Revisiting Singer-Songwriter Annie DiRusso's Debut Year

Summary

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Podcast Summary: All Of It with Alison Stewart

Episode: Revisiting Singer-Songwriter Annie DiRusso's Debut Year

Original Airdate: July 23, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode features rising singer-songwriter Annie DiRusso, revisiting her debut year after the release of her acclaimed album Super Pedestrian. Host Alison Stewart guides a conversation focused on Annie's creative process, her “no-compromises” approach to songwriting, navigating life changes, and the inspiration behind her confessional yet fun songwriting style. Annie performs several songs live in the studio and is joined by her producer/collaborator Eden. Together, they open up about the joy and vulnerability of creating music deeply rooted in real experience—both on the road and after her return to New York.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Discovery of Annie’s Voice and Musical Foundation

• Annie shares her early love of singing and the realization that music would be her path, even without a musical family background.
• Notable Quote:

  “I think I always hoped I could [sing] because I love to sing… I only wanted to play [guitar] so I could sing. So then I kind of switched to doing vocal lessons and stuff like that when I was probably 11. And then I actually joined the Young People's Chorus of New York City.”—Annie DeRusso [04:44]

• She credits formative vocal and breathing techniques from choral singing:
  • Importance of breath control and blending with others (“homogenizing tone”) as skills she still uses today. [05:29]

Establishing Creative Non-Negotiables for Her Debut Album

• Before recording, Annie wrote a list of non-negotiables to ensure the authenticity of Super Pedestrian:
  • Every lyric had to be something she could stand by “for as long as possible.”
  • Every sound needed her personal stamp of approval.
• With Eden, her main producer:
  • “No stone unturned”—a mantra for meticulousness.
  • Prioritized making music they themselves thought was “cool,” blocking out worries about external expectations.

  “It was very much like, let’s just make stuff we think is cool and not worry about what…other people are gonna think…”—Annie DeRusso [06:52] “That’s shockingly tough to do sometimes.”—Eden (Producer/Collaborator) [06:59]

Navigating Identity in the Indie-Rock Scene

• Annie reflects on the challenges of being a young woman in indie music, resisting the pressure to “prove” her rock credentials and instead focusing on self-authenticity:

  “Instead of just being like a singer-songwriter… I really want to prove that I can be a cool rock musician… That never serves me to try to make something that specific people are gonna think is cool.”—Annie [07:05]

• The “kid energy” of working all night on their song “Legs” set the tone for the creative freedom of the album. [07:05–08:06]

Touring Lessons and the Value of Live Experience

• Annie’s preferred way for new listeners to discover her is through live shows, especially as an opener.
• Opened for artists like Haim and Samia; learned valuable lessons about stagecraft, vocal health, and setlist flow:

  “Samia is such a great example of someone who really delivers each word to the audience…a lot about health on the road and vocal health… And also just, like, understanding how to put on a show…”—Annie [08:53]

• The challenge of crafting dynamic, engaging setlists as her repertoire grows.

“Party July”: Embracing Life to Spark Creativity [10:06]

• After a disciplined, sober tour, Annie deliberately reclaimed her own “Party July” upon returning home:
  • Focused on “living life” and saying yes, rather than isolating herself to write.
  • The result was a more inspired, experience-driven songwriting process.

  “I was like, when we get back to Nashville, it’s Party July, because I want my turn… Instead of being like, no, I’ve got to stay home and write, I was like, why don’t I go do stuff? And writing became—I wrote, you know, three or four of the songs from the record in Party July.”—Annie [10:41–11:59]

• Led directly to some of the material on Super Pedestrian.

Moving Back to New York: Changes in Life and Writing

• Annie describes the move from Nashville back to NYC after her record-writing period:
  • Drawn by family, friends, and a “higher frequency” pace of life.

