The Sit Down with Annika Catharina
The new EP “You and Me” from Annika Catharina is a contemplative 5-track project that represents her experiences with love. It’s been brought to life by Annika and producers The Renaissance (Dan Botch and Garrett Ward) along with songwriters Parker Graye, Zach McPhee, Brettyn Rose, and Amanda Couture.
For the Deroche, British Columbia-based artist, the EP’s first four singles have brought significant accolades – including over 1 million digital streams, more than 35 DSP editorial playlist adds, back-to-back #1 singles on SiriusXM Top of the Country Radio, and a semi-finalist slot in the 2025 SiriusXM Top of the Country Competition.
Following the release of the EP we recently spent some time with Annika over Zoom to get to know her and we began with her telling us the story of her musical journey in British Columbia that led to the release of “You and Me”.
“Growing up in BC, I had a family that was really into entertaining, so lots of skits, shows, dancing and singing which was always super fun. I didn't realise how much I loved it until elementary came along and then that's when you can start all the other musical things, then that kind of carried me all the way through to high school but then when high school ends, those opportunities end and you have to seek them out. Then I started singing in kind of like a gig band with my friend Pete, which we still sing in a band together today where we would do these gigs and events but deep down, I was always like, I want more. I didn't grow up playing guitar or writing songs, I actually didn't really know people writing songs, like where I went to high school, I didn't know if there was anyone writing songs. It was just something that songwriters did and not little people like me. I was from a small town so I was never really was introduced to it. I did have someone tell me, when I was like 13, if you're serious in music, you should write songs and at the time I thought, oh, whatever, like, I'm having fun singing. I really wish I just started writing songs then because when I wanted more from music, what I realise I wanted was that I wanted to create more and I wanted to be a part of this songwriting and recording world, but I had no idea I'd get into it. Halfway through school I realised I wanted to do this, but during this halfway through university crisis, I decided to go travelling and then I injured myself then when I came back, they pretty much told for that for the next couple of years, you're going to be like in and out of dental surgeries, all reconstructive stuff so the mouth was very restricted for the time. I thought I'm going to use this time to focus on figuring out how I could be a songwriter and start writing down notes so I think that was like the spark of songwriting and before, I didn't really know that I was doing it, but looking back now, it's what I do now. It's a lot of notes, writing down things, ideas, then sitting with them and letting them try to become something.”
For the Deroche, British Columbia-based artist, the EP’s first four singles have brought significant accolades – including over 1 million digital streams, more than 35 DSP editorial playlist adds, back-to-back #1 singles on SiriusXM Top of the Country Radio, and a semi-finalist slot in the 2025 SiriusXM Top of the Country Competition.
Following the release of the EP we recently spent some time with Annika over Zoom to get to know her and we began with her telling us the story of her musical journey in British Columbia that led to the release of “You and Me”.
“Growing up in BC, I had a family that was really into entertaining, so lots of skits, shows, dancing and singing which was always super fun. I didn't realise how much I loved it until elementary came along and then that's when you can start all the other musical things, then that kind of carried me all the way through to high school but then when high school ends, those opportunities end and you have to seek them out. Then I started singing in kind of like a gig band with my friend Pete, which we still sing in a band together today where we would do these gigs and events but deep down, I was always like, I want more. I didn't grow up playing guitar or writing songs, I actually didn't really know people writing songs, like where I went to high school, I didn't know if there was anyone writing songs. It was just something that songwriters did and not little people like me. I was from a small town so I was never really was introduced to it. I did have someone tell me, when I was like 13, if you're serious in music, you should write songs and at the time I thought, oh, whatever, like, I'm having fun singing. I really wish I just started writing songs then because when I wanted more from music, what I realise I wanted was that I wanted to create more and I wanted to be a part of this songwriting and recording world, but I had no idea I'd get into it. Halfway through school I realised I wanted to do this, but during this halfway through university crisis, I decided to go travelling and then I injured myself then when I came back, they pretty much told for that for the next couple of years, you're going to be like in and out of dental surgeries, all reconstructive stuff so the mouth was very restricted for the time. I thought I'm going to use this time to focus on figuring out how I could be a songwriter and start writing down notes so I think that was like the spark of songwriting and before, I didn't really know that I was doing it, but looking back now, it's what I do now. It's a lot of notes, writing down things, ideas, then sitting with them and letting them try to become something.”
