Q&A: Anna Shoemaker Captures Heartbreak in Haunting New Single “Iced Coffee”
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY KIMBERLY KAPELA ☆
AN EVOCATIVE ODE TO LINGERING LOVE – Indie-pop songstress Anna Shoemaker invites listeners into an intimate, emotional reverie with her latest single, “Iced Coffee.” This moody, introspective track channels the bittersweet complexities of love, regret, and the haunting echoes of a past relationship, solidifying Shoemaker as a master of raw vulnerability and poetic storytelling.
With melancholic yet melodic undertones, “Iced Coffee” captures a specific kind of heartbreak – one where nostalgia blurs the lines between love and loss. Shoemaker’s lyrics echo a longing for connection and an inability to let go, weaving a tapestry of emotions that resonate deeply with anyone who’s struggled to reconcile their heart and mind in the aftermath of a breakup.
Reflecting on the song’s inspiration, Shoemaker says, “‘Iced Coffee’ is about that moment of weakness after a breakup where you’re like, ‘wait, no, never mind, I’m lying – I love you more than anything.’ When you’ve been with someone so long, the thought of losing them is the scariest thing in the world – even if it is for the better. I think this song is me not being able to fathom that loss. I really wish that love could be enough when it comes to a relationship, but there are just so many other pieces that have to fit when you want to share a life with someone.”
Shoemaker’s delivery is hauntingly sincere, with her delicate vocals gliding over minimalist production that amplifies the song’s aching honesty. Her ability to translate the fragility of these emotions into a compelling anthem ensures the track lingers with listeners long after its final note.
“Iced Coffee” is a must-listen – a reminder that love, in all its messy beauty, is both a solace and a struggle.
Shoemaker is set to release her sophomore album, Someone Should Stop Her, on February 21, 2025. Known for her alt-leaning production, intoxicating pop melodies, and unflinching lyricism, Shoemaker’s music vividly captures the turbulence, charm, and self- reflection of young adulthood. This album truly chronicles her journey of personal evolution. This upcoming release embraces a stripped-back production, offering listeners the intimacy of a late-night conversation with a big sister, where vulnerability takes center stage.
Photography Credit: Josefine Cardoni
LUNA: Welcome back and thank you for talking to Luna. It's super exciting to have you back since the last time we talked about your EP Hey Anna I would love to catch up and see how life has been treating you and what have you been up to since the last time we talked.
ANNA: I'm still on this tour with Joe p right now. We have a couple more dates in December. I’m just really excited about the album and have been getting ready for the release and rehearsing a bunch for these shows and still the same me. Same me as always.
LUNA: What inspires you to push boundaries within your sound? Are there any specific experiences, artists, or moments that have encouraged you to explore new musical territories?
ANNA: I feel like with this album, instead of exploring new territories, we just went back to the tried and true classics that my producer and I are obsessed with. We listen to a lot of Kasey Musgraves and Sheryl Crow, but then also Alex G. It's interesting, because it felt new when we were making it, but I've realized that it's just the music that I grew up listening to and the music that I've always gravitated towards.
LUNA: You have been releasing new music for your upcoming record Someone Should Stop Her that comes out in February. What can listeners expect from this new era of music?
ANNA: I'm really excited about it. I feel like the writing is really, really thought out, but definitely it's an elevated production. It's a very thoughtful production. I think that the one thing that stays throughout my music – whether the production or anything changes – it’s always about my life, and I can't help but make everything too personal.
LUNA: You have released your new single “Iced Coffee” and I love how introspective it is and how much of a multifaceted approach you take with experimenting within your sound. What is the inspiration behind the single?
ANNA: I really wanted to put this one out as a single. We weren't even supposed to put out a single at this point in December, because it's so soon after “Game of Thrones.” But for me, I feel like singles are really the only thing that gets attention. I really wanted to draw attention to it because it's a breakup song. It touches on having to choose between a relationship and your career, and having a really hard time because you love this person and you don't want to have to sacrifice for them. I've always felt like in relationships, when things start to go well in my career, my romantic relationships start to suffer. And then when things go well in my romantic relationships, it's because I’m having a harder time in my career. It's really hard to find that balance. I think my producer and I have both experienced being obsessed with our art and obsessed with our career and obsessed with that. I think that it's probably only natural. It's the intimate moments of waking up in the morning and wanting to have iced coffee with someone and wanting these intimate moments, but then also being like, I have this other thing that I want to do too.
LUNA: Can you walk us through the creative process for “Iced Coffee?” How did the song evolve from the initial idea to the final version?
ANNA: My producer had initially written the song for his band and it was so different. He had written it with these two guys, Tim and Jeremy, and it couldn't have been more different. It had a pop hit vibe. He had written it for his band, and he showed it to me, and I was like, ‘if there's any chance that you're not going to use this song, I would love to work on it and I would love to try to sing on it.’ We redid it for me. I like how masculine it was. I liked that it felt very me. My producer and I have also morphed into the same person. When we went down to Nashville, we were listening a lot to Mitski and she has this song called “Heaven” that is one of my favorite songs. We rethought the song completely. And by we, I mean he rethought the song completely. It was a long process with that song. This was my first time really having patience and rewriting, reproducing, and redoing a lot of things. This song was probably the one we redid the most, and I think that's why I wanted to spotlight it and put it out as a single. I'm so glad that the label was on board with that because it's really special to me.
LUNA: It’s really rewarding to be able to see your artistic evolution especially with your upcoming record Someone Should Stop Her. Between your Everything is Fine (I’m Only on Fire) record and Someone Should Stop Her, how would you say you have evolved musically and creatively?
ANNA: I think that it's just growing, you know? It's being more patient and being more thoughtful with the music. When I was making Everything is Fine, it was giving diary vibes. It was exactly how I was feeling at the moment. No censorship, no rethinking, not even any polishing – which I actually really like. Going back and listening to the material is really cool, because it's literally just like reading my diary, whereas I think this record, obviously, it's still so me and so truthful. I worked a little harder to just be more polished and a little less word vomiting.
LUNA: What is your favorite song from Someone Should Stop Her and why do you love this song? Is there a certain element, lyric or message that you gravitate towards the most?
ANNA: “Back Again” is my favorite song, and that one's going to come out at the top of next year. I think ever since we wrote it, it was one of those game changing songs for me. I love it. It feels really special. I love performing it too.
LUNA: What kind of atmosphere or emotional space do you aim to create for your listeners?
ANNA: I feel like music you could scream along to in the car or dance around is so healing. I think in my mind, it's more like you're going through something or you're just living your life, and you're listening to music alone and vibing. It doesn't feel as much like party music. For me, it's listening to the music in the car alone, or in your headphones, and you're just thinking.
LUNA: What are you most excited for listeners to take away from the new record?
ANNA: I feel like I'm still trying to go through my own personal life, and I'm still trying to make sense of it all. I hope that people take away that it's okay to just feel your feelings and not really have any answers, and not have a lesson. Not having the whole choice between a relationship and career. I don't really know that there's that many solutions on this album. I don't think there's a lot. I think that that's a lesson in itself, just to say this life is weird, sometimes it sucks, and sometimes people break up.
LUNA: We always talk about the significance that vintage clothes play in your aesthetic and imagery throughout your discography. What have been some of your favorite pieces that you wore and have featured in your newest releases?
ANNA: This was the best part of the videos because I got to work with my friend Bria, who is amazing. I told her what I wanted for the video and it's this whole road trip. I wanted it to feel really me. Bria pulled all these really amazing pieces. She had also just brought some stuff from her closet. She brought these little Adidas shorts, and we ended up literally just using stuff from my in her closet. I think that the thing that played the biggest role in the video for me was just having pieces that gave a lot of life to the visuals. We had a few looks, but they were mostly pieces. I really wanted to make sure that we were reusing some things through the video, because if you're on a road trip, I just wanted it to feel really real and lived in. I think that's something I've adopted into this whole rollout and the tour looks. My best friend came on tour with me, and I would try on an outfit every night, and I'd be like, ‘is this in the world that we're doing?’ I really love sticking in this whole road trip, more comfortable energy. It's been a really cool challenge to stick to a look. Working with Bria was just amazing.
LUNA: How are you feeling in this current era of your career and what does the rest of the year look like that you would like to share with Luna?
ANNA: I feel really good in my career. I'm really excited to put out “Iced Coffee.” I'm excited for the record to come out next year, and I'm just going to keep touring. I want to keep playing shows. I feel so grateful to even be where I am.
