Popular Singer/Songwriter Annelie Elina Talks Inspirations, EP, and New Single “Listen To Me”

Annelie Elina is taking the entire world by storm, and she is just getting started!

Still a teenager, her music has been streamed over 2 million times, her two biggest songs so far being “Leave You Low” and “Veins”. We had the honor of talking to Annie on all things her career, her future, and her amazing success!

Q: Tell us about your EP, Purity.

A: “My EP Purity came out a little over a year now, and in my mind, sort of signifies the beginning of my writing style changing. The making of Purity took about a year, and from the start, I knew it was a project that I wanted to experiment a lot with musically. I had already been writing original music for a few years, but wanted to take a step further towards really defining my sound and finding out what I like in my own music. Looking back, I think I definitely figured out a lot of what I really love to incorporate, both vocally and production wise, as well as what doesn’t feel right. That’s not to say that I completely know my direction now since I am, and always will be, growing when it comes to my own music – I think a lot of artists are their whole career because of how versatile music is. Music is continually evolving, and people’s sounds or genre change which is what is so fun and exciting about this industry. I still work a lot with Mike Pappas, who co-wrote and produced most of the tracks on “Purity”. Here’s our most recent release, and we have several more coming this year; they are all a bit different from what I was putting out a year or two ago.”

 Q:What has been your favorite music release so far?

A: “I just released my new single “listen to me” a few weeks ago and my other single “almost seventeen” not too long before that. Almost seventeen was a pretty exciting release for me since it gave a look at what’s to come with my other releases this year. Mike and I wrote that song in August of 2020 and it was one of the songs I’ve written in the past year where I felt like it really turned out how I had imagined. “listen to me” is also one of my originals that I think shows a very different side to my music and is a representation of the direction I’m heading in. “almost seventeen” was sort of the introduction to that side so it’s a special one!”

 Q: Your music is being streamed nearly 1 million times every month. How does that make you feel?

A: “It’s pretty crazy to think about! A few EDM remixes of my originals landed on some large playlists and that really helped. For many independent artists, a big struggle is getting others to see and notice your music because of how many artists are out there, especially in LA. After putting a lot of energy and time into your music, it’s such a great feeling to know people are listening to it. I’m still in a position where I’m trying to find ways in which I can promote my music on my own. Personally, I want people to be listening and streaming my music because they actually like it, not because I paid for it to be put on a playlist or ad which is something I don’t do. There’s so many talented artists that are barely recognized – it’s hard to get yourself and your music heard.”

Q:What brings you the most inspiration while you are songwriting? Is there a specific place in your mind, or even a real place, that you go to?

A: “For me, I pull inspiration from my own experiences and what I’ve got going on, as well as from experiences that those around me have gone through. I don’t necessarily have a certain process, place, or way in which I write because I think it depends on the song and what I’m writing about. Sometimes I work off of a melody I recorded in voice memos or start with some lyrics or even write a full song without any instrumentation to accompany it at first. Other times I come into the studio and we just start from scratch! The fact that songwriting is like storytelling through many different ways is one of the reasons I enjoy it so much.”

 Q: What has been your favorite moment in your career, so far?

A: “I think I’d honestly say that my favorite moment or phase during the time  I’ve been pursuing music would probably have to be the point at which I am right now. I’ve spent a long time working towards making music that I really love and just feels authentic to me, I guess you could say. It can be frustrating at times when you don’t feel like you’re creating what you have in mind or envision, but that’s all part of the process! I’ve never felt as immersed and proud of my own original music as I do currently. I may say differently in a year though so we’ll see 🙂 Again, music is always changing and evolving!”

 Q: Do you have any advice for young singers who want to thrive in the music industry?

A: “The music industry is such a vast industry to be in, so many times it can feel as if you get lost amongst other artists or that your work isn’t really going anywhere. It’s easy to slip into that mindset but if you really do enjoy and know that music is something you’d love to stick with, keep at it. If you focus on the music itself and for what it is, that’s all that matters and what’s the most important.”

 Q: Can you give us any sneak peaks on what you are working on now/in the future?

A: “I don’t wanna give away too much just yet, but I will say that there will definitely be many new ones coming out this year that I’m more than excited for people to hear.”

Q: Where can we follow your amazing journey?

A: “You can find me on most socials, and my music is on all streaming platforms – Spotify, Apple Music, Itunes, etc. I also have a website that has all my music, links, and more videos & photos!”