Anna B Savage: “Donegal” — Writing Through Creative Block and Emotional Uncertainty

In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji is joined by Anna B Savage to unpack the long and winding process behind “Donegal,” a standout from her album You and i are Earth.

Anna reflects on her changing relationship to songwriting—from the painstaking process behind her early work to a more forgiving, open approach that still carries its own challenges. “Donegal” took over two years to finish, shaped by periods of creative block, ongoing emotional reckoning, and the pressure of articulating a feeling that hadn’t fully settled.

She talks through the tension of trying to write honestly about home, identity, and colonial history as an English person living in Ireland—and the discomfort that came with confronting what she hadn’t learned about her own past. The song explores the idea of home as both place and feeling, and how complicated that can become when personal desires meet historical realities.

Anna also shares how shifting the instrumentation—moving between guitar and piano—helped unlock parts of the track, and why rhythm was key to expressing its emotional core. We discuss how songwriting can capture a moment in time before you fully understand it, and why you don’t need clarity to be honest.

The episode ends with a stripped-back performance of “Donegal,” recorded live at Thin White Duke Studios in London.

Artist: Anna B Savage
Song: “Donegal”
Album: You and i are Earth

Host and Executive Producer: Kieron Banerji

Recording and MixEngineers : Chris Goldsmith & Max Walker
Creative: Callum Baker
Recording Location: Thin White Duke Studios, London

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