anaïs shares debut EP ‘Before Zero’
Earlier this year, London-based Franco-Senegalese singer/songwriter, anaïs arrived with her brilliant critically-lauded first track Nina – an ode to her hero Nina Simone. Now the fascinating new artist is ready to release her excellent debut EP Before Zero to the world, featuring brand new single Set In Stone.

The EP features two more tracks: Window and a wonderfully moving cover of Charles Aznavour’s La Mamma.

On writing Set In Stone, anaïs says,
Back when I was living in New York my friend used to constantly tell to me “stop fighting the current”. I wrote ‘Set In Stone’ about that; the “fixed” mind-set that I had for so long about how things should and have to be. Once I let go and allowed myself to be more fluid, things began to drastically change in my life. Being in London, in the studio, living my dreams, and writing ‘Set In Stone’ was evidence of that.
Stream the EP below!
 
Anaïs was born in in Toulouse, France but of Senegalese and Italian origin. When her parents split and her father returned to Dakar, anaïs and her mother moved to Dublin. Not speaking any English she remained silent at school for 7 months until she had perfected the language without any French accent. Only two years later she was sent to spend time in Dakar with her father where again she couldn’t speak the language. Her mother moved again to Oakland, California where her encounter with African-American culture finally led Anais to feel she belonged.

She attended NYU where she studied at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, where her contemporaries and friends were Arca, Kehlani and Gallant - before moving to London in Spring 2015 and to start making both connections and music.

Her music – all written and produced by anais herself - balances a fine line between art and commerce. It’s the stories of a being young black woman in 2018 who has travelled extensively in her relatively short life and has often not had a place to call home. But while its socially and politically astute and intended to open a conversation, it’s also beautifully, compellingly accessible.