When did you realize you wanted to be a musician?
Really young. When I was a little girl, I wrote in my journal that when I’m older, I really wanted to be a pop star and use my voice to change the world. I always loved singing and being in front of the camera, always the opposite of shy.
Why did you choose “hotel” as your debut single?
I’ve been making music for a really long time, and I haven’t released anything in years. I wiped my other songs. This was the first time I got that feeling of wanting to release something and feeling like I believe in myself again as an artist. I feel like you just have to go with your gut; you can’t overthink it. The second I felt that, I was like, ‘Okay, this is the one.’I have a lot more to come out, but this is the beginning of a project.
What led to the creation of “hotel”?
I had an experience, which the song is obviously about, and I feel like some life experiences are too good not to write a song about. Although it hurt me and sucked at the time, I’m like, ‘This is such a good story for a song, because you can perceive it either as a metaphor or as something that really happened. I feel like the idea of a hotel as a metaphor for having nicer things is really relatable to a lot of people who have been in relationships.
What is “hotel” about?
”Hotel” is about a time in my life when I was feeling really down on myself. I was just coming out of a long relationship, and I had just battled cancer for the second time. I saw a guy give me attention-he was shiny, new, mysterious, and kind of forbidden. I think at that point, I would have taken anyone’s attention, and I had to keep it a secret. I got as secretive as I could tell. I got extremely love-bombed and was told there were no other girls like me. I was the most special, and it all happened really fast. But it was all taken away, and I was able to see that it was just a facade and not as great as it seemed. I wasn’t being treated well.. it was me being desperate and lonely, settling for something that was just fine.
What is your favorite lyric on the song?
I think my favorite lyric is ‘I got secrets that I can’t tell,’ because I think it’s also really relatable. I’ve hooked up with people in secret, and I think that’s a sad truth about our generation. There are a lot of times when you hook up with someone, and the guy or the girl will say, ‘Let’s not tell anybody about this, which makes the whole thing more dramatic, stressful, and traumatizing. I just think it’s fun as well; I like to keep the raunchiness.
What were your main musical inspiration for this song?
I listened to a lot of different musicians. I listened to a lot of Adele, I love Gracie Abrams, I love John Mayer, and I also love Sabrina Carpenter. I feel like what I listen to is obviously influencing the music I write. I try not to emulate anyone too much because I want it to be Ana Kahan and my own sound, but I definitely feel like with Sabrina’s project coming out this year and having sass be a very big forefront on her album, “hotel” is a little more sassy than I usually am, so definitely thanks to queen Sabrina!
What would be the best way for someone to listen to “hotel” for the first time?
It’s coming out with a visualizer! You can watch the visualizer on YouTube or Spotify. I would say, because the canvas gives you a little visual, the first time you listen to “hotel”, if you’re of age, pour a glass of wine, put a face mask on, sit down on the couch, and really take it in. Wear your pajamas and just vibe with it!
How do you want “hotel” to resonate with your audience?
I know from experience and listening to other people’s music that when you hear somebody’s song and you relate to it, you can almost feel saved by the song. It can make you feel so much less alone and help you get through a hard time. I feel like this song, particularly, is about heartbreak and about someone not appreciating you and leading you on. I always listen to songs during those times and heartbreak periods, and they really help me get through it. So, I hope I can do that for somebody else, showing them they’re not alone and that they can get through it-and maybe even write a song to roast them afterwards.