Here’s the latest video from alternative-folk singer-songwriter Anna May. ‘Elegy’ is a deeply personal song that captures May’s feelings of grief and loss in an intimate, reflective performance. With just her sweetly melodic voice and acoustic guitar, May draws us in, captivating us with a hypnotic tune and heartfelt words. The video was shot on a handheld camera by Taylor Hungerford in Sherman Oaks, California, creating a raw feel that matches the exposed pain and emotive lyricism of the song.
May says of the song: “When I sing ‘Elegy’, I am brought closest to who I lost. It is as if I can reach into the song and capture the special parts of him when I feel them fading. This song feels more intimate and more revealing than work I’ve done before. It is mostly sober and sombre, but I wanted to decorate it with some playful melodies that remind me of doo-wop. To me, this song really feels like San Diego and like a very short-lived sliver of pleasure. I am so happy to have this song, which would not have existed without the pain that I’ve felt, for all these months. I never thought that I would have to write a song like this one, and I resisted the difficult process. This was edited more heavily than other songs that I’ve written. There are conscious details placed throughout, specific to who it is written for and I am proud to have cultivated a sort of secret language. It is an instantly therapeutic and visceral experience as an artist to be present with a song like this. It means so much to me, and I hope that it can resonate for listeners and allow them space to explore the transcendent sorts of moments in their lives that oftentimes feel might not come back. This is to hanging onto them, in whatever raw and stark form we find ourselves. I wanted it to be the words for the silence after a breakup. It is an elegy for the most that I’ve ever loved and the most cruel that I’ve ever been treated.”
May has supported a range of artists, including Kacy Hill and Amythyst Kiah, as well as having performed at a number of festivals, such as Wildflower Music and Arts festival and Treefort Music Festival. In 2023, she was nominated for best Indie song of 2023 by Indie Boulevard Magazine and has featured on NPR’s Great American Folk Show. Her thoughtful lyrics and tuneful vocals make her an artist to look out for. Absorbing stuff.
