Artist To Watch: Ani Hastings

BY AMY SCHWARTZ

Songwriter, Singer, Rapper, Freestyler: Ani Hastings is one to watch to say the least. Having started her music career in 2020 with just a phone, laptop, and Bandlab; her evolution over the past three years has been incredible. These humble beginnings lead into creating her first two projects, an EP entitled “Ani Unhinged, Vol. 1” and an album entitled “A1 Nostalgia,” both released in 2022.

“I made 17 songs all consisting of different genres and flows just to see what style I liked best,” says Hastings on her initial writing process. “I think my writing style and freestyle capabilities have evolved really well. I’m a lot more relaxed now and I’m just having fun with word play and storytelling.”

While her musical ambition to become a solo artist has only come to fruition within recent years, Ani explains that her pull towards music didn’t come out of nowhere, “Ever since I was younger, I was always interested in music,” says Hastings. “I started writing around eight or nine years old and filled five or six notebooks with songs, phrases, and poems.” Her expert lyricism has been years in the making.

The pop sound and uplifting beats in her music are reflective of the lyrics themselves. “My songs are mostly about elevation and overcoming obstacles that I’ve had in life,” explains Hastings . The importance of storytelling through her music is of utmost importance during the writing process.

The inspiration for her songs remains the same through each project, but her execution is ever-changing. While Hastings’s first EP, “Ani Unhinged, Vol. 1,” was created in one studio session, the creation of her debut album “A1 Nostalgia” went through a much longer and thought-out process. “I went through many studio sessions to ensure everything sounded right and was in pitch. I made sure my features were able to be satisfied with their parts,” says Hastings. These careful considerations lead to a 16-track emotive, melodic rap/pop record about Ani’s life.

While her past work is certainly a gleaming example of her talent, this next album is going to highlight her strengths as an artist beyond what she’s already shown. “This album is going to be about changes, adapting, relinquishing negative energies, and having fun.” says Hastings. Ani Hastings’s untitled sophomore album is set to release this summer, and her first single of the record, “Big Bucks,” will be debuting on February 22.

Ani Hastings’s recent releases showcase striking examples of a young artist who’s bound to be a sensation.