Continuing her unique spin on soulful pop-R&B sounds, multi-faceted NYC talent Annalise Azadian returns with her latest single “Life of the Party” – out via The Orchard and Cross the Line Records.
A milestone in Annalise’s career, being that it’s her first release not as a wholly independent artist, “Life of the Party” marries moody darker pop sounds with breakbeat influences, showcasing Annalise’s signature raspy, emotive voice and poetic storytelling. The track’s low-key but club-friendly beat, produced by Grammy Award winner Swagg R’Celious (H.E.R. / K. Michelle / Dawn Richard), is a sonic switch for both, but serves as an intriguing contrast to Annalise’s poignant and
metaphorical lyrics exploring solitude – demonstrating Annalise’s dynamic ability to traverse genres in order to tell her stories, always inspired by her personal and vulnerable feelings.
Over a year in the making, “Life of the Party” takes its final form as a deep and layered insight into the inner thoughts of Annalise’s wallflower personality, showing people that it’s ok to not always want to be a big person all the time and seek comfort with personal confidence.
As with all of her visuals, Annalise fully immersed herself into the concept and art direction for the “Life of the Party” music video. Beginning with a lively and colourful party vibe filled with huge personalities, laughter and dancing, the video slowly transitions to a truly breath-taking, contrasting final shot of Annalise all alone in a desolate desert, symbolising Annalise’s internal contentedness with being on her own.
“At 23 I am a bit of an enigma and I secretly hate parties. The song started as a soulful hook about standing out but not necessarily enjoying that limelight, whether in day-to-day life or, in this case, a party. Being an artist is all about putting yourself out there, yet I tend to find myself being the wallflower in crowded rooms. I sometimes wonder if this makes people gravitate towards me even more, hence the “All eyes on me” lyric; it had a feel-good vibe with an emotional theme.
When Swagg got involved, he loved the reference, and added his twist on it with a whole new energy and vibe to become more of a summer anthem, party song especially with the world beginning to open back up. I have been a huge fan of
Swagg and his work with H.E.R, who is an artist who I deeply admire. The opportunity to work on new music with Swagg really excited me as I knew he would want to stretch me out of my comfort zone and try new things. The video is fun, showcasing me being the “life of the party” but it also brings the lyrics to life where you can see my sometimes-distant persona.”
– Annalise Azadian
Hailing from New York and based in the Bronx, the Armenian / Irish artist worked hard to secure a place at the prestigious Berklee College of Music as a teenager – its alumni including industry stars like Quincy Jones, John Mayer and Charlie Puth. Moving back to NYC aged just 17 and determined to make it on her own, the skilled pianist and guitarist threw herself into writing and recording full-time, resulting in 2018’s project Untitled and slowly but surely getting her foot in the door in the music and fashion worlds.
The multi-talented artist has been building a buzz over the last few years for her unique spin on soulful R&B sounds, landing opening slots for industry heavyweights like Cardi B, Bebe Rexha and Bibi Bourelly during her career. With millions of streams to her name, “Life of the Party” follows on from Annalise’s well-received 2020 EP Six Weeks of Seven, the single “Bogu$” clocking up almost 2M+ streams on Spotify alone.
Her fanbase continuing to grow with each release, the 23-year-old has won over industry legends including Elton John, who proclaimed her as a “fabulous songwriter” during his Rocket Hour show on Beats 1, alongside acclaim from the likes of SPIN MAGAZINE amongst significant blog hype. Further expanding her international presence by linking up with Korean star Jooyoung on “Without You”, Annalise’s subtle but emotionally powerful vocals elevates every song to new levels, adding profound depth to her self-written lyrics.
With Annalise’s unique and distinctive style, inspired by a deep love of Japanese streetwear, she has also established herself as a true rising force in the international fashion scene; her gritty style landed her as the face of Tommy Hilfiger’s 2021 ‘Recycled Collection’, alongside previous brand collaborations with household brands like Apple, Converse, Adidas, New Balance Japan and Black Pyramid. Annalise also works closely with Billionaire Boy’s Club – the ultra-creative and futuristic clothing line started by Pharrell Williams – as a Creative Director, further imprinting herself as a multi-faceted talent on the brink of mainstream consciousness.
With an incredibly strong set of new music in the pipeline, as well as recently hitting the studio with the one and only will.i.am, “Life of the Party” proves that Annalise’s star is ready to shine brighter than ever before.
Watch “Life of the Party” Official Video
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