Keren Ann on Her Latest Album Nolita

Partly, sure, because I have to be familiar with the emotion to be able to write it. Yeah, this song is for somebody in particular.

Would he know that you were singing to him?

[Laughs] I think so.

Are you actively searching for love?

Being a singer means you’re always in a vicious circle. The feeling of lonesomeness is the one you’re most familiar with. You’re mostly in hotel rooms on your own. I think, though, when you make the choice to make music, you have to make the choice to be constantly searching for love. When you’re writing, you don’t think about who’s going to love you after this song. But once it’s written, you can’t live with the fact that someone won’t love you back for what you’ve written.