After quickly Googling the term to see exactly what it means, I can confirm that it is, in fact, “cuffing season.” It’s the time of year where single folks settle down with a humanoid source of body heat for (at least) the next six months, blowing off plans with friends and family to instead re-watch Parks & Rec for the dozenth time with fluctuating degrees of attention being paid to episodes.
While such a setting sounds idyllic, Anna of the North is returning today with her second LP, Dream Girl, to provide a more honest depiction of relationships, complete with heartbreak and loneliness. Introduced to many of us in 2017 with guest spots on Tyler, the Creator’s Flower Boy, Anna’s face has grown more and more familiar since then, gracing the covers of nearly two dozen singles dating back to 2014—“Dream Girl,” “Thank Me Later,” and “Used to Be” being among the most buoyant alt-R&B cuts yet.
While they may not have directly served as inspiration on the record, Anna Lotterud has a small collection of tunes she’d like to share for the occasion, citing such diverse artists as Omarion, Celine Dion, and BROCKHAMPTON’s Kevin Abstract as the writers of her favorite relationship singles. “I chose all these songs because they are songs I’ve been heartbroken to and recovered to,” she explains. “They are all songs I have a strong connection with, and that I probably will listen to forever. They all have inspired me in one way or another—whether I’m melancholic or happy, I like listening to heartbreak songs.”
If you, too, like listening to heartbreak songs, stream Anna’s playlist below, and check out Dream Girl, out today via 300 Entertainment, here.
