Norwegian singer/songwriter Anna of the North had an unexpected viral moment on Tik Tok at the start of last year with a song that came out in 2017. But rather than try to recreate that same formula she stayed true to herself, telling Loverboy, ‘It’s a great song, but you can’t force that.’ Instead she released an EP in her native language and in December dropped her fourth album, Girl in a Bottle. A super cute collection of eight tracks that blend 80s synth with catchy hooks and relatable lyrics – with a part 2 coming sometime this year…maybe.
Having just finished a tour of the U.S. Anna will be touring the UK/EU this February. But before that Loverboy caught up with her to discuss the British TV, being a 90s child and her love for Celine Dion.
Anna, it feels a little late now but Happy New Year. Did you make any resolutions?
Happy New Year. I actually went to my friend’s house and they were all doing full moon things the other day. Manifesting. What I want to do this year is get my driving license. I’m getting kind of old, so it’s time. Oh and play more guitar.
More guitar in a way that it could influence the sound of future Anna of the North releases?
Just to have more freedom to explain myself better in melodies and my writing. Soundwise I don’t think that I’m going to change drastically. It’s just fun. I have said to myself for so many years that I really want to play guitar properly before I die. So twenty twenty-six, let’s go.
At the end of 2025, you snuck in with the beautiful Girl in a Bottle. Was there a reason why you went for a December release date? Does it feel like a winter album?
Honestly, we had planned for an album in 2025 but I don’t like to be stressed writing, or just put out stuff I’m not happy with. So I just took my time. Then December is like a good month, strategically. Also I’ve always had my albums come fairly late, I’m a Fall/Winter kind of girl.
You’ve said before that writing albums is a challenge. But you put out an EP in Norwegian in April last year, then Girl in a Bottle in December. That’s a productive year!
Yeah. I had had a three year break, though. Well, not break because like ‘Waiting For Love’ was written two years ago, but I wasn’t releasing. I was writing. I didn’t feel ready to release a project until now.
Hei På Deg, my Norwegian EP was to rewire my brain after doing three albums. I feel like Anna of the North has just been constant. I’ve never stopped to think, ‘What do I want to write about?’ It’s just happened. After Hei På Deg I felt inspired to start writing again in English. Then Girl in a Bottle is my fourth album and there’ll be a follow-up coming but when, we will never know. Probably Fall/Winter 2026. Haha…
It’s giving branding. I live in Spain and always feel I am two different people depending on the language I speak. Is it the same for you and songwriting?
Yes, 100%. I actually think my English persona is cooler. Haha…It was kind of a relief writing in Norwegian because I was like, ‘Oh my God, I really know Norwegian.’ English is my second language but I’ll never know it the way I do Norwegian.
How do you see Girl in a Bottle sitting against your other albums and EPs?
I think this one is more modest in a way, more adult or oh my God…’mature’. It’s very chill. Although ‘Waiting For Love’ is a huge pop song for me. A bop. I love the world that it sits in. It’s pop that still feels indie. It was all created in a comfortable way for me. With my previous album, Crazy Life, I got pushed into this ‘Let’s make a big pop album’. It didn’t really work, and I believe the reason was because I wasn’t fully invested in it. Girl in a Bottle is more me. Now I’m releasing what I want, you know?
This is the first big release after your success on Tik Tok. I feel some artists would feel pressure to recreate that sound but it doesn’t sound like you tried to do that at all.
No, and I can’t. I wouldn’t mind having another ‘Lovers’. It’s a great song, but you can’t force that. This album was about not being scared. ‘No One Knows You Better’ for instance is my favourite song and I wanted it to be a single. Then my label were like, ‘No, it shouldn’t be a single. It’s not single material.’ But then I put it out and it has done well. That’s what I’m trying to tell everyone around me, I believe that if I do what I believe in, then it might take time but people will adapt to it.
My favourite song on there is ‘Waiting For Love’. I really love that balance between sadness in the lyrics and joy in the production. Do you find it easier to write about heartbreak than love?
I do feel like my inspiration was the sad girl. I don’t want to be too sad, but I do love it. I’ve always been a bit melancholic, nostalgic. ‘Waiting For Love’ was inspired by the first episode of that British series One Day. It’s just this party, people are happy and dancing, but there’s also some tension. I saw that and was like, ‘I’m going to make a song that feels like this.’ I brought that intro of the show to my producer and I feel that was a really clever way of speaking music because if I say ‘I want to make this song happy’, that could mean so much musically. You can’t speak music. It’s just a feeling. So that was where ‘Waiting For Love’ came from and it just really worked. It’s been a favourite song of mine too, for a long time. ‘Lovers’ took seven years to get where it is today and I have this strong feeling that ‘Waiting For Love’ is one of those songs that will take time too. It has its right to bloom.
It needs its flowers for sure. On Spotify your most popular song from this album is ‘Sunday My Head Hurts.’
Yeah.
Why do you think that is?
I don’t know. That was the one that became a single instead of ‘Since You.’ I’m a ’90s child and I liked buying an album, listening to all the songs and learning the words, you know what I mean?
Absolutely.
We are spoilt today. We have editors that make our playlists for us which I feel is a bit sad. There is something really cool about learning to love music. Learning to listen to stories and we’ve forgotten that. That’s why it’s so important to choose the right single. I feel like we’re back in the 2000s with Spice Girls and all that. People want big artists and stadium concerts. When I started in 2010 we wanted to listen to indie music. Now we don’t spend money on searching for indie music. It’s funny because I’m doing one of my biggest shows ever in Norway this year at the Opera House and tickets are selling out fast because people want an experience. They don’t want to go to just a concert, they already expect a special guest or something extra, you know?
People do.
I think that’s kind of sad. I miss the times of just going to a small indie small venue. I think that will change again, though. Sorry, there was a reason for me saying this, it’s why ‘Sunday My Head Hurts’ is doing well. First of all we chose it to be a single. It is also more modern sounding. All my music is 80s inspired, but ‘Sunday My Head Hurts’ is like a 90s throwback. I love the lyrics on this one though. It also has a country vibe to it.
Talking of lyrics, I pulled one out from ‘No One Knows You Better’. I thought the lyric, ‘I know we’ve grown apart, but I still like to hear you breathing’ was really simplistic, cinematic and beautiful. We’re in an era where hyper-specific lyrics are increasingly popular. We’ve seen them from Taylor Swift and Lily Allen’s new album. One of our team finds less value in them because they are so descriptive but I think that is a skill in its own right. Where do you stand on the precise wording of lyrics?
I agree and disagree because I too can hear a lyric like, ‘I met you under the bridge’ and feel, ‘I wasn’t under the bridge. This isn’t my song.’ But it’s storytelling. When I was younger, I hated direct lyrics. I thought that I would lose an audience for my song if my lyrics were too specific. I love a song where it’s the perfect balance between one person’s story and one you can be a part of too. I love to write something that people can be like, ‘I’ve experienced something similar.’
Finally we are named after the biggest selling single of 2001. So we always ask, what is your favourite Mariah Carey song. However I know you are a big Celine fan.
Yes.
So I thought we could make an allowance for Celine this one time…what is your favourite track by Miss Dion?
Oh my God… All of them. She has been my singing mentor. But okay, I have to think. When I was ten I was really sick. My Dad asked me if I wanted anything from the gas station because he was going. Back then you could buy CDs at the gas station and I was like, ‘The new album by Celine Dionnnnnnn!’ That was the one where she had struggled to get pregnant. A New Day Has Come.
Yes. The album she worked with Max Martin.
Oh really? I do love it. I feel that it was trying to be more pop. ‘I’m Alive’ is on there too. I do love the classics though. Even just like ‘Beauty and the Beast’. That’s so good. I would go hard and sing along when I was younger. I honestly don’t know if I can choose one. I love her so much!
Girl in a Bottle is out now.
Anna of the North tours UK/EU this January/February see www.annaofthenorth.com for more details.
