Interview with Victoria Anthony
Vancouver Pop singer & songwriter Victoria Anthony just released a new music video for the first single “Sleep” off her forthcoming debut album today! Now since she’s fairly new onto the music scene, you may not have heard of her just yet, but I’d be willing to bet in the coming years it will be a name you hear often! And although she’s yet to release her first album, you may already be familiar with her name and her voice, as she had worldwide news and press coverage after singing her heart out for her idol P!NK in front of 20,000 fans at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena in 2018. After the experience she started writing her own original music, and now has her debut album coming out soon!
Keep scrolling to read an interview with Victoria about her new release, her journey and her outlook on life. And click below to watch her brand new music video “Sleep” which takes place in a beautifully surrealistic world created by St8ment, the same crew that brought the world Taylor Swift’s “The Man”. As with many video’s created during Covid-19, Victoria and the team had to get creative to pull it off and they did a fantastic job of creating this piece of art while maintaining social distancing protocols, combining over 150 green screen clips that Victoria had shot at home with imaginative and captivating animation.
The first single and video from your debut album just came out today, how excited are you for it’s release?
I am so excited for everyone to hear my new single “Sleep”!! I have been working so long on this song and more releases to come.
Although this is your first album, millions of eyes and ears have already been on your music. At the age of 12, you sang in front of 20,000 fans at P!NK’s concert, catapulting your career. What can you tell us about that experience?
Singing to my idol P!NK was such a surreal and inspiring experience. She was so kind to allow me that opportunity. She whispered in my ear “Never Stop” – she is such an incredible person – I feel like she was mentoring me in that moment and encouraging me to follow dreams and keep singing and writing music.
After the experience, you started writing your own original music. What is your writing process like and what are a few of your favourite themes to write about?
I like to write about things that are real to me or things that I can truly imagine. I start with an idea- like with Sleep, it was this philosophy on life regarding taking everything in. I also begin by creating the catchy hook that people will sing along to and remember. The rest typically flows from there. I love to write about my own experiences and feelings- I find the song writing process very therapeutic.
Do you have any words of inspiration for other young artists looking to follow their musical dreams?
Always aim high and dream big, but don’t discount the smaller stuff. Be grateful for every second you get to follow your dreams. It’s truly the journey that makes it beautiful.
Your new video is titled Sleep, but it’s actually about quite the opposite. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the lyrics of the song, and why you think it’s so important to live every moment to its fullest?
“Sleep” stemmed from a realization I had about the finality of life. The only thing we know for
certain is our lives won’t last forever. Being grateful for life itself is essential to feeling happy and fulfilled. I have learned to appreciate every feeling I have, no matter how unpleasant. Even the sad and angry feelings we have are part of the experience. “Sleep” is all about not wanting to sleep because of how grateful and excited I am to be alive. I hope this song can remind people to be grateful and live in the moment.
Due to Covid-19, music videos have been increasingly difficult to shoot, but you didn’t let that stop you. Can you tell us about how you shot the video?
Due to Covid-19, I knew creating this music video was going to be an unusual experience. I went with the animated route after doing some research. I found this incredible company St8mnt out of Nashville. I came up with the concept for the video of someone pursuing their dream, working hard and living the dream in this crazy cool animated world. St8mnt helped bring this vision to life. Collaborating with them was amazing. I sent the St8mnt team over 100 shots of me performing on a green screen dancing, walking on a treadmill, biking on a stationary bike, pouring water glasses in a diner and more! The final product is so amazing. When they sent back the first cut, I was blown away. I hope that people watching the video get that same first impression.
How was working with St8ment to bring your vision to life, and why did you choose them to work with?
I saw they did the animated lyric video for The Man by Taylor Swift. I loved that video and animation style, so I reached out. I knew I wanted to go in a completely different direction to match the vibe of my song, but after seeing their work I knew they were the right people. They were so welcoming from the first Zoom meeting we had together. The ideas together just flowed and I am very proud of what we made together.
What can you tell us about your forthcoming album? Will the songs be similar to Sleep or do they take a different direction?
The common theme around all of my music is that I write lyrics that people connect with and melodies that stick around for days. I like to create fun songs that pack a lot of meaning. On my forthcoming album, there are songs that are more dancey, songs that are more mellow, some that make you cry, some that make you sing, something for everyone!
Musicians like yourself have had to adapt to keep afloat during Covid, asides for the green screen music video, has Covid affected your music in any other way? How has Vancouver been during these crazy times?
I was hoping to be able to perform my new music right when it came out, but unfortunately can’t in person because of Covid. However, I still love to connect with my fans over social media @vicanthonymusic on Instagram especially. Having so much time at home and with school being online, I found that I had a lot more time to work on my music, write new songs, review mixes and masters, plan my album artwork and branding, and really get this release ready. Vancouver has had its share of Covid cases, but it seems like the numbers have been less severe than other parts of the country and the world and I feel very lucky for that. I know some places have been much harder hit and more people were so terribly affected. People in Vancouver really became creative and came together to make things work and adapt to this crazy time for sure.
Who are some of your biggest influences? And which artists do you have on repeat right now?
My biggest influences are definitely Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Dua Lipa, Little Mix, Tori Kelly, Ed Sheeran, and P!NK. I have been loving Taylor Swift’s new album, “folklore”. She is such an inspiration to me as a songwriter especially. It is so impressive to me how her 8th album could easily be considered her best. I love her and her music so much. I love the vibe of Dua Lipa and her catchy hooks and song style. She is very creative and talented.
How do you discover new music?
I like to discover new music on social media. I like to hear more than just the song. As a music lover, I am always so interested in the behind the scenes of writing, the meaning behind the music, and the artist behind the music. I read as much as I can about the artist and the song and watch whatever content I can find about it and them. I love to listen while I am doing other things, and I love to try to play the songs as well and experience them by doing covers.
What’s next for Victoria Anthony after the release of your debut album?
I want to connect with my fans through social media and hear their thoughts on the album. I want to continue to grow as a writer and a person. I want to perform as soon as I can. I want to write more songs and more albums. This has all been so crazy, but all I want is more. Music is what keeps me going every day. It is my passion, and this album is my baby. I am so proud of what I have created. This album is the most fulfilling thing I have ever made.
There are no live shows happening right now, but once they open up, what is your dream festival or venue to play at?
I would love to sing at Rogers Arena in my hometown, Vancouver. To be able to play this arena, somewhere I have been going to watch my favourite artists since I was 2 years old, would be the biggest dream come true.
You’ve obviously got a very bright future ahead, where do you see yourself five
years down the road?
Five years down the road, I see myself touring, writing, and creating. I see myself always making music and sharing it with whoever will listen. I cannot wait to grow as a writer and become the best version of myself.
To find more information her upcoming release, or to connect with Victoria follow https://www.instagram.com/vicanthonymusic/
Interview by: Jesse Read
Photos by: Laura Harvey