“Then I was ready, I met someone, we were working on my first original song and then something happened, he passed away and I was taken back because I was so sad but I didn't want to stop songwriting because the one person I knew who was doing it was no longer with us. I was trying on my own, then COVID happened and I was like, oh my gosh, how am I supposed to meet people and all this stuff? Then, I don't know, like two months in, everyone's getting bored, so I started posting myself singing covers online. That was kind of the first step of if I didn't do that, I don't think I would be here today, because that's where I met all my connections, through social media and online before later on Zoom and meeting them in person. So, I think if I never did post that initial cover and I did a lot of those, and they were fun because they were a way to share my music to people who don't know me because everyone in my hometown knew I was really into singing, but beyond that, it was like, no one, who are you? That's how I got introduced to my friend, who introduced me to my producers and then it kind of just snowballed from there. I'm really thankful that I put myself out there because I really was not a fan of social media, like, just for my personal life, I don't post a lot and I don't really like showing so much so posting myself singing was like a lot for me. I remember when I was younger, people would be telling me, you should put your music on YouTube and I was just terrified of YouTube, so I didn't want people to see me. I remember when I would have to apply for singing contests, I would make sure I asked the organiser, can you put it on private? Like, I just want it for you guys. I don't know why, it would have saved me so much grief if I would have learnt to be in the public earlier.”
You mentioned about meeting your producers, then Dan and Garrett produced all five of the tracks on this project and had involvement in co-writing. What was it about those two guys when you first met and started talking to them that you realised you had a really good click with them and they would be great people to work with in an artist producer relationship?
“Those guys are amazing, they took someone like me who was very new and green, and they were just right away super supportive, super encouraging and wanted to just make music. The nice thing about them is they wanted to make music, but they also wanted to see you do well and producers don't have to do that. You know, they're there to create the music with you, but they really take care of their artists, like, they treat them like they're friends and they help you with, you know, well, we've done this song, so now what's your plan? What are you going to do? No one had really asked me that before and it really forced me to get serious about a release strategy and all these things that are duh, of course you're supposed to do that but for someone who had absolutely no idea, it was really huge to have someone give me these encouraging words and just tips. They’re busy guys and they said, you know, if you're unsure, how about you reach out to this person and just extending a hand like that is huge. Now when I see that someone's starting out, I'm just like the first like, please let me tell you, like all these tips that saves me so much time and grief. I think that's another reason why, besides them being super talented, is that the way they care about their artists is just on another level and I think it's proven to their success. They go the extra mile and a lot of people don't necessarily do that.”
You mentioned release strategy being something that you have to consider and with this five track EP, four of them you put out before you finalised it and pulled them together, where “What if I” which was the first of the four, came out quite a while back in the span of things. Were you working towards a project from the start? Did you get the songs written in one go and plan to release them gradually or did you just start releasing and released as you wrote and released songs saw they were a fit?
“I put out “What if I” and then I put out “Bandit” then I remember I came home from a long, much needed vacation, and I was really inspired. That's when I started working on the song “You and Me” and also “Love and Hate” was around the same time. I was just like in love with what we did with “Love and Hate” and I really loved “You and Me” but I always thought this is going to be my EP song and I hadn’t even written the other song yet. I just knew that last year, my goal was to put out an EP and I wanted it to be titled “You and Me” because all these songs are about me and someone else, different experiences with love and relationships so it was my goal. I just knew in my mind that this is what it's going to be and I'm so glad that it is what it is today. There was another song that was supposed to go on there too, but with timing, I'll put it out another time, but I wanted to have like one more extra one, I'm kind of glad with how it all goes because it has a nice storyline and there's a lot of unique bits in each of the songs. So, yeah, from the start I wanted to put it out, but I still wasn't like a hundred percent sure, so I'm glad it all worked out.”
From an artist standpoint when you put something out, it’s been a long time in the process so whilst it is new to your audience it isn’t as new to you personally. Whilst it is starting a chapter in the public eye, for you it is really the end of a chapter and almost a way of accepting the past as your way of moving on from it.
“Yeah and that's how it felt. It felt like all that stuff is kind of tied up in with a bow and closed because now, the stuff I'm working on is going to be very different and a different era of my life. I still love heartbreak songs, but I think the next bit, there'll be a little heartbreak but more kind of like sassy, empowering stuff on a lighter note.”
You mentioned about meeting your producers, then Dan and Garrett produced all five of the tracks on this project and had involvement in co-writing. What was it about those two guys when you first met and started talking to them that you realised you had a really good click with them and they would be great people to work with in an artist producer relationship?
“Those guys are amazing, they took someone like me who was very new and green, and they were just right away super supportive, super encouraging and wanted to just make music. The nice thing about them is they wanted to make music, but they also wanted to see you do well and producers don't have to do that. You know, they're there to create the music with you, but they really take care of their artists, like, they treat them like they're friends and they help you with, you know, well, we've done this song, so now what's your plan? What are you going to do? No one had really asked me that before and it really forced me to get serious about a release strategy and all these things that are duh, of course you're supposed to do that but for someone who had absolutely no idea, it was really huge to have someone give me these encouraging words and just tips. They’re busy guys and they said, you know, if you're unsure, how about you reach out to this person and just extending a hand like that is huge. Now when I see that someone's starting out, I'm just like the first like, please let me tell you, like all these tips that saves me so much time and grief. I think that's another reason why, besides them being super talented, is that the way they care about their artists is just on another level and I think it's proven to their success. They go the extra mile and a lot of people don't necessarily do that.”
You mentioned release strategy being something that you have to consider and with this five track EP, four of them you put out before you finalised it and pulled them together, where “What if I” which was the first of the four, came out quite a while back in the span of things. Were you working towards a project from the start? Did you get the songs written in one go and plan to release them gradually or did you just start releasing and released as you wrote and released songs saw they were a fit?
“I put out “What if I” and then I put out “Bandit” then I remember I came home from a long, much needed vacation, and I was really inspired. That's when I started working on the song “You and Me” and also “Love and Hate” was around the same time. I was just like in love with what we did with “Love and Hate” and I really loved “You and Me” but I always thought this is going to be my EP song and I hadn’t even written the other song yet. I just knew that last year, my goal was to put out an EP and I wanted it to be titled “You and Me” because all these songs are about me and someone else, different experiences with love and relationships so it was my goal. I just knew in my mind that this is what it's going to be and I'm so glad that it is what it is today. There was another song that was supposed to go on there too, but with timing, I'll put it out another time, but I wanted to have like one more extra one, I'm kind of glad with how it all goes because it has a nice storyline and there's a lot of unique bits in each of the songs. So, yeah, from the start I wanted to put it out, but I still wasn't like a hundred percent sure, so I'm glad it all worked out.”
From an artist standpoint when you put something out, it’s been a long time in the process so whilst it is new to your audience it isn’t as new to you personally. Whilst it is starting a chapter in the public eye, for you it is really the end of a chapter and almost a way of accepting the past as your way of moving on from it.
“Yeah and that's how it felt. It felt like all that stuff is kind of tied up in with a bow and closed because now, the stuff I'm working on is going to be very different and a different era of my life. I still love heartbreak songs, but I think the next bit, there'll be a little heartbreak but more kind of like sassy, empowering stuff on a lighter note.”
The way I first came across your name was through the Top of the Country competition when I had a little look at some of the artists that were new to me as I know Jake Vaadeland’s manager really well so I had seen him posting about it on socials, then I’m a huge fan of Noeline (Hofmann) who is about to play two huge shows to sixty thousand people in London with Zach Bryan. Being involved in something like that with SiriusXM and the CCMA behind it, it must have been a great opportunity to be able to access new resources and be able to network with more people.
“Oh, yeah, it's been super helpful. I noticed, since being announced that I was in it, there were a lot of people that started following me, you know like industry people that didn't really know who I was before and other artists. To me I’m like well, I've been putting out music for two years now but of course no one has really heard of me. I'm from a small area and I just think, well, everyone knows me here, so people must know me across Canada, but that's so not true. So many people were like I just came across you and I'm like, this is great. That whole experience was such a good one. It helped me boost my confidence, I met new people and I just was super grateful that they gave me a chance, someone that's independent, smaller, kind of just out of nowhere, but like not out of nowhere at the same time. I am out of nowhere in the sense of putting out music later in life, but music has always been a part of my life, I've always been working towards these goals and it's just now that I'm starting to achieve them which is so cool to see in real time.”
