HELLO ANNA STORM! SO GLAD YOU’RE HERE, THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO CHAT WITH US! CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF?
I’m Anna Storm aka The Slay Queen aka Mother Nature’s Worst Nightmare aka I make it rain all day everyday. I’m a popular social media influencer, pop-r&b artist, and alpha female. I’m confident, and like to empower others to embrace themselves as well. I love fashion and standing out— I’m eccentric and do not let anyone dull my shine. Loving yourself is important, and with that love you can achieve anything you want in life.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MUSICAL STYLE? HAS YOUR STYLE CHANGED MUCH OVER THE YEARS?
My musical style is upbeat and danceable pop music. It is positive and urges listeners to love themselves and #slaylife. I want my fans, or stormtroopers, to listen to my music and start dancing like no one is watching— to just look in the mirror and own the moment and say to themselves— “damn I’m fabulous and I slay.” On the other hand, I also integrate rap into my music— and pop and rap happen to be my two favorite genres of music. I like to push boundaries and be genre defining— I’m all about forging my own path creatively and inspiring others to forge their own as well! When I first started writing songs, I was super bubblegum pop because I was listening to Britney Spears, N*SYNC, Christina Aguilera & Mandy Moore, but over the years I’ve melded a lot more styles into my own. I like to evolve with the times and set my own style versus solely be a follower.
WHERE DO YOU FIND YOUR ARTISTIC INSPIRATION?
I find my artistic inspiration from some of my fav artists in the pop, rap and rock genres— if I hear something which is catchy with infectious lyrics— I’ll be automatically inspired and motivated to write songs. If I’m feeling a strong sort of emotion, I’ll also take advantage of those emotions and go on writing sprees. I love binge watching music videos from the 90s until today and picking out the most interesting and eye catching fashions to try and come up with my own looks. For instance, maybe I want to look super futuristic, so I find holographic latex pants with a matching hoodie, but also want to channel the early 2000s, so I break out a neon Von Dutch hat— I like to create looks and vibes that one wouldn’t typically pair together— for me art is all about making statements. I’d rather be bold than be subtle— it’s more memorable.
WHAT PEOPLE HAVE INFLUENCED YOUR CAREER?
I have to give a huge thank you to my producer, Josh Stevens, who has helped me to craft amazingly upbeat and catchy dance/pop music. I’m so grateful to be working with him, he really understands my brand and pushes me to achieve new levels in the industry. He’s taught me a lot and believes fully in my artistry and vision. I also have to say a lot of the late 1990s/early 2000s pop divas have influenced my career— I would watch people like Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera on TV and knew I wanted to be an artist. I would be obsessed with doing vocal runs LOL and couldn’t stop singing and creating— if I hadn’t been exposed to them and inspired by their own musical journeys, I might have not had the courage to develop my own.
WHAT’S YOUR PROCESS LIKE FOR MAKING MUSIC?
My process varies, but typically I know a basic genre/vibe I want to go for— (I.e. maybe a club/dance track)— I get the instrumental and start brainstorming content— maybe write down some catch phrases or cliches that sound enticing to me. I’ll go back and come up with melodies for the verse, chorus and bridge. Then I start crafting the lyrics and piece together the song. I love using a rhyming dictionary and playing around with language— it excites me. Writing a song/making music is kind of like putting together a puzzle— it can be daunting and intimidating on where to start exactly, but once you are in the zone and see your gradual progress, you are compelled to keep writing. It’s an addiction and the possibilities are limitless which is what makes creating so awesome.
WHAT DO YOU DO TO GROW YOUR PERSONAL BRAND?
I’m always coming up with new ideas for content, new silly catch phrases and new areas to expand. It’s like my brain is always churning out ways to further #slaylife— I can’t stop, won’t stop. I think because I am also such a positive person and very tenacious, I only see growth and open roads rather than focusing on the challenges in building a brand. I love thinking outside of the box and starting my own waves— I came out with holographic “Anna Storm” branded lip balms and started handing them out to people as a form of business card— everyone needs chapstick and how many people have their logo on one? People remember quirky things like that— it adds value to your brand to differentiate yourself rather than strictly follow “the rules.” There are no rules in creating a brand— just having an open mind and being excited about your message/being consistent will result in your growth.
WHAT IS THAT ONE THING THAT YOU ALWAYS KEEP IN YOUR MIND WHILE PREPARING YOUR CONTENT FOR SOCIAL MEDIA?
The one thing I always keep in mind while preparing my content for social media is that I need to be consistent— I’m always being Anna Storm— always being goofy, interacting with fans, slaying life, eating carbs and showing my followers how to be more confident. When you’re constantly focused on your message as an artist/influencer, it will really resonate with more fans and they’ll fully understand what exactly you stand for. At the same time, you need to not be afraid to throw a little curveball and surprise people— suspense is important. When people follow you on social media, they are intrigued by your brand and your day to day life— you need to keep them engaged 24/7365– keep it exciting and fresh, but also be true to yourself. Be grateful to your fans too— I love my Stormtroopers! Know that your fans are influenced by you and remind them how special they are!
WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO A BUDDING ARTIST?
Although it may seem discouraging and difficult to make any noise/make an impact at first especially in this industry, stay committed to your craft and your brand, and you’ll see results. Nothing great was ever built overnight, so you have to be dedicated and self-directed in order to succeed. Keep your vision in mind always, stay focused, and ignore the people who doubt you— you’ll experience a lot of haters and jealousy on your path. If you tune out all the negativity and rise above, you’ll always slay and shock people— even those that don’t believe you could do it at first!
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH OUR READERS?
My new single, “Versace Shade,” along with a special quarantine dance visual video is available on all major platforms! Stream that ishhhhh and twerk in your living room while drinking champagne with your pinkie up.
WHERE CAN OUR READERS FIND YOU ONLINE?
Follow me on IG @itsannastorm and don’t be a lurker— I don’t bite, unless you’re a carb…Don’t hate the player, hate the slayer. Grab your umbrellas because it’s #StormSZN!
