Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Anna Erhard, the Swiss-born, Berlin-based indie pop musician. We spoke about her creative process, diverse influences, and performances. Erhard’s music, often described as a fusion of Fiona Apple and Wet Leg, resonates with a wide audience, and I was keen to learn more about her musical journey.
When asked about her musical journey, Anna explained that she formed her first band at 22, having kept her talent private for years. “I had spent some time in New Zealand and started to write a handful of songs there- basically, I had to travel to the other side of the globe to find the courage and my voice,” said Anna. After this, the band came together. I asked Anna about her musical influences and inspirations. She explained that she had always wanted to be on stage from an early age and looked up to popular female musicians of that time, like English singer-songwriter Kate Nash, who made Anna feel that she too could have a go.
Pictured- Anna Erhard.
For Anna, writing songs serves as a release. “I always write a song when I am stuck, to find release and become unstuck.” Recently, Anna has kept music and lyric writing separate, adopting a more structured approach to composing her tracks whilst allowing the lyrics to come to her when they come. I inquired about the inspiration for the lyrics of her song “Three Tons of Steel,” and I received an intriguing answer: “My friend and I owned an old boat together; it was made of three tons of steel. We were going through a rough patch in our friendship during this time, and I kept having dreams that this huge boat would sink to the bottom of the spree here in Berlin.” It’s clear that Erhard’s music is deeply personal, and she has no problem giving her listeners a glimpse inside her head.
Recently, Anna performed at the Dot-to-Dot festival in Nottingham. She mentioned that it was a fun and chaotic gig; she arrived at the festival only five minutes before her set time because they had travelled by train and gone in the wrong direction. Erhard and her band were plonked on stage and started playing immediately. The audience of this gig sang along, had a ball and found it quite funny that they had only just arrived, which Anna appreciated. This element of fun and spontaneity is what makes Erhard’s performances unique and exciting. Anna is coming to the Edinburgh venue, the Voodoo Rooms, on the 11th of March, so come along if you want to hear some eclectic indie pop from this experimental artist.
I asked Anna what we could expect from an Anna Erhard show, to which she replied, “A 170cm tall woman and two East-German bandmates.”