Looking for a new sound to add to your end of summer playlist? We sat down with 15-year-old singer-songwriter (and star on the rise—srsly, her voice is unreal) Anna Duboc to talk all about her brand-new single, “Running”—which hits streaming platforms today. Scroll for all the deets on Anna’s musical influences, songwriting process and fave lyrics she’s written.
Girls’ Life: Your new song “Running” comes out today. Can you take us through the behind-the-scenes of the songwriting process?
Anna Duboc: I went to a producer’s studio and we just started creating. Once I started writing down all of my ideas, the song took on a life of its own. I wanted to write something about getting away from past traumas and experiences, and it kind of just came to what it is now.
GL: Do you have a favorite lyric?
Anna: I really like the pre-chorus. It goes: “Cross my heart, hope to die / No one saw me as a child / Leave the bad guys behind / I’m running towards the light.” I would say those are my favorite lyrics that I wrote. When you’re younger, some people see you as older, and you have these experiences that kids shouldn’t go through.
GL: Which artists have inspired your music the most?
Anna: Honestly, different musicians influence my different songs. For “Running,” I’d say it’s a lot of “Maniac” by Conan Gray, or a little Madison Beer. In general, my sound is influenced by a wide range of artists—Billie Eilish, Lizzy McAlpine and Olivia Rodrigo. Conan Gray is a huge inspiration to me, though. His lyrics are always so deep and meaningful. I just love him.
GL: And at what point in your life did you know you had a passion for singing and songwriting?
Anna: I’ve been doing musicals since I was three years old, so I’ve always known that I love singing. I wrote my first song at eight, and I just kept going with it. My whole life has been singing.