The Mojo of Music featuring anni xo
Individuality reigns supreme in the indie music world by finding authentic connections to build a fanbase. For anni xo, a Minnesota-based musician, fashion and music intertwine, shaping how they express their identity and relating with audiences. I had the opportunity to sit down with Anni to discuss their journey of self-discovery, how clothing plays a pivotal role in their artistry, and why reclaiming quirky pieces—like dinosaur sneakers from an ex-boyfriend—is essential to their brand.
After a tumultuous pandemic experience where Anni had an existential crisis in rediscovering identity and boldly resetting their look, they dropped out of college in the fall of 2022 to pursue music full time. Inspired by likes of boygenius, Taylor Swift, and Renee Rapp, Anni has emerged in the Twin Cities scene with their own distinct alternative songwriting and folk stylings. With songs that explore themes of love, loss, and the complications of youth, anni xo has secured a devoted audience that celebrates uniqueness using their music as a soundtrack to life.
First memories of style and fashion are a complicated subject because growing up Anni liked to dress very feminine, but always felt like something was a little bit wrong with that. Although they received hand-me-down clothing from neighbors that were all very girly, Anni was drawn to building tree forts with guy friends. They even went through a rebellion period where only Abercombie zip-ups and sweatpants were worn instead of dresses to school. They called it their soccer clothes.
“I was a self-identified tomboy with a very feminine personality. I think that really confused people. Growing up I never really felt comfortable in any kind of clothes at all. I just felt like I was playing some sort of game of this is what I'm supposed to wear. I was the straight girl at high school who wore straight girl clothes.”
-anni xo
Discovering their style wasn’t an overnight journey and took a pandemic to really challenge that identity. Anni began experimenting with clothing and embracing looks that truly felt like them. During this time, they ditched hyper-feminine attire for oversized shirts and baggy pants, leaning into more masculine pieces. They also began incorporating playful, carefree elements like their beloved dinosaur sneakers. The sneakers became a representation of wearing something fun and silly, even if they don’t match anything, all the while feeling empowered to be themselves.
The pandemic shut down the world, but for Anni it played a large role in them coming out. While being stuck at home and spending so much time online, they noticed more visibility of queer people their age. It was a transformative moment for Anni, catalyzed by inspiration from queer creators online. “When it’s you, it’s so much harder to accept being different,” they reflected. “But seeing other queer people celebrate their identities—and their fashion—opened my eyes to possibilities I didn’t know existed.”
Anni credits queer media for showing them that clothing doesn’t have to conform to rigid gender norms. "I saw people blending masculine and feminine elements in ways that felt so authentic," they said. This revelation encouraged Anni to embrace bright colors, bold patterns, and outfits that embody both sides of the spectrum. They no longer felt the need to appease people they grew up with in some way. The last few years have solidified that important choice to come out by making music and being able to be more expressive in their clothing on stage.
“I was diagnosed with autism two years ago, and so I think it was this whole mesh of just how do I fit in? I was really good at masking. I am very good at masking and making friends, but I always knew something was wrong and something felt different inside of me. So I always would just read to a tee what the normal people did and just do exactly that.”
-anni xo
When it comes to performing, anni xo’s clothing choices serve a purpose beyond aesthetics. They admit that even within the local music scene, it’s easy to feel like the person on stage is out of touch or out of reach from you. There’s something about being in front of lights, higher up, and presenting music to others that can easily create a divide for an audience. So Anni’s goal on stage is to make everyone feel comfortable. There’s so much vulnerability in the lyrics Anni writes and shares that wanting their clothing to reflect that same level of openness is key to taking away that divide. Dressing down, like wearing pajamas, allows anni xo to break down barriers between the performer and audience.
Another mindful decision is blending dress pieces, like a suit or slacks, with a really comfy shirt. The intent is to make it feel like everyone’s just hanging out and there’s no pressure. Everyone is there to have a good time and enjoy live music. It’s a clever disarming of the bright lights, raised stage, and name on the marquee and it feels so attune to anni xo. They also love throwing in unexpected elements, like a bolo tie or their iconic XO jacket, painted by a collaborator. “It’s about balance. I want to feel like myself but still give people something memorable to look at.”
For anni xo, fashion is one piece of the puzzle. Their live shows incorporate immersive set designs, like hanging stars, green carpets, and CRT TV’s playing home videos. The Allergic to Dogs release had different cameras setup to fully immerse the audience. The holistic approach to visual identity complements anni xo’s unpredictable performances, where no two shows are ever the same.
“I feel like that's my favorite kind of show to go to is when someone walks on stage and you just cannot predict what's about to come out of their mouth. Hopefully that is how people feel at my shows. Sometimes I talk a lot, sometimes I don't. Sometimes we have the same set list, sometimes we don't. Sometimes we're covering “Crazy Train” (Ozzy Osbourne), sometimes we're covering Fleetwood Mac. I hope that people feel excited at what could be on the set list because I never know.”
As previously mentioned, Anni’s dinosaur shoes are definitely a statement piece to their personality. The red shoe strings wrap around the back, and the rainbow coloring boldly draws the eyes. An ex-boyfriend, the actual last man Anni dated before they came out, gave them on their birthday.
