‘Is anyone listening?’ Anna B Savage croons on Dead Pursuit. On the second single since her acclaimed debut EP in 2015, the Londoner digs deep into her darkest emotions. Struggling with imposter syndrome and low self-esteem, she pours her heart out on the track. It is the fearless vulnerability that makes her voice so special. Unpolished and raw, Anna B Savage seems to be exorcising her demons through singing and writing.
Like on her previous single Chelsea Hotel #3, the artist’s voice takes the lead. Anna B Savage’s vocals are so magnifying they draw you into their world and swallow anything else around. That is why the stripped back instrumentation of only guitar strums fits perfectly. With a voice this raw and vivid, it does not need much else. The pained tale seems to go straight from the vibration of the singer’s vocal cord into the listener’s bloodstream. The accompanying music video by stop-artist Carolina Aguirre, is strange and beautiful in the same manner as Anna B Savage’s songwriting is;
“I’ve been a fan of Carolina’s style and output for many, many years. When she sent me the treatment for this video I cried. Her allegorical tale so perfectly expresses that feeling of a loss of confidence, and a questioning of identity. I feel an incredible amount of catharsis to have made something so beautiful and emotive from such a low point, and for that song to have prompted such an incredible, affecting visual companion.”
Every Monday we’re updating the 50-track-strong Listen AHEAD Playlist on Spotify, adding ten strong songs by sill relatively unknown artists at the beginning. This week’s new picks also include fresh songs from Halima, Evan Klar, JJ Draper, David Gaffney and other newcomers. Follow the playlist right here on Spotify and give these new talents a chance.