September 8, 2025 • 19 mins
Anabel Englund FINALLY joins us again on America's Dance 30, in celebration of her new smash w Mary Droppinz! Anabel shares how "Born To Fly" was born, if this was her first foray into drum n bass, how long ago they started working on it, and how many Vs there were of the song before its release!!
She also talks about her recent epic performance in the rain, and answers a question she has never been asked before.
We also get to know Anabel better w #FinkysFavorites!
Find out about:
Follow: @AmericasDance30 on all socials!
Count down the biggest dance songs in the country every week with Brian Fink on America’s Dance 30; listen on stations around the world!
She also talks about her recent epic performance in the rain, and answers a question she has never been asked before.
We also get to know Anabel better w #FinkysFavorites!
Find out about:
- her favorite sound that isn't music
- her favorite song to sing in the shower
- her favorite moment in the creative process
- which flying creature would be her favorite to trade places with
Follow: @AmericasDance30 on all socials!
Count down the biggest dance songs in the country every week with Brian Fink on America’s Dance 30; listen on stations around the world!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Annabel, I want you to be one hundred with me.
Are we broken up?
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Why do you say that?
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Because we were chatting like every three months on video
chat for a while and now it's.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Been almost a year. I mean, I know we talk
in text.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
And DM, but I'm having Annabelle England withdrawals.
Speaker 4 (00:21):
You've been ghosting me, That's really what it is, and
now you're gaslighting me right now.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
But that was a lot in one sentence to unpack.
But it is great seeing you again, Annabel.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
It's so good seeing you too. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Now we're gonna be chatting all about your new smash
Born to Fly with Mary drop Ins. We're gonna get
to know you a little better again with Thinky's Favorites.
I'm gonna ask you a question that you have possibly
never been asked before.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Annabelle England.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Finally, welcome back to America's Dan's thirty.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Thank you?
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Is that the same outfit you were wearing at the
BBC performance. No, not that that was a creepy comment
or anything.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Not that I'm stalking your videos.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Dance counting down the biggest dance songs in the country.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
This is America's Dance thirty.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
And the Bell.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Congratulations on this new smash, Born to Fly. Is this
your first foray into drum and bass?
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (01:41):
I mean I've made drum and bass tracks before, like
a long time ago, but they just had never come out.
So this was one of the first ones that. Yeah,
this is probably the first one I've ever put out.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
So are those other ones just sitting on a hard
drive somewhere?
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (01:59):
And have you ever thought about going back to them
and possibly either reworking it or putting it out?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
I could, but I.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
Just feel like my writing has gone so much better now,
you know, And I mean I have to listen to
them again.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Well, I can't wait to find out how this one
was born with Mary Droppins. But first let's get to
know Annabelle England a little better. With Finkey's favorites. I
gotta be honest with you, this was tough coming up
with some questions since we've.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Chatted so much.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Of course, your life is all about music, But besides music,
what's your favorite sound?
Speaker 2 (02:42):
M My favorite sound is my son's laugh. Oh, I
love that best sound in the world.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
You know.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
When I was thinking about that question, a few thoughts
popped into my head. One either silence, which is a
great sound in our industry. I'm telling you, like, I
don't know if you've done it, but I drove home
the other day, which is like an hour drive in
complete silence, and yeah it was beautiful.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Yeah yeah, I mean I do sit in silence a lot,
but I feel like, for me, it's just more my
time to go inward. Like I don't even think of
it as a sound. It's like I don't need sound
right now. I don't want sound because I do that too.
I'm like, I don't want to listen to music right
now sometimes I just want to. I drive in my
(03:32):
car in complete silence too sometimes, but I drive a Jeep,
so it's.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Kind of loud, so it's kind of like white noise.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
I guess, gotcha.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
But then on the other end of the spectrum, I
completely agree with you, Like one of my favorite sounds
is Tucker's per or Tucker's meow, So that's my son,
so it's along the same lines as yours, so I
totally get it.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Yeah, Now, what is one of your favorite songs to
sing in the shower that isn't an Annabelle England's So I.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Would say no, Moon at All by Julie London. It's
an oldie.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Yeah, I don't know if I know that one.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
It's an old song. It's so good though, and it's
kind of like I have her album on vinyl. I
think it's just called This is Julie. It's with like
vinyl guitar or like some type of you know, like
the strings that aren't metal but they're clear.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
I don't know anything about guitars. That's why I'm in radio.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
It's like a softer guitar gotch. But yeah, this song
is called No Moon at All by Julie London. You
should listen to it.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
I'm definitely gonna have to check it out because I
always say that I was born in the wrong generation
because I love the sixties and seventies, such a great
time for music back then. Yeah, this is actually a
complete side note and I asked Zara Larson the same question,
and it really just piques my curiosity when it comes
to singers and songwriters, do you sing Annabelle England song
(05:00):
to yourself when you're not performing.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
If there's this song that like? Okay?
Speaker 4 (05:07):
So, for instance, I was writing a track for this
big producer who had an instrumental and the vocal didn't
get picked up. But then it was like, and that's fine,
Like that happens all the time, Like people will send
me stuff. It'll be know, I'll send people stuff. It'll
be you know, like it's just how the business works.
(05:29):
But I wrote a song and like weeks later, I
started humming this song in my head.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
I was like, what is that? Oh, I know I
wrote that to something. And then I was like, oh, yeah,
it was for that person.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
And then I was like, oh, maybe I'm going to
take the a cappella then and give it to someone else.
Because when when something doesn't get picked up by someone
who I wrote it for, then I'll pitch it to
other people who I know would would want it. So
I'll sing songs in my head I think that I've
written that haven't been released.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Yeah, And I mean, if if that song has been
stuck in your head, then it's probably a good idea
to pass it on to somebody that could use it.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
It's so funny how you worded that, because when I
was talking to David Ghetta, I asked him how he
keeps track of all the stuff that he's doing, and
he said that sometimes people on his team will come
to him and play him something and he's like, wow,
that's that sounds very familiar. And he's like, oh, yeah,
I wrote it like five years ago.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
Yeah, yeah, exactly. He's like, you forget because I mean,
this is my job, right, it's writing music, it's playing music.
So every single song that I write doesn't like. I'll
write a song and unless I'm like super obsessed with it,
I'll just kind of like forget about it for a
(06:51):
while and then and then it will come back and yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
It's crazy.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
Yeah, that's got to be so crazy.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Now, speaking of making music, do you have a favorite
moment in the creative process, whether it's when you get
the spark for a song, or when you're recording the vocals,
or when you hear it for the first time in
the club.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
I rarely get nervous before I perform anymore, but when
I'm about to play a song that I have never
played that I love so much, Like the first time
I ever played Falling Up, I was in Chicago, and
I get these jitters and this excitement, like excitement anxiousness
because I'm just can't wait to perform it. So I
(07:31):
do love that feeling when I'm about to go play
it in the club.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
And is it tough dealing with that with new songs
because obviously the crowd isn't going to know the song yet,
so the reaction from them possibly isn't going to be
the best because they don't know it.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
I mean, I feel like when I perform, I can
be really emotive, especially when I'm really excited about something.
So for instance, when I played Falling Up, it just
it went really well. Like when the Drop came, everyone
loved it. But yeah, I mean it's like when you're
when you're at a festival and DJs are playing tracks
(08:12):
and you don't know what the track is, but you're like,
oh my god, this is incredible, you know.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Yeah, no, absolutely, like the Drop. You just like I've
been in the crowd, I'm like, oh my god, what
is this? This is so amazing?
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Yeah, yeah exactly.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Now, finally, in Finkey's Favorites, in honor of Born to Fly,
if you could swap lives with any flying creature, either
a bird or a butterfly, or maybe even like a superhero,
which would you choose and why My.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
First thought wasn't eagle, just because they're so.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Fucking cool and majestic.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
They have to find like rats and stuff to eat,
and that just sounds really difficult. So I think I
would choose a hummingbird because they eat pollen from flowers
and they're so fast and they're gorgeous.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
Being that's awesome. I love it.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Let's talk about this smash. By the way, do you
know the story behind Mary Droppin's name?
Speaker 2 (09:18):
No.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
So supposedly, and I don't know if it's true, but
I read it when I was researching. Supposedly, she came
up with the name as a joke because she was
booking talent for an office party and she decided to
book herself to play. So in the booking she named
herself Mary Droppins.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
I'm pretty sure that's true because she was working for
Native Instruments or something and she was like, I'm gonna
book myself.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
That is hilarious.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
No, I love her so much.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
How was this smash born?
Speaker 4 (09:52):
So? I was in a session with my work wifey,
Stephie Novo and Serm Sky's Sterm and this was my
first time ever writing with her, and I had just
gone through like a really hard time and I don't
know how the song came about, but the lyrics are.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
So powerful and so beautiful.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
But the the demo was kind of just a baseline,
like there wasn't there were like bones to it, but
it wasn't full, but like it wasn't complete, you know.
And I knew that Mary Droppins, whose name is Alyssa,
could take it there. And she and I have been
friends for a long time, Like I've known her for
years and like I used to once club started coming
(10:40):
back out after COVID, I brought her on with me
so she could DJ while I performed. Like this was
like before I was really doing my full DJ sets
and everything. So she and I have been friends, and
like she's always had her own thing, but I wanted
to like support her and kind ofind of get her
(11:01):
moving too. So we had been wanting to do a
song together for a long time, and I was like,
oh my god, this is perfect because I know that
she's going to take it where it needs to go.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
So she put she.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
I sent her the song. I was like, look, I
wrote this song. The lyrics are super powerful and like
so important and they resonate with both of us, like
she and I both have gone through similar experiences, so
I knew that this was like the right one and
she was like, I love this, like I'm crying. And
then she sent me a demo and I was like,
(11:37):
this is so good, like let's tweak a few things here,
and then she sent me another one and then that's
how it came to be. And yeah, I just I'm
so happy that she and I were able to do
this together.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
That's so awesome.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Now, you mentioned that a long time ago you had
gotten into drum and bass for some songs. What was
the leaping point on this one that you were like, Okay,
I'm going to put this one out.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
The thing is like when I do sessions, especially with
people I don't know, I think things kind of just
manifest in their own way. Like I don't think we
went in saying we're going to make a drum and
bass track. I think Alyssa Mary Droppins is the one
who kind of took it there. Gotcha have to listen
to the original demo again, but it definitely had like
(12:23):
a dubsteppy like drum and bass, like an alternative kind
of vibe, and then she kind of took it to
the next level. And I mean I love drum and bass,
so I have no reason not to put it out.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Like a good song is a good song.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
It was just it was a good song, and I
was like, yes, this is incredible, let's put it out.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
Now. How long ago did you guys start working on it?
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Maybe like a year?
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Oh okay, so that long.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Yeah, it wasn't that long ago.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
And then, as you know, something I love to find
out about songs is how many different versions there are
from when you start working on it all the time, tweaking,
when you finally mastered and put it out.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Do you remember what the final V was of Born
to Fly?
Speaker 2 (13:06):
I think it was probably V four.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Oh that's not bad, No, not at all.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
I mean for me, it's like, I'm not a producer,
so I don't like people get into so many technicalities,
and I know what sound I want, So it's like
when I have something that I like, I'm like, okay,
that sounds great. You know, the high hat here doesn't
need to be raised to VB like the.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
I just that's just me, you know.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
For me, the forefront needs to be the vocals and
the vocal production, and if the music compliments the vocal
and it all flows and it all balances.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Then to me that that's good.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Well, you guys did an unbelievable job with the song.
Congratulations on this smash and your EP.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Thank you, thank you. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
I was really happy to finally drop an EP and
put it out on vinyl.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
So I can't wait to get the final.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
That's so awesome.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Now I've got to ask you about a recent video
that you posted, which is when you were performing.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Was it the BBC and you got caught in the rain?
