Slovakian artist Karin Ann — almost certainly with a crystal pendant braided into her hair — is pulling us back into her coven. ‘i was never yours,’ co-written with Suki Waterhouse and Harrison Whitford, is a folky, moonlit romp that somehow makes a candlelit tavern feel both mystical and achingly familiar. The song’s rustic production gives Karin’s evanescent voice room to haunt the chorus and the conversation alike. We spoke to her about this new era, the tug of people-pleasing, and the little rebellions that quietly remake you — and she’s never sounded more sure of herself.
Hi Karin — ‘i was never yours’ was co-written with Suki Waterhouse and Harrison Whitford, the latter known for producing the current hit ‘Sally, When The Wine Runs Out.’ What was it like being in a room with such creative powerhouses? Any moments that stuck with you?
I have had a lot of sessions where things just did not click creatively, so I am always really happy when it does work, when it goes easily and smoothly, especially if it is with people I am a fan of. For example, with Suki, I do not think she knows this, but I have been a fan of hers for years, ever since I was a teenager. It is amazing when people you have looked up to or who have inspired you are in the room with you, and you click on both a human level and a creative level.
The track was also produced by Benjamin Lazar Davis, who worked on Maya Hawke’s Moss. You’ve said Maya’s songwriting helped pull you out of a rut — so what did it mean to work with someone from her creative circle?
I actually found Ben through his songs with Maya. I found him through ‘Thérèse,’ which I think was the first or second song from that album. When it came out, I really loved it, and I was looking for people to work with in a different style than what I was doing at the time. The timing fit perfectly. I looked at the credits, saw Ben’s name, and immediately sent it to my team asking if we could work with him. Very quickly, we had a call and started working together. It is very lucky when things work out because it is hard to find people you click with on both a human and creative level, who understand what you want, are open to hearing you out, and are willing to change things. I have been working with him for almost three years now, and sometimes we would have nearly finished songs and I would say it is not working, we need to scrap it and start over. Not a lot of people are okay with that, but he always was. I love working with him, and I am very lucky and grateful that the collaboration worked from the beginning.
You’re no stranger to sharing space with icons — you’ve opened for YUNGBLUD and My Chemical Romance. How does it feel to now have your heroes turning their attention to your work?
It is very conflicting because there have been times when I met someone I looked up to, and they were the complete opposite of what they put out into the world. Those situations are difficult. But there are also times when you meet someone you have looked up to and they are exactly as inspiring and kind as you hoped. Being on the other side of the industry has made me realize a lot of things and made people seem more human. I got into the industry at 15, when most people are idolizing others, so seeing the other side at that age definitely changed my perspective.
The music video is stunning — from the moody lighting to the crowd energy, it feels like a lost night in a vintage speakeasy. And let’s talk about your bohemian fashion — was that love always there? What about those pieces felt like they belonged to this track?
I think I have always gravitated toward this fashion, but I have also gone through phases trying different things and experimenting with different styles, like everyone does growing up. I am from Eastern Europe, and that is where part of the inspiration for my style comes from. The other side of my heritage is from the Middle East, which is another influence. It is part of my culture. I try to be authentic to myself in whatever moment or era I am in. The pieces in the video were literally from my closet. I actually wear that outfit — it’s how you’d find me dressed on a regular day.
The song itself, though, is hardly carefree — it’s an anthem about not settling, even when it hurts. There’s a fascinating contrast between the heartbreak in your voice and the audience line dancing in the video. Was that imbalance part of the vision?
It is interesting that you point out heartbreak because I do not see this song that way. To me, it was freeing and almost happy. Even when we were writing it, I said we are not going to make this a sad song because I did not feel sad about the situation. I felt free, and I wanted the song and the video to reflect that.
One line really cuts deep: “Better that I leave you now, ’cause I’ll just keep on running / married in a year or two with kids I never wanted.” How do you think people can summon the strength to stop people-pleasing before it turns into full-blown resentment?
I wish I had more advice, but I have always had a strong sense of identity and what I want my life to look like. I was never willing to compromise on that. Even though I used to be a big people-pleaser and still am in some areas, this was never one of them. I may have learned that from seeing people in my life settle for a life they did not want and suffer for it. I always knew what I wanted to be and what I did not want to be, and I was never going to sacrifice that for someone else’s idea of me.
‘i was never yours’ comes on the heels of your ‘Heroes’ cover, which earned praise from David Bowie’s own collaborators. What was it about that song that made you want to make it your own?
It has always been one of my favorite songs. I have always found it inspiring and hopeful, and I think hope is really needed right now. Even though we started working on it a couple of years ago, I felt the same way then. Now that it is out, I feel it is even more relevant.
You originally expressed yourself through drawing — until a hand injury rerouted you from art school to music. Have any of those early creative instincts carried over, like in how you build visuals or shape songs?
Probably. I always drew more than I wrote, but I did write as well. I used to write really bad poetry when I was 10. I think I would have found my way to music eventually. I am a very creative person and like many forms of self-expression. It is important to me to have cohesive work, whether that is a song, an EP, or a song with a music video. That is where my inspiration comes from. It is hard to answer because it is just the only way I know how to be.
Lastly, what do you hope this new era brings — for your audience, and for yourself?
I am taking it one day at a time. I am a very anxious person, and in the past, I was always focused on the future. Now I try to live more in the moment. I hope whoever listens finds something they need in it. For me, it is bringing me into a new era of music after my debut album, one I have always wanted to enter. I am excited to see how it evolves, but am focusing on one step at a time.
Which lyric from ‘i was never yours’ stuck to you like a spell? Drop it on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook and tag us — we’re listening.
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