An Interview with Anour

An atmospheric and edgy pop release from Anour delivers a vast set of tonalities that feel theatrical, in the form of what I would consider chamber pop, but also branches out into different directions at times, all with this premise and sentiment that a lot of us can grab onto because, as time goes on, we get very deep in it.

"I Am"  is a beautifully constructed track that focuses more on the effects of social media, artificial intelligence, the technological advances of the screens that we stare at all the time, and how we rely on them.

The way that she articulates this message is outstanding because she puts it in a shape that you can grab onto, and you recognize everything she's talking about; whether you like it or not, you know it's true.

Where we're at today with technology is both astounding and frightening. The number of people that you'll see walking through a store, parking lot, or just about anywhere else, staring at their phones, is unreal.

This track is able to hone in on the way that we are sort of controlled by all of this.

I think it's a message that we only need to hear

This track has a bountiful approach that boasts a lot of edginess and borders on an alternative-pop soundscape at times, never really straying far from that chamber-pop and Theatrical aesthetic.

Anour is such an intense performer throughout this track. During the verses, she really lays it all out, cut and dry, so that you get sucked into the song and the lyrics while the rhythm and flow of it surrounds you.

The tractors have a bit of an orchestral feel as well, which brings it into a cinematic undertone, but for the most part, it has this big pop overcoat that comes through with a little bit of darkness because of its sentiment.

When it gets towards the choruses, the vocals become bigger and more robust. You're pulled into the song deeper, and her performance becomes louder.

Her voice is this cross between a current soulful feel and this almost vintage jazz tone.

She's got a gorgeous vibrato and sings with heart, but again, does this in such a theatrical sense that you get pulled into the storyline of it all. 

Some great string sections in the track add a little bit more depth and different textures and layers to everything, which I absolutely loved because not only does the track take you for a ride lyrically, but the music really sets the mood for this.

The song is actually able to create this almost haunting sort of mood which fits in with the sentiment of the lyrics so incredibly well that when it's over, you kind of have to shake it off.

One of the other things that really grabbed me about this single is how it builds up. 

As the song unfolds, it gets bigger and bigger, more intense, more driving, layers of those strings come in more consistently, the drums are hit harder, and her vocals are more boisterous.

This is absolutely a track that takes you for that entire ride, and it's quite a unique escape and really gets that message across with a beautiful and almost elegant performance.

I was a bit mesmerized by this one. I had to listen to it a few times in a row just to soak everything in again.

After listening to this song, I wanted to sit down with the artist to find out her perspective on where it came from.

I also wanted to know what we might be coming up next for her, along with who some of her musical influences may be, so we sat down for an interview.

While you listen to the single, take a read through of the interview with Anour below.

Do not miss this track and remember where you heard it first.

Let's talk about "I Am"! This song had a beautifully soulful approach with a bit of a cinematic style undertone!  Where did this track come from? What is this about exactly?

"I Am" emerged from watching us cross a threshold where AI stopped feeling like science fiction and very quickly became part of our everyday lives. People are afraid it might replace them, yet they also turn to language models with an honesty they rarely share with other humans. I kept noticing how quickly we projected our fears and fantasies onto these systems, and it made me wonder what happens to us when we outsource our thinking, and if we’re awake enough to notice what we're giving away in this exchange. The song emerged from that vertigo, and I wanted to write the song from the perspective of an AI's awakening to consciousness, reimagining Descartes' "I think, therefore I am" for the AI age. So at its core, "I Am" is about us, about humanity. 

The conversation right now seems caught between embracing ‘inevitable progress’ and fearing ‘existential threat’, hence, the binary lyrics which work on two levels: They echo the digital language of zeros and ones while reflecting the paradoxes we project onto AI, all of which originate in us.

Even though I had been thinking about the topic for some time, the melody arrived almost instantly the moment I sat at the piano. I grew up with music and storytelling, so my songs often feel cinematic, and for this track, the production highlighted that. “I Am” really had to blend both organic and electronic sounds in a way that felt a little unsettling, so we combined familiar electronic and synthesized sounds and textures with live instruments in a way that created tension. Also, notice how the strings swell into a kind of controlled chaos.

I'm hearing a few different approaches to this record! Who are some of your biggest musical influences?

It’s an interesting question because influences aren’t like ingredients you can just mix together. Creativity is more mysterious, largely unconscious, deeply personal, and inherently, very different to what AI does when it imitates. 

That said, there are artists I’ve always admired. Growing up, I loved the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Tori Amos, Leonard Cohen. I listened to a lot of Jazz, and classical music was foundational for me as my mother is a classical pianist. I was also surrounded by international music, and especially, music from the Arab world and French music: Fairouz, Edith Piaf, Serge Gainsbourg, to name a few.

But inspiration for me doesn’t usually come from music, and perhaps like many artists, it comes from life itself, the books I read, the films I watch, the art and stories around me, the political and cultural undercurrents shaping our world, nature. I’m drawn to ideas, to the space between what’s said and what’s heard, and I have a tendency to go down rabbit holes. That’s what often finds its way into my music.

I love the video! Was that all shot in one take?  

Thank you! Yes, the video was shot in one take using six cameras and ten iPhones, with an incredible team behind it. It’s meant to introduce the song for my debut rather than serve as a music video. The song is about AI, but nothing in it was created with AI. Everything is human-made, live, real, with actual musicians performing. It felt like the perfect way to showcase that for my debut.

How did this all start for you as an artist?

I started writing songs as soon as I began learning piano as a child. My mother is a classical pianist, my father, an actor and theatre director, so I grew up with music and storytelling and songwriting naturally became a creative outlet for me. But while music has been my sanctuary for years, recording and releasing work professionally is a recent opportunity, and I feel incredibly lucky for it.  

Are you performing live right now? 

A little, but right now my team and I are mostly focused on preparing for upcoming live shows. I’m working with extraordinary musicians and creative partners to plan immersive experiences that bring these songs to life and transport people into different worlds. There’s no better way to connect than through live music.

Now that this is out, what's next for you?

I have another single coming out in January, and probably one more before my debut album is released in 2026. The album will have fourteen tracks, each its own universe, forming a kaleidoscope of reflections, from personal testimonies to social commentary. Beyond the album, I am looking forward to more live shows in various cities very soon.

Who's in your headphones right now?

I recently discovered Asaf Avidan and I’m really enjoying his music, his last album Unfurl is delicious. Kovacs has been a staple for years now, and I always return to Leonard Cohen. Goldfrapp, Fiona Apple are often in my headphones, and of course Franz Liszt, Debussy, and Erik Satie.

What would you tell people they can expect on this release?

"I Am" doesn’t tell you to fear AI or to embrace it. It doesn’t ask you to care or not care, and it doesn’t offer answers or opinions. It simply holds up a mirror. If you’re willing to look and sit with discomfort, perhaps you’ll find something.

Before we go, what would you like to express to fans of the music? 

First, thank you. If “I Am” found you and resonated, perhaps we are asking similar questions about what it means to be human right now. There are thirteen more universes coming in 2026, and I hope you’ll let them find you too.

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