ON THE RISE
Anabel Itoha, originally from Barcelona, takes a courageous leap to relocate from Spain to NYC to pursue her music career. She mentions, “everybody kept telling me I was crazy, but when people tell you that, it’s probably because you’re really up to something.” She describes the depth of sacrifice you have to make to pursue your passion, but “if you really want something, you should just go for it.”
At an early age, Anabel’s primary school teacher noticed her powerful singing voice and pointed it out to her mother. Anabel shares that her family helped cultivate a path for her to explore her musical talents through concerts and performances throughout childhood. It wasn't until later when Anabel was fully invested in her dream, and the weight and reality of telling her mother, "No, Mom, I'm not gonna be a doctor; I'm gonna be a singer," truly sank in.
When reality hit, it took her family some time to accept her decision. Although they initially joined the chorus of “you’re crazy for moving out of the country—and to NYC, no less,” they still show their support. Moving to the U.S. was no easy feat, which involves more than just cultural adjustment. Despite visa challenges and navigating how to work legitimately on her music and with management teams, Anabel remained undeterred and kept pushing forward.
When asked to elaborate further on the challenges of breaking into the NYC music scene, she mentions having to create a name for yourself. It wasn’t just about adapting to a new culture; it was also trying to to keep up with the fast-pace lifestyle of New York City. With everything moving so quickly, you have to figure out your impact in a city full of hustle.
Part of making her mark in NYC involved collaborating with artists like Bronx rapper Capella Gray, which gave her a platform to blend R&B, Hip Hop, and Afrobeat influences with her Spanish lyrics. This fusion of genres, driven by her cultural and musical background, creates a truly distinct sound. She also shared the realization of feeling like she was in it and really forging a path when she collaborated with Quimico Ultra Mega, a well-known Dominican rapper. Much of the collaborative and nomadic artistry of her pathway has helped propel her creations and develop the uniqueness of her sound.
As she continues to explore her sound and open her heart, you can expect to hear the tenderness and fierceness of her love in her upcoming single "My Baby.”
“Through thick and thin, you’re always gonna be my baby,” she shares about the message behind the track. While the song focuses on the good times and reveling in the best parts of being in love, it also casts the importance of being truly in it with someone, no matter the trials and tribulations. Love can be complicated, but it's worth the twists, turns, and growth. The upbeat nature of the song and pop influences make it perfect music to celebrate the sweetness of being in love.
When asked what her favorite part of making this track was, she mentioned the opportunity for her to step out of her comfort zone and hit a new range of notes. She joked, “I will be the one to complain about something, while I’m doing it, but I’m still getting it done even though it’s hard.” She described the moment of realization— “Oh, I got this” when listening back over her recording and feeling the triumph of accomplishing something challenging and new.
Between catchy and heart-stirring melodies, a new range of notes, and a fresh take on love, you can expect to hear “My Baby” on September 13th on all streaming platforms.
Stay tuned on Anabel’s socials for the upcoming “My Baby” music video, and for more updates on upcoming releases!
ON THE RISE
Blossoms caught up with NME to discuss competing with The Beatles and Johnny Marr for this week’s Number One album. With ‘Songs From The Wedding Cake’ in the running, the band also explained why making things themselves remains such an important part of their work as AI becomes more common.
The Stockport group put out their sixth album last Friday, October 2. By the midweek update, it was sitting at Number Two, between The Beatles’ expanded edition of ‘Rubber Soul’ and Johnny Marr’s latest solo album, ‘The Age Of Everything’.
“It’s mad, to be honest,” singer Tom Ogden said to NME about the chart race. “Liverpool on one side, Manchester on the other and Stockport in the middle. If you’d told us this 10 years ago, when we were releasing our debut, I wouldn’t have believed you. But I mean, we’re in good company aren’t we?”
Discussing the stories behind the album, Ogden described ‘Songs From The Wedding Cake’ as “about being married and all the everyday stuff that comes with it”. He married Katie Donovan, the sister of Blossoms drummer Joe, in 2021. Married life has since given him a new appreciation for what he describes as “the extraordinary ordinary”.
“Saying the wrong thing in an argument, losing your wife’s no claims bonus, crying at the Kardashians, it’s all in there,” he explained. “The album is named after Stockport Town Hall, which everyone round where we live calls the Wedding Cake, and it’s where I got married, so it couldn’t be much closer to home.
“The last album [‘Gary’, 2024] had a song about a stolen fibreglass gorilla, which everyone loved, and that gave us the confidence to bring the same playfulness to this one, just with more personal subject matter this time.”
Alongside tracks that came out of writing sessions with Declan McKenna in a hot tub, the album reflects the band’s desire to stay involved in every part of the creative process.
“It started with the recording,” Ogden explained. “We made the album with Shawn Lee, playing live straight to tape, and once you’ve done it that way you can’t really go and fake everything else. We sat down as a band and picked the colour palette, and everything visual followed from that. We had body scans taken of ourselves and cake toppers of the five of us 3D printed, put them on a real cake and photographed it. I’ve directed and edited the videos, and the sets are all built by hand, no green screen. For the pop-up shop on launch weekend, a local artist hand-painted the album cover for the sign outside.
“It’s more work, but you end up with a world that’s yours, and I think people can tell when a band’s had its hands on everything.”
With AI tools and digital effects becoming increasingly widespread, that approach feels particularly relevant. For Blossoms, though, the motivation is simple: “the fun is in the making”.
“Tape doesn’t let you cheat and neither does a real cake,” Ogden said. “If a set’s a bit wonky, it’s because one of us or our mates built it. I think the more stuff gets generated, the more people want to know a human being actually did it. We’ve been in this band together for over 10 years, five lads from Stockport, and that isn’t something you can ‘prompt’.”
Maya Jama also appeared in the video for the album’s first single, ‘Meet Me In Love’. Her appearance came shortly before the UK launch of Celebrity Traitors, where she took on the role of a traitor alongside a cast that included Richard E Grant and James Acaster.
“She was brilliant,” Ogden recalled of working with Jama. “We’d met her at the MTV EMAs in Manchester a couple of years ago, so we took a chance and sent her a DM …and she said yes. Next thing she’s in a theatre in Cheadle miming my vocals while a load of people dressed as me serenade her. She got the idea straight away and was a proper laugh about it.”
The conversation then turned to whether he thought Jama could take home the win on Celebrity Traitors.
Ogden joked: “As for Traitors, she spent a whole day pretending to sing my song and I almost believed her, so I’d say she’s got every chance.”
Fans can listen to ‘Songs From The Wedding Cake’ now. In November, Blossoms head out on a UK arena tour with The Royston Club. Tickets and further details are available here.
