Annie-Dog isn’t here to play games. The Dublin artist’s rise from bedroom producer to festival fave already reads like a modern classic in letting the music do the talking - and right now, it’s speaking volumes. Rather than arriving armed with a carefully focus-grouped aesthetic and a ready-made out-of-the-box narrative, she’s choosing the radical path of just being herself. And it’s working.

Catching up on a chilly January afternoon en route to the Netherlands, she’s characteristically unfussed about her mounting momentum. “I’m heading to Groningen to play Eurosonic today. So hopefully, that’ll be fun,” she remarks, as if discussing a trip to the shops rather than one of Europe’s most vital showcase festivals.

Her path to this point is refreshingly honest. “I probably had a pretty generic start in music. Growing up, I was always writing. Then, when I was a teenager, I wanted to be in a band. So, I was in a band for a while. After that, I just kept making music by myself.” That last part turned out to be key - the moment where bedroom pop dreams started turning into something bigger.

The release of her EP ‘15’ through Leeds indie faves Dance To The Radio marks another milestone, coming off the back of a debut that caught attention for its fearless genre-hopping and emotional depth. Each new track pushes further into territory that’s both deeply personal and boldly experimental. “I find that I’m a person who naturally has a tendency to overthink,” she admits. “I’ve historically also had a tendency to get lost in thoughts of what happened yesterday, whilst worrying about tomorrow. I have a chronically rich inner world, full of scenarios that never happened, and alternative endings to things that did.”

That rich inner world translates into music that defies easy categorization. “’15’ is a collection of five songs that are near and dear to me,” she explains. “Each of the songs are, to me anyways, quite different from one another. There are different production styles and varying meanings throughout. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what I’m talking about in each song, and I usually much rather let the song do the talking. But the theme of love or loss of love is an ongoing one throughout all of my songs, and how I am affected by that seems to be what I naturally gravitate towards when writing. I’m not too driven to talk about my country, or anything like that.”

The latest preview from the EP arrives as an unlikely cover that speaks volumes about both her Irish heritage and creative instincts. “Like every Irish person my age, I was brought up on David Gray’s ‘White Ladder’ album. My parents rinsed it constantly, and ‘Please Forgive Me’ was always a favourite,” she recalls. “I made ‘Please Forgive Me, David Gray’ on GarageBand, and, really, I just made it for me. I didn’t put too much thought into it. And I definitely didn’t think I’d ever share it. I wanted to be a part of the song’s world.”

Her approach to covers mirrors her wider artistic philosophy - following instinct over calculation. “I hadn’t ever properly covered a song before making it, and I haven’t since. It’s not usually my bag. I like writing my own songs. It’s what drives me creatively.” When asked about her recent activities, she offers simply: “I’ve been playing shows and writing music. Mainly. Some things never change.”

Even the EP’s title carries deeper significance, emerging from Annie-Dog’s fascination with signs and synchronicity. “I like to look for signs that I’m moving in the right way and direction,” she explains. “If I happen to see 2:22am on the microwave when I get in from town, it’s comforting. ‘I was meant to be here’.” A mysterious “photographic oddity” on the EP artwork sealed the deal, though she leaves that particular detail shrouded in intrigue.

From The Great Escape to Pitchfork Festival London, 2024 saw Annie-Dog steadily winning over crowds with each new performance. Now, with SXSW on the horizon, and Dork’s early-year Here Comes Your Jan live series already under her belt, 2025 looks set to be even more significant. Her definition of success remains refreshingly straightforward: “Having some money,” she states with characteristic directness.

As for the year ahead, she’s wisely keeping expectations in check: “I reckon it’s a bit too early to give it a rating - plus I don’t want to jinx it. But so far, 2025 has been cool.” That coolness factor seems likely to increase exponentially as ‘15’ makes its way into the world, offering a window into an artist who’s mastering the art of following signs while blazing her own trail.

“No, I think we’ve gotten off to a nice start,” she responds when asked if there’s anything else to share. While hype often outpaces substance, Annie-Dog’s rise feels like a reminder that sometimes the best way forward is to simply let the music lead the way. What’s next? “Music. Music. More music.” In Annie-Dog’s world, that’s all that really needs to be said. ■