Songwriter Angélica Allen Crafts Avant-Pop with a Dreamy, Danceable Twist
Bristol-based, New York-bred Angélica Allen crafts dreamy yet danceable Avant-Pop with her project My Midnight Heart. Combining ethereal harmonies, hypnotic drums, and surreal soundscapes, she self-produces a brand of Alternative R&B that is equally reminiscent of Janet Jackson as it is Kate Bush.
Following the success of her previous work, including a tour supporting Tegan and Sara, opening slots for Solange, Blood Orange, and Foxes, and features in publications like Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, and Vice Magazine—Angélica retreated from performing to focus on music production and sound design to be able to fully control her sound along its journey from conception to completion.
Exploring various expressions of her art while the world tumbled into chaos during the pandemic, Angélica cultivated a singular and sacred sonic space through her music production which evolved into a multi-sensory presentation of her work.
Each forthcoming release will be offered in multiple formats including remixes, visuals, and a variety of physical and sensory offerings that the listener can experience both from home and through intimate performances. These carefully crafted installations blur the line between digital and organic, viewer and performer, art and wellness.
The first installment is “anew,” a track written when Angélica was pregnant with her second child and grieving the woman she had fought to become. The songwriter confides, “Four years after my daughter’s birth I had only just begun to feel like myself again. My brain, my body, my blood finally felt like they belonged to me. I decided it would be my year. My moment. But when I realized I was pregnant with my son, I knew I would have to start the journey all over again.”
“anew” speaks about how pregnancy and early-motherhood requires an ego-death. It is a completely devotional practice; sacrificing all of yourself for the survival and happiness of someone else. Angélica continues, “I struggled so much reclaiming my identity with my firstborn, I wrote this song wanting to allow myself to enter a speculative space where I gave of myself easily… Opening to the possibility of being alchemized in the process.” The hypnotic release enters with crystallized vocal synths and oscillating beats, creating an ethereal and iridescent atmosphere. The music video for “anew” presents a fresh take on motherhood, featuring a montage of lofi videos that depict Angélica’s pregnant body in a darker, more futuristic style. This artistic approach challenges traditional portrayals of pregnancy, offering a bold and innovative perspective that is both edgy and alluring.
Accompanying the release of “anew” is a new series of modern meditative practices that Angélica has created called My Midnight Rites. These multi-sensory in-home rituals are aimed to complement, intensify and completely transcend the traditional listening experience. Speaking about the offering made specifically for “anew” the artist explains, “It’s inspired by my own mental health journey and a way to break through the two-dimensional and distracted listening environment we’ve all grown accustomed to.” My Midnight Rites can be purchased through the My Midnight Heart website and through Spotify’s merch integration.
You can watch the music video here:
You can connect with Angélica Allen on Instagram @mymidnightheartisyours, and X @MyMidnightHeart