As the age of short-lived TikTok “moments” continues to become exhausting for audiences, there seems to be a much-needed shift on the horizon back to artists making more intentional art. While you may not be familiar with her name quite yet, Japanese-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter, Mai Anna, embodies exactly what one wishes to see with this change and stands tall as an artist to know throughout the remainder of 2023 and beyond. Leaving her lasting impression through her distinguishable vocal tone and eloquent storytelling, the singer-songwriter has an expansive vision for her music and visuals that I’m thrilled to be shining light on today.
Debuting her first all-encompassing rollout of the year, Mai Anna’s “Trash Bag” is the momentous catalyst that will set the precedent of what we can expect to see from her in the future. Originally brought to life in Brooklyn following a conversation about the pains of heartbreak with the track’s producer and guitarist, Charles Myers, “Trash Bag” delves deep into the realities of a heartbreak where remnants of a once-existing love are rediscovered. The exploration of post-breakup emotions and the internal struggle that follows is something that Mai Anna powerfully confronts straight on in “Trash Bag” and may lead you down a path way of tears for the brief 3 minutes and 40 seconds.
Flexing her visual acumen for the first time ever in full-length video form, this past week Mai Anna left us with one of the most convincing visual debuts you’ll see all year. Co-directed by Lewis Goodman and SOL, with the help of Mai Anna herself as the creative director, the three creatives put their brilliant minds to the test and delivered a riveting final product. Leaning into the concept of “trash” as emotional residue and memories of past relationships that Mai Anna explores throughout the song, we see Mai Anna’s handcrafted trash sculpture bring this idea into the physical. Incorporating mixed media by Kamila Santiago, we see a second character with Mai Anna throughout the video in the form of a silhouette who represents her vivid memories of her former partner. A thoroughly executed vision, the “Trash Bag” official video is not going to be a visual you’ll want to miss, so be sure to check it out using the link below: