistible.' It's got to be, frankly, sexy, to be fighting for people and planet. Or at least this is one way in which people can be mobilised to engage. We absolutely have plans to continue. It kinda feels like we are just getting started as it has taken time for us to get to know each other and where the sweet spot musically between us lies. The next collection will have much more of Lizzie's soulful, ethereal influence, which is very exciting for us both. How do you navigate the generational gap between the two of you? How do you see your age gap represented in your listeners? ISYLA: It has proved to be surprisingly powerful to be able to take ideas and channel them through the lens of two people and two generations. We can't really explain it, but in terms of our bond. there has not been any navigation needed as the 21 years between us fell away over our first coffee together. There's a bit of mothering goes on but it's on both sides as is natural in a friendship. Our listeners span our ages. I think Of Blood and Star has a heavy dose of alt pop and folk influences from across the 60s though to the 90's so will certainly be enjoyed by those who enjoyed them on the first go round. But we hope Lizzie's soft, folkier vocal, fused with a more pop-rooted sound and contemporary, soundscape elements make for a new combination that will appeal to a young audience as well. How do you two go about collaborating on and creating new projects? ISYLA: Of Blood and Star was a more fractured process than we would have liked. With so many new music and industry skills to master and a pandemic raging, collaborative opportunities were squeezed. However, over the last few months we have started on new material, been much braver and tried out various ways to share the creative process, from passing snippets and ideas between us and more recently improvising together at the piano or guitar. It's about taking risks and leaps of faith, letting go of the control we are both used to and also feeling able to be honest. We know that either of us can say, nope that's not for me/for ISYLA without injury. We don't align neatly in our musical tastes with Lizzie gravitating towards vibier, darker beats and layered harmonies and Amy searching for a more structured, hook-driven ride, but we think this works for us as we are always stretching out into the magical space between us where we can both get really excited by something. If you weren't musicians, what do you think you would be doing? ISYLA: Lizzie's art extends into lots of other areas including fire spinning and make up. Amy knows the answer as she had 20 wilderness years away from music! Something else badly is the proven answer! We both love visual media and our brains don't do well at very structured, repetitive tasks. So for both of us the answer is probably something else creative that is always evolving. Interviewed By Hannah Conkin FOLLOW ISYLA:

I can’t get enough of your infectious new single “To the Stars and Back”! What is the story behind this song? And what was the writing process like? Jordan: Thank you! Writing the record was always going to be about keeping summer in mind and where id wanna hear this record. For me it was those rooftop and poolside parties or those late night dinners downtown looking fresh with the people you love. How did music find its way into your life? Was it something you got into later or has it always been there? Jordan: Yeah music found its way into my life thanks to my parents. Like a lot of us artists and musicians, there was just a lot of variety of music playing, anything from jazz to classic rock and gangster rap, no music was off limits and that was a blessing. If you had to pick, do you prefer producing or performing? Jordan: For me performing is the energy, the style, the personality of all those long hours cooking up in the studio. As much as I love cooking up in a studio, there’s nothing like vibing with fans to your music. What made you make the move to Australia to start your career? Jordan: Australia is far away! (Shouts my aussies tho) It’s not an ideal home base if I want to tour North America and Europe. I always thought to myself that the music industry is a lot like the NBA; if you want to play in the major leagues you gotta go where the major leagues are played. If you could collaborate with any artist in the world, who would you pick and why? Jordan: Amber Mark, Pharrell, Calvin Harris, Silk Sonic, Alicia Keys, Tom Misch, Lucky Daye… want me to continue?? There’s too many to name but it means I wanna work with various people for various reasons. What can we expect next from you? I’m so excited to see where this journey takes you! Jordan: 2022 is dedicated to new music and more shows. It’s on my list to hit up NYC and LA, London and Paris, and of course some bigger shows in Toronto. Interviewed By Sarah Curry FOLLOW JORDAN:

“Sweet Words” is a bouncy electro-synth groove that’s equal parts sultry and mysterious. The sweet words one says when trying to seduce someone is flattering, and it’s fun to play coy and watch as he chases after you. His words, laced with sugar and delivered with enough emotion to feel believable, are easy to say and give you enough validation to fall for him. But just as this song is about the sweet ones that one says, it also serves as a warning: to take a step back from getting caught up in it all and think about this person logically. From the pulsating bass to the velvet-lined voice beside them, Mystic Waxx crafts an alluring atmosphere around temptation. The voice is layered carefully with the background vocals and instruments, taking care not to overpower each other; instead, everything balances delicately on a thread, the instruments emerging almost cautiously in a solo after the vocals fade out. The bass never wavers in the background, setting the beat and tone of the piece. Mystic Waxx is a London-based electronic indie-pop duo, delivering their fans a mix of blues beats with hip hop instruments powered by floating electronic sounds that are influenced by the likes of Pink Floyd, Portishead, The Knife, and Bonobo. Releasing a couple of singles in 2020 and 2021, Mystic Waxx hasn’t run out of steam yet, and it’s clear that their innovative and interesting sounds have heights to go. Written By Megan Cao FOLLOW MYSTIC WAXX:

Your new single “Gravity Kiss” is the epitome of bubblegum pop, and I am obsessed! What was the inspiration for this new track? Mallaigh: Thanks so much! Glad to hear you're "a little bit obsessed"! ;) I was really inspired by pop icons like Carly Rae Jepsen, and the unbridled joy of some tracks off Taylor Swift's Lover album. I wanted to create a song that channelled that rush of emotion and happiness that you get with songs by those artists. When did you start making your own music? And have you always had a passion for music since you were younger, or did it come about later? Mallaigh: I started getting serious about creating original music about a year ago. I had released a song for fun in January of 2021, and then around the springtime of that year was when I sat down and started making music for release. I've always had a passion for music in various forms since I was a kid -- I was 7 when I started doing musical theatre, and it wasn't until I was older, about age 18, that I started learning guitar. I must thank my best friend, Kat Johnson, for encouraging me to make original music when we met in college. What is your favorite thing about performing live? Do you have a favorite performance of yours? Mallaigh: I love the connection I form with an audience when I perform live -- something about the real-time reaction of an audience is so special and heartwarming as an artist. And it's cool to see how some songs consistently connect well with an audience. I find that my song "Second Avenue" usually gets a good reaction at a live performance, so I always try to play that one whenever I do perform live. And recently, I chose an unreleased song to play live only -- so you'll have to catch a show of mine to see this 'secret song'! My favorite performance so far is probably my most recent one that I did on April 23rd at Brooklyn Music Kitchen. I had a few friends come out to see that one and the supportive environment was really nice. Two of my pals came out to the front and performed a little duo dance for my final song -- rumors are circulating that they may do so again. If you could be the opening act for any artist, who would you pick and why? Mallaigh: I would absolutely love to open for Annie DiRusso! Her music is so incredible and she has inspired a lot of my own songwriting. I think it would be such a dream come true if I ever got to open for her. What do you enjoy doing when you’re not making music and performing? Mallaigh: When I'm not making music and performing, you can probably find me binge-listening to Taylor Swift and Phoebe Bridgers, watching a new show (I just finished re-watching Devs on Hulu which is so good), or taking pictures of my cat Fitz when he does literally anything. I'm also determined this summer to learn how to ride a bike, so I'll be taking up that hobby. Not sure how I made it to 22 without that skill. If you could give younger Mallaigh some advice, what would you tell her? Mallaigh: When I started making music, I was constantly comparing my progress to that of my musical heroes, and holding myself to impossibly high standards. I've now come to learn that the progress an audience sees an artist make is usually a highlight reel -- and everyone goes through their own struggles and makes progress at their own pace. So I would tell younger Mallaigh to not be so hard on herself and to enjoy the journey as it unfolds, and that it is more than okay to allow yourself to celebrate all the little moments. Interviewed By Sarah Curry FOLLOW MALLAIGH:

Some loves are meant to last forever. Other loves… not so much. Both of these relationships teach us something, but the ones that end in a breakup teach a special type of lesson. You learn a lot about yourself, both good and bad. Jamie Miller’s new song, ‘It Is What It Is’, tells the story of a relationship that fell apart. Miller fell head over heels for his partner and ended up losing himself in the process. As much as it hurts, he knows he has to move on, and accept that he’s better off not seeing his ex again. In the music video for ‘It Is What It Is’, Miller and his friends are seen driving around California on a sunny day in a topless car. Miller is singing and his friends often join in to mouth along. The director knew the perfect way to showcase the song because you need to sing this at the top of your lungs with the windows down. After one repetition of the chorus you’ll be be hooked, singing along to the lyrics, “I guess it is what it is, wrong place, wrong time/ But I couldn’t resist, those nighttime white lies”. Young love is intense, and Miller does an excellent job at depicting these feelings. He describes his ex as “heaven sent” but then in the next line says, “then we drove off a cliff”. This love story is a rollercoaster that doesn’t come off as jarring, having a consistent build up and release of emotion throughout. The song creates emotional movement, but also a sense of physical movement. An upbeat tempo paired with a driving a drum beat has you nodding your head or tapping your toe the entire time. ‘It Is What It Is’ tells a story of moving on, and as we leave spring behind for warmer summer days, the song is ready to move us into the next season. Jamie Miller is a Wales-born, Los Angeles-based, singer/songwriter. At just twenty-four years old, Miller has over four hundred million streams and is garnering worldwide praise. Miller’s most popular song ‘Here’s Your Perfect’ was the first song he ever wrote (co-written with songwriter/producer Gian Stone), and currently has over two hundred million streams on Spotify. Both ‘Here’s Your Perfect’ and ‘It Is What It Is’ are featured on Miller’s debut EP ‘Broken Memories’. Miller is currently on tour with Jesse McCartney. They have several dates across the United States from now until the middle of June. To find out more about Miller’s live shows and to listen to ‘It Is What It Is’, check out his Spotify, linked below! Written By Maddy Mahady FOLLOW JAMIE:

I love the energy of your new song "Soda"! What's the story behind it? ANNNA: Soda is a song about a girl who arrives at the craziest, sunniest summer party. All her friends only drink beer after beer all the time, but she chooses to drink only lemonade. After all, all her friends are already in good shape while she just keeps dancing, because you don't need alcohol to party. It's a pretty literal story about how I haven't been drinking for more than 7 years since I was 17. In those days it was an exception, everyone kept pushing me to "drink one but all the time" but I didn't want to. Now it's different, I don't have a lot of friends around at all, but before that, it was a problem. Mostly immersed in the fact that, unfortunately, alcohol is too common in families in our country (that was my reason for not drinking;)) but that's why I decided to dig up the anthem for my favourite friend: SODA. What first got you into music? ANNNA: I’ve been doing classical piano since I was 6 for like 8 years straight. What got me into it in terms of how it sounds now? The fact that I could not stop having it in my head all the time while doing political studies at the university. I’d come home and just make something on my piano. It's fascinating to think of what you coin as "sustainable pop". How did you decide to go about combining your passion for sustainability and music? Was it an easy concept for you to imagine and then bring to fruition? ANNNA: Well the thing is, I just feel like we’re living in a more ‘plastic’ world day by day. From clothes, to the things we use. I know that there is only so much a tiny individual, aka me, a young musician can do, but if there’s any chance I could raise the attention about what actually is happening, then I’ll do it. And in this case, it’s my music, my Co2 neutral, organic cotton merchandise line that you can find on my website and all the numerous song campaigns that I’ve done about sustainability. It just nowadays comes naturally to me, that I could stuff some very badass/depressing lyrics in a very uplifting, sunny and positive pop song. I guess that’s where it gets interesting to me, especially when people actually understand what my lyrics are about. Hence, the "sustainable pop’’. What are your hopes for this sub-genre you've really pioneered? ANNNA: That one day I’ll be able to make those crazy plans of mine for each song release come true. Literally, not only singing about sustainability, but also doing campaigns and making products that would help make things better. I know you mention you're Latvian-born but are from Amsterdam. What has your experience been like in the music industry there? Do you plan on staying in Amsterdam for a while? ANNNA: Amsterdam is my home, I’ve been here for such a long time that I kinda call myself half-Dutch. I mean, I speak the language daily as well, so it kinda comes with it. It’s a very dreamy city, with lots of great dance music that has definitely influenced my music a lot as well. I started off right before covid, winning the Amsterdam Dance Event’s demolition with my single ’Stardom/Hater’. Since then I’ve been working with so many DJs and producers on stuff that I’ll now release under my other alias: Might Delete Later. Actually, even while typing the answers to this interview at this very moment, I’m sitting in a session with this incredible Dutch producer Millean ( https://www.instagram.com/millean.fm/ ). On your website, it mentions you're currently on tour, with a stop in Latvia. What do you anticipate it will be like to perform in your country of origin? ANNNA: Yes, we’re actually about to do a whole tour there in the summer. We’ll be playing a couple of bigger festivals in Latvia which is so exciting after having basically more than 30 gigs canceled in these 2 crazy years of Covid. So, yup, we’ll be in Latvia in July and we really cannot wait. I also literally just found out that I’ll be the warm-up artist for the American popstar MIMI WEBB at Melkweg, in Amsterdam on the 27th of May. That just seems like a total dream come true. Interviewed By Hannah Conkin FOLLOW ANNNA: