South London-based, British-Caribbean wordsmith and artist on the rise ADANNAY (she/they) releases her new EP Home Is Where You Make It, alongside the striking focus track ‘Love Her Anyway’.
Home Is Where You Make It is the rich and commanding result of ADANNAY’s most ambitious, political and personal project to date. Steeped in influences from her childhood and the melting pot of England’s capital, with nods to jazz, gospel, R&B, Afropop, and Caribbean folk, funk and soul, ADANNAY dives into themes of sexuality, identity, heritage, and political and social issues, eloquently exploring what, who or where ‘home’ is.
On ADANNAY’s deeply vulnerable track ‘Love Her Anyway’, the young singer-songwriter opens themself up to reveal a raw story of coming out to someone who doesn’t embrace them. Juxtaposed with a backdrop of tinkling xylophone, piano and ADANNAY’s impressive vocal range, ADANNAY studies the intersections of queerness and blackness, particularly those with a Caribbean background, and the contrast and nuances between these two identities. In the last portion of the track ADANNAY introduces an exhilarating full-band, gospel-influenced experience; a taste of what’s to come from her live shows.
In ADANNAY’s own words: “‘Love Her Anyway’ is about what it feels like to come out to someone you’re close to when you know they aren’t going to accept it. It’s about the feelings of fear and anxiety of the moment itself but also the reflection of defiance and self respect when you stand in your own truth. The song is nuanced. It’s about the nuance of respecting someone else’s journey and perspective even if you don’t agree but also having the self love and self respect to love who you want to love and do what you need to do to be happy.”