Interview: Anna Erhard
Anna Erhard by Noel Richter
Swiss-born, Berlin-based artist Anna Erhard has been captivating audiences with her sharp wit, playful storytelling, and eclectic sound, and now she's back with her highly anticipated third album, Botanical Garden out on 27 September via Radicals Music. Following the success of her 2022 album Campsite Erhard’s latest work dives even deeper into the absurdities of modern life. Her new single “Not Rick,” inspired by a tarot card reading gone awry, sets the tone for an album that explores themes of existential uncertainty, social critique, and the humour hidden in the mundane. Fans of her signature mix of slacker vibes and intricate arrangements will not be disappointed.
Alongside the release of Botanical Garden, Anna Erhard is embarking on an extensive tour spanning the UK and EU. Kicking off in October, the tour will see her bring her quirky, philosophical musings to intimate venues across Europe, including performances in London, Berlin, and Barcelona. As she gears up to take her new material on the road, Erhard is excited to translate the album's introspective and playful energy to live audiences, promising performances that are as spontaneous and heartfelt as her songwriting.
You’ve just released your new single “Not Rick”. Can you share the story behind the song and how the tarot card reading inspired its creation?
My friend and I were on holiday in Mexico and went to a tarot card reading. This woman told me that I have already lived many lives and this is my last one. She totally got me because this is exactly the kind of compliment I like, how cool, I am so wise! Very flattering. So I started writing a song in which I was bragging about how wise I am but then eventually it turns into something more anxious, like a nervous eye twitch, because it’s just too stressful to know that this is your last chance!
Botanical Garden marks your third album. How does it differ from your previous albums Short Cut and Campsite in terms of sound and themes?
Botanical Garden and Campsite are definitely related, even the titles are. I wrote and recorded it in a similar way, both albums directly from start to finish in the studio. And we were also working with loops a lot, like for example in Spa or 170. Lyrically it’s an extension of Campsite, I felt very free to sing about whatever while being in the studio, that was often nonsense but when it entertained me and Pola Roy (producer) well enough, I worked on it and turned it into a song.
You often explore life’s small absurdities in your lyrics. What draws you to writing about the minutiae of everyday experiences?
I think it is mostly an act of defiance. We are switching from one polarizing issue to the next and I often get the feeling that I need to break out of that narrowness of topics. So I give all my attention to something seemingly mundane.
You’ve mentioned that many songs on Botanical Garden critique modern life and the pursuit of happiness. Could you expand on how these themes are reflected in tracks like “Hot Family” and “B.M.G. Academy”?
My friend and I were on holiday and we were talking a lot about our fears and hopes around the topic of having children or not. And then we saw this ridiculously good-looking family walking out of the hotel, they looked so fresh and shiny and perfect, they weren’t even sweating although it was 30 degrees outside.
Somehow it was hilarious in that moment and we kept referring to them as the „coconut family“ and always reassured each other that they had really figured it out! It’s a big relief to laugh about existential questions.
B.M.G. Academy is about the Blue Man Group and I am jokingly bashing them a little bit. I have honestly never seen them so I absolutely don’t know what I am talking about. I just heard from someone who has Blue Man friends, that they are always in such a good mood and everyone loves working in the Blue Man Group. So that’s suspicious!
In “Teeth on the King,” you dive into anxieties around friendships. How do personal experiences shape your songwriting, and what inspired this particular track?
After the pandemic fade-out, I have been struggling to accept that everyone, including myself, was so much lazier than before. I wrote the song after I wanted to go to a concert that I’ve been looking forward to and then turned around halfway because I was too low energy and didn’t feel like going there alone. Obviously a concert could be a place to overcome the feeling of isolation and it was depressing for a while to know that even getting there might be too much at times. Now that changed.
This track is more melancholic than the rest of the album, but still, most of the songs are inspired by a personal experience.
Your music has been described as blending slacker vibes with intricate arrangements. How do you achieve that balance between laid-back energy and precise musical structure?
I think it’s because we don’t really recreate anything in the studio that has been written before, but instead press record, hang around and play until we find something. At times it remains a demo and other times it becomes the core of a song. The more intricate parts come later, I am very skeptical in this phase and Pola is also very selective, only the good stuff can stay.
Collaborating with Pola Roy and your Berlin friends seems to have been an essential part of creating Botanical Garden. How did these friendships influence the album’s sound and recording process?
I like best that I know someone is waiting for me and I will have to show up instead of procrastinating alone. Pola is the king of routine, in a very positive sense, and I benefit from that a lot. We have recorded 4 records together (one with my former band) and we get each other, not much explaining is needed and instead, we can try out a lot. Whenever we get stuck we call Alex my bass player or my friend Magnus, they are both amazing and influenced the sound of the album.
You’ve said that some songs start off in unexpected ways, like “Botanical Garden” beginning as a Eurotrance anthem. Can you walk us through the creative evolution of one of the tracks on this album?
We were often jamming with a modular synthesizer and drum machine and created this trashy loop on top of which I started singing some lyrics which are now Botanical Garden. I really liked the melody but the loop was kind of awful, so it remained a demo and later became a guitar song.
Your music has a humorous and light-hearted touch, even when dealing with more serious topics. How do you maintain that sense of playfulness in your writing?
I don’t know, whenever I tried to write a serious song I started writing something more humorous on the page next to it. It feels more natural to me at the moment.
You’ve cited influences like The Roches, Jonathan Richman, and Fawlty Towers. How do these eclectic sources shape your approach to storytelling in your music?
They all make me laugh at times and that feels great.
With your tour now underway, how are you feeling about bringing Botanical Garden to live audiences? What are you most excited about performing?
I am very excited about it! Mostly about finding a way to perform the new songs that we’ve never played live and see how they develop.
Many of your songs, like “Spa” and “170,” have an element of social critique wrapped in personal anecdotes. How do you turn these specific stories into something more universal?
Quite often I start writing lyrics when I get frustrated, when I am angry about something, so this element is there from the beginning and I turn it into something lighter afterwards.
Your track “Campsite” received significant attention on BBC Radio 6 Music. How has that recognition impacted your career and how you approach making music?
It feels great to get this support and recognition. It gives me confidence to do what I want to do. And also it’s the first time that I see such an impact from getting radio spins to having people buying tickets to a show. It is just the best direct way to reach people. 6music is so great.
How do you feel your sound has evolved since your days with Serafyn? Has going solo brought new challenges or freedoms in your creative process?
Musically I feel very free now that I don’t have a band to debate with.
But of course I also sometimes miss it, being in this band was so important for me, it was my first band ever.
Finally, what have you been listening to lately? Any new or old favourites that have been on repeat?
When we were playing at Dot to Dot Festival in Bristol this band called YHWH Nailgun played after us and they were so good live, I’ve been listening to them whilst driving in rental cars very often.
Anna Erhard’s new album Botanical Garden is out on 27 September via Radicals Music and will be available for streaming on all your favourite platforms.
