Annie Schultz Confronts Self-Sabotage on “MIS” - 20 February 2026

Annie Schultz releases their single “MIS,” available February 20th via Trailing Twelve Records.

Minnesota-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Annie Schultz shares their new single, “MIS,” out February 20, 2026 via Trailing Twelve Records. A stark departure from the guitar-led songwriting that defined much of their earlier work, “MIS” leans into organ-heavy arrangements, layered harmonies, and a mournful low end that places the song firmly in the lineage of indie folk and alternative country’s most emotionally bare moments.

Built around somber Casio organ patches, double bass, and restrained keyboard textures, “MIS” unfolds like a dirge - slow-burning, heavy, and intimate. The song captures the internal logic of self-sabotage: the compulsion to catastrophize, the ache of regret, and the quiet recognition of patterns we create and can’t seem to escape.

Lyrically, Schultz offers some of their most direct and devastating writing to date. Lines like “I’m in the middle of a mess of my own design” and “I hold as much pain as my body allows” confront personal responsibility without spectacle, tracing grief, shame, and longing through plainspoken honesty and vivid emotional clarity.

“With ‘MIS,’ I wanted to move away from the guitar-based formula I’m used to,” Schultz explains. “I was especially inspired by Joe Crow’s Compulsion EP, specifically the fugue-esque nature of ‘Absent Friends.’ I filled out the song with organ patches on Casio keyboards and layered harmonies while rounding out the low end with a string arrangement on double bass, which I later realized was a subconscious influence from songs like ‘Oh Well, OK’ by Elliott Smith.”

The track features Annie Schultz on vocals and keyboards, with Eden O’Brien contributing keyboards and double bass. Mixing and mastering were handled by Eros Faulk, whose understated approach preserves the song’s raw emotional core while allowing its arrangements to breathe.

“MIS” arrives as a natural progression from Schultz’s previous work, deepening the introspective songwriting that has earned critical praise from outlets including Wonderland, Under the Radar, Grimy Goods, METAL, Luna Collective, and CelebMix, who called Schultz “a voice that can make you fall to your knees and weep.”

With its funeral-paced tempo, aching harmonies, and unflinching self-examination, “MIS” stands as one of Annie Schultz’s most vulnerable and fully realized recordings to date.

“MIS” is out February 20, 2026 on digital formats via Trailing Twelve.

Written and Performed by Annie Schultz
Annie Schultz: vocals, keyboards
Eden O'Brien: keyboards, double bass
Mixed and Mastered by Eros Faulk

Press Photos: Zack Warpinski
Artwork: family photo, credit unknown

Press Contact: info@trailingtwelve.com

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© & ℗ 2026 Trailing Twelve. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized Copying, Reproduction, Hiring, Lending, Public Performance, And Broadcasting Strictly Prohibited.

Release Date: 20 February 2026
Release Title: “MIS”
Artist: Annie Schultz

Follow Annie: instagram

BIO

Annie Schultz is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Drawing influence from songwriters like Elliott Smith and Nick Drake, they craft a sound defined by thoughtful, modal chord progressions and an emotionally intimate vocal delivery.

Schultz grew up in the Twin Cities and began learning guitar at age 14. They attended a performing arts high school, which deepened their musical education and introduced them to Minneapolis’ DIY house show scene. During this formative period, Schultz developed a lasting admiration for the legacy of local icons such as Prince, The Replacements, and Hüsker Dü - artists whose influence continues to shape independent music well beyond the Midwest.

Later, Schultz relocated to Olympia, Washington to pursue a degree in audio production at The Evergreen State College. Immersed in the Pacific Northwest’s musical history, they became increasingly drawn to the introspective songwriting of post-punk and gothic acts like Joy Division and The Cure, discovering emotional through-lines between post-punk’s stark intensity and the vulnerability of acoustic songwriting.

Bridging the earnest immediacy of singer-songwriter traditions with the moody, angular sensibilities of post-punk, Schultz has developed a distinctive and emotionally resonant sound. Fans of Elliott Smith, Phoebe Bridgers, and Angel Olsen will connect with the contemplative, dream-like atmosphere of their work.

After graduating from university, Schultz returned to the Twin Cities, where they are reconnecting with the local music community and continuing to evolve their project through both solo and full-band performances.

Schultz’s debut label EP, It Bends Until It Breaks, received immediate recognition, garnering press coverage from Wonderland, METAL, Under the Radar, Grimy Goods, Luna Collective, Ones To Watch, and CelebMix, along with official playlist support from Apple Music.

PRESS & FEATURES

"A voice that can make you fall to your knees and weep." - CelebMix

“An emotive and introspective masterpiece that delves deep into the complexities of self-discovery and personal growth" - Wonderland

"Entices you effortlessly through its lyrical personality and melodic form of seduction" - METAL

"unwinds gently and methodically, sprawling over a spacious expanse of dreamy synth beds and tremulous guitar textures" - Under The Radar

"focused and stunning in minimal production, allowing space for visceral connection as the singer-songwriter's angelic vocals carry you on this introspective journey" - Luna Collective