The musician ANML (aka Lila Rose) from Toronto, Canada has recently released a new single “IT’S OVER,” as part of a six song EP entitled, RELEASE! The song portrays a strong message of women empowerment, and the video, which went live on Tuesday, October 3, features a diverse group of women who show their strength in leaving unhealthy relationships. We were lucky enough to interview ANML to discuss her new single and her hopes of bringing awareness to the issue of domestic violence and abuse.
Her Campus: When and why did you start making music?
ANML: I started making music (or rather, pursuing it as a career) in my early twenties. When I started music, I was yearning for a form of self expression that I really needed at that point in my life. For me, it was not even a question – I understand the world around me through music and sound, I make sense of my feelings through music, and most of all, I feel that making music gives me a sense of purpose, because it allows me a way to give back to the world in my own unique way.
HC: What inspires you?
ANML: Honestly just about anything can inspire me. As a deeply empathetic human, I am able to feel parts of other peoples’ (or beings) experiences. Therefore, hearing someone else’s story in person or in the news can become an inspiration – even if I’ve never met them. The ocean, the earth, my love of animals can become inspiration. It’s really about whatever moves me in any specific moment.
HC: What is your new single “IT’S OVER” about?
ANML: The song itself was originally written about a breakup, which was somewhat a departure for me as I don’t generally write relationship songs. I wrote it as a way to move through a painful split from an abusive relationship and it took me some time to really grasp my feelings about the experiences I went through. For me, leading up to the release, the song and its video counterpart became an integral part of the understanding, exploration, and now traumatic recovery from an abusive dynamic in my life, and so the song itself became something totally new for me: it became an anthem of sorts to understand and remove myself from an abusive situation. It kind of became like a tangible expression of my life experience of being able to let go.
HC: How do you use music to reflect your views on feminism?
ANML: Well, music is my tool for self expression in general, so in this case, this song and video became a way for me to discuss my views on feminism. A release can be about so much more than just a song. As an activist, I see every song and release as an opportunity to touch, inspire, and educate. Because of the subject matter of this particular song, I decided to release it during the month of October in conjunction with NNEDV (National Network to End Domestic Violence) and Domestic Abuse Awareness month. Having made that decision, I gave myself even more of a platform to discuss my views on feminism, among other things.
HC: What are your hopes with the release of your single with regards to raising awareness?
ANML: My hope is that more people feel encouraged to step forward, to possibly share their own experiences, helping to remove the immense taboo we have around the issue. In the best case scenario, my hope is that the song might help people to feel some support in their own process of walking away from relationships which no longer serve them. With the hopes of adding awareness to the subject, I would hope that the conversations around the release might even encourage “abusers” to understand their own place in the story as well, and possibly seek their own healing. That is the dream.
HC: How did your college experiences affect your career and what advice do you have for college students?
ANML: I went to university for a year in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. For some reason, I chose to study environmental science, instead of art or music. I think had I studied something I truly enjoyed, I may have lasted longer and maybe even pursued a degree. So, my advice would be: study what you truly desire to study. Even if it doesn’t make any sense… follow your gut, do what you love! Life is too short not to.
Check out ANML’s “IT’S OVER”:
https://soundcloud.com/anmlmusic/its-over-1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IM9EwJGWkM&feature=youtu.be
Make sure to follow ANML on Instagram and check out her website.
Photos courtesy of ANML.