“I literally said to myself in my head before I started dating him, if this does not work out, I guess I have to tell everyone I’m gay. He’s an awful, awful person, so I love to wear them to reclaim everything that they are. Everything about the shoes is oozing queerness. I think it’s hilarious that a man gave them to me.”
The story behind the pajama pants started in the North Cascade Mountains. Two summers ago they were at a place called Holden Village, an intentional living community in the mountains in Washington state. Anni’s mother is a pastor and they were on a family vacation. Holden Village has a weird split of religious adults and then young gay adults who go there to get away from the city, living there for a year. Anni met Isa Payne, who ended up recording the music video for “Red Eye”. Isa traveled to Minnesota for Anni’s Allergic to Dogs release party and snagged a pajama set from the Gap. They happened to also find throw pillows with a bunch of different dog designs. As Anni was rehearsing one last time, Isa was on the floor cutting dogs out and sewing dogs to their clothes. The extra detail of the “x” and “o” stitching is the obvious cherry on top. Isa is also responsible for the iconic XO jacket.
They had found the jacket in a prop closet at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and painted the giant XO on the back right before the “Red Eye” video shoot. The oversized light blue linen jacket feels like it has its own personality. The contrast of Anni’s darker hair makes the jacket pop and sticks in your mind when seeing it on stage.
Anni thrifted the black shirt 3 years ago with the intent of wanting a Steve Jobs style turtleneck. The green boho tie was a patient find as Anni kept their eyes open for the perfect one. It was kismet finding this one at the rarely open Flamingos Divine Vintage. Around Anni’s right hand finger is one of their parents’ wedding band. The other wedding band is worn by their younger sibling, as both parents only wear their actual wedding rings. The ring on the left hand is a friends’ toe ring that was left at Anni’s home in high school. Anni eventually proclaimed it theirs and have worn it since. Ironically, it cracked open this New Years Day, but Anni had worn it since being a junior in high school.
“At one point I lost it in my car, not just on the floor of the car, but behind the steering wheel inside. I almost got in a car accident one day and slammed on my brakes. The ring came flying out at me and I thought it must be my good luck charm.”
The final ring is a lingering favorite of theirs. Anni used to wear a lot of larger rings and realized they would all get bent, crack, or fall off, costing a lot of money. Anni eventually just picked a few to make last and loves the shape and dimension of this one.
anni xo’s catalog of music may still be small, but from what they have released in just two years, definitely makes a statement. Dealing with subject matters like pain, loss, and loneliness, Anni’s contrasting voice has a brightness and smile that you can hear in all of their songs. The same intention for an immersive experience at a live show follows into their songs, with a car starting to kick off “Look Me in the Eyes”, a voicemail in “Haunted”, home video audio in “These Four Walls”, and background crowd noise in “Sentimental.” These moments pull you into a setting, build a space, and lead you into the song magnetically.
When connecting clothes to music, there’s always a thread. Listening through Anni Xo’s music, the sense of playfulness that we captured in photos, mirrors the playfulness in the instrumentation of their music. “Madison” has this jolly bump to it, while delivering a comical line in thanking someone for breaking their heart. “Red Eye” breezes into a chorus that feels like a summer dream coming through your open window. The collaboration with Daphne Jane “Look Me in the Eyes” even has a marching drum line that steadies the flowing vocals.
Catching anni xo at a show, it’s hard to not immediately see the confidence in how Anni makes eye contact with the audience. Smiling and acknowledging your presence, combined with a dress-down approach, makes for a powerful potion of feeling connected. Through their music and style, anni xo has created a space where authenticity thrives - a space where dinosaur sneakers, bolo ties, and quirky pajama pants are more than just clothes; they’re a celebration of self.
“That’s something that I didn’t think could happen. You either have to be a masculine presenting person or a feminine presenting person. But what if I want to be a little bit of both?”
-anni xo
Billie Elish is certainly one of Anni’s top influences when it comes to style, but they also credit an Instagram account by Connie Korenovsky as a huge influence. Anni is drawn to the posts of how Connie wears more masculine outfits that aren’t necessarily men’s clothing. There’s an awareness of taking bold colors and crop tops and not having it come across as feminine.
anni xo draws a compelling parallel between how they shops for clothes and how they approach songwriting, both of which are guided by intuition and emotional resonance. Anni doesn't force creativity or make purchases unless something genuinely excites or speaks to them. This organic approach underscores their belief that both songwriting and shopping should stem from authentic inspiration rather than obligation. Much like their shopping habits, each piece must resonate personally.
This philosophy also reflects Anni’s desire to avoid constraints or rigid expectations, whether in fashion or music. Just as they don't limit themselves to a specific style when shopping, Anni embraces a wide-ranging indie pop sound in songwriting. anni xo’s upcoming project exemplifies this, blending elements of disco, funk, pop, and other genres without adhering to a single formula. They resists being boxed into one particular sound or method, emphasizing their desire to prioritize happiness and authenticity over external pressures. For Anni, both their wardrobe and music are vibrant, eclectic expressions of their identity, shaped by what genuinely inspires them in the moment.
Check out the links below for ways to follow anni xo and all the topics we mentioned above.
anni xo linktree - Holden Village - Isa Payne - Connie Korenovsky - Flamingos Divine