  “I just felt like all the days are starting to blend together… As soon as I got here I was like, I feel so engaged with life. And I never moved back.”—Annie [17:16–18:14]

• New York's vibrancy offers fresh inspiration and a constant stream of new experiences to write about:
  • “Every day is so different and there’s so many things to do all of the time…” [18:31]

Current & Future Directions

• Annie notes the excitement of writing with her band and the creative energy of life in New York.
• Hints at new material reflecting her evolving experience.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On creative authenticity:
  “It was very much like, let’s just make stuff that we think is cool and not worry about what…other people are gonna think…” — Annie [06:52]
• On lessons from touring:
  “Samia is such a great example of someone who really delivers each word to the audience. And the words are obviously so important in her music”— Annie [08:53]
• On “Party July” and living life:
  “I was like, when we get back to Nashville, it’s Party July, because I want my turn…writing became—I wrote, you know, three or four of the songs from the record in Party July.”—Annie [10:41]
• Alison’s observation on future songwriting:
  “I can't wait till you're older and you write a song called I don’t care that you’re back in town.”—Alison Stewart [16:41];
  “It’s like, miss me with that, I don’t care.”—Annie [17:03]

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Live Performances & Song Timestamps

• “Wearing Pants” – Annie DeRusso [00:43–04:22]
  Captures Annie’s confessional songwriting style, exploring vulnerability and self-reinvention.
• “Back in Town” – Annie DeRusso [12:55–16:28]
  A yearning, heartfelt song about longing, unspoken feelings, and romantic hopefulness.
• “Muck” – Annie DeRusso (feat. Eden) [19:55–22:56]
  A newer, New York-inspired track with energetic lyricism and relationship introspection.

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Song Insights

"Wearing Pants"

• About rediscovering self, moving on, and fitting into new circumstances—emotionally and physically.

  “I love pain as it’s settling in / I went to your show / God, I wish that I didn’t…” — Annie [02:55]

"Back in Town"

• A bittersweet meditation on waiting, longing, and unrequited affection.

  “You know I'd be your girl if you would only ask. Don't tell me everything, just tell me when you're back.” — Annie [15:22]

"Muck"

• Inspired by her new city experiences and relationship complexities.

  “I guess what’s wrong is when we’re kissing we can’t talk. But when we’re talking we can’t kiss. I watch your lips but I love the things you say.” — Annie [20:47]

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Closing Reflections

• Annie’s conversation is open, funny, and self-aware, frequently circling back to the need for authentic experience and connection in her art.
• The fusion of confession and humor in both her music and her interview underscores why Super Pedestrian resonates so strongly with young listeners.

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For listeners:
This episode offers an honest, insightful portrait of an artist on the rise—Annie DeRusso—whose music and story are deeply entwined. Through live performance and unguarded conversation, Annie and Alison Stewart explore what it means to make art that’s alive, truthful, and rooted in the unpredictable adventure of daily life.

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Transcript

[Annie DeRusso]

Foreign.

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on WNYC. I'm Alison Stewart. NPR says that Annie DeRusso's debut album has, quote, no skips and calls the record a glorious debut. It's titled Super Pedestrian. Annie's songwriting is both confessional and fun, full of introspective songs, straight talk, and some pure rock and roll. Here's Annie performing live in our studio. This song is called Wearing Pants.

[Annie DeRusso (singing)]

Started wearing pants again Body is awake but my brain is is dead Flies on the walls Gunshots over East Park Find them when they fall Covering my backyard. Started picking up again Left for the last song can't see how ends He's a shark among men he kissed me

in the kitchen break I never bend I'm drunk and I don't listen now. I love pain as it's settling in I went to your show God, I wish that I did didn't love the sound of water as it swallowing me.

Hate the way my new room smells I keep picturing the guy who just moved out Was he drinking in the bed? Did his girlfriend hate him? The air is thick and gray from

burning all this sage if I can

breathe

I love pain as it's settling in I went to your show God, I wish that I didn't Love the sound of water as it's swallowing me whole. I love pain as it's settling in I think I said too much God, I wish that I didn't Love the sound of water as it's swallowing me o.

Started wearing pants again

well, I think

I like the way they fit.

[Alison Stewart]

That was Annie derusso. You have a beautiful tone.

[Annie DeRusso]

Thank you so much.

[Alison Stewart]

To your voice, especially when you hit those high notes. It's just this beautiful round tone. When did you discover you could sing?

[Annie DeRusso]

That's an awesome question. I think I always hoped I could because I love to sing, but, yeah, I didn't really know I could when I was younger. No one in my family does music. I just always loved to sing. I kind of started playing the guitar, but I didn't practice that much. I only wanted to play it so I could sing. So then I kind of switched to doing vocal lessons and stuff like that when I was probably 11. And then I actually joined the young People's Chorus of New York City when I was, like, 13 or something.