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (14:11):
Yeah, yeah, so that.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Was absolutely amazing and everything, like how it turned out
was so perfect.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
But when it started raining.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Were you like thinking, oh my god, what the heck,
how am I going to perform?
Speaker 3 (14:26):
No, you were just all about it.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
I was loving it. I mean I don't know.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
First of all, I was just having such a good
time because the crowd was eating it up and I
think the energy was so good and like, so it
started raining and it wasn't directly over me at first,
and then people who were on the side kind of
in the VIP area started coming under the stage, which
is or under the overhead like in front of the stage,
(14:53):
gotcha because there was no rain there, so it got
even more intimate and more packed, and I just saw
the rain and was like, this is incredible. Like there
was a part of me that was like, should I
go on the rain right now?
Speaker 2 (15:07):
And then I did, and then I was like, oh
my god.
Speaker 4 (15:11):
And the thing was, I had a whole different outfit planned,
but I just wanted to be more comfortable because I
was feeling nervous for this show. I wanted to do
really well, and I mean I always do, but I
hadn't played in that area before, and I just I
had a lot of nerves. So I wanted to feel
(15:31):
comfortable on the outside so I could feel comfortable on
the inside. And yeah, the rain was happening, and I
was just like this is incredible. But I didn't realize
that behind me everyone was freaking out because the water
then started pouring on.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
The DJ there, and I thought, I mean.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
I might get electrocuted right now, but I don't care,
Like this is so much fun. And the crowd was
just eating it up, like all the women, like everyone
was just having.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
So much fun. So I was having so much fun.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
And it was just like such a kind of moment
in time that I'll never forget.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
So yeah, it was.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
It was amazing. I never once thought, oh no, the rain.
I just thought, oh my gosh, the rain.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
So two things.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
One, if you are going to get electrocuted, that is
an epic way to do it. I mean, it just
looked amazing. And Two you were mentioning where the rain was.
Like looking at the video, it is so perfect that
it almost looks like it was fake rain right on
top of you.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
And that's it.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
I know, I know, I know. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
So I just I really felt like it was higher
power kind of blessing me. Because also my set got
cut short, and the guy I remember, the guy who
was running it was kind of nervous to tell me
because he had told some other people that their set
got cut short and they were really really upset and
(16:58):
kind of like angry and mad. And so when he
went to tell me, I was like, that's okay, you know,
that's fine. You gotta do what you gotta do. You know,
I'm not taking it personally. I know I'm going to
show up.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
It doesn't matter how much time I have, Like I'm
going to give it my all, no matter what.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
And I feel like it's just really a point of view,
like I don't know Yeah, I just felt like it
was point of view and higher power because my set
like was the one that it just started raining on,
and I feel like only I would at least it
appeared so that if it started raining during anyone else's set,
like they would have had a mental breakdown. But for me,
(17:37):
I was just like living my best life. So yeah,
I just I was really grateful to Higher Power for blessing.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Me with that.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
That's so awesome. Well, it was such an incredible performance.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
Now before I let you go, I asked chat ept
to give me a question that Annabelle England has never
been asked before, So I gotta test this out, all right, Okay, Now,
if you could design your own currency, what would be
on the front and back of the Annabelle dollar.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
Mmmm.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
It's a tough one.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
Because you almost want to put your own face because
it's currency.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
But that's like, do you want to say that?
Speaker 4 (18:18):
I know, I mean to me, I guess to me,
what I would want on the currency would be kind
of what I want the world to look like, which
is green and beautiful, and so I'm picturing like maybe
like some mountains with trees and like everything being really
lush I mean it could even be like what I'm
(18:39):
what I'm thinking of is kind of like half doment Yosemite.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
Have you seen that?
Speaker 3 (18:43):
By sure? No I haven't.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Yeah, it's just like.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
These huge rock formations and like gorgeous trees and nature
and so the opposite of capitalism.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Absolutely So is your face on your dollar or no?
Speaker 2 (18:58):
No?
Speaker 3 (18:58):
And then once on the back Kenny.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
Yeah, Kenny, honestly probably.
