Festivals Get To Know…** Annie-Dog**

Ahead of her turn playing The Great Escape’s First Fifty showcase, we find out more about what makes Dublin alt-pop riser Annie-Dog tick.

Festival season might have drawn to a close for another summer, but never fear - it’s never actually that far away really! We’re already forward planning, and next month, DIY will return to East London to usher in the 2026 edition of The Great Escape with their annual First Fifty event.

While a host of ace new acts - including The Itch, Ain’t, Tommy WÁ and more - will be playing showcases across Hackney on Thursday 14th November, we’ll be taking over the glitzy confines of MOTH Club for a stand-out night courtesy of female collective Girl Group, Paris-based multi-instrumentalist Max Baby and Irish export Annie-Dog. Ahead of the latter’s set playing our stage, we wanted to get a little better acquainted…

**What’s your earliest musical memory? ** I remember spending a lot of time when I was about six or seven sitting in the front porch of my family’s house, learning the lyrics to my favourite songs of the moment. My Dad would print them out for me at his job.

What was the first gig you ever went to? Where was it, and who did you go with? It was Hilary Duff, here in Dublin, with my friend Ruth and her dad, because we were about eight. I remember I really wanted to buy a poster - my parents had given me the money to get one - but Ruth’s dad felt the queues were too long…

**Who were some artists that inspired you when you were just starting out? ** I sometimes find it hard to pinpoint specific artists in that sense, just because I don’t normally dive into people’s catalogues like that: I’m a playlist girl. When I was a teenager, though, I went in deep. I found artists like Sky Ferreira pretty inspiring, I thought she was so cool. Who else? DIIV, Kate Bush, The Smashing Pumpkins, Aphex Twin…

**How did you find yourself first making music? ** Boring answer: pretty naturally. I always loved music; there was a guitar in the house, which I eventually picked up and started writing songs on. Then I tried being in a band, [but] left that, and then I started making music by myself again. I begun playing around on GarageBand, et voilà!

**Back in February, you released your EP ’15’; can you tell us a little about the inspiration behind the project, and how you pulled it together? ** I suppose life as I know it, and all it contains, was the inspiration behind the tracks. I had been making lots of songs on my laptop, and I knew I wanted to release some. I didn’t set out with an EP in mind or anything, but I enjoy EPs, so I pulled it together somehow!

“I sometimes find it hard to pinpoint specific artists [for inspiration], just because I don’t normally dive into people’s catalogues like that: I’m a playlist girl.”

Did you have a particular stand-out moment making the EP, or a song that you connect with more deeply than the others? Well, I liked doing a cover - ‘Please Forgive Me, David Gray’ - because I didn’t really have to think about it. And he did; that cover actually got me tickets to see his show, which was sweet.

**If you could only take one album, one book, and one film/tv series to a desert island, what would you choose (and why)? ** I’d probably pick something like ‘Selected Ambient Works 85-92’, by Aphex Twin. I feel that would nicely soundtrack my mental decline. I’m reading Mrs. Caliban at the moment, which I bought on a whim, on account of the alien-man on the front. It’s maybe a little ’80s, but I’d probably bring that so I can finish it. I’m not too sure about a film though… maybe Barry Lyndon? Something long and beautiful, with real life to it.

**Earlier this year, you went to SXSW - how was that as an experience? What do you think it taught you as a performer? ** I had such a good time, with some really good people. I totally liked Austin - and I loved Denny’s! There was a Denny’s in my motel parking lot; they have great pancakes. The whole trip probably just taught me to trust myself a bit more.

What’s your favourite thing about playing live? Playing loud.

**Next up, you’re playing at The Great Escape’s First Fifty in a couple of weeks! What do you hope people take away from your performance? ** I’m totally looking forward to it. It should be cool, and I’m looking forward to getting back to London. I can only hope for people to have a good night.

**What comes next for Annie-Dog? ** New music. Very soon. And more shows!

**Tickets for The Great Escape’s First Fifty are on sale now. Nab yours via Dice, and find out more at diymag.com/festival/the-great-escape. **

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