Sultry pop-R&B singer and songwriter from New York, ANISE relocated to London in 2018 to better her artistic craft. After moving halfway across the world, it was here that she honed her sensuous soulful sound and poetic lyricism. With her brand new sultry “Obey” music video, London-based Black American pop-R&B singer promotes connection and freedom.
Introducing Director Anise…
For the official visual Anise takes over the director’s seat, as she delivers an artistic expression of the physical and mental bliss that comes with intimacy, whether with yourself or with another. As a result, she showcases the various sides of ANISE — storyteller, introspective, dancer, playful, and fierce.
Written and produced by Anise, Alex Dopierala, and Terell ‘Tee’ Farrell, “Obey,” is all about surrender and flipping the concept of submission on its head. She embodies the virtues of intimacy and freedom throughout the song. Driven by her sensory lyrics overflowing with religious metaphor, soulful intoxicating melodies, lush vocal harmonies, and soothing warm tones.
“Obey” and Its Significance
When speaking about the inspiration, ANISE says,
“The song is all about the trust that comes with the deepest levels of intimacy – both physical and emotional/mental. When you fully trust, there’s so much power in surrender, and submission doesn’t at all have to mean subjugation. I was raised Catholic and there are a lot of Christian values I still subscribe to. As I got older, my spirituality expanded past the parameters of religion, so I really like playing with religious metaphor in my songwriting. The chorus, for example, is an allusion to Moses’s parting of the Red Sea: a moment of climax but also a moment of complete surrender. The song is obviously about sex, but it’s about much more than that too.”
The Inspiration Behind The Visual
As for the music video for ‘Obey’, where she steps into the director’s chair, ANISE adds:
“This is my first music video and it was really important to me that I was as much of myself as possible in the visuals, so you’re getting to see a few sides of ANISE – the storyteller ANISE (who does a good deal of the lyrical narration in the purple scene), introspective ANISE (the red scene represents intimacy with oneself, which is why it takes place behind a veil), playful ANISE (who loves performing and entertaining an audience in the negligée scene), dancer ANISE (the blue scene is full of movement; movement is healing after all) and fierce ANISE (the catsuit scene represents inner-knowing; life is a jungle but I’m the Queen of this one life I got).”
What’s Next?
Recently, the diverse songstress has been working hard on her debut EP, Black Eve, which is set to be dropped in September. On the new project, Anise explores the themes of independence, womanhood, and empowerment. In doing so, she draws inspiration from her new life in the UK, just as legendary Black American artists Eartha Kitt and Josephine Baker did before her when finding their passion for music in Europe.
At the start of the year, ANISE teased us with a sample of her Black Eve EP. For example, in the form of the exquisite “Toulouse” single. Now, she returns with the stunning new music video for her latest trendy track “Obey.” Take a look below here at KAZI Magazine!
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