Hailing from Chicago, singer-songwriter and self-proclaimed "temper tantrum pop" artist Annie Omalley releases her highly anticipated sophomore album, "all the things that skare me."
The talented up-and-comer has been making waves in the music scene with her unique blend of hyper-pop, drum and bass, and pure pop. Annie is the definition of a one-woman creative powerhouse, handling everything from songwriting to creative direction.
Crafted over two years, all the things that skare me is a discussion with Annie's inner child that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable. With 5 singles from the album racking up over 800k streams, listeners are keen to hear more of Annie's journey as she tackles it with a mix of hope, excitement, and just the right amount of rebellion.
The album kicks off with the spacious title track, "all the things that skare me," an exhilarating intro that perfectly sets the tone for a wild ride through Annie's world and her habit of overthinking. "2gether 4ever" follows, hitting you with a dose of nostalgia through Annie's picturesque lyrics of a love she hopes will last.
In the upbeat third track, "break up partie," she flips the script on heartbreak and turns sadness into a celebration, happily uninviting her ex from this rager. As we dive deeper, "celebrations & obsessive thaughts" and "road raje" show off Annie's knack for turning everyday experiences into catchy, relatable, heavily danceable pop anthems.
"diskovering why" reveals her more introspective side, realizing things about herself and her purpose on this planet—laid over a sonically delicious beat. The gentle interlude "amjo" leads into "sundaze," humming our speakers with a vibrant DnB beat and her anthemic, emotional vocals. In "klose the door," Annie sings a relatable teenage story full of love, lust, and sparks flying from every angle.
The album takes an interesting turn with "ao627lk710," an exciting track with production that feels like it came straight out of a video game. "sobure" might be the most personal track on the album, as Annie expands on her tendency to immerse herself in her own darkness. "plot twyst" keep listeners on their toes with a playful breakup tune that's sure to leave you chanting the hook alongside Annie's radiant vocals.
Some more DnB production slaps the speakers in track thirteen, "luckie," an incredibly cathartic track that sees Annie celebrating her newfound hope after leaving someone in the past. It's undoubtedly our favorite from the album. Landing on the outro track, "obstakles dissipate," Annie sends chills down the spine with a stunning piano ballad that leaves us with a glowing sense of hope and growth.
Ready for an emotional rollercoaster? Annie Omalley's "all the things that skare me," is honest, it's messy, and it's exactly what pop needs right now. Hear it yourself and find the album on all digital streaming platforms.
Welcome to Buzz, Annie! Your new album, "all the things that skare me," is an incredibly dynamic listening experience. What inspired you to create this project?
Thank you so much for having me and taking the time to listen to and digest the album! As I’m sure yew can hear in the music, such a range of experiences and emotions led me to create this project. I wrote ‘celebrations & obsessive thaughts’ the day after I released my debut album, and I wrote ‘klose the door’ a few weeks later.
I knew I was creating something different than I ever had, but still so authentic to me. Once I wrote ‘2gether 4ever,’ I knew this would be my next project, so I dove in. I released a 7-part series on my YouTube channel about the creation of this project because it was so intricate and intentional that I wanted to have a time capsule of the whole process.
On a more personal note, what made you call your style "temper tantrum pop"? Which tracks from "all the things that skare me" do you feel resonate with this style the most?
I was inspired by the inner child work I was doing, the nostalgia I was experiencing in so many sections of my life, and the urge to enjoy my life but couldn’t because of the fears I had holding me back. I decided to call this style “temper tantrum pop” because I feel like when children emote, they are most often misunderstood.
We see children “acting out” and “misbehaving,” but really, they are so effortlessly and honestly expressing their emotions. We call this a “temper tantrum” and give it a negative connotation. Then, through life, they are told to “cut it out,” “don’t cry in public,” “get over it,” and “don’t be a baby,” and this forces the child to suppress their emotions.
When they grow up, they constantly battle themselves between what they want to do versus what they are told they should do. This robs us of the inner peace we all deserve. When we tell ourselves not to be human, we inevitably forget to treat the people around us like humans.
"all the things that skare" me touches on some pretty deep stuff. Was it 'skary' being so vulnerable and open in your songwriting?
I would say that ‘2gether 4ever,’ ‘sundaze,’ and ‘break up partie’ are purely temper tantrum pop. They sound like a little girl feeling such big feelings but doesn’t have anyone to go to. It is skary, but everyone feels these things, and it’s much skarier when yew keep these thoughts inside and battle everything alone. The best feeling ever is when people reach out to me about how the song is helping them through something, or the lyrics perfectly describe their feelings. I can say this: my songwriting is only getting more honest and vulnerable the more I grow, which excites me.
You did everything from writing to creative direction for "all the things that skare me." What was the most challenging part of wearing all those hats?
I think the hardest part is being so attached that it becomes hard to give up control. Sometimes, it’s healthy to ask for help and to let go of the expectations or the outcomes. It’s a hard balance because this is technically my job, but I love what I do, and everything is based around my life and my feelings, so I am so consumed by it, but I wouldn't change that.
If you had to pick one song from "all the things that skare me" to introduce someone to your music, which would it be and why?
This is a hard question but a good one. There is something on this project for everyone. If yew want to go out, get over a breakup, or have a good time, yew’re gonna listen to ‘celebrations & obsessive thaughts,’ ‘plot twyst,’ ‘break up partie,’ ‘2gether 4ever,’ and ‘klose the door.’ If yew want to read lyrics that hit really deeply and have more of a spooky vibe, yew’re gonna listen to ‘diskovering why,’ ‘sobure,’ and ‘obstakles dissipate.’
However, if I had to pick one, I would probably choose the title track ‘all the things that skare me,’ because it encapsulates what the entire album is about to be. I need to create a world sonically when the album starts so the listeners can prepare themselves.
This is why we make albums—life is much more complicated and layered than just one song portrays.
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