Speaker 4 (19:03):
I mean it could just be like a lot of
animals running around.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Because you know, when I was thinking of the finky dollar,
Tucker is definitely going on that thing.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Yeah. Yeah, maybe it's just Kenny's face.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
That should be the front.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Yeah, and then the bat could be like a nature spread.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
Annabelle England, congratulations on everything that's going on for you
right now. Thank you so much for your time with
us on America's Dance thirty.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Thank you missed you missed you too.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Let's not make it almost a year next time.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
I know, I'll explain why when we're off camera.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
America's Dancerty counting down the biggest dance songs in the country.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
America's Dance thirty
Annabel, I want you to be one hundred with me.
Are we broken up?
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Why do you say that?
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Because we were chatting like every three months on video
chat for a while and now it's.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Been almost a year. I mean, I know we talk
in text.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
And DM, but I'm having Annabelle England withdrawals.
Speaker 4 (00:21):
You've been ghosting me, That's really what it is, and
now you're gaslighting me right now.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
But that was a lot in one sentence to unpack.
But it is great seeing you again, Annabel.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
It's so good seeing you too. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Now we're gonna be chatting all about your new smash
Born to Fly with Mary drop Ins. We're gonna get
to know you a little better again with Thinky's Favorites.
I'm gonna ask you a question that you have possibly
never been asked before.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Annabelle England.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Finally, welcome back to America's Dan's thirty.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Thank you?
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Is that the same outfit you were wearing at the
BBC performance. No, not that that was a creepy comment
or anything.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Not that I'm stalking your videos.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Dance counting down the biggest dance songs in the country.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
This is America's Dance thirty.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
And the Bell.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Congratulations on this new smash, Born to Fly. Is this
your first foray into drum and bass?
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (01:41):
I mean I've made drum and bass tracks before, like
a long time ago, but they just had never come out.
So this was one of the first ones that. Yeah,
this is probably the first one I've ever put out.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
So are those other ones just sitting on a hard
drive somewhere?
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (01:59):
And have you ever thought about going back to them
and possibly either reworking it or putting it out?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
I could, but I.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
Just feel like my writing has gone so much better now,
you know, And I mean I have to listen to
them again.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Well, I can't wait to find out how this one
was born with Mary Droppins. But first let's get to
know Annabelle England a little better. With Finkey's favorites. I
gotta be honest with you, this was tough coming up
with some questions since we've.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Chatted so much.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Of course, your life is all about music, But besides music,
what's your favorite sound?
Speaker 2 (02:42):
M My favorite sound is my son's laugh. Oh, I
love that best sound in the world.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
You know.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
When I was thinking about that question, a few thoughts
popped into my head. One either silence, which is a
great sound in our industry. I'm telling you, like, I
don't know if you've done it, but I drove home
the other day, which is like an hour drive in
complete silence, and yeah it was beautiful.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Yeah yeah, I mean I do sit in silence a lot,
but I feel like, for me, it's just more my
time to go inward. Like I don't even think of
it as a sound. It's like I don't need sound
right now. I don't want sound because I do that too.
I'm like, I don't want to listen to music right
now sometimes I just want to. I drive in my
(03:32):
car in complete silence too sometimes, but I drive a Jeep,
so it's.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Kind of loud, so it's kind of like white noise.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
I guess, gotcha.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
But then on the other end of the spectrum, I
completely agree with you, Like one of my favorite sounds
is Tucker's per or Tucker's meow, So that's my son,
so it's along the same lines as yours, so I
totally get it.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Yeah, Now, what is one of your favorite songs to
sing in the shower that isn't an Annabelle England's So I.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Would say no, Moon at All by Julie London. It's
an oldie.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Yeah, I don't know if I know that one.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
It's an old song. It's so good though, and it's
kind of like I have her album on vinyl. I
think it's just called This is Julie. It's with like
vinyl guitar or like some type of you know, like
the strings that aren't metal but they're clear.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
I don't know anything about guitars. That's why I'm in radio.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
It's like a softer guitar gotch. But yeah, this song
is called No Moon at All by Julie London. You
should listen to it.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
I'm definitely gonna have to check it out because I
always say that I was born in the wrong generation
because I love the sixties and seventies, such a great
time for music back then. Yeah, this is actually a
complete side note and I asked Zara Larson the same question,
and it really just piques my curiosity when it comes
to singers and songwriters, do you sing Annabelle England song
(05:00):
to yourself when you're not performing.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
If there's this song that like? Okay?
