Recommended Tracks: “Blonde”, “vanilla”, “Make It Look Easy”
Artists You Might Like: Ashley Kutcher, Jenna Raine, Ashley Cooke
Heartbreak sometimes fuels the darkest parts of ourselves — from rage and sadness to moments of unexpected peace and beauty. But it can also be really beautiful — it can bring peace, joy and happiness when you least expect it. Emerging singer-songwriter and TikTok star Avery Anna has run in strides through her pain, heartache and solace. In her debut album, Breakup Over Breakfast, Anna leaves her heart on the line, letting you feel like you have a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen to.
Anna started her career by uploading videos of herself singing in her bathtub on TikTok, going viral numerous times. Her 7-track debut EP, Mood Swings, including the hit single “Narcissist,” catapulted her onto the music scene, with her discography amassing more than 350 million streams worldwide. Her debut album, Breakup Over Breakfast, delves into personal and relatable themes, reflecting deep emotional pain while aiming to find peace amidst the hurt.
The 17-track album is an exploration of navigating the aftermath of a breakup, but it’s the beginning of the record that sees Anna face this pain, singing, “We’ll break up over breakfast / It’s cool, calm, and collеcted,” yet follows by admitting, “We’ll say it’s for the better / And I’ll love you forever.” The second track, “vanilla,” stands out for its candid approach to addressing the pressures and expectations placed on partners, particularly relevant for young women. It beautifully tackles the dominance of male opinions in relationships and emphasizes that you hold onto your own values in relationships even when someone tries to take it away from you.
In tracks like “Blame It On a Broken Hurt” and “If You Wanna Hurt Somebody,” Anna confronts deep heartbreak and the struggle to move on. The former, dark and sultry, delves into her pain with a raw intensity, using her pain to express feelings of desperation and a desire to hurt her partner back. She sings, “I’ll tear your world apart / I’ll take it way too far and blame it on my broken heart. In “If You Wanna Hurt Somebody,” Anna exposes her raw emotions, leaving her heart on her sleeve despite the intense pain she endures. She emphasizes the “hurt” she experiences, singing, “If you wanna hurt somebody treat her like me.”
In tracks like “it’s just rainin’” and “lose you again” featuring country music band Parmalee, Anna embraces a different musical style, exploring a classic country vibe with twangy guitars complementing her smooth vocals. Despite the rock-and-roll edge of the former, there’s a sense of melancholic hope as she sings, “And I’m not cryin’ / It’s just rainin’ / It’s just lightin’ in the sky,” even with the rock-and-roll edge. In the duet with Parmalee, Anna shares her punk country sound, as lead singer Matt Thomas perfectly complements Anna’s soaring vocals as they profess that when they are too good at goodbyes, that’s when they lose each other.
Anna remains defiant in “Don’t Be That Guy,” clearly setting boundaries and expectations within her relationships. Anna wants someone kind, trustworthy and respectful, but it’s when she reflects on past experiences of being let down or hurt by unreliable people that the song culminates in her plea (“Don’t be somebody I can’t even trust / Been there before and I’m not askin’ much)”.
Anna seemingly takes a leap of faith in “grand canyon,” blending hope and melancholy on the album filled with regret and loss. She reminisces about a trip to the Grand Canyon with her partner, where they compared its landscape to Mars. She introspectively says, “this could be a landslide,” metaphorically alluding to their relationship. While Anna fell deeper in love, she worries that her partner fell out of it, hinting at the potential for their relationship to crumble like a landslide, and “this could be a landslide” too.
In “Blonde,” Anna confronts stereotypes and superficial judgments, initially using sarcasm to highlight assumptions made about her because she’s blonde. The track leans in one its rock-and-roll and pop vibes, as she challenges the idea that blondes are not unintelligent and emphasizes that she can see through lies, despite being underestimated because “I’m just a blonde.”
Toward the album’s conclusion, Anna reflects deeply in “There’s Two Sides of the Story,” a reflective track that explores differing opinions and even when it hurts to understand it all, relationships still come to an end. She sings, “One day it’s true that I’m still here and you’re still gone / And it doesn’t matter who was right and who was wrong / Or who’s to blame for everything, it wouldn’t change anything.” In the end, Anna’s guitar-driven ballad “girl next door” is heartfelt as she speaks to growing up and protecting the innocence of youth. Despite seeking love and understanding, Anna still cares for someone facing challenges and adversity.
In the album’s final track, “the rest,” featuring The Love Junkies (Lori McKenna, Liz Rose and Hilary Lindsey), Anna finds comfort in the wisdom of loved ones while reflecting on themes of family, love and faith. The song traces humble beginnings at Dairy Queen and a decision to build a life in Arizona. Anna speaks to promises of dedication, mutual respect and belief in one another. She sings, “I’ll keep workin’ / For you, I’ll do my best / All we need is / To believe in each other,” emphasizing the essence of hope and commitment in relationships.
In her debut album, Breakup Over Breakfast. Anna lays bare her emotions, embracing her happiness, hurt and peace while searching for comfort amidst life’s chaos. Her record perfectly combines elements of country, acoustic, rock and pop, creating her most diverse and eclectic collection of songs to date.
Keep up with Avery Anna: Instagram // Spotify // X // TikTok // Facebook // Website
