Who is Anella Herim? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music
Who is Anella Herim? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…
Anella Herim
Quick Facts:
Full Name – Anella Herim
Birthdate – 11/22/2001
Hometown – Trinity, North Carolina
Current City – Charlotte, North Carolina
Musical Influences – Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Juice World, Casting Crowns, Rainbow Kitten Surprise
Label – Def Jam
Current Single – “Lock N Key”
The Beginning:
Today’s spotlight shines on an artist who feels like a true breath of fresh air. Singer-songwriter, Anella Herim is focused on creating good music, no matter where it falls on the spectrum of genre, which is something we appreciate. While his songwriting stays rooted in country storytelling, Herim plays with sounds and blending genres in a way that is exciting.
Growing up in North Carolina, Herim was exposed to music at a young age. “My dad was a leader at church, so when I was like four or five years old, I started playing the drums for him at service. I grew up doing that and singing at church when I was very little,” shared the artist. Outside of church, Herim would immerse himself in music, drawing inspirations from artists that came before him.
“I was introduced to a lot of good music early on. I would ride around with my Mamaw and she would show me artists like Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, The Carpenters, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, and The Eagles. All just like really the best of the best at a really young age,” shared the singer. “Everybody I was around was listening to country. I just think country music is the best genre at songwriting. I think songwriting is the main worry of country music, whereas in some other genres it is all about the sound or the melody. In country, it’s the story being told, and that’s what drew me to it.”
Herim continued to grow his love and talent for music throughout his upbringing. “When I got into middle school, I would learn the woodwinds and then I went into percussion. Shortly after, I got braces and I couldn’t play woodwinds anymore, so I learned the base. Then I learned guitar and piano,” he shared. Adding, “I started writing in the end of middle school, and when I got to high school I started producing songs on my phone on garage band and putting it on Soundcloud, and yeah, basically I’m here.”
The Turning Point:
Lately, Herim finds himself drawing inspiration from these same artists like Jackson and Wonder, rather than spending too much time listening to more modern-day music. “I think more recently I’ve been listening to less, because I’ve been more focused on creating rather than consuming. I want to be as me as possible, and I don’t want to be too influenced. There’s so much good music out right here, so it’s hard not to draw inspiration from it. I really try to listen to older music and draw inspiration from something that isn’t so relevant.”
Throughout high school and after, Herim focused on music. “I think the day I learned how to play guitar it was July 5th, 2015, and I only remember that because I posted a picture on my Instagram that day of the guitar,” he shared, reminiscing about the memory. Herim began playing gigs across North Carolina at any bar that would let him play. “I was making music on my phone, and I started doing acoustic shows,” he began. “When I got my license, I started going to bars and playing outside and doing acoustic gigs for whoever would let me play.”
Eventually, Herim connected with the right people in the industry.“I had played this bar called ‘Boxcar Bar + Arcade’ in Greensboro, North Carolina and I met this guy named Malik. He introduced me to Sud, at a No Stress festival, which is his festival that he throws, and I performed there. It’s like an urban, hip-hop festival, and I go out there with an acoustic guitar, and I was the first person to go on, and it was very evident that I was different, so we started working.”
He started meeting more people and got introduced to people at Def Jam Records, which would eventually become his record label. “It was all really organic. I think good music does all the heavy lifting.”
Today:
Flash forward to today, the demand for music from Herim is at an all time high, especially after his viral hit, “Tennessee Love Song.”
“That was actually the first song I ever recorded in Nashville, and the first session,” shared the singer. “We just went out there, and I just kind of make very mood-based music, so being in Nashville, we were just like let’s make a country song. We sat down with Evan, who helped me produce the record and he pulled up this loop. We all got to working, and it was just really good vibes. It was just what the room felt like that day. We just captured it.”
The singer went on to release a remixed version of the hit with fellow artist, Chase Matthew, who slid into his DMs after loving the song. “Chase [Matthew] just reached out to me through the Instagram DMs. […] I was like “you trying to put a verse on it.” And he was like “yessir.””
Most recently, Herim also released a 3-pack project called Season 1: I Love You. Prior to the release, the singer shared, “I’m working on this idea. Considering “Tennessee Love Song” did well, I’m going to cater more to the country-pop sound, and I’m dropping a three pack, and the next single is called “Lock N Key,” and it feels really good, it feels like red solo music, just good music. And I’m going to have two songs behind it. One more hip-hop, and one more pop-ish.”
The innovative idea will spark even more creative ventures, as the singer plans to release a 3-pack a month. “We’re going to release a three pack each month, and we’re going to call it a season, so each song will be an episode, and each 3-pack will be a season, and whatever song in the 3-pack that does the best, whatever genre, we’re going to release another 3-pack, and the lead single will cater to that genre.”
It is safe to say that 2024 will be the year of music from the rising artist. Stay tuned!
Connect:
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Anella Herim’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.
