Raised in the Bay Area, schooled in New York City and currently based in London, French-Senegalese artist anaiis draws from a borderless cornucopia of influences when creating her art, and her latest project — the anaiis and Grupo Cosmo EP — draws its influences from Brazil and Venezuela, namely a vibrant blend of rock, bossa nova and ’70s psychedelia.
Created in collaboration with Grupo Cosmo as well as Brazilian artists Sessa and Luedji, the project explores a wide variety of themes from Black identity to the beauty of the natural world and motherhood. According to anaiis, this spirit was captured by being present and working in an analog fashion, no modern technology needed. “We spent days on the beach, sharing meals and stories while creating together,” she says. “Every track was recorded live to tape, no computers, and by the end of a week we had an album that truly captured the spirit of the moment.”
“Honeydew,” the project’s centerpiece and lead single dives into the experiences of motherhood, while “B.P.E” is a salute to global liberation movements and Black identity. Across the seven tracks on anaiis and Grupo Cosmo, listners are treated to an emotionally moving journey — one that they’re guided on by anaiis’ gentle-yet-powerful touch.
To accompany the relase of the project, anaiis created a video for “B.P.E.” that. much like the EP itself, was shot on analog film. “I wanted the film to explore the ways in which tradition and culture are passed down in this very universal and iconic way but also to invigorate the viewer with joy. The song is a celebration of Blackness, and it was important for me that the film captured the power of our spirit as a collective,” she says.
Stream anaiis and Grupo Cosmo now.