Speaker 4 (05:07):
So, for instance, I was writing a track for this
big producer who had an instrumental and the vocal didn't
get picked up. But then it was like, and that's fine,
Like that happens all the time, Like people will send
me stuff. It'll be know, I'll send people stuff. It'll
be you know, like it's just how the business works.
(05:29):
But I wrote a song and like weeks later, I
started humming this song in my head.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
I was like, what is that? Oh, I know I
wrote that to something. And then I was like, oh, yeah,
it was for that person.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
And then I was like, oh, maybe I'm going to
take the a cappella then and give it to someone else.
Because when when something doesn't get picked up by someone
who I wrote it for, then I'll pitch it to
other people who I know would would want it. So
I'll sing songs in my head I think that I've
written that haven't been released.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Yeah, And I mean, if if that song has been
stuck in your head, then it's probably a good idea
to pass it on to somebody that could use it.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
It's so funny how you worded that, because when I
was talking to David Ghetta, I asked him how he
keeps track of all the stuff that he's doing, and
he said that sometimes people on his team will come
to him and play him something and he's like, wow,
that's that sounds very familiar. And he's like, oh, yeah,
I wrote it like five years ago.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
Yeah, yeah, exactly. He's like, you forget because I mean,
this is my job, right, it's writing music, it's playing music.
So every single song that I write doesn't like. I'll
write a song and unless I'm like super obsessed with it,
I'll just kind of like forget about it for a
(06:51):
while and then and then it will come back and yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
It's crazy.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
Yeah, that's got to be so crazy.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Now, speaking of making music, do you have a favorite
moment in the creative process, whether it's when you get
the spark for a song, or when you're recording the vocals,
or when you hear it for the first time in
the club.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
I rarely get nervous before I perform anymore, but when
I'm about to play a song that I have never
played that I love so much, Like the first time
I ever played Falling Up, I was in Chicago, and
I get these jitters and this excitement, like excitement anxiousness
because I'm just can't wait to perform it. So I
(07:31):
do love that feeling when I'm about to go play
it in the club.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
And is it tough dealing with that with new songs
because obviously the crowd isn't going to know the song yet,
so the reaction from them possibly isn't going to be
the best because they don't know it.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
I mean, I feel like when I perform, I can
be really emotive, especially when I'm really excited about something.
So for instance, when I played Falling Up, it just
it went really well. Like when the Drop came, everyone
loved it. But yeah, I mean it's like when you're
when you're at a festival and DJs are playing tracks
(08:12):
and you don't know what the track is, but you're like,
oh my god, this is incredible, you know.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Yeah, no, absolutely, like the Drop. You just like I've
been in the crowd, I'm like, oh my god, what
is this? This is so amazing?
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Yeah, yeah exactly.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Now, finally, in Finkey's Favorites, in honor of Born to Fly,
if you could swap lives with any flying creature, either
a bird or a butterfly, or maybe even like a superhero,
which would you choose and why My.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
First thought wasn't eagle, just because they're so.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Fucking cool and majestic.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
They have to find like rats and stuff to eat,
and that just sounds really difficult. So I think I
would choose a hummingbird because they eat pollen from flowers
and they're so fast and they're gorgeous.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
Being that's awesome. I love it.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Let's talk about this smash. By the way, do you
know the story behind Mary Droppin's name?
Speaker 2 (09:18):
No.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
So supposedly, and I don't know if it's true, but
I read it when I was researching. Supposedly, she came
up with the name as a joke because she was
booking talent for an office party and she decided to
book herself to play. So in the booking she named
herself Mary Droppins.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
I'm pretty sure that's true because she was working for
Native Instruments or something and she was like, I'm gonna
book myself.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
That is hilarious.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
No, I love her so much.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
How was this smash born?
