Finding Her Truth: Anna Duboc Reflects on a Transformative Year in Music

At just nineteen, Anna Duboc is already moving through the industry with the kind of intention most artists don’t reach until much later in their careers. She’s proven she can match the greats vocally, reinterpret classics with emotional clarity, and write her own truth straight from the source, no filters, no theatrics, just instinct and skill. In 2025, she pushed herself even further, releasing a series of deeply personal tracks and acoustic re-imaginings that showed the full range of who she’s becoming as an artist.

From breathing new life into Kate Bush’s “Wuthering Heights” to turning Billy Joel’s “Vienna” into a nostalgic timestamp of her own transition into adulthood, Anna made this year a study in growth. But her biggest standout is “Suffocating,” a release chosen for BUZZMUSIC’s Best Independent Artists of 2025. It’s raw, emotionally honest, and rooted in the kind of self-realization that comes with finally understanding what you deserve, both in love and in life.

Beyond the music, Anna’s year was full of milestones: graduating high school Summa Cum Laude, closing out her conservatory journey with show-stopping performances in Chicago and Hadestown, and beginning her university studies in music and songwriting. Every move she makes reflects the same thing, dedication, professionalism, and a genuine desire to tell stories that make people feel seen.

In this 1:1 conversation, Anna breaks down her year with us: the breakthroughs, the moments of doubt, the growth, the art, and the heart behind it all.

This year, you revisited two iconic classics, “Wuthering Heights” and “Vienna,” but through your own lens and your own voice. What drew you to reinterpret songs that carry so much history, and how did stepping into those stories help you understand your own artistry better?

Those songs have always felt like whole worlds on their own, and I wanted to see what happened when I stepped inside them. Recording them helped me understand the parts of my voice I hadn’t explored yet—how dramatic, soft, or emotional I could let myself be without hiding behind anything. Filming the Wuthering Heights MV was where I felt most connected to my artistry, the color scheme and elegance of the whole thing combined with Kate’s poetic words/intricate chords is a direction I would love to see my art go. 

Your upcoming feature in our Best Independent Artists of 2025 spotlights “Suffocating.” When you look back at the headspace you were in while writing it, what part of your emotional truth were you finally ready to face, and what do you hope listeners feel when they hear it?

Writing “Suffocating” was me finally admitting how trapped I felt in a relationship where I kept shrinking to make someone else comfortable. I hope listeners feel understood—like if they’re walking on eggshells for love, they’re not alone and they deserve better.

You’ve been performing since you were four, you come from a wildly creative household, and you’ve already worked with some serious legends. How has growing up surrounded by that level of art and talent shaped the way you write, rehearse, and carry yourself as a young artist stepping into adulthood?

Being raised around so much art taught me to take my work seriously, but not to take the beginning of the creative process too seriously or else it’s easy to get in your own way as many of my mentors have taught me. It made the stage feel like home from a young age and it pushed me to be honest in my writing, because everyone around me was always creating from such a real place.

This year wasn’t just about releases; you graduated high school Summa Cum Laude, wrapped up your conservatory training, and started university. How have those transitions influenced your songwriting or the way you see yourself outside of music?

Now that I’ve finished high school and have been doing a lot more on my own I’ve been able to get in touch with my voice and my true sound without anyone’s direct influence, like I was wearing floaties in a pool and now I’m starting to float on my own and finding the right lane to swim in. This has been especially evident in my songwriting process as I start to see patterns pop up in my songs, finding the through line of what makes “Anna Duboc” an artist and not just a writer. 

You’ve had some heavy viral moments, from your Velma Kelly performance to your a cappella work winning awards. When videos like that take off, does it change how you approach performing or creating content, or do you try to keep the noise out and stay locked into what feels genuine?

When something blows up, it’s flattering, but I try not to let it change how I perform. The only things that last are the things that are genuine so I try to stay locked on that. It’s cool when things blow up, of course, but it can’t be the reason I create.

You’ve talked about how meaningful it is when your music makes someone feel seen,  like the girl who cried during your performance of “Sinking Feeling.” How do you balance being vulnerable in your writing with protecting your own emotional well-being as you go deeper into your career?

In a way being vulnerable in my writing is a way of protecting my own emotional wellbeing–it’s a way of letting out the stuff that boils up inside and not letting it burst. When I write it usually never starts out as a fully formed song, but a rant or a poem of something I am passionate about or a word vomit of the emotions I have. The song forms after.

Looking ahead to 2026, you’re stepping into a new chapter as both an artist and a student of your craft. What do you feel is the biggest shift happening inside you creatively right now, and what are you most excited to uncover about your voice this coming year?

I’m just super excited to see what my artistry becomes as I continue to develop my sound. I really feel a shift in the way I want people to see me and I can’t wait to put more of my personality and authenticity into my future music and content.