EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Annie O’Malley On Her Latest Single

Welcome back, honey bees! THP is coming at you with another exclusive interview. And we’re with Annie O’Malley this time, an indie pop singer-songwriter who’s quickly becoming our new favorite rising artist.

Annie has just released her catchy new single, ‘celebrations & obsessive thaughts,’ and we couldn’t be more obsessed! And no, that’s actually not a typo. Purposefully “misspelling” titles and lyrics is Annie’s way of validating and healing her inner child. We love that about her.

Now, let’s dive into our lovely chat with Annie O’Malley as she talks about her new single, ‘celebrations & obsessive thaughts,’ and her musical journey thus far!

Hi, and welcome to THP! We’re so excited to chat with you; can you introduce yourself to our readers who may not have heard of you?
Hello! I’m excited to chat with all of you as well! For those who haven’t heard of me yet, hi! My name is Annie O’Malley, and I am an independent singer-songwriter based in LA. I specialize in writing indie pop music with honest and detailed lyrics.

Her New Single

We love the dreamy pop sound of your new single! What was your favorite part about working on ‘celebrations & obsessive thaughts?‘
Thank yew! ‘celebrations & obsessive thaughts’ has been my favorite pop song that I’ve ever written for almost a year now. I’m so in love with the production and the lyrics, and it was the first song I wrote for what will eventually be my sophomore album. I started writing the first verse in the car after I left a party. Let’s just say my love life felt like a confetti cannon: vibrant but exploding. I continued writing throughout the night. The next day in the studio, I wrote the rest, and I played the demo 100 times that night while dancing in my room.

Given the song title, how will you celebrate the track’s release?
I think it’s important to recognize the hard work that goes into releasing a song. I usually listen to it in the car and have my moment to enjoy it and remind myself how much I wanted it out. But I don’t like to think about it too much; there’s always another project to work on and another song to write. My favorite part is writing the songs and planning how I will present them to the world. The real celebration is the moment I’m in a flow state creating it. The rest is like a cherry on top.

What’s a celebration that you’ll always remember?
This question is so cute. Honestly, I think the celebration I wrote about in this song. It was written when my debut album came out. There was so much happening in my personal and professional life, and I was celebrating, but I was also overthinking everything. Overall, though, that was a really exciting time. I learned so many lessons during that period, and I wrote lots of songs about it.

Her Sophomore Album

We are so excited for your sophomore album release in 2024! What can you tell us about the personal and professional growth from the last album to this one?
I can’t wait for you to hear it! This project is very different from my debut album, skrapbook, for several reasons. The topics are much more complex and unique, and the lyrics are more detailed and raw. The production is also distinct from what I have released in the past. The topics covered a range from my struggles in school and growing up in a hostile school environment to discovering my purpose and how I was dropped off to fulfill it. I’m incredibly proud of this project and every word I wrote because it came from my heart and my soul, and I believe it will help people better understand me.

The theme of love and loss is heavily present on the upcoming album. What do those two words mean to you in terms of your own life journey thus far?
The first two singles on the album revolve around the same chaotic love triangle. Love and loss hold significant meaning for me, as loss shows how much we really loved someone, while love reminds us what we could lose. These two emotions are intertwined. As someone who is extremely sensitive, I’m terrified of loss, and that’s why I’m so curious about why we have to experience it. As for the rest of my album, it actually touches on tons of different topics that I’ve never written about before. 

A lot of your songs also explore your inner child and childhood experiences. How easy or difficult is the songwriting process for these topics?
I write a lot about childhood because I believe children have a deeper understanding of their identity and purpose than we often acknowledge. Throughout life, we are sometimes taught to change who we are or told that our dreams are too ambitious. While working on my second album, I spent a lot of time questioning the beliefs that no longer served me. These beliefs were protective mechanisms I found when I was a kid. Reflecting on my younger self and reconnecting with her wasn’t necessarily easy or difficult or even a choice; it just happened. That’s the thing about healing—there isn’t an obvious path, and the only directions are just keep going.

Her Musical Journey

What has kept you grounded and able to navigate moving forward throughout your journey so far?
Processing. I try and say everything that’s on my mind and talk it out in real time. It’s so important to have at least one person that will listen and sit with yew. I have saved myself so much time in healing by just being honest about how I feel, either with my journal or someone I trust. This has not been easy to do, but everyone deserves to let go of what’s hurting them. It doesn’t come naturally to me, but I see how it helps, and I want to encourage others to do the same.

What is some of the best advice you’ve been given as an artist?
A really successful producer once said to do whatever it is that I enjoy doing because the fans can tell. That if I want to make TikToks, then make TikToks. And if I just want to write songs, then just write songs. To be authentic in whatever it is I do. I think that’s great advice in general. There is no point in doing what yew think yew should do or what yew feel like yew have to do. Do what makes yew feel alive while yew’re alive.

Which city has been your favorite one to travel to so far? Which ones are still on your bucket list?
I absolutely loved Barcelona, Spain; it was incredibly beautiful. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Ireland for the first time, and I would love to perform there, considering my Irish heritage. Traveling brings me a sense of peace because I get to step outside of my own thaughts and immerse myself in the newness of my surroundings.

You can listen to Annie O’Malley’s ‘celebrations & obsessive thaughts’ here!

We had an incredible time talking to Annie O’Malley on her new single and upcoming album. If you’re just discovering her music, what are your thoughts? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

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TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ANNIE O’MALLEY:
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