Today we’d like to introduce you to Annelie Eriksson.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Annelie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I always loved to sing and clink around on the piano when I was little. I’d sing at school talent shows, sing along to YouTube music videos for hours, belt to Taylor Swift in the car with my dad, watch my mom in choirs, etc. I actually started playing piano at age 6. As far as singing, I began taking vocal lessons around ten years old. I had no clue whatsoever that I’d take it to where I am today; I just considered it a hobby. After some years, OC Hit Factory invited me to come to their studio and record after finding me on YouTube. 11-year-old me had no idea what that meant, but I was excited anyways! I ended up recording, learning how to song-write, releasing four originals, and overall developing at this studio for almost two years. For the next year I wrote with a few different groups for pitching and myself, which really helped me to be able to write the way I do today… and I also picked up the ukulele:) Now, I have been working with Honua Music and KidinaCorner constantly writing and creating… and I picked up guitar:) In about a month or two, I will be letting out my EP that I produced with Mike Pappas from Honua Music, which is crazy to me. I never ever thought I would be sharing an EP with the world, let alone writing my own songs and I’m so excited that so many people are listening and responding to my music. It’s something that makes it all worth while!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
At first, my age was a struggle. Many producers/managers that reached out thought I was too young to work with, write for pitching, record in a studio, etc. Therefore they wouldn’t want to commit after finding out I was only 13 (15 now). Although they admitted they loved my music, the age was holding them back. Several producers did approach me, and I am so grateful to have worked with a variety of people. One of the biggest challenges right now is getting out there as an indie artist. When you’re not signed with a record label or management label, it’s hard to get any promotion. Sometimes I feel that the music industry is more about being able to pay yourself to be heard, rather than finding real listeners. Without good promotion and a team backing you up, getting your music out where people can see it is a challenge.
Please tell us about your work.
I am an indie artist, so I am not signed to any label. There are some downfalls to this, but the greatest thing about it is the fact that I am not tied down to anything and anyone. Instead of being limited to working with only one group, I am able to write and produce with whoever reaches out to me. Being indie also allows me to focus more on my sound and create music that reflects what I want people to know me for. I think I am mostly proud of that – I am very set on what type of sound I want to represent. I have backed out of some situations because the music didn’t really reflect “me”. I am very excited to release my 2nd single, off upcoming EP, called ‘Let You Go’, in just a few weeks and then EP hopefully end september!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
One big change that I just made was changing my name to annelieElina from Annelie and creating a completely new Spotify. I did this because, after letting out my first four originals, I now think I have found the direction and what type of sound I am going for. To mark this new chapter, I am releasing my first EP with the new name (annelieElina IS my biological name as well 🙂
As far as my plans for the future, to be honest, I am not fully sure, but I do know that I am going to keep writing and creating. I know that there is still SO much more room for growth. By listening to the music from artists that I look up to every day (A few of them are Billie Eilish, Lennon Stella, Julia Michaels, Clairo, Alec Benjamin, FINNEAS, Conan Gray) I continue to hear songs that make me hope that I will be able to create something that “wows” others in the same way.
Contact Info:
- Email: anneliebooking@gmail.com
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WEBSITE: https://www.annelieelina.com/
Image Credit:
Hans Adams
insta: https://instagram.com/sywyndom?igshid=11q4lb5z9axct
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