Welcome Anika! Super excited to chat with you. We got a little sneak peak of your debut single, ‘Are You Down’? We are obsessed. Tell us more about the song.
Thank you so much for having me! I’m super excited to chat with you as well! I am so glad that you liked “Are You Down” because I feel that it really represents me as an artist not only vocally, but stylistically as well. As my debut single I wanted the song to be something that shows people what I can do as a singer and as a writer. For me, the song really encompasses that feeling of hopefulness and excitement when a new relationship is budding, and I tried to express those emotions through my lyrics.
Did you write your new single? If so, what was that process like for you?
Yes, I did write “Are You Down!” I always take experiences and emotions that I have felt in real life when I am writing a new song. Everything really stems from that point. I am constantly writing down little lyric ideas and feelings in my notes, and when I feel like I have a consistent theme going, I take it to my producer, Mark Vogel, and we start to put those ideas together in a way that flows, and begin to create a real song around those lyrics.
Do you have a moment that sticks out for you that you knew music is what you wanted to do?
Growing up, music has been a huge part of my life and I have done voice lessons and recitals since age 5. But, it had always been a little bit on the back burner because I was extremely focused on soccer. That is, until my junior year of high school when I tore my ACL and meniscus. Although this was devastating for me at the time, it opened up a new path for me. I could now focus 100% on music, and when my producer approached me about working with him, I knew that music was what I wanted to do from then on. My true passions for music came forward, and I haven’t looked back since!
Tell us more about the inspiration for “Are you Down”.
I feel like everyone has had those feelings of excitement and hopefulness when it comes to a new relationship, and I wanted “Are You Down” to really capture that. As the song progresses, those feelings become more intense, just how those feelings grow in real life. I have experienced this many times in my life, so I knew I wanted to write a song that expressed that special time in a new relationship.
Do you plan to release a video for the song?
Yes I do! I am extremely excited to release a video accompanying my debut single, and it will drop soon after the release of “Are You Down!”
Thanks for answering our questions today Anika! Tell us when we can get the new single and where to find you on socials!
My new single is coming on January 20th! For more updates on my music and my life, you can follow me on instagram @anika__nielsen and tik tok @anikanielsen11
End of Interview