The past year has taken English singer-songwriter Anna Calvi to new heights off the back of her much-lauded third album 'Hunter'.
Released in June 2018, 'Hunter' is Anna's exploration of freedom, identity and gender that has earned her acclaim from fans and critics alike as she's toured it across the world. “The response has been great, it was a very important record for me,” Anna says.
“I felt very passionately about the themes that I was discussing in it to do with female pleasure and not being restrained by your gender, and trying to make a record that felt liberating, free and galvanising. When I play it live that really comes to life and it's a really great record to play live. So it's been really fun to tour this record.”
The third chapter in Anna's discography, 'Hunter' represents a crucial step in her evolution as an artist and songwriter. “Every album feels really important when you're doing it,” she explains.
“I spent some time between the second and third album, and I took my time with this record and waited until I had songs that I really thought were right and I didn't rush the process. That also made me feel more nervous when I was putting it out because it felt even more important because I'd spent so much time on it.”
Anna released her self-titled debut album in 2011 followed by sophomore album 'One Breath' just two years later. In the five years between 'One Breath' and 'Hunter', Anna says she underwent great personal change and development that provided an emotional basis for the songs on 'Hunter' and made it her most vulnerable offering yet.
“I moved to France and I was falling in love with someone, so in that way it was a very positive time and a time of discovery,” she says.
“I think that helped with the writing in that it made me more playful and it also made me want to go out of my comfort zone and try things that I hadn't done before. It encouraged me to write form the most honest, personal point-of-view because I felt quite open in my life – open to new experiences, which made me want to be more honest in my lyrics.”
Anna is finally coming to Australia with 'Hunter'. “I'm really excited, I can't wait,” Anna says of the upcoming live run. “I really wanted to play this record in Australia, so I'm really excited to be coming back.
“There will be some older songs and a lot of the new record. It's a very visceral show more so than before, I guess because these songs demand more from me in terms of more emotions and more rawness in terms of how I behave on stage. It's quite different to what I've done before.
“It's kind of rejuvenating and exhausting at the same time. I guess that's always how it feels when you play live because you give so much but that's a really amazing, liberating feeling so it's not like it drains you, but you are physically tired at the end for sure.”
