Annie Dressner new single ‘Hate Being By Myself’ out now
Unflinchingly honest and emotionally vulnerable, acclaimed NYC singer-songwriter Annie
Dressner releases her new single ‘Hate Being By Myself’ on 21 October 2026 – a 90s
inspired, jangle-pop earworm, the song is deeply personal, giving voice to the internal battles
that so many experience but often struggle to express.
Those days where you don’t want to be alone, but you just can’t pull yourself out of bed. Those days where you can’t be around people but you also feel the silence around you deep into your bones that you crave company. The track is the second release to be taken from her forthcoming album ‘Trying To Be Cool’, which is due out on 12 February 2027.
The accompanying video features Annie and her daughter (in the role of “young Annie”), side-by-side to represent herself now and her childhood self. To show how ultimately you have the same inner life from childhood that always lives within you. Built around raw, heartfelt lyrics, ‘Hate Being By Myself’ explores the weight of living through days when even the simplest tasks feel impossible.
Rather than offering easy answers, the song captures the feelings of isolation. Dressner sings “I hate being by myself / I wanted to be alone / Sat around and slept the day away / Can’t always be by myself / Can’t always find a friend / So I try my best to get through the day... But I just feel like / Like I should feel better / Like I wanna try...” Despite the subject matter ‘Hate Being By Myself’ is none-the-less a banger that fits in perfectly with the essence of the new album.
The vibe is very nostalgic of singer-songwriters of the 90s recalling Suzanne Vega, Kathleen Edwards, Tom Petty or even REM, with twinges of the late Dolores O'Riordan (The Cranberries) or Torn-era Natalie Imbruglia. As Annie explains: “If you close your eyes, you can imagine hearing this track on VH1 or MTV while eating snacks on a box TV in the kitchen after school, while chatting to friends about crushes and silly school gossip.
‘Hate Being By Myself’ will hopefully make others feel less alone in their feelings of loneliness. ‘Trying To Be Cool’ is Annie Dressner’s fifth album, a whip-smart collection of Americana-tinged indie. Recorded in London with renowned singer-songwriter Peter Bruntnell, who also plays guitar, it features a stellar cast of musicians - Peter Noone of The Cross (Bass), Mick Clews (Drums), Paul Goodwin (Keys).
Pairing catchy melodies with her signature dry New Yorker wit, Dressner shares candid accounts of dating disasters, music industry misogyny and navigating the choppy waters of being a woman in the mid-2020s. She explores trying to hold onto a carefree youth in the face of adulthood and motherhood, and keeping relationships together in a world that seems to be rapidly falling apart. Originally from New York City, Annie Dressner is now based in Cambridge, England.
Equipped with an innate ability to convey emotional poignancy through glorious melodies, Annie’s straightforward lyrical style, smart wordplay and lilting vocals offer listeners a front row seat to her captivating stories. Annie has released four studio albums and her music has been played extensively across UK national radio, including a live session for Gideon Coe on BBC 6 Music. Annie has collaborated with Kathryn Williams, Polly Paulusma and David Ford.
Recent supports include Kris Drever, Jolie Holland (Be Good Tanyas), Badly Drawn Boy, Bernard Butler (Suede) and Danny & The Champions of the World. Past supports include Emily Barker, Ben Otwell (Gomez), Irish Mythen, The East Pointers, Echobelly, James Walsh (Starsailor) & Lucy Wainwright Roche.
Tour Dates 2027:
Tues 13th April - BIRMINGHAM - Kitchen Garden
Weds 14th April - BRISTOL - Hen & Chicken
Thurs 15 April - LONDON - The Grace
Fri 16 April - SEVENOAKS - Otford Memorial Hall (St Edith’s Folk)
Sat 17 April - CAMBRIDGE - The Junction
Sun 18 April - SALTAIRE - The Live Rooms
Tues 20 April - LIVERPOOL - Music Room
Weds 21 April - STAVELEY - Roundhouse
Thurs 22 April - BARTON - Ropewalk
Fri 23 April - POCKLINGTON - Arts Centre
Sat 24 April - BURY - The Met
Sun 25 April - SHEFFIELD - Cafe 9
