Anna Calvi
Outline
Anna Calvi is a singer-songwriter of darkly romantic songs with a dark edge, and an indie artist whose music displays a broad range of influences that includes blues, flamenco, and classical music (of the impressionist, Debussy-like variety). It was also very clear from the intro to the first song on her first album that she happens to be a bona fide guitar virtuoso. She has a powerful voice in the relatively low register that is reminiscent of PJ Harvey, as well as the slinky grooves that border on goth and gothic blues and give off ominous vibes like Harvey's work in the '90s. On the other hand, she also frequently inserts sweet, melodic fragments into her darker pieces, which gives the audience a quick lift every now and then. Her big, sweeping sound in her arrangements carries an orchestral quality and helps her set up the right soundscape. She was the artist behind the soundtrack for Peaky Blinders, seasons 5 and 6.
PJ Harvey, Gemma Ray, Nick Cave, Nadine Shah