[Annie DeRusso (singing)]

12. 13.

[Annie DeRusso]

And I feel like that was very formative for me and really learning how to sing.

[Alison Stewart]

What do you remember from that time that you still use with your voice?

[Annie DeRusso]

I think that kind of the. The breathing techniques, especially for choral Music is, like, really. It's, like, very important. And also, when you're singing in a chorus, you have to kind of almost like, homogenize your tone a little bit so that it's not too sticky. You want it to sound like a unit, and I think that's a very, very helpful skill.

[Alison Stewart]

When you decided to put out your debut album, what did you decide? You wrote? A list of non negotiables.

[Annie DeRusso]

Yeah, I did.

[Alison Stewart]

What did you want on that list?

[Annie DeRusso]

So I wanted every word on the album to be a word I would stand by for as long as possible. It's hard to say forever, but for as long as possible. And every sound on the album, I really. My whole thing with the album. Eden is here. Who actually, like, made the album with me. We worked on it together.

[Eden (Producer/Collaborator)]

Hi.

[Annie DeRusso]

But I mean, a lot. What did we talk about? We talked about no stone unturned. That was huge.

[Eden (Producer/Collaborator)]

Yeah, we. Yeah, we talked a lot about standing by all the words you're saying and not trying to. Kind of trying to stay with the blinders up and not just making stuff that we were stoked about and not, like, necessarily thinking about how it was gonna be received, I guess.

[Annie DeRusso]

Yeah, it was very much like, let's just make stuff that we think is cool and not worry about what, you know, other people are gonna think is

[Eden (Producer/Collaborator)]

cool, which is shocking. Shockingly tough to do sometimes.

[Alison Stewart]

Why was that hard?

[Eden (Producer/Collaborator)]

I'm.

[Annie DeRusso]

Well, I mean, I think the instinct is you want people to think that your music is cool, you know, And I think, especially having come up, like, as a woman in the indie music scene in Nashville, like, there was something that I felt like in the past that I'd felt like, I really want to prove that, like, you know, instead of just being, like, a singer, songwriter or something like that, I really want to prove that I can be, like, a cool rock musician, you know, and a cool whatever. And that never serves me to, like, try to make something that specific people are gonna think is cool, you know, I feel like what has always served me is to just make and served me in the sense of, like, I just love this stuff at that point. If I just make stuff that I think is cool. And we were so hyped. Neither of us had done a lot of production before, and we kind of started with the song Legs on the record, and we just stayed up all night, one night working on it, and we felt like we discovered something. Like, it felt like we were kids again, and that was kind of the thing we wanted to hold onto when making the Record.

[Alison Stewart]

How did you want people to be

[Interviewer]

introduced to your music or to discover your music who had never heard you before?

[Annie DeRusso]

Like, what would be my ideal way? Yeah, honestly, I really love playing live, so I think opening for people is kind of my favorite way that people discover my music. I feel like my live show is a really great introduction to the project.

[Interviewer]

My guest is Annie DeRusso. She's performing from her debut album, Super Pedestrian. It's out now. Like you said, you toured a lot with Haim and Samia. What did you learn from touring with those acts and observing them that you thought that's important? I should know that I should keep that in the back of my mind.

[Annie DeRusso]

Wow. I feel like. Yeah, that's another amazing thing about opening. I honestly love opening. I've been lucky to open for so many of my favorite artists, and they've all taught me different things. I mean, I feel like Samya is such a great example of someone who really delivers each word to the audience. And the words are obviously so important in her music, and I learned that from her. And honestly, a lot about health on the road and vocal health and stuff like that has been very important to learn from all different people I've toured with. I mean, also just, like, understanding how to put on a show and how long you want the set list to be and where to. You know, it is challenging, too, especially now that I have a record out. I have, like, a bigger discography than ever. To create the flow of a show is very challenging to try and have the moments where it's big and small. And I feel like I learned that a lot from the different people that I've toured with.

[Interviewer]

You mentioned Party July.

[Annie DeRusso]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

At the top of this interview.

[Annie DeRusso (singing)]

Sure, sure.

[Annie DeRusso]

Right at the top.

[Interviewer]

So tell me a little bit about what happened during Party July.

