Getting Personal with Anna Margo: 'Last Dance,' Timbaland, and New Horizons

“I was letting go of suppressed frustration about a past situation that I never really got to resolve within myself. This is my way of letting go and moving on.” These words from Anna Margo capture the essence of her music—raw, honest, and deeply personal. The LA-based artist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist has a unique way of connecting with listeners through her evocative blend of classical piano, soulful vocals, and modern R&B beats. Intriguing and enigmatic, Anna explodes onto the scene with a captivating style. Her work evokes a sense of mystery, leaving listeners mesmerized and yearning to decipher the hidden messages woven within. Her latest single, “Last Dance,” featuring the legendary Timbaland, is a visual and listening pleasure, melting together the talents of two exceptional artists.

In our interview, Anna talks about the emotional journey of creating “Last Dance,” the experience of collaborating with Timbaland, and what fans can expect from her upcoming EP.

photography by Karats Alexander

Congratulations on your new release ‘Last Dance’. The song deals with the theme of acknowledging the end of a relationship. What emotional journey did you go through while writing and producing this track?

Writing this song was really therapeutic for me. I was letting go of suppressed frustration about a past situation that I never really got to resolve within myself. I’m the type of person who avoids letting myself feel too hard, especially when it’s a matter of the heart. I kind of check out emotionally so I don’t get hurt, and move on with my life as if nothing happened. And it works for a while, but it always comes back around to haunt me until I’ve confronted it. This is my way of letting go and moving on.

The lyrics of ‘Last Dance’ are very poignant. Can you share a particular line or verse that holds special meaning for you?

“I’ll take back all of the weight you couldn’t carry. You know I don’t blame you for that, and I’ll let you hate me for that.”

This line holds a lot of meaning for me, and it can apply to friendships as well. I came to the realization in this particular relationship that the more I was finding myself and the more I was blossoming, the less they recognized me, and the less they liked me. And if that’s the reality, then we were never right for each other. You can’t force your perspective on the person on the other side. If you hate me, and if that makes it easier, then that’s your right. The only person I need to be understood by is myself.

Your lyrics often delve into complex emotions and narratives. How do you approach lyric writing to ensure authenticity and relatability?

When I’m writing lyrics I definitely draw from real experiences of mine, but I try not to give too much away at the same time. As honest as I want to be in my music, I think it’s important to leave a little room for interpretation and for the audience to decide for themselves what the song means, and relate it back to their own lives. But everything I’ve ever written, I wrote out of necessity and a genuine need to get something out. If my lyrics come across sincere, that’s why.

“Patience and consistency are so important. The biggest things that have happened to me happened when I wasn’t waiting for it or expecting it, and genuinely didn’t care.”

Working with iconic figures like Timbaland must be incredibly influential. Can you share a memorable behind-the-scenes moment from your collaboration with him?

One memorable moment I had with Timbaland was one of the first phone conversations we had when I first met him. He was complementing the production and drums I used on a certain song, and we got to talking about how I learned how to produce. He was speechless when I told him that I had taken his master class on beat-making just a couple years prior. It really felt like a full circle moment and like this collaboration was truly meant to be.

You mentioned ‘Last Dance’ represents a new sound for you. Can you tell us more about that?

Last Dance feels a little more mature and has a different energy than the music I’ve put out up until now. I really feel like as I’m growing up, my sound and my music is growing up too. This upcoming project has a couple songs in there that are stylistically unlike anything else I’ve made thus far and I’m just really excited to see how people react.

Having a background in classical piano and studying vocal powerhouses has clearly influenced your music. How do you balance classical training with contemporary musical elements in your compositions?

I actually find that listening to classical music on my own time instead of the kind of music I actually make, has had a positive influence on my approach when I’m working on “pop”. I’m not subconsciously affected by what everyone’s doing right now, whatever I make is just purely me. The chord progressions I choose and the instrumentation in my songs are a direct result of that classical/film score background.

“The most important thing in life at least for me, is gratitude, and living in the moment. It’s so hard to stay present in the world we live in, especially in a city that’s so goal and accomplishment driven.”

What can fans expect from your upcoming EP?

I took more risks with this project both musically and lyrically, and the growth between this batch of songs and the first few I’ve put out is evident. I think they can expect a variety of genres from this upcoming project, a variety of emotions, and a more ballsy side to me. I think there’s a song in there for everyone and I hope that people are able to resonate somehow with something in this project, and feel what I felt when I made it.

What is one life lesson you’ve learned from your journey in music?

Patience and consistency are so important. The biggest things that have happened to me happened when I wasn’t waiting for it or expecting it, and genuinely didn’t care. I was just content and happy to get to do this and I think that’s when you’re really ready to take the next step and that’s why things come to fruition in those moments.

Do you have any unusual hobbies or interests outside of music that might surprise your fans? (smiles)

I actually have a lot of random hobbies. I love playing video games when I have free time, I grew up playing with my older brother and now it’s just a fun escape when I’m not working on something. I love reading, I prefer it to watching anything. My rooms filled with books that I’ve read that I don’t know what to do with now. I also recently took up learning how to make sourdough bread. I saw a video of sourdough starter and got curious so I grew my own yeast and watched a million YouTube videos on the entire dough-making process and how to actually bake the bread. So now I make sourdough loaves every Sunday for my family and that’s our bread for the week.

Looking ahead, what are some of your long-term goals as an artist and producer?

As an artist long-term I hope to have a few successful tours under my belt, and to really be a fully rounded developed artist. I hope to always stay true to myself and I hope to grow a big audience that really knows me and accepts me as I am. As a producer I hope to be able to look back at all of my music and see consistent growth, and to produce for more artists outside of just my own music.

The most important thing in life is?

The most important thing in life at least for me, is gratitude, and living in the moment. It’s so hard to stay present in the world we live in, especially in a city that’s so goal and accomplishment driven. Anxiety about the future is something I struggled with for a long time and it’s something that unfortunately everyone has in common. But you are where you’re at for a reason. Every stage of your life is sacred. And I truly believe in divine timing. There’s always going to be another goal after you reach the current one. So making the most out of your current circumstances and finding happiness in small things everyday has been the best lesson I’ve learned so far.