In terms of artists in Canada, this is a great showcase for newer artists and the start of a journey that could hopefully lead to bigger success and potentially emulate someone like Shania Twain who is a global megastar. She’s someone that during her phenomenal career had a spell where she was very sick and unable to sing, then although your story comes from an accident you were in a similar position of not being able to sing. During that time, did it inspire you to really want to make up for the lost time with your music and was that motivation something that helped with your recovery.
“Yeah, that time was a very interesting time because I'd never been sick before or not been able to do things. I wasn't like sick, it was just that getting these surgeries was intense for me and it just made me really think about all the people that live with chronic illness. For me, I knew it was temporary, but there were some darker times, like here, it was during summer when everyone's doing something and you have to sit on the couch. I was watching a lot of music documentaries and listening to a lot of music. When I was able to go for walks I would put my headphones in and really, I think this was before I was posting myself online but I really felt like that now I know what it feels like to not really do the things I love, when I'm able to sing again, I'm going to sing with all I got and I'm going to give singing a serious chance. I just knew then that being on stage, on these documentaries that I was watching, I was like, I want to be that and I didn't really know where I was going to start, but I knew in my gut that I wasn’t going to waste this second chance that I had been given. Starting to look at music that way was never really how I felt about it and I'm pretty grateful for the accident for that reason because I probably wouldn't be here today. I probably would have just sang for my family, sang in my band and probably would have been enough for the meantime, but this new journey of creating music and putting out there is just such an amazing experience and yeah, I have to thank the accident for that.”
As for right now, I see you have a really cool looking festival in Alberta lined up which also has Teigan Gayse playing, who UK fans are aware of as she played C2C last year and Kyle McKearney, who is another artist that we are really big fans of. Beyond that, have you got much else on the horizon and looking to keep try and branch further out across Canada?
“This year was a lot of working on writing and recording, then me being independent was not really knowing how to get to festivals. The only reason that I’m playing at the Bow Valley boot Stomp is because they reached out to me and asked me to come to play. Besides that, there is a lot of emailing that goes on beforehand and I realised that I did not do any of that. This year is my first time going to the CCMA’s so I want to make connections with people and I want to get in touch for how do I play live shows beyond my local area. I play a lot here, but I want to extend it, one of my big goals this year is to play more shows that are beyond my BC border.”
Well, one place outside of BC that you have had some reach has been in Australia, which must be wild to think about?
“I know, it’s awesome. Stuff like that is mind blowing because Australia is so far from here and you hear they're playing your videos on their TVs, it's still kind of wild because they're so far from us.”
Lastly, you said there was another song that didn't fit on the EP and that you're working on newer sassier, more fun songs. So, whilst the EP has just come out, I'm guessing that you’ve got plans for a lot more music later in the year.
“Yeah, I mean, I'd like to put out something before the end of the summer, but we'll see how organised I am. I'm actually recording this week, so laying down the vocals, then once the song goes off for mastering, it's like, okay, how fast can we do pictures but not also step on the toes of the EP, as we see how is it doing there? I really want to put something up for the summer and have something fun for everyone to kind of say goodbye to summer to.”
“YOU AND ME” - Produced by The Renaissance (Dan Botch and Garrett Ward)
1. “You and Me” - Annika Catharina, Parker Graye, Garrett Ward, Dan Botch
2. “Bandit” - Amanda Couture, Ward, Botch
3. “What if I” - Catharina, Brettyn Rose, Graye, Botch, Ward
4. “Dishonest” - Catharina, Zach McPhee, Botch, Ward
5. “Love and Hate” - Catharina, Graye, Botch, Ward
“You and Me” from Annika Catharina is out now and available to listen to on SPOTIFY, APPLE MUSIC & AMAZON MUSIC. You can find out more about Annika on her WEBSITE or follow what she is up to on INSTAGRAM TIKTOK X & FACEBOOK.
