Montreal-based pop songstress Ann@lise brings a bold, brave and uncompromising vision to Welcome To The Sh!t Show, a seven-song EP on which she proudly wears her heart on her sleeve, warts and all (releasing April 1, 2022).
Known for writing songs that are both sophisticated and often lyrically witty, Ann@lise was not afraid to tackle subjects on the EP that are based on personal experiences but might also cause some to reflect upon potentially uncomfortable truths about themselves.
Arriving at the finished product wasn’t necessarily without its challenges, but at the end of the day, Ann@lise sees the collection as closing the book on one significant chapter of her life. The tracks touch on a wide array of topics, from the hindsight examination of toxic relationships and wild nights on the town to eating disorders and hangers-on, among others.
“This is very much a coming-of-age release,” she says. “It’s a no-holds-barred look at some of my life experiences dating back from the time I turned 13 years old through my 21st birthday, navigating the good, the bad, and the ugly. These songs are my definition of a shitshow.”
On “Tightrope,” Ann@lise takes a look at modern-day cancel culture and the speed at which information can work its way to an audience of millions within minutes. Uniquely set to the music of Grieg’s 1867 instrumental classic “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” the singer believes most people in the public purview no doubt feel as though they’re constantly walking a tightrope, needing to carefully choose their words or risk the alienation of a portion of their audience. She takes aim at detrimental habits on “Fake Friends,” while on “Soubois,” she takes a light-hearted look at a party-fuelled evening on the town.
But despite the topical nature of some of the songs, there is a distinct personal tilt to others, such as “User Friendly.”
“The song “User Friendly” means the most to me because I feel as though I’ve attracted people in the past who have unfortunately seen me as someone easy to use for their personal gain and then just dispose of me when I’m no longer useful to them,” Ann@lise says.
“You never quite know how long someone will be a part of your life when they first enter it. It could be for just a season, sometimes a couple of years or forever. They don’t always reveal their true colours right away and that’s what this song touches upon. I’d like to think we all emerge wiser from those kinds of situations and scenarios. Nonetheless, it was something I needed to get off my chest and to let those people hear how those experiences shaped me.”
Ann@lise took an interest in music at a young age, enrolling in piano lessons at age five.
“My house was the kind of place where if there was a radio in every room of the house, there would be something different playing on each of them. Nothing was musically off limits and that was an exciting thing as a kid.”
While enrolled in piano lessons, Ann@lise’s extraordinary way with songwriting was revealed. But her journey wouldn’t be completely smooth sailing, having to work tirelessly to overcome dyslexia.
“School wasn’t a fun place for me,” she says. “I couldn’t read as well as others and would often be made fun of because of it. But music was always my safe place; it was a constant source of comfort during those tough times. Music was where I channeled my happiness, but it was also where the isolation, loneliness, and sadness of having a learning disability all came together.”
With close to a million streams on Spotify alone, Ann@lise’s confidence overflows on every moment of Welcome To The Sh!t Show. As difficult as it might have been to tackle some of the subjects, she knows the experiences she sings about have made her an infinitely stronger, and better, person.
“Welcome To The Sh!t Show documents a very specific period in my life. Who knows where I’d be if it weren’t for those experiences?”
www.annalisemusic.com
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