Annie Blackman’s “Why We Met” Is Hauntingly Beautiful

Annie Blackman has a voice like no other. Her latest release, “Why We Met” is absolutely gorgeous. The song freezes time. It captures an intimate moment between two people. It is soft and simple and stunning. I got the chance to ask Annie a few questions about the song. Read our interview below. 

WHEN DID YOU FIRST GET THE IDEA FOR “Why We Met?”

 I wanted to write “Why We Met” to slow down a fleeting moment. The action in the song is very simple: looking at someone and wondering why they came into my life. I liked the idea of writing something with lyrics that echoed the moment’s quietness. I usually write wordier songs, but this felt like an opportunity for me to step back a bit. Singing it feels meditative too.

 WHAT WAS GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU MADE THIS SONG? WHAT WERE YOU LISTENING TO?

It was definitely a transitional period. I was getting ready to start my final year of college, which was a super daunting concept. I’m not sure how much of that informed this specific song though—maybe it did in ways I’m not conscious of. At the time, I was listening to a lot of Whatever Dad, Field Medic, and Julia Jacklin. 

 WHAT WAS THE PROCESS OF MAKING THIS SONG LIKE? ANY FAVORITE MEMORIES FROM THE WRITING/RECORDING PROCESS?

The song came to me pretty quickly, which was a relief. I’m definitely one to take my time with writing, but if I sit on a song for too long, I definitely get a little disconnected from the emotion or experience I’m trying to recount. “Why We Met” felt like a pretty fresh expression of my feelings. This was my first song that was recorded and produced entirely remotely, so the whole process was pretty experimental in that sense. A lot of it was trying to find out what worked best for me and my producer, Evan Rasch, while on opposite coasts. He’s a close friend and we communicate really well, which made it a lot easier. 

HOW DO YOU TYPICALLY GET YOUR IDEAS FOR SONGS?

Oh man! I mean, anything I feel deeply makes me want to write. I think that’s really what it comes down to. A song will usually start out as a sentence in the notes app on my phone and snowball from there. It sort of just happens. 

 I JUST SAW THE VIDEO FOR THE SONG. WHAT WAS THE FILMING PROCESS LIKE? HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR THE VIDEO?

The filming process was really fun. I made the video with my brother and acted alongside one of our closest friends. My dad helped a lot too. The whole thing takes place in my house which is fitting since I’ve made things with my family for as long as I can remember. Working with them always feels really natural. I wanted to do something kind of silly for the video, but also cinematic. We thought that a creepy plot towed that line well. 

THE SONG FEELS SAD AND THE VIDEO FEELS SPOOKY. WAS THERE A REASON YOU DECIDED TO PAIR THOSE TWO EMOTIONS TOGETHER?

Honestly, there isn’t much of a symbolic explanation for the concept. I think the spookiness works with the pace of the song, but beyond that, it just seemed like a fun idea. A lame answer, but it’s true!

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE PART OF THE VIDEO? 

My favorite part is definitely the very end. But I won’t give it away if anyone hasn’t watched ;) 

IS THERE A PART OF THE SONG YOU ARE THE MOST PROUD OF?

I’m happy with the way the vocal harmonies turned out. I’ve only ever performed this song alone (except for one time at a college talent show with my roommate) so getting to play around with harmonies on this recording was a first, and I really like how it sounds. 

FAVORITE LYRIC?

I’m a sucker for alliteration. I do it by accident all the time. So I like “clock the curvature from your chin down to your chest.” C C C C. 

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST THING YOU LEARNED FROM THE MAKING OF THE SONG?

 That remote collaboration is a challenge, but a real learning process and eventually very rewarding.  

WHAT DO YOU HOPE LISTENERS TAKE AWAY FROM THE SONG?

 I honestly just hope people like it and connect with it. That’s a lot of what makes vulnerability worthwhile.

Photo by Daniel Dorsa.

YOU CAN LISTEN TO Annie Blackman’s “Why We Met” ON STREAMING SERVICES LIKE SPOTIFY AND APPLE MUSIC. GO LISTEN AND FOLLOW @twentyminuteslater TO STAY UPDATED ON FUTURE POSTS.