Annie O Presents: Au Revoir Simone's Annie Hart

ANNIE HART: I'm living around Bushwick and I love it! This is a thriving neighborhood with lots of unpretentious, creative people. It's totally my preferred atmosphere.

I started the record around when I got pregnant with my daughter, and that was a little over three years ago. I've always played music for fun, and after Au Revoir Simone decided to take a break, I was still making songs. A couple friends really pushed me to release them, so I decided to properly record them and get them into the world. I was, and am, incredibly inspired by the sounds of synthesizers. It's been my primary source of musical inspiration for going on fifteen years now! I find the undulating waves in the harmonics endlessly engrossing and wanted to showcase the beauty of their simplicity.


We're flying solo for now and we'll see where the wind takes us. I think Carta, Heather's perfume that's launching soon, is going to be huge. Everyone is obsessed with it when I wear it!

Obviously, still those synth sounds. I'm also interested in exploring the theme of interpersonal relations in this crazy world of dichotomies and learning to heal and trust strangers and the world generally. A fear-based life is holding so many people back. As someone who has worked through a lot of anxiety with everything that's going on in the world today, it's not an easy task surmounting that, but I think working through it with people through song will be a beautiful transition.

I've always loved the welcoming and loving attitude fans have so generously provided when traveling. They give their attention during the performance, sure, but they also tell these touching stories of how music I've made has helped them navigate breakups, the giddy time at the beginning of a relationship, to see others with love, and even run marathons!  It's that personal connection to people listening that makes my devotion to this bizarre corner of the human experience so worthwhile.

"The Expanding Universe" by Laurie Speigel.

To make people act from love instead of fear and selfishness. We could solve global warming, violence, and wealth inequality in five minutes!

I give it my all, and I sometimes tend to take my audience on a journey of intense feelings. Even though I go through some darkness up there, it always ends with a dance party.

I'm already writing my next album! And I'm touring Europe again in January and February, then playing festivals in the spring. I can't believe how lucky I am.