Canadian born and LA-based singer and songwriter ANIIML is back with her third album, OH AWE. After experiencing a tragic loss in her family, ANIIML, aka Lila Rose, dove into her music and translated her feelings into songs that capture all. Her self-defined primal “witch-pop” weaves electronic element soundscapes alongside her whimsical vocals.
OH AWE is a 10-track album that is more of a “collection of big moments over the last couple of years which made massive shifts in [her] life,” according to ANIIML. She continues, “the biggest being losing someone extremely close to me, and experiencing the immense power of grief and mourning.”
Listen to oh awe below:
On the release of her new album, River Beats chatted with ANIIML about her background, her thoughts on OH AWE, and what’s to come. Check out the interview below:
River Beats: Hi ANIIML! Great getting to chat with you ahead of the release of your album. For those that aren’t familiar, can you give us a little intro?
ANIIML: “I’m from Toronto Canada, and now live in Los Angeles. Pretty sure I was making music in the womb, but have been pursuing it as a “career” for about 5 years now.”
How are you feeling now that all of your hard work in OH AWE is out into the world?
“I mean honestly… just fine. I normally put alot of pressure on releases, but at this point I see this whole path very differently. I understand just how hard it is to thrive sustainably as an actual career so I just feel like whatever will be will be. I obviously NEED to be making art to like, survive, so I think my emphasis now lies on how to do that in a way that feels best, rather than putting all the pressure on an album.”
What was the first song that you officially wrote off of the album? Do you have a favorite?
“‘STRONGER NOW’ was written a few years ago actually, and just kind of snuck onto the album at the last minute. My fave right now would probably be ‘HANDLE ME” because it’s totally different from anything else on there. It’s cute and fun.”
For those that find themselves in a situation similar to yours, what words of advice do you have for them?
“To focus on the splendors of the greatest mystery of life, which I believe, is that thing we all do need to face: death. Delve into the great power that lies in understanding and exploring the grandiosity of life.“
Music can definitely be a release for those that find themselves in a tough spot in life. You also use your music to promote your activism in animal rights. How did you get started in that?
“I knew I always wanted to bridge my worlds of art and activism. It took many years to find a way to speak to the topic in a way that didn’t feel corny. Finally I wrote the album WE.ANIMALS. And then I changed my name to ANIIML two years later. Now it lies at the foundation of everything I do.”
Following this release, do you have any shows to accompany coming up? Or anything else in the works?
“Yes, we leave for our first European tour next week, and then I’ll be back to work on the next album which will be a BIG one.”
Any parting words for those reading?
“Very grateful for all the love and support.”
Give a listen to ANIIML’s other music below:
Featured image via artist.