Getting to know Anika Nielsen and her new single “Make Me Wanna”

 Super excited to have Anika with us today. Welcome. You just released your debut single, ‘Are You Down’? How did you pick this as your lead single? You also have another song ‘Make Me Wanna’ out today – congrats!

Thank you so much for having me! I knew I wanted “Are You Down” to be released as my debut single because I feel that it not only represents what I can do vocally, but also what I can do stylistically as an artist as well. I worked so hard on the song and I really hope that people are touched by it. 

• Tell us more about the song writing process and what that experience is like for you.

I honestly feel like the process is different for every song! Sometimes I have an idea or theme that I know I want to be the focus of the song. With this approach, everything is built around the lyrics and main idea of the song. Other times I will really be feeling a vibe or beat for the track, and the lyrics will then be written around that! Then sometimes I have ideas for both the lyrics and the track, so it really just depends on the song and my current ideas! The number one thing that I always keep in mind when writing is authenticity. I write about personal experiences or feelings, because I want people to relate to my genuine thoughts and emotions when listening to my songs. 

• Now that you have a song out, what is your favorite part about being a musician? Studio, writing, performing?

With every song, I feel like there is a certain point where everything comes together perfectly. The music, the lyrics, the vocals all click and it seriously feels like magic. That is honestly one of the best feelings as an artist because it fills me with genuine joy and excitement every time. When this happens, you can most often find my producer and I happily screaming together over FaceTime!

• This may be a hard question but what was your favorite song released in 2021 and why!

“Leave The Door Open” by Silk Sonic was definitely my favorite release of 2021. It actually inspired many of my ideas for “Are You Down” and really had an influence on me as an artist. Their ability to bring back that cool 70’s vibe but twist it in a modern way is just so awesome to me. I am really in love with the whole Silk Sonic album, but that was the song that really inspired me at first. Just the fact that they were able create something so different from what is popular right now, yet so familiar is true brilliance.

 • What are your goals for 2022? 

My goals for 2022 are to release some more singles, and eventually my EP! I’m so excited to share more of my dream with the world and I have been working nonstop on creating! I am also really hoping to perform live this summer, but with the pandemic you never know! I have done almost everything related to my music online so far, so I’m sure that regardless I will find a way to share my music live!

• So great chatting. Where can we find the new music? o You can find my new single on all platforms under the title “Make Me Wanna” by Anika. For more updates you can follow me on instagram@anika__nielsen and tik tok @anikanielsen11