John-Robert’s “Anna” is what comes before a love song – it’s the adrenaline rush you get from truly liking someone. The crush stage is often forgotten in songs, but it’s crucial to what comes next. Every love story starts with some uncertainty and a lot of heart, and don’t forget about the nerves, awkward eye-contact – oh, and the blushing!

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Stream: “Anna” – John-Robert

Home is where the heart is for singer/songwriter John-Robert.

After moving to LA to pursue music, he couldn’t help but feel the absence of the place he missed most. Six years later, he found himself returning to Virginia, where he first fell in love with music.

There’s a familiarity and warmth to his sound that brings the listener right back to Appalachia with him. His most recent single “Anna” is no different, and opens the door to a new era of confidence. The song’s soft guitar highlights his rich voice, and complements the longing woven throughout each line.

“It’s a declaration!” John-Robert shares. “I had a big crush on someone, not naming any names, and wanted to address it in a direct way. That game of emotional chicken, who’s gonna blink first and confess they have feelings.”

Rather than saying it outright, John-Robert channels his built up emotion and anticipation into “Anna.” It’s a narrative of a night that has the power to shift everything, specifically the dynamic between him and ‘Anna.’ There’s a layer of unspoken attraction mixed with the possibility of something deeper, keeping the listener as on edge as he is.

Don’t want to waste a moment
You’re in town for a short time
And I try to guise it but I just can’t hide
The thoughts in my mind

Confessing feelings for someone is like a waiting game, patiently matching their signals until the answer appears clear.

In a way, it feels resemblant to a game of poker. Bluffing, holding back, and avoiding showing your next move until it’s safe. There’s a dilemma that lingers between the urge to bring it to the surface, or simply stay quiet.

Anna I feel it in the air tonight
Anna I see it in the look in your eyes
Oh, Anna I hope it don’t come as a surprise
See I’ve been craving you Anna
You’re what I fantasize

The chorus doesn’t just describe how he’s feeling, it paints a picture of the electricity in the air. From the pure tension, exchanging looks, and made up scenarios of what comes next.

Feel so far away from you
Just a console in-between
And it’s getting late
And we’re parked outside of my house
And I’m still in the front seat of your car

As the night comes to a close, it feels as though their story is really just beginning. The desire between them keeps building, and even the space of a car console feels too far. The narrative seems to imply that she’s dropping him off at his house, but he hasn’t left the car yet. As a listener, there feels like so many possibilities left. Will they talk for hours? Does he leave and say goodbye to the possibility of them? Or does he stay and finally confess all of this pent-up emotion?

John-Robert doesn’t just tell the listener how he’s feeling; he shows them through the intensity of his voice towards the end of the single.

As the pull between the two grows stronger, the vulnerability in his voice shines.

It feels true to the moment and indicative of what comes next.

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:: stream/purchase Anna here ::

:: connect with John-Robert here ::

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Stream: “Anna” – John-Robert

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