Anna Katarina — Anna Katarina on the Life Around the Dream

In this episode of Inlet Wire, Anna Katarina talks about her album While I Was Dreaming, a record she describes through the idea that life happens while you are busy making plans.

The conversation begins with the dream itself. Anna says she always knew she wanted to be a musician. When she was younger, she imagined the biggest version of that dream: arena stages, a team around her, and the idea that someone might discover her on the street. Over time, that picture changed. She came to see that what can look like a “big break” from the outside is often built on hard work, timing, and luck.

That realization sits at the centre of While I Was Dreaming. Anna talks about the record as a way of honouring the moments that happen outside the fantasy of success: falling in love, family, walks by the ocean, discovering yourself, difficult seasons, and the everyday experiences that make a life.

The album also reflects a shift in how she thinks about songwriting. Anna says some listeners’ favourite songs on the record are also her own favourites — not the obvious “hits,” but what she calls the “anti-hits.” That response has taken some pressure off the idea that every song has to be short, polished, and built for instant attention.

Still, she is honest about how difficult it can be to release music now. The pressure to be heard, to stay visible, and to write something that might work online can get into her head. But in the middle of that pressure, she keeps coming back to honesty: thinking about who she is speaking to, what she is trying to say, and writing songs people can relate to.

Collaboration is another part of that process. Anna says working with other artists can feel like a science experiment: two different sounds meeting and becoming something neither artist would have made alone. It gives her permission to move outside her usual lane and approach a song from another angle.

One example is “Lost Without You,” a song she wrote and recorded with producer Gunter Brenner. Because the melody was already developed before the lyrics were finished, Anna had to write in a way that did not come naturally at first. The experience taught her that inspiration is important, but it is not the only way forward. Sometimes, the work itself is what gets the song finished.

The episode also moves into place, and why Vancouver still matters to her. Anna spent time in Nashville in 2022, drawn by the city’s music community and energy. She found it inspiring, but after a while, she realized she needed more than music around her all the time. She wanted friends, routines, and a life outside the industry.

That brought her back to BC. Vancouver is not always easy, and she does not pretend that it is. But for Anna, the city gives her something she needs: water, space, rain, and the feeling of being in a place that supports the rest of her life, not just her music.

Listen to the full episode of Inlet Wire with Anna Katarina, and spend some time with While I Was Dreaming wherever you stream music.