When I heard that Swiss born, Berlin based musician Anna Erhard was on her way to the UK to play a bunch of live shows, I was keen to learn more about her and spread the word about ‘170’, her latest track that is fast becoming a main stay on my Spotify playlist. Read on to learn more about her, what she loves about Berlin, what she’s looking forward to doing in the UK and acts that she’s currently enjoying….

Firstly, CONGRATS on the release of ‘170’, it’s nearly a month since it was released, how has the journey been so far?

Pretty pretty good actually! I am excited that I seem to have found an audience in the UK and that 6music plays the song. Apart from that, I already played 170 at my concerts a few times this summer and that was so much fun!

You live in Berlin, do you find it to be a creative place? Are there lots of like minded people there that you can engage with?

For sure yes, I am originally from Switzerland and since I moved to Berlin I feel more like a part of a community of musicians. Most of my friends are doing music or something creative, that kind of makes it easy not to question things too much and just dive into it.

You have played live radio sessions for Marc Riley (BBC 6 Music and John Kennedy (Radio X) and have enjoyed heavy airplay from the likes of Steve Lamacq, Don Letts, Chris Hawkins, Lauren Laverne, Huw Stephens, Deb Grant, and several Radio X X-Posure Playlist additions…. How does it feel when you hear your music being played on such amazing stations?

It feels really good of course, it’s very flattering to know that those great DJs are into it and support it. We don’t really have these kind of music programs in Germany that you can just listen to for several hours and constantly discover new music that you enjoy. So although you wanna be on the radio here, in some cases you also kind of don’t want to. I am very happy that they play my songs.

I read that on your second solo album ‘Campsite’, you embraced a completely new way of working, embracing indie-pop grooves and dry humour, please would you elaborate on this for me?

I changed my songwriting approach, meaning that I didn’t start writing on a guitar and then build around that. Instead me and Pola Roy, who produced the album, just started hanging out more regularly to jam. We recorded the jams and later on we would just pick the best bits, glue them together and record on top of that. The lyrics came later usually, separately from the music, so I would  sit down by myself and write rhymes and since it was during kind of dull pandemic times I tried to make them fun.

'Campsite' is the only item in your collection that has had a physical release, are you planning on releasing more physical items soon? (Vinyl, CD’s, cassettes)?

I also have my first album ‘Short Cut‘ on vinyl and I am planning to put the next album on vinyl again for sure. I don’t have a big vinyl collection myself but there are some people who do and really care about it. So it’s nice to know that my albums can sneak in there as well.

I laughed out loud when I read that you wrote ‘170’ after a serious argument about how tall you were…. Can I assume that you are someone who likes to be correct when arguing a point?

Unfortunately yes. I mean, I actually don’t argue so much and am pretty open to most thoughts and opinions but NOT when it’s just so WRONG.

Have you ever ‘agreed to disagree’ or would you always drive your point until the other party backs down?

Nobody backed down in this argument and I am not planning to. I am 170!

‘170’ consists of oddball beats, clanging guitars, a deadpan slacker pop vibe and a luminous, wavy chorus, please share some of your musical influences with me….

I guess I am influenced by Pavement, Thao and the get down stay down, Beck, Electrelane, … but I am also forever bound to early Coldplay that I cried to as a teenager and I like the Paris Hilton Song, "Stars are blind”.

Who is your musical hero? Have you ever met them? If so, how did you get on?

When I started making music I was a huge fan of the British band Fink. I wrote them and got to open for them with my former band. They were so kind and it was pretty amazing because we had just started out and it gave me a lot of confidence and trust to continue from there on.

You’re playing a bunch of live dates in the UK in September, which are you most looking forward to? Are there places on the tour that you are yet to play or are they places that you are revisiting?

I am looking forward to all of them, I haven’t been to any of these places apart from London and Manchester. So far I have only played three gigs in England, this is my first proper UK tour! I am hyped about everything, the “wrong“ side of the road driving, breakfast, everything…

You open the tour at The Grace in London on 21st September, how does London compare to Berlin? Which do you prefer? (I’m guessing Berlin as you live there!)

Maybe I should stay a bit longer next time to be able to answer that. From the few impressions that I have so far I can say that Berlin is sooo much slower and relaxed. When I moved here I thought nobody has a job and everyone just sits on the street with their friends and drinks beer all week long. Which is not entirely true but London seems to have a faster pace. Although I once was there with my family when I was a teenager and we were actually staying on a campsite in London, that was nice! I want to find that place again when I am there.

The music video for ‘170’ is fab, it looks like you had a great time creating it, did it take long to complete?

I did not take long to shoot it. I asked my friends to film a little teaser in this miniature-land but then it just turned into a whole music video because we couldn’t stop. I am very thankful to have friends who are up for this kind of stuff.

Social media can be a great thing and a complete pain in the ass at the same time, do you manage these platforms yourself?

Yes, I am kind of ok with it right now, I don’t think about it too much and it can be fun as well. But I don’t look at it so much anymore because it’s also boring.

Lastly, there are MILLIONS of acts out there, please share a few with us that you are currently grooving to?

I am a bit obsessed with Jonathan Richman at the moment, his lyrics are so much fun and deep and he has a song for every life situation. Apart from that I discovered the artists Laura Jean and White Magic this year who I like a lot.

We’d like to thank Anna for taking the time to answer our questions, we wish her every success for her forthcoming UK tour and hope to catch up with her in the flesh at her Bristol show. If you would like to pop along to one of her shows, find the dates below;

21.09.2023 UK - London, The Grace
22.09.2023 UK - Bristol, The Louisiana
23.09.2023 UK - Manchester, The Lounge
24.09.2023 UK - Glasgow, The Hug and Pint
25.09.2023 UK - Leeds, The Brudenell
27.09.2023 UK - Stowmarket, John Peel Centre
28.09.2023 UK - Southampton, Heartbreakers
30.09.2023 UK - St Leonards On Sea, Kino-Teatr

Keep up to date with Anna at the following socials;

Instagram

Facebook

Website

YouTube

Interview by Steve Muscutt