Anna Wolf – South Africa’s answer to Florence Welch drops her launch single ‘Believer’ and announces her arrival in the UK in dramatic style.
Before you read this, I want you to stop and think. How many famous South African musicians can you name? The only one we could think of was Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Isn’t it time we all looked a little further afield to discover new music?
Anna Wolf arrives in the UK with a jet stream of hype
Debut releases rarely feel as exciting as this one. Anna Wolf has landed in the UK with a jet stream of hype fueled by iTunes’ decision to premiere the video for Believer, this doesn’t happen to too many unsigned artists. iTunes may have had the first play, but we are delighted to be the first blog.
Anna Wolf – Believer
Believer is a powerful track that expertly trades pounding drums against acoustic strums. Wolf’s captivating vocal flits between fragility and steely intensity. She plays her character well – like the dark, errant and seductive lost sister of Florence Welch.
The accompanying, video ups the intensity even further, it’s dark, occasionally uncomfortable but always compelling. It’s no surprise that Believer by Anna Wolf was born from a dark place.
A troubled childhood
Wolf was born in Pretoria, South Africa to a nurturing mother and a troubled father. Her childhood was anything but stable, with her father’s demons forcing the family to live a nomadic lifestyle often leaving town at the drop of a hat.
Rather than accepting her fate and simply becoming the victim of her circumstances she channeled her energy and passion into music, determined to break the silence over domestic violence.
“As a child I hid away a lot, either under beds or in trees. I escaped by using my hands and body to melt and hide into my own skin. I use to listen to music then. Music became my armor, my strength. Soon enough, I realised that it was safe for my skin to come out and breath.” Anna Wolf.
The birth of Anna Wolf
After 2 minutes 45 seconds, Wolf delivers the lyric “Now I leave my past behind” and it’s hard not to feel a collective sense of cathartic release. With this release, Anna Wolf has done what she set out to achieve.
In 2018, Anna left South Africa and followed her heart to London, where one night she took her guitar to the bathtub and recorded herself performing a song on her cell phone by stomping her feet against the tub.
Anna Wolf & Pete Boxta Martin
She sent the demo to producer and remixer Pete Boxta Martin, (Missy Elliot, Jessie J, Sugababes) who offered her an artist development deal on the spot and summoned her to the iconic Matrix Recording Studios (Adele, Lana Del Rey).
That week they recorded ‘Believer’ and three others that will be released as part of her debut EP in the coming months. Some of the noise Wolf made in the bath even made it into the final mix.
We look forward to hearing more from Anna Wolf.
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