“Oh, yeah, it's been super helpful. I noticed, since being announced that I was in it, there were a lot of people that started following me, you know like industry people that didn't really know who I was before and other artists. To me I’m like well, I've been putting out music for two years now but of course no one has really heard of me. I'm from a small area and I just think, well, everyone knows me here, so people must know me across Canada, but that's so not true. So many people were like I just came across you and I'm like, this is great. That whole experience was such a good one. It helped me boost my confidence, I met new people and I just was super grateful that they gave me a chance, someone that's independent, smaller, kind of just out of nowhere, but like not out of nowhere at the same time. I am out of nowhere in the sense of putting out music later in life, but music has always been a part of my life, I've always been working towards these goals and it's just now that I'm starting to achieve them which is so cool to see in real time.”
In terms of artists in Canada, this is a great showcase for newer artists and the start of a journey that could hopefully lead to bigger success and potentially emulate someone like Shania Twain who is a global megastar. She’s someone that during her phenomenal career had a spell where she was very sick and unable to sing, then although your story comes from an accident you were in a similar position of not being able to sing. During that time, did it inspire you to really want to make up for the lost time with your music and was that motivation something that helped with your recovery.
“Yeah, that time was a very interesting time because I'd never been sick before or not been able to do things. I wasn't like sick, it was just that getting these surgeries was intense for me and it just made me really think about all the people that live with chronic illness. For me, I knew it was temporary, but there were some darker times, like here, it was during summer when everyone's doing something and you have to sit on the couch. I was watching a lot of music documentaries and listening to a lot of music. When I was able to go for walks I would put my headphones in and really, I think this was before I was posting myself online but I really felt like that now I know what it feels like to not really do the things I love, when I'm able to sing again, I'm going to sing with all I got and I'm going to give singing a serious chance. I just knew then that being on stage, on these documentaries that I was watching, I was like, I want to be that and I didn't really know where I was going to start, but I knew in my gut that I wasn’t going to waste this second chance that I had been given. Starting to look at music that way was never really how I felt about it and I'm pretty grateful for the accident for that reason because I probably wouldn't be here today. I probably would have just sang for my family, sang in my band and probably would have been enough for the meantime, but this new journey of creating music and putting out there is just such an amazing experience and yeah, I have to thank the accident for that.”
As for right now, I see you have a really cool looking festival in Alberta lined up which also has Teigan Gayse playing, who UK fans are aware of as she played C2C last year and Kyle McKearney, who is another artist that we are really big fans of. Beyond that, have you got much else on the horizon and looking to keep try and branch further out across Canada?
“This year was a lot of working on writing and recording, then me being independent was not really knowing how to get to festivals. The only reason that I’m playing at the Bow Valley boot Stomp is because they reached out to me and asked me to come to play. Besides that, there is a lot of emailing that goes on beforehand and I realised that I did not do any of that. This year is my first time going to the CCMA’s so I want to make connections with people and I want to get in touch for how do I play live shows beyond my local area. I play a lot here, but I want to extend it, one of my big goals this year is to play more shows that are beyond my BC border.”
Well, one place outside of BC that you have had some reach has been in Australia, which must be wild to think about?
“I know, it’s awesome. Stuff like that is mind blowing because Australia is so far from here and you hear they're playing your videos on their TVs, it's still kind of wild because they're so far from us.”
Lastly, you said there was another song that didn't fit on the EP and that you're working on newer sassier, more fun songs. So, whilst the EP has just come out, I'm guessing that you’ve got plans for a lot more music later in the year.
“Yeah, I mean, I'd like to put out something before the end of the summer, but we'll see how organised I am. I'm actually recording this week, so laying down the vocals, then once the song goes off for mastering, it's like, okay, how fast can we do pictures but not also step on the toes of the EP, as we see how is it doing there? I really want to put something up for the summer and have something fun for everyone to kind of say goodbye to summer to.”
“YOU AND ME” - Produced by The Renaissance (Dan Botch and Garrett Ward)
1. “You and Me” - Annika Catharina, Parker Graye, Garrett Ward, Dan Botch
2. “Bandit” - Amanda Couture, Ward, Botch
3. “What if I” - Catharina, Brettyn Rose, Graye, Botch, Ward
4. “Dishonest” - Catharina, Zach McPhee, Botch, Ward
5. “Love and Hate” - Catharina, Graye, Botch, Ward
“You and Me” from Annika Catharina is out now and available to listen to on SPOTIFY, APPLE MUSIC & AMAZON MUSIC. You can find out more about Annika on her WEBSITE or follow what she is up to on INSTAGRAM TIKTOK X & FACEBOOK.
