Rising pop star Ananya couldn’t have chose a better time to release her debut EP, “i woke up one night”.
With mental health on the rise, the project plays around her trademark messages of vulnerability and the good in seeking help for one’s mental health.
The singer/songwriter, fashion creative, and mental health activist poured her heart and soul into the seven track EP and takes listeners on a journey into examining their own state of mind.
Recorded between Cape Town and London, the offering deep dives into mysteries of her inner thoughts, drawing inspiration from her dreams, nightmares and mental health journey.
“Making this EP has been a labour of love. It’s honest, vulnerable, empowering, emotional, all at the same time.
“It’s nightmares, and dreams, regrets and truths. It’s stepping into the best you that there is, because we’re not what we’ve been through,” shares Ananya.
She adds: “Words can’t describe how I feel to finally be sharing it. Your support means the world to me. Thank you for listening.”
The track list includes “Bad for you”, “I’m too nice”, “Gone (forever)”, “Moon”, “October”, “Macy Gray” and “I feel so new”.
According to a press statement, the opening song, ‘bad for you’, “encapsulates Ananya's empowered transformation, epitomising the strength one can glean from confronting painful truths head-on.”
This theme of self-discovery and assertiveness is carried further on “I’m too nice”.
“Here we see Ananya emphasising the idea of taking responsibility and the desire to express what you truly feel.”
Dreams and reality intertwine on “Gone (forever)”, while the evocative slow burner “Moon” sees Ananya unpacking the intricate and complex emotions of longing and helplessness.
The EP takes a reflective pause with “October”, a melancholic meander through past regrets, then delves deeper in “Macy Gray”.
“The journey ends with “I feel so new”, inspired by a harrowing dream-vision of a future gone awry.
“This track, however, isn't about despair; it's a triumphant anthem to reinvention and the indomitable human spirit, with Ananya reminding us of the boundless capacity to reshape our destinies, irrespective of past trials,” read the statement.
Watch the video.