With her debut album Anomie, Adelaide singer-songwriter Anna Jeavons transforms a decade of deeply personal songwriting into a poignant collection of indie-pop reflections on longing, loneliness, growth, and hope. Drawing from the emotional turbulence of her twenties, Jeavons crafts what she affectionately calls “pathos pop” — music that embraces vulnerability while offering comfort in shared human experience. In this conversation with Futuremag, she discusses the themes that connect songs written across ten years, the influence of Adelaide’s creative community, working alongside producer Ben Stewart, and why imperfection is at the heart of both music and life.
Futuremag: Anomie spans a decade of songwriting. How did you approach curating songs that were written over such a long period to create a cohesive album?
Anna: I wrote a lot of songs in my twenties. Sad songs, sweet songs, silly songs. The 12 tracks on the album were selected because they fit a particular feeling or set of themes. They’re songs about yearning and feeling deeply; songs with a thread of melancholy. I wrote many of them during one specific era, when I felt very lost, lonely and unlovable. I was in a transition period; trying to make the leap from adolescence to adulthood – and not quite getting it right. My songs from that time make up the bones of the album. I pulled in others from different eras, but they all had to be aligned; a little angsty.
Futuremag: You describe your genre as “pathos pop.” Can you unpack what that means to you and how you balance poignancy with melody in your music?
Anna: I’m always looking for songs that make me feel something. Songs that are emotive and poignant. Melancholic. Intimate. Devastating. Songs that reach inside and touch my emotional core. I like vulnerable storytelling with vivid imagery, where the music ebbs and swells. The songs I chose for this album were full of pathos potential – they’re inherently emotional – but I also spent a long time explaining the vibe to my producer Ben Stewart (Slowly Slowly). Ben has always naturally excelled at this kind of music. He’s Australian emo pop royalty after all, with a clear aptitude for devastation. That’s why he’s one of my favourite songwriters.
Futuremag: Your songs explore the turbulence of your twenties, from existential angst to unrequited love. Looking back, what do you hope listeners take away from hearing your personal reflections?
Anna: That it may be hard and confusing to be a human, especially a young adult. But we are not broken for feeling lost, angry or afraid. These are not signs of failure, but signs of being awake to the complexity of existence. It’s normal to feel lonely, disconnected, ashamed, anxious, estranged, alienated. It is normal, as Alain De Botton says, to make a mess of things, to take longer than seems warranted. I hope these songs might keep someone company through a rough time. And encourage them to consider, however tentatively, that things might just be alright.
Futuremag: Despite the darker themes, you mention threads of brightness and optimism. How do you balance vulnerability and hope in your music?
Anna: Growth is important to me. I’m interested in psychology and sociology. I love learning about myself and the world. And as someone with a lot of mental health challenges, hope is important to me too. You can’t dwell in the negatives only, and I mean that as a human but also creatively. If my songs were all doom and gloom they’d get boring pretty quick. I’m not about toxic positivity, but some degree of growth and gratitude is important. I like for my songs to be relatable, but also comforting in some way.
Futuremag: In what ways does your Adelaide indie scene inform your creative identity?
Anna: I spent many years going to gigs before I put my own music out. Adelaide has always been very supportive and encouraging of my creativity. I wouldn’t make music if it wasn’t for the other musicians who pushed me to. I’ve been inspired by sad solo sets, big bands, punk music, DIY approaches. Co-founding and running Girls Rock! Adelaide expanded my mind and networks. I’ve met so many talented women, trans and nonbinary artists through Rock Camps. My favourite musicians in Adelaide (and Melbourne) have influenced me directly with their original songwriting, but also by sharing their own influences from around the world. Your friend’s favourite bands became your favourite bands, you know. We’re all in each other’s pockets so we share great music loves.
Futuremag: With Anomie now released, what do you hope your next musical chapter looks like? Are there new themes or sounds you’re eager to explore?
Anna: Great question. I’m curious to find out the answer. I’ve been working on this project for a long time, so I’m not exactly sure what comes next. I’m in a different era of life now, with different kinds of problems. And I express myself in different ways. I love to write, as well as make music. I wrote a book to accompany the album, and I’d like to see where that takes me. I think I’ll always explore the human experience, but through what mediums I’m not sure. I think what comes first is a big rest. I need to look back on what I’ve done and assess what parts of it I want to carry forward, and what parts I’ll be leaving behind.
Futuremag: How does performing songs you’ve written over ten years feel now that they’re part of a collective work?
Anna: My songs, even the really old ones, are all a reflection of me. When I get on stage, I feel like I’m sharing who I am and who I have been. All the stories making up me. It’s special to be appreciated for that. The songs on my album are from the past. They really do feel of a specific era. But I’m just so glad I was able to truly capture them before I got old and forgot how they all go. And in such a beautiful way too, thanks to Ben Stewart. I’m proud of them and I’ll always love them. It’s cool that some of them are taking on new meanings for people since coming out too. That’s really special.
Futuremag: If Anomie had a soundtrack outside of your own music, what three songs or albums would you include to capture its emotional journey?
‘Where Is My Mind’ by Pixies for nostalgia, mental health themes and feeling lost
‘Funeral Pyre’ by Julien Baker for aching and yearning
‘True Love Will Find You In The End’ by Daniel Johnston for imperfection, growth and hope
Futuremag: Do you have any pre-show rituals or ways to center yourself before performing such emotionally charged music live?
Anna: On the morning of my album launch in Adelaide, my producer Ben Stewart sent me a beautiful message; a little pep talk. He wanted to remind me that live music is the epitome of being in the moment. It is whatever it is. With all the wonderful mistakes along the way. Imperfect. Human. Un-editable. And that’s special in and of itself. It was a nice reminder that the mistakes aren’t something to be scared of. They’re part of the honest, raw beauty of the exchange.
My album launch ended up selling out. It was incredible. Just a sea of supportive, attentive faces celebrating with me. I went into it prepared to make mistakes. And I did! But they didn’t take away from it all.