Anna Howie Talks New Album, Her Voice And More

British Country singer-songwriter Anna Howie releases her album ‘Good for Roses’ via Absolute Label Services / Universal on 18th April 2025. We wanted to learn more about the new album and she kindly agreed to chat to us:

When did you begin songwriting?

Properly about 15 years ago – I was working as a session singer and also as a script writer for a theatre company, so I was writing and singing and the 2 things just merged together

What is your earliest musical memory?

Singing The Sun, Whose Rays are all Ablaze, from The Mikado at a school concert when I was 7, still think this is a very punchy choice for a 7 year old, but apparently I gave it my best shot .

You will release your new album ‘Good for Roses’ via Absolute Label Services / Universal on 18th April 2025. How did you want to approach the making of the album?

I wanted to be brave and write about things that were more personal to me, it seemed the obvious next step. My last album, The Friday Night Club, tells other people’s stories, stories that I have great empathy with but are not necessarily my own , On Good for Roses, the songs are about things that have happened to me, life defining moments. There are also songs which are just about me trying to figure things out.

Where did you record the album and who produced it?

Recorded it at Real World Studios, which is Peter Gabriel’s studio near Bath and it was produced by my super talented friend Kris Wilkinson Hughes ( Artist name My Girl the River ). She is a great artist and songwriter, but also Producer. I toured with her last year as part of the ARC Songwriters Tour alongside Kate Ellis, and it was during this time that I realised how great she also was with production – I was delighted when she said she would come on this ride with us.

Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the album recording sessions?

We were there for five days and the whole thing was a joy! They feed you really well at Real World and after lunch if everyone was a bit tired we would have story time with Kris where she would read to us from Paul McCartneys Lyrics book as a source of inspiration. But also recording songs like ‘Everybody Knows’ was just funny! we held auditions amongst the team for the part of the bouncer (drummer Roger Nunn ) the Policeman ( Videographer James Travis ), checkout girl ( Kris ) I think you can hear how much fun we had with it.

Also Katie May, our sound Engineer was amazing to work with – she won a Grammy last week for her engineering skills and that is so well deserved.

Did you use any particular instruments, microphones, recording equipment to help you get a particular sound/tone for the record?

Real World is a treasure trove of instruments, we all had lots of fun with the percussion box and Harry loved all the different Keys options from grand piano to tiny harmonium . We also had the dream microphone (a Telefunken 251) and as Kris said after singing into it, we are now forever ruined.

Who accompanied you on the album?

My band, Andy Evans on guitars, Roger Nunn on drums, John Brooker on Bass, Harry Whitty on all the different Keys and trumpet and trombone, then we had lovely visiting musicians Daniel McConkey on sax and Aaron Catlow on fiddle and when my lovely friend, Bella Collins came over from Cardiff one night for dinner, we got her on the mic and she makes a brilliant guest appearance on ‘Mind the Gap’. Kris does lots of the backing vocals too – It was a lovely collaborative team effort

One of the tracks is ‘Bring Me Love’. What was the story/inspiration behind the track?

Wrote this after watching the news. Everything that is going on around the world can feel so overwhelming, you feel helpless and I often walk away from the TV asking myself what am I doing that’s helpful? anything?. Bring me Love comes from the idea that we need to start with our behaviour, how we treat and look after the people around us, that’s an instant something we can do.

Was it a difficult album to write?

Some songs are really tricky to write and some just seem to fall from the sky – I think the ones that start with the mindset ‘ I want to write a song about this…..’ are the tricky ones. The ones where you are so full of emotion that you have to get it out onto a page tend to come much quicker. I was furious when I wrote ‘Have it all’ Having a day where I felt like I had been taken in and spat out by a part of the music industry. Really livid – it all came out pretty much as a stream of consciousness onto the page and I don’t think I changed much of it. Wrote the whole thing in about an hour. Songs like Opera House have taken me a long time and a lot of versions to get to the one on the album.

Which of your new album tracks hear you at your a) happiest, b) angriest and c) most reflective?

Happiest ? – Start Again – its really joyful to do – it captures such a life defining moment for me – and at gigs we get people to sing it with us and it is loud and liberating

Angriest ? – ‘Have it All’ (see above)

Most reflective? – ‘Alive’ – This song came out of a conversation I had with a homeless man outside Victoria Station – he was in such dire straights but had such a great philosophy on life – it really made me think about a lot of things, still does.

What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage

I hope feet have tapped, voices have sung, eyes have watered ( that’s 3 things – sorry )

Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones etc?

I’ve got a beautiful Martin guitar -looks great but the pick up can be a bit temperamental. I always have a spare guitar with me – just incase.
John (bass) and Andy (electric guitars) have pedals, lots of pedals !

Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?

I think of myself as a Londoner, grew up in East London, but I actually haven’t lived there for a while. I live just outside East Grinstead now. There is a podcast about East Grinstead called ‘The Town that didn’t stare’ Thats my 5

How do you look after your voice?

Vocal exercises, humming, lots of water, scarves, warm ups, rest, zinc to try and stop colds – you name it, I probably do it

You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?

At the moment I am reading Country Girl by Edna O Brien. Would love to do this – she uses traditional Irish lyrics as part of her writing so I would start with those and aim to give it a modern twist.

Who are some of your musical influences? Do you have any recommendations?

As far as songwriters go my favourites are old school, John Prine, Dolly Parton, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon – More recently, I love Raye’s writing, also Allison Russell, Anais Mitchell and I love Sam Fender.

Who is in your touring band?

Andy Evans – Guitars, I went to Andy 15 years ago for guitar lessons- we have played together ever since, he is brilliant and always my first port of call with a new song. I start playing it and he instantly puts a magic guitar riff on the top.
Roger Nunn – drums – I saw Roger in another band at a festival years ago, loved his drumming so much ran after him in the car park.
John Brooker – bass – John came in as a dep on a gig about a year ago – we have not let him leave.
Harry Whitty – keys – Harry is the youngest on the team, a multi instrumentalist and superstar

What two pieces of advice do you have for a novice songwriter?

Always be learning – it is such a craft, one I will be working on for the rest of my days – really study the writers you love, disect lyric sheets and chord changes. Study why your favourite songs are your favourite songs

Speak with your voice – don’t try and sound like someone else – it is your uniqueness that will carry you forward.

What makes Anna Howie happy and what makes you unhappy?

Happy – watching people find out they can sing

Unhappy – bullies – at all levels