A Quick Chat with Anika Louise
Anika Louise lays her heart bare with Thorns, a tender and quietly devastating indie folk release. The Boorloo singer-songwriter builds on the promise of her debut Pearl with a track that traces the slow unravelling of trust, using delicate acoustic guitar, soft banjo, and warm electric textures to frame her confessional lyricism. Anchored by her gentle yet assured vocal, Thorns captures the moment beauty gives way to truth, and the sting that follows. It is intimate, reflective, and deeply human. We caught up with Anika to talk about the single, its story, and what’s next.
Can you tell us what this track means to you and what you want people to take away from it?
This song to me is about the realisation that someone you trust and love might not be who you thought they were, and learning to let go of that version of them you believed in. I wrote it from a personal experience where, in order to move on, I had to accept that I might never get answers for why things fell apart. I think the main takeaway is that sometimes, to move on, you have to accept things as they are and understand that it’s okay to give yourself permission to let go without closure.
Who are some of your influences, and why?
Taylor Swift was the reason I started playing music, writing songs, and pursuing a career in this industry. The Red Tour was my first concert when I was nine, and as soon as I saw it, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. Her earlier music has definitely been a huge influence on my own.
Missy Higgins is another big influence. I grew up listening to her because of my parents, and I’ve always really admired her songwriting and the honesty in her music.
And finally Noah Kahan. When he released his Stick Season album, it really changed things for me. I felt like I finally figured out the direction I wanted to take genre-wise and what I wanted my music to sound like. I think his lyricism and storytelling are incredible, and I really aspire to paint a picture with my lyrics the way he does.
What's the creative process for you, from writing through to recording?
Usually I start with a lyric. Just some line I'll think of that I feel like I could build a song around. From there I'll start playing my guitar to find a chord progression I like and singing some random words that relate to the original line but also somewhat rhyme. After a while, that usually turns into a full song, which I’ll then go back and refine. If I know exactly what the song’s about, the lyrics tend to flow pretty quickly, but other times it takes longer and I don’t fully realise what it means until it’s finished. When I'm ready to record it, I'll take it to Timothy Nelson and Josh Dyson, the two producers I've been working with, and we'll start building the rest of the song. We'll go through all the parts and the structure to see if anything needs changing and then record a guide guitar and vocal, then drums and then everything else.
What do you think makes a great song?
Really great imagery in the lyrics. I’m a big lyric person, I love songs where you can clearly picture what the artist is singing about. And then, of course, a melody that sticks in your head, over chords that really fit the emotion of the song.
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?
It would have to be Noah Kahan. There isn’t a single song he’s released that I haven’t loved, and I think being able to see his creative process and learn from him would be invaluable. I really admire his songwriting, especially the way he paints such clear pictures with his lyrics, so collaborating with him would be a dream.
When not working on music, what other creative outlet/s do you have?
I'm always picking up random hobbies but right now I'm into painting and scrapbooking/junk journaling with all my souvenirs and photos from travelling.
Who are some local bands we should check out?
Clare Perrott, Maya Ixchell, Morgan Louise, Elianie, Oakabella Mae, The Stamps, Darling Joan, Nadya Kadisha are just some, there's so many more I could list!
Winter or summer and why?
Summer all the way - I have very strong opinions about this! I swear I get seasonal depression during winter but the sun and warm, fresh air instantly lifts my mood. I love being outdoors and going to the beach so summer it is for me, I just love it.
What else do you have planned for 2026?
I have a few more singles planned before a bigger project at the end of the year that I’m currently working on. Stay tuned!