ANNIKA and Brett Kissel Share Their Emotions in a Passionate Ballad, "Encore"

From Calgary, Alberta, singer-songwriter and country artist ANNIKA teams up with award-winning, Platinum-selling country star Brett Kissel for their recent tender ballad, "Encore."

Since the start of her solo career, ANNIKA has seen vast success, having written over 100 songs with Nashville stapes like Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Phil Barton, Brian White, Patricia Conroy, and most famously, Liz Rose. She's also performed at iconic venues/festivals such as Boots and Hearts, Country Thunder, Calgary Stampede, Rockin' River Fest, and many more.

A collaboration like no other, ANNIKA recently paired up with chart-topping country artist Brett Kissel for their latest passionate single, "Encore." When asked about her experience with Kissel, ANNIKA mentioned, "In the studio, hearing his voice on a song that I had written was a dream come true. Brett brought his energy, heartfelt vocals, and undeniable talent to the song in a way that nobody else could."

Listening to "Encore," the song softly opens with delicate piano melodies and ANNIKA's soothing vocal portrayal. As she sings of wanting one more shot at love with someone special, the song's instrumentation slowly begins to expand with added background pads to enhance the entire emotional atmosphere.

As Brett Kissel takes our breath away with his passionate and enthralling stylings, he unleashes a powerful belt to amplify his love and devotion for someone special. We absolutely adore the vocal duet on the hook, as both artists offer this undeniable passion that strikes an emotional chord deep within any listener.

Experience the most passionate collaboration of the year with ANNIKA and Brett Kissel's latest ballad, "Encore," now available on all digital streaming platforms.

A warm welcome to BuzzMusic ANNIKA. We're more than pleased with the entire listening experience you've provided with your latest single, "Encore." What inspired you to create this genuine and emotional ballad?

I’m so glad you enjoyed it! This ballad came together quite quickly as my co-writer, Chris Yurchuck had the idea for the hook, “Encore” and the rest of us writers jumped on board right away. The idea of always wanting “one more” of something inspired the first line and then the rest of the song fell into place. We wanted to capture the intimate and romantic feeling of a very specific moment in time - the moment when you are beginning to fall in love with someone and can’t help yourself! With that in mind, we kept the melody and lyrics simple, but powerful

How did you manage to land a feature like Brett Kissel for your single, "Encore?” What does this collaboration mean to you?

I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to share the stage with Brett Kissel in the past at a few shows and formed a friendship with him over the years. I was absolutely thrilled when I sent him the song and asked him to sing it with me and he responded quickly and enthusiastically with a YES! We had a blast working in the studio together and I am so grateful that an artist who I have looked up to for so long was willing to do this with me.

What was your songwriting process like when writing such passionate and emotional lyrics for "Encore'? Did you face any personal challenges during this process?

I was very fortunate to write this song with four of my good friends: Chris Yurchuck, Aaron Pollock, Devin Cooper, and Spencer Cheyne. We are all so comfortable with one another because we write together often, so songs tend to come together quickly because we have no hesitation about sharing ideas. I think being able to share your ideas without fear has a major impact on the quality of the song. We each brought our own unique gifts to the song and the end result was something that we were all excited about.

Would you say that most of your songs offer this deeply introspective and emotional tone, similar to "Encore"? Do you often release such passionate and meaningful songs like this?

I think songwriting is such a gift because it allows me to express myself at that exact moment in time. My songs vary from upbeat, fun, energetic tunes to more laid-back, romantic, and introspective. As a person, there are many sides to me, so I find that also comes out in my writing. I am happy to share different sides of me with fans through music and this song certainly shows a softer side of me than some of my other songs.

What would you like new listeners to know about you and your music?

My music is passionate, soulful, and a true representation of who I am. I use music to express myself and entertain others. I hope the music I’ve created resonates with fans and they can see a little bit of themselves in each song.

ANNIKA Instagram

Brett Kissel Instagram