London-based New York R&B-pop singer, songwriter and producer ANISE has spent the large part of the year teasing us with exquisite new singles like ‘Toulouse’, ‘Obey’ and ‘Kinfolk’ in the lead up to her highly anticipated debut EP titled BLACK EVE. Along the way, the Black American songstress has been championed by global tastemakers such as Wonderland, PopMatters, Earmilk, PAUSE Magazine, SingersRoom and KAZI Magazine, to mention a few. On October 14, ANISE finally unveils the 6-track Black Eve EP, on the back of only just revealing the title track a few weeks ago to rave reviews and critical acclaim from fans and critics alike.
Written and produced with her longtime collaborators Alex Dopierala and Terell ‘Tee’ Farrell, who have also worked with the likes of MIC Lowry, Sub Blue and Kayla Grace, ANISE’s Black Eve EP explores themes of independence, womanhood, and authentic empowerment, while also extolling the virtues of following your Divine Feminine intuition. Sonically, the project sees ANISE weaving through R&B, pop, soul and even trap music to glorious effects, with her soulful intoxicating melodies, lush vocal harmonies, soothing warm tones and poetic songwriting taking centre stage.
From the title track ‘Black Eve’, which sets the tone and sees ANISE paying homage to Divine Feminine power as the ideal response to brutality and violence against black bodies, and the beautifully lush slow burner ‘Toulouse’ over which ANISE offers an exquisite ode to wanderlust and love, to the sultry sensual bedroom number ‘Obey’ that turns the concept of submission on its head while promoting intimacy and freedom, the infectious trap-pop anthem ‘Kinfolk’ celebrating friendship and community, and the gravity-defying ‘Grades’, which offers a lyrical sound bath to promote reflection and inner peace, her Black Eve EP makes for an enthralling listen from start to finish.
Speaking about the inspiration behind the record, ANISE says, “I see this whole project as the fruit of my Saturn Return – the culmination of a few years of rediscovering and redirecting, as well as spiritual, mental, and emotional growth. By peeling back the layers, I’ve gotten in touch with the parts of myself that were yearning to be expressed. For me, this ‘Black Eve’ EP represents a reawakening to myself, my power, my womanhood, and my Divine Feminine strength. In its musical feel, each song on the EP represents the five elements of nature – water, air, earth, fire, and space. I’m a very visual musical artist and so it was important to me to translate this concept to both the album cover and the mini-doc I made for my fans accompanying this release. The making of this album transformed me, and as my first musical project, it will always be incredibly special”.
Originally from New York, ANISE moved to London in 2018 to hone her artistic craft further, and it was here that she developed her sensuous soulful sound, soothing warm vocal tones, intoxicating melodies and poetic songwriting dexterities. Over the past year, ANISE has been working on her debut EP Black Eve, which arrives on October 14, exploring themes of independence, womanhood, intimacy, empowerment, and community, while leaning into her new life in the UK to inspire her artistry and shape her craft, like legendary Black American artists Eartha Kitt and Josephine Baker before her, who found their music home and creative spark in Europe.
