At just 22 years-old, Annika Rose embodies a clarity of vision that’s rare even among the most established artists. Strong-willed, self-driven and bubbling with charisma yet disarmingly sensitive, the L.A.-based singer/songwriter has devoted most of her adolescence to music, spending countless nights alone at the piano and carefully unearthing her most authentic voice. In that process, she landed on a lyrical identity that boldly deviates from the usual pop milieu, revealing a seldom-spoken truth about the emotional chaos in coming of age.

Referring to her songs as “journal entries put to melody,” Annika has deliberately stuck to the solitary songwriting practice she first adopted in her early teens. “When I’m writing it has to be past midnight, and everyone has to be asleep,” she says. “I turn off all the lights and turn on my lava lamp, light some incense and just sit there until I’m literally asleep at the piano.” About her upcoming EP Annika says “This is the first time I worked with only one producer to make a body of work where we were able to create a musical world that captures the essence of where I’m at emotionally. The songs themselves are all about being at a fork in the road in young adulthood. The endless possibilities and opportunities of the world and the overwhelming power that comes with knowing my world is my creation.”