If you don’t find your calling in high school, it’s fine – maybe you end up finding it on the night of your high school graduation. That is what happened with Annie Dressner, the UK-based singer-songwriter who conveys her music through captivating melodies and striking lyrics. She picked up a guitar that night for the very first time, completely changing the trajectory of her life. Growing up in New York city, Annie was able to perform on the streets and at plenty of open mic nights, turning her private experiences into communal truths. Fast-forwarding to today, Annie’s music has been featured on BBC Radio 2, been supported by hitmakers like American Songwriter, and has been performed in front of countless crowds at festivals like Cambridge Folk Festival and Manchester Folk Festival. She clearly knows what she is doing, but there are times when life takes Annie by surprise, as we hear on her new single “Black and White.”
A nostalgia-based track that dives into the complexities of old love, “Black and White” transports us back in time. With heavy-hearted lyrics and prominent acoustic guitar strums, the track has the feel of an emo band ballad from the early 2000s, complete with Annie’s straightforward lyrics. Throughout the song, she reflects on a past relationship, channeling various thoughts and feelings that came up when she ran into an ex that she had not seen in years. She sings, “The thing that made me the saddest is I wanted to know you” and “But I don’t think that I ever stopped loving you,” giving herself a chance to be honest. The mood becomes even more emotional when we get to the bridge, as she reveals, “You could’ve had me.” You can check it out below.
Telling us more about “Black and White,” Annie explains,
“I wrote this song after an encounter with an ex that I had not seen in a decade. It was almost as if no time had passed. I always felt really sad that he would no longer be in my life, as he meant a lot to me as a friend, and I often thought that ‘the thing that made me the saddest is I wanted to know you…’ I wrote this song as a reaction to our recent conversation, and I guess I didn’t know how to say it to their face in words, but I’ve said it here and I hope that if they ever hear it, they know I still care and mostly remember the good stuff.”
You can listen to “Black and White” on platforms like Apple Music and Spotify.
From now until December, Annie will be on tour with Trials of Cato. She will also be performing at the Manchester Folk Festival on October 20 and at Cambridge Junction’s New Routes on November 25. You can find tickets here.
Keep up with Annie Dressner: Twitter // Instagram // Facebook // TikTok // YouTube // Website
