Annahstasia’s debut album opens with a singular vocal – a fleeting moment before ‘Tether’ unfurls in all its exquisite, sprawling glory. Within this second of breathy solitude, she cements her philosophy as a songwriter, telling NME recently that “if you can’t strip a song down to its bare essentials and play it with one instrument and your voice, then it’s not a good song”. Here, this penchant for simplicity shines – her raw, unmistakable voice operating as the album’s unbudging anchor.
It’s been a long road to get to this point, and the journey is palpable, with ‘Tether’ the sound of an artist with something to prove. At 17 years old, Annahstasia took her first steps into the music industry and was quickly met by ghoulish exec figures keen to prod her into the shape of a palatable pop star, while dissuading her from making the folk music she longed to write. Now 30, her debut album highlights the sheer ridiculousness of those notions, flexing the vast scope of her artistry to those foolish enough to question her vision.
Here, she claims her rightful place as a pioneer of modern folk, propelling the genre to greater summits by weaving in moments of tense rock and intoxicating blues that constantly build to heavier, harrowing heights that just as quickly collapse into serenity like pale seafoam on a jagged shoreline. The result is an eclectic yet simultaneously streamlined record that balances the sweet, poignant lyrical observations of Labi Siffre and Joni Mitchell with the heavy sensuality of Sade’s ‘Love Deluxe’ and the immense vocal power of Nina Simone and Tracy Chapman.
And, after all these years, she has a lot to say. The punk-imbued ‘Silk and Velvet’ mimics the tumultuous internal monologue of attempting to create lasting art under capitalism with its ricocheting tempo and cutting lyricism: “Maybe I’m an analyst, an antisocial bitch/Who sells her dreams for money/To buy hеr silk and velvet.” Elsewhere, on intensely intimate ‘Villain’, she takes ownership of her wrongs, while the mesmerising ‘Slow’ enlists Nigerian musician Obongjayar for one of the album’s most romantic moments – their voices drifting weightlessly between each other over a glorious chorus of delicately plucked guitar strums, dreamlike harmonies and humming strings.
By the time closer ‘Believer’ comes around, it takes the form of a victory lap, with Annahstasia transformed into a fully-fledged rock star. Listening to her baritone growls interwoven with sludging baseline and heavy drums, it’s a mystery why a once-in-a-generation vocalist has spent almost half of her life trapped in a predatory, unproductive album contract. Perhaps now, though, Annahstasia has found peace in the process, with ‘Tether’ and all its weight and wisdom seeming to arrive right on time. “I’m going down in your history,” she asserts on ‘Overflow’ – and, listening, it seems unlikely that statement won’t come true.
Details:
- Record label: Drink Sum Wtr
- Release date: June 13, 2025