Speaker 4 (09:52):
So? I was in a session with my work wifey,
Stephie Novo and Serm Sky's Sterm and this was my
first time ever writing with her, and I had just
gone through like a really hard time and I don't
know how the song came about, but the lyrics are.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
So powerful and so beautiful.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
But the the demo was kind of just a baseline,
like there wasn't there were like bones to it, but
it wasn't full, but like it wasn't complete, you know.
And I knew that Mary Droppins, whose name is Alyssa,
could take it there. And she and I have been
friends for a long time, Like I've known her for
years and like I used to once club started coming
(10:40):
back out after COVID, I brought her on with me
so she could DJ while I performed. Like this was
like before I was really doing my full DJ sets
and everything. So she and I have been friends, and
like she's always had her own thing, but I wanted
to like support her and kind ofind of get her
(11:01):
moving too. So we had been wanting to do a
song together for a long time, and I was like,
oh my god, this is perfect because I know that
she's going to take it where it needs to go.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
So she put she.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
I sent her the song. I was like, look, I
wrote this song. The lyrics are super powerful and like
so important and they resonate with both of us, like
she and I both have gone through similar experiences, so
I knew that this was like the right one and
she was like, I love this, like I'm crying. And
then she sent me a demo and I was like,
(11:37):
this is so good, like let's tweak a few things here,
and then she sent me another one and then that's
how it came to be. And yeah, I just I'm
so happy that she and I were able to do
this together.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
That's so awesome.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Now, you mentioned that a long time ago you had
gotten into drum and bass for some songs. What was
the leaping point on this one that you were like, Okay,
I'm going to put this one out.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
The thing is like when I do sessions, especially with
people I don't know, I think things kind of just
manifest in their own way. Like I don't think we
went in saying we're going to make a drum and
bass track. I think Alyssa Mary Droppins is the one
who kind of took it there. Gotcha have to listen
to the original demo again, but it definitely had like
(12:23):
a dubsteppy like drum and bass, like an alternative kind
of vibe, and then she kind of took it to
the next level. And I mean I love drum and bass,
so I have no reason not to put it out.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Like a good song is a good song.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
It was just it was a good song, and I
was like, yes, this is incredible, let's put it out.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
Now. How long ago did you guys start working on it?
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Maybe like a year?
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Oh okay, so that long.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Yeah, it wasn't that long ago.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
And then, as you know, something I love to find
out about songs is how many different versions there are
from when you start working on it all the time, tweaking,
when you finally mastered and put it out.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Do you remember what the final V was of Born
to Fly?
Speaker 2 (13:06):
I think it was probably V four.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Oh that's not bad, No, not at all.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
I mean for me, it's like, I'm not a producer,
so I don't like people get into so many technicalities,
and I know what sound I want, So it's like
when I have something that I like, I'm like, okay,
that sounds great. You know, the high hat here doesn't
need to be raised to VB like the.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
I just that's just me, you know.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
For me, the forefront needs to be the vocals and
the vocal production, and if the music compliments the vocal
and it all flows and it all balances.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Then to me that that's good.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Well, you guys did an unbelievable job with the song.
Congratulations on this smash and your EP.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Thank you, thank you. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
I was really happy to finally drop an EP and
put it out on vinyl.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
So I can't wait to get the final.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
That's so awesome.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Now I've got to ask you about a recent video
that you posted, which is when you were performing.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Was it the BBC and you got caught in the rain?
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (14:11):
Yeah, yeah, so that.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Was absolutely amazing and everything, like how it turned out
was so perfect.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
But when it started raining.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Were you like thinking, oh my god, what the heck,
how am I going to perform?
Speaker 3 (14:26):
No, you were just all about it.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
I was loving it. I mean I don't know.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
First of all, I was just having such a good
time because the crowd was eating it up and I
think the energy was so good and like, so it
started raining and it wasn't directly over me at first,
and then people who were on the side kind of
in the VIP area started coming under the stage, which
is or under the overhead like in front of the stage,
(14:53):
gotcha because there was no rain there, so it got
even more intimate and more packed, and I just saw
the rain and was like, this is incredible. Like there
was a part of me that was like, should I
go on the rain right now?
Speaker 2 (15:07):
And then I did, and then I was like, oh
my god.
Speaker 4 (15:11):
And the thing was, I had a whole different outfit planned,
but I just wanted to be more comfortable because I
was feeling nervous for this show. I wanted to do
really well, and I mean I always do, but I
hadn't played in that area before, and I just I
had a lot of nerves. So I wanted to feel
(15:31):
comfortable on the outside so I could feel comfortable on
the inside. And yeah, the rain was happening, and I
was just like this is incredible. But I didn't realize
that behind me everyone was freaking out because the water
then started pouring on.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
The DJ there, and I thought, I mean.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
I might get electrocuted right now, but I don't care,
Like this is so much fun. And the crowd was
just eating it up, like all the women, like everyone
was just having.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
So much fun. So I was having so much fun.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
And it was just like such a kind of moment
in time that I'll never forget.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
So yeah, it was.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
It was amazing. I never once thought, oh no, the rain.
I just thought, oh my gosh, the rain.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
So two things.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
One, if you are going to get electrocuted, that is
an epic way to do it. I mean, it just
looked amazing. And Two you were mentioning where the rain was.
Like looking at the video, it is so perfect that
it almost looks like it was fake rain right on
top of you.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
And that's it.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
I know, I know, I know. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
So I just I really felt like it was higher
power kind of blessing me. Because also my set got
cut short, and the guy I remember, the guy who
was running it was kind of nervous to tell me
because he had told some other people that their set
got cut short and they were really really upset and
(16:58):
kind of like angry and mad. And so when he
went to tell me, I was like, that's okay, you know,
that's fine. You gotta do what you gotta do. You know,
I'm not taking it personally. I know I'm going to
show up.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
It doesn't matter how much time I have, Like I'm
going to give it my all, no matter what.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
And I feel like it's just really a point of view,
like I don't know Yeah, I just felt like it
was point of view and higher power because my set
like was the one that it just started raining on,
and I feel like only I would at least it
appeared so that if it started raining during anyone else's set,
like they would have had a mental breakdown. But for me,
(17:37):
I was just like living my best life. So yeah,
I just I was really grateful to Higher Power for blessing.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Me with that.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
That's so awesome. Well, it was such an incredible performance.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
Now before I let you go, I asked chat ept
to give me a question that Annabelle England has never
been asked before, So I gotta test this out, all right, Okay, Now,
if you could design your own currency, what would be
on the front and back of the Annabelle dollar.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
Mmmm.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
It's a tough one.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
Because you almost want to put your own face because
it's currency.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
But that's like, do you want to say that?
Speaker 4 (18:18):
I know, I mean to me, I guess to me,
what I would want on the currency would be kind
of what I want the world to look like, which
is green and beautiful, and so I'm picturing like maybe
like some mountains with trees and like everything being really
lush I mean it could even be like what I'm
(18:39):
what I'm thinking of is kind of like half doment Yosemite.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
Have you seen that?
Speaker 3 (18:43):
By sure? No I haven't.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Yeah, it's just like.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
These huge rock formations and like gorgeous trees and nature
and so the opposite of capitalism.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Absolutely So is your face on your dollar or no?
Speaker 2 (18:58):
No?
Speaker 3 (18:58):
And then once on the back Kenny.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
Yeah, Kenny, honestly probably.
Speaker 4 (19:03):
I mean it could just be like a lot of
animals running around.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Because you know, when I was thinking of the finky dollar,
Tucker is definitely going on that thing.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Yeah. Yeah, maybe it's just Kenny's face.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
That should be the front.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Yeah, and then the bat could be like a nature spread.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
Annabelle England, congratulations on everything that's going on for you
right now. Thank you so much for your time with
us on America's Dance thirty.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Thank you missed you missed you too.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Let's not make it almost a year next time.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
I know, I'll explain why when we're off camera.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
America's Dancerty counting down the biggest dance songs in the country.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
America's Dance thirty
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