We recently caught up with Brisbane based Synth Pop artist Stephen Anning to chat about his debut single release, the current state of the world and much more!
Welcome Stephen Anning! Tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m a full time working musician living in Brisbane. Living the dream! … It’s also hard work and I never stop working to make it happen! I’m grateful for it though, it’s a very honest way to make a living!
How long have you been writing music?
I’ve been playing music since I was a kid, always playing piano, sax/clarinet at school, these days just keyboard/singing and producing music. Writing just seems like part of the progression. First you learn a technique, then to improvise, then the improvisations become solid written music. Hard to draw a line for me really…
Who are some of your biggest influences?
Not definitively anyone in particular, but I really daft punk, wolfmother, powderfinger, disclosure, michael jackson, prince, boris brejcha, fatboy slim, regurgitator, machine gun fellatio, troiboi… A real mixbag of diverse and awesome music…
What inspired your new single ‘Virtual World’?
The wild year that is 2020! Being stuck behind a computer as a way of life…. My absolute first thought about the song was the feeling of being checked out (like if someone is checking you out when you’re crossing the street) and you can kind of tell, like a 6th sense. I decided to develop that idea of knowing someone is checking you out, and it developed strongly into what happens today with how you can check someone out on Instagram/Facebook before meeting them. Imagine, someone is checking you our right now? Weird right, it’s not the same feeling, but it’s a thing. So that was the initial idea behind the song. The strong technology theme started to take over as the song came together…
How have you been coping with the COVID situation?
Honestly, as a full time working musician who works every week without fail, I’ve adopted the attitude that it’s been nice to have a forced break from my routine of live shows. It’s been great to put efforts into writing music such as this song! I’m looking forward to getting back into it of course when live music is back and cooking!
What is the highlight of your career?
So many, I’ve met so many amazing people, even just playing in a band the energy and moments you have are incomparable on a regular basis and I’m all about routine happiness as much as possible… Possibly walking the red carpet at the ARIAS a few years back, possibly a rad band stint in Singapore a few years ago with a UK band I was playing in, Shore Thing festival at Bondi Beach in Sydney on New Years Eve a few years back was epic… OK, I’m going to go with now, ‘Virtual World’ is my first solo artist single and to have it high rotation on USA college radio and all the insane amount of radio and press here in Australia for me this is currently it!!
What is your favourite place in the world to play?
I really like doing shows in Byron Bay
If you could collaborate with any musician, who would it be?
I’m in no rush to collaborate currently. I’ve done heeeeeaps of collabs with people I really admire but for me it’s currently nice not to have to check in with anyone else’s opinion and just do my own thing. That’ll probably change soon, but that’s my current thought!
How long does it take you to write and record a new song?
‘Virtual World’ took me 4 days to write, record, film, generate visuals, edit and have it completed… I prefer to work quickly and not let things linger too much where possible.
What is next for you?
World domination. Haha. Everything and nothing if you know what I mean. Just doing my best to be true to myself and stick at what I love. I plan to keep making music and doing live shows with my band. These days music really does need video so I plan to make one song at a time with a video clip for each. When something works I’ll do a publicity run and do my best to let you know!
Stephen Anning’s new single Virtual World is available on all major online stores.
