Anna of the North

Anna of the North is Anna Lotterud, an electro-pop artist whose off-kilter work inhabits warm, hazy regions of the dancefloor. Her debut single, “Sway,” went viral in 2014, prompting a Chainsmokers remix and a tour slot with Kygo. Her full-length debut, the breakup-inspired Lovers, appeared in 2017, with second album Dream Girl arriving in 2019. A series of short-form releases that followed over the next few years included 2022′s “Meteorite,” a duet with Gus Dapperton.
A native of Gjøvik, Norway, Anna met New Zealand producer Brady Daniell-Smith at one of his shows while studying in Melbourne, Australia. They hit it off and recorded her debut single, “Sway,” over Skype, and released it in mid-2014. The song became an Internet hit and landed her record deals with +1 Records/Honeymoon in the U.S. and PIAS’ Different Recordings in the U.K. An official remix by the Chainsmokers saw release that September. She followed up the song with “The Dreamer” and “Baby,” both in early 2016. The rest of that year brought continued success for Lotterud as she embarked on a European tour in support of Kygo before rounding off 2016 with two non-album singles, “Oslo” and “Us.” More accomplishments took her into 2017, with Anna of the North featured alongside Frank Ocean on the Tyler, The Creator track “911/Mr. Lonely,” leading to an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. That September, she released her debut album, the Daniell-Smith-produced Lovers.
After parting ways with Daniell-Smith, Lotterud issued the emotional single “Leaning on Myself” in early 2019. It was eventually included on Anna of the North’s second album, Dream Girl, in October. The recording included the participation of over a dozen producers and co-writers. The Believe EP appeared 12 months later, featuring new songs alongside “home-made” versions of her albums’ two title tracks. Following 2021′s “Here’s to Another,” she issued the Gus Dapperton collaboration “Meteorite” in mid-2022. ~ Marcy Donelson