10 Questions with Anna Shoemaker
Indie-pop artist Anna Shoemaker celebrates the two-month anniversary of her sophomore album, Someone Should Stop Her, by answering ten questions about the project and her upcoming tour with Mallrat.
By: Spencyr Aronson
April 21st, 2025
Sounds by Spencyr: Hey Anna! Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with me today. Let’s get right into it, your sophomore album Someone Should Stop Her came out two months ago today! What inspired the title? Do you have a favorite lyric from the project?
Anna Shoemaker: The title comes from a line in [my song] “Game of Thrones.” It was honestly the first thing that came to mind when I was deciding. I love how it feels like it can have a lot of meanings. And the chorus of “Wishful Thinking” has my favorite lyric: "I know like a stone knows a river, I know I know like a finger on a trigger."
Speaking of a different track off this album, in a past interview you mentioned that “Back Again” is about wanting to get back together with someone so badly that it “almost felt like a manifestation or prayer in that moment while writing it.” If you could manifest anything right now, what would it be?
AS: Wow, I love this question. I really want to write songs for other people, so I’m manifesting getting a little more into the songwriting world! Also, always: touring, touring, touring.
The album explores themes of grief, heartbreak, and self-reflection. How did working with one of your best friends shape your ability to tap into those raw emotions? Did that dynamic make it easier to be open and experiment creatively, or did it present its own set of challenges?
AS: I feel so lucky to have been able to write these songs with my friend Constantine. It definitely led to a feeling of freedom to experiment! I think it’s really important to have a close and trusting relationship with any collaborator. Our whole friendship has sort of been built around writing these songs! It was honestly never that difficult to go deep with him because I trust him so much. It was really a safe space to throw out any idea, good or bad. Obviously, there are always going to be challenges, but I think that’s the case with anything.
Going off of that, I know the album was inspired by running away and reflecting during a breakup. Did the music come naturally, or did you have to push yourself to capture the specific mood you wanted?
AS: We definitely had to do a lot of trial and error to get there. A lot of these songs have multiple versions. But once we cracked the code, we sort of knew what we were doing.
Looking back on your debut album Everything is Fine (I’m Only on Fire), what kind of growth or shifts did you feel [comparatively speaking] when working on Someone Should Stop Her? Were there any moments where you caught yourself doing something entirely different in the studio this time around?
AS: The process for this album was entirely different from my first one. We took all the demos to Nashville and recorded them within one month, whereas my first album was recorded over a few years. I think this was really key for us in keeping everything cohesive. I loved getting to work on it every day, all day, even though it was definitely a lot at times.
The mix of country, indie, folk, and pop influences on this project creates a really dynamic listening experience. Were there any artists or songs that specifically influenced how you crafted the sound of this record? More generally, who are your biggest musical influences?
AS: Thank you so much! That really means a lot. We listened to a lot of Kacey Musgraves and Alex G while making the album.
Right now, I still really love Kacey. I'm so inspired by the simplicity of her writing and melodies. I also love HOVVDY, Lana Del Rey, and SZA. They’re all the best!
Similarly, who are your favorite up-and-coming artists you’d love for readers to discover?
AS: I'm obsessed with TOLEDO, DeLoyd Elze, Camille Schmidt, and Angela Autumn.
Performing live is something you've mentioned you’re really looking forward to! What do you hope audiences take away from seeing your opening set, especially with Mallrat’s tour kicking off in just a few days?
AS: I'm really excited to play songs from the new album. I'm hoping the way we perform them will really draw attention to the writing. It'll just me and another guitar player!
Amazing. I can’t wait to see your set! Just a few more questions here. You’ve tweeted this before, so I have to ask: What are your In’s and Out’s for Summer 2025?
AS: In: Falling in love on the internet, candle warmers, ballet flats, rereading books you loved in high school.
Out: FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), having to get gas, Severance, the 50-pound weight limit for checked bags at the airport.
Lastly, what do you hope to achieve both musically and personally as you continue to evolve as an artist?
AS: Honestly, I’m just so grateful to be able to do this in the first place. I just want to keep growing and evolving. Thank you so much!