[Annie DeRusso]

I would love to. So party July was July 2023. I had just gotten off tour for my EP, and we were on tour for a long time, like two and a half months or something like that. And I don't drink or smoke on tour because I don't want to get sick. And I'd kind of just been in this phase when I was writing that EP and when I was touring it, I was just kind of nose to the ground. Like, I wasn't. I didn't really feel like I was living. I was just thinking about making stuff, which I don't think is really a great way to make stuff, to be honest.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Annie DeRusso]

And I learned that because also I was on tour with, like, 10 of my friends. There was a band from Nashville also opening for us. And so it was just like 11 of us running around the country for, like, two months. But I had to be, like, such a bummer because I couldn't hang or do anything. I had to go to sleep and stuff. So I was like, when we get back to Nashville, it's Party July, because I want my turn, you know, I want to hang. I want to do the whole thing.

[Eden (Producer/Collaborator)]

The rest of us were, like, exhausted and tired and ate.

[Annie DeRusso]

And I was like, no, no, no. And honestly, I also knew that I had to kind of start thinking about my debut record. And in the past, I'd gotten back from touring, like, okay, I need to write, and then just gotten so depressed because I'm just from going with, you know, going around with 11 people all the time to being completely alone and being like, what do I want to write about? That time we drove through Texas, like, there's nothing to write about. Like, you know, So I basically just was like, I'm gonna start living life, partying a little bit, you know, living like a 23 year old. And that's kind of what I did. I just did a bunch of stuff. It wasn't just partying. I was just saying yes to things. Instead of being like, no, I've got to stay home and write. I was like, why don't I go do stuff? And writing became. I wrote, you know, three or four of the songs from the record in Party July.

[Alison Stewart]

Well, because you had experience.

[Annie DeRusso]

I had something to say. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's listen to another song. Annie Derusso, what are we gonna listen to next?

[Annie DeRusso]

This next song, I'm gonna tune my guitar, is a song called Back in Town. Oh, I like this song.

[Annie DeRusso (singing)]

Thanks.

[Annie DeRusso]

And this is not a party July1. I think this was. This was an October piece.

[Eden (Producer/Collaborator)]

This was in Peaceful October.

[Annie DeRusso]

Peaceful October. Um, but, yeah, this is just about. It's a yearning song, you know, about wanting to give someone your all if they would just let you. But also not really saying that and acting like you don't care at all, you know?

[Alison Stewart]

This is Annie Derusso.

[Annie DeRusso]

This is called Back in Town.

[Annie DeRusso (singing)]

Swore I would take to my grave the fact I changed my flood out of Chicago just so I'd see you one more time. Met you at that beach you love on the north side? You told me your friend says I've got pretty eyes but you don't tell your friends you love me all the time. Now you're somewhere in Idaho Letting me down again. Yeah, I know I Should know but now I heard from a friend you're still sleeping around but give me a call when you're back in town. I wanna give you my all when you're back in town.

[Backing Vocals]

When you're back, you're back. When you're, you're back. When you're back, you're back. When you're back, you're back.

[Annie DeRusso (singing)]

I hope you don't think I'm just waiting around but give me a call when you're back in town. Well, I keep sending I know you'll never read Guess it's all I can give that's not all of me. Wrote some things in the margins I hoped you might see. But they just sit in your room Where I'd kill to be. I've never been in your room and it's killing me.

[Backing Vocals]

When you're back, you're back. When you're back, you're back, you're back, you're back. When you're back, you're back.

[Annie DeRusso (singing)]

I hope you don't think I'm just waiting around. But give me a call when you're back in town.

Call you up just to see where you're at. Saw it in your eyes that night the train was packed. You know I'd be your girl if you would only ask. Don't tell me everything Just tell me when you're back.

Heard you're back in town I can't

handle if you want me now, you

know where I live.

[Backing Vocals]

When you're back, you're back. When you're back, you're back. When you're back, you're back. When you're back, you're back.

[Annie DeRusso (singing)]

I hope you don't think I'm just waiting around. But give me a call when you're back in town.

Wanna call you up just to see where you're at. Saw it in your eyes that night

the train was packed.

You know I'd be your girl if you would only ask. Don't tell me everything Just tell me when you're back.

[Alison Stewart]

That was Annie Derusso. Her new album is called Super Pedestrian. I can't wait till you're older. And you write a song called I don't care that you're back in town.

[Annie DeRusso (singing)]

Next album.

[Annie DeRusso]

Next album. Album.

[Alison Stewart]

That's from that that's made me think of. That's one thing I loved about it. Cuz I remember that feeling of the person just. You can't wait till they're back in town. And now I'm like, oh, whatever.

[Annie DeRusso]

It's like, miss me with that, I don't care.

[Alison Stewart]

You're from New York, right? Croton and Hudson. And then you went down to Nashville?

[Annie DeRusso]

Yep.

[Alison Stewart]

And then you just moved to Queens?

[Annie DeRusso]

I did, yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

Why did you want to come back to New York?

[Annie DeRusso]

I kind of always knew I would at some point. My family's still in New York and I have a lot of friends here. And honestly, I just love it here. And after party July and everything, where I took my. My break to write the record, that was the first time I was in Nashville for a while after I'd graduated college. And since, because I was touring pretty extensively up to that point, and when I got back there, it was honestly really great to be there and write my record. But I realized I was kind of just taking that same walk every day, you know, seeing all the same people and lovely people. But I thought, I think I could do this later in life. I think right now I want to live at maybe a higher frequency. And I just felt like all the days are starting to blend together. So about a year ago, my best friend from childhood had a room open up in her apartment in Chinatown. And I was like, okay, I'll just sublet for January. But as soon as I got here, I was like, I feel so engaged with life. And I never moved back. I kind of just sublette around this year and yeah, just moved to Queens.

[Alison Stewart]

How has your writing changed since you've moved to New York?

[Annie DeRusso]

Honestly, this year was a lot of touring for me, which is always a little bit hard writing wise. But it was really fun to write with the people in my band. I mean, New York is very exciting to write about because I feel like every day is so different and there's so many things to do all of the time and so much to observe. It's honestly, like just a much wider spectrum. And I feel like what I'm learning is to figure out where to focus in.

[Interviewer]

I want to get to your last song so we don't run out of time. What are you going to play for us?

[Annie DeRusso]

We are going to play a newer song. This came out on the deluxe version of the record in last month, but we actually just wrote it in like August and finished it in November. So it was a pretty quick turnaround. And I think it kind of has more of the. The juice of what's going on writing wise for me these days, the New York Juice has that New York juice for sure. Yeah. This song is called Muck.

[Alison Stewart]

This is Muck.

[Interviewer]

And this is Annie Derusso and Eden, right?

[Eden (Producer/Collaborator)]

Yes. Good job.

[Interviewer]

Thank you.

[Annie DeRusso]

All right, here we go.

[Annie DeRusso (singing)]

Scary.

[Annie DeRusso]

We were practicing this in the apartment this morning. Kind of just.

[Annie DeRusso (singing)]

All right.

I told you yesterday. Swimming in the Hudson. You went and spread my legs, let in all the muck in.

The day's getting shorter again. I'm spending a mo on you. You're meeting me at the station. Don't know what I wanna do.

I guess what's wrong is when we're kissing we can't talk. But when we're talking we can't kiss. I watch your lips but I love the things you say. And when I'm gone and we can't kiss and we can't talk. It's just my thoughts. You're just my thoughts. You're all mine. You're all I think about. We're making out our departures.

My blood drying on your hand. It's always been so much harder.

I'm starting to understand I guess what's wrong is when we're kissing we can't talk. But when we're talking we can't kiss. I watch your lips but I love the things you said. And when I'm gone and we can't kiss and we can't talk. It's just my thoughts. You're just my thoughts. You're all mine. You're all I think about. I don't think about the road when I'm driving. But I think about death when I'm flying. I don't think about the song when I'm writing. I just think about you. I don't think about my breath til I'm running. I don't think about love till I'm lovin. And I don't think about sex when we're muckin. I just think about. I only think about you, you, you. I guess what's wrong is when we're kissing we can't talk. But when we're talking we can't kiss. I watch your lips cause you're all I think about. Try Angel Stuff for your tushy. It's made by Angels Soft and strong. Budget friendly. All right, the choice is sample.

[Annie DeRusso]

Pick up a pack today. Angel Soft.

[Annie DeRusso (singing)]

Soft and strong. Simple.