Ones2Watch Home

Photos by Megan May Erwin and Josefine Cardoni

Allow Anna Graves to reintroduce herself. The Minnesota native has learned quite a few lessons in the last few years and has so graciously detailed them in her stunning debut record, America’s Greatest Burnout. Infused with the traditional elements of beloved genres like country and Americana, Graves tells a modern story of artistic burnout in an industry with a short fuse and even shorter attention span. The record covers years of her life but comes back to the central message that if your goal is to break through, then you’re always operating as if there’s a wall in front of you. We dissected America’s Greatest Burnout with Graves, learning more about the process of freeing herself from the system by leaving LA to rediscover her purpose. It’s not easy to pack up and move back home, but Anna Graves is proof that the result may just be your best work yet. 

OnesToWatch: So, what are you up to in New York?

Anna Graves: Tomorrow I head upstate to do a live performance of a few songs on the record, then I’m filming a music video for “Jaded Songbirds,” the next focus track from the album. I shot most of my videos on a farm in Minnesota, but the last one we actually shot on the White Cliffs of Dover and the countryside of England. We set it up in 4 days and it ended up being one of the most incredible experiences. After that, I thought since I'm in New York, why not head up to upstate and do a little feral frolic for the next video? 

How are you feeling in the days leading up to releasing your debut album? 

I’m all nervous jitters right now, because it’s an important artistic statement. The earliest song on this record I wrote when I was 16. It’s a window of songs from the last 10 years and each one shifted my perspective on love or life in an important way. I write constantly, so it was really hard to narrow it down, but I knew America's Greatest Burnout had to be an album of songs that helped me pick myself back up again. 

Wow, which songs were written that long ago? 

“Burn On” was originally written when I was 16. I grew up reading a lot of fantasy and saw writing as a form of escapism. When I moved back home to Minnesota in 2023, I was scrolling on my home's computer and found this song that I had totally forgotten about. I remember tears streaming down my face because it was how I felt as an adult now. I needed to take my shoes off, let my hair down, and ground myself again. That song connected me to my younger self.

Tons of artists are making music about making music right now. Charli xcx just released a whole album about it, I just spoke with an amazing artist ggwendolyn who released an album called Superstar Syndrome, and now I’m speaking to you about America’s Greatest Burnout. Knowing the subject may not be universal for everyone, how do you feel the average person can see themselves in this story? 

A lot of people experience burnout in their own lives. These songs shifted my perspective on how I think about success. I had almost fallen out of love with what I was doing. I needed to find the essence to play again and enjoy myself. These songs are also about love and reconnecting with yourself, with having love for something or someone. “Jaded Songbirds” was actually the most recent song written for the album. Once I wrote that, I knew that the album was finished because I want it to be a reminder that no matter what happens, you are always able to start over and try again. 

How do you write about modern experiences while keeping the music sounding so classic? 

It comes from my favorite artists I grew up listening to. I just got to see Tori Amos in concert the other night, which was amazing. It’s also from Joni Mitchell and Patti Smith. There are musical inspirations encoded within you. For me, writing is something that I feel creeping up in my chest and in my throat. I have to get it out to be able to make peace with whatever it is I want to say and then move on. When I wrote “Jaded Songbirds,” there was a huge weight lifted off me because I allowed myself to say “You don't have to be jaded and you can keep going.” [Writing songs] attaches you to a higher version of yourself and gives you your own advice. The hope is that you release it and other people find that too. 

“Minnesota” is a beautiful tribute to a place that clearly played a huge role in the creation of this album. What did you notice when you started making music back in Minnesota versus the music you were making in LA?

When I moved to LA, I was looking to find who I was somewhere in the shining lights of Hollywood. That caused me to think of success as breaking through a wall in front of me. When I moved back home, I realized that there was never a wall and that success wasn't erased. It was finding peace by waking up, doing your best, doing what you love and being a good person. When I moved back to Minnesota, I had the space to think again and I had a little bit of an ego death. I felt like I had failed and I didn't feel connected to music anymore. The weight of my expectation just kind of lifted off and I started making music for joy again. That's when I ended up writing the record. Had I not fallen on my face, I wouldn't have written this record and it’s my favorite piece of art I've ever made. I'm so excited to get it out in the world. 

The idea that this record wouldn't exist without that experience is so special, especially for a “debut.” 

We wouldn't be the multifaceted, beautiful people we are without the pain that we've experienced and the wisdom we've learned through going through hardships. We're all going to experience loss and pain. It’s just about being able to remember that you have the strength to pick yourself up and keep going. That's what I hope this record is for a lot of people. 

When did you finally adopt the perspective you write from in “The Long Way”?

One of my favorite lyrics on the record is “I wanna be dirty and sun-kissed / The miles on my face.” I wrote that song last year, so it wasn't immediately when I got back to Minnesota by any means. Once I moved back, I realized if I'm gonna do this, then I have to do it my way. Once I started to do things my way, I realized that it was taking longer. It’s little wins, little lightning strikes. You realize throughout life that good things just take time. 

Closing with “Honkie Was A Wiseman” is such a perfect nod to the classic storytelling of the country / Americana genres. What does it mean to you, finishing your debut record this way?

It’s a true story. When I was on tour last year, I was really craving my Midwest comfort food, walleye. My tour manager and I went to eat at this place on the lake and the server said “We don’t have walleye, but we have perch.” I was bummed out, but she was like, “You never know until you try it. You might like it more.” That’s how I wrote the first line of the chorus: “And though you might not catch the walleye / But you’ll get the perch / And you might just ending up finding out / That’s the fish that you prefer.” 

We went and sat by the lake where there was this guy with nine fingers smoking a J, covered in tattoos. My mom doesn't love this about me, but when I see an interesting looking person, I have to go up and talk to them. We sat there just talking about life and he had quite an interesting story. I felt really inspired. Although it wasn't the last song written, I felt that it was a good song to finish the record. The road of joy is gonna hurt, but it's worth it. Life might look different than you thought it would and most of the time, that's a much better thing.

You’ve said “A woman's second wind is the most powerful thing there is.” Are there any artists or women in your life who inspired that belief? 

I was really lucky to grow up with a mother who empowered me throughout my whole life, who is also an artist. I’ve always been really inspired by her. The artists I grew up listening to have always empowered me through their music. My fingers have crazy calluses from playing the guitar. They're ugly and not manicured, but they're strong and able to play for hours. The biggest lesson I’ve learned in the last few years is that success is not a race. It's peaceful realizing there's not a wall to break through. We're not in a hurry or in a rush to be anywhere. To make this record, I had to fall in the dirt and relearn how to ride again.

I grew up riding horses, so I know exactly what you mean. It's like riding a bike. 

Then I’m sure you've gotten bucked off before, which makes you stronger! It's corny, but as you get older the corniest stuff becomes the deepest. 

Who are your OnesToWatch?

I have a good friend in Nashville who I used to write a lot with. Her name's Delaney Ramsdell and she's an incredible songwriter. We bond a lot about how tough it is to be an artist in this digital age and to get your music out there. I would love to send her some love. 

Listen to America’s Greatest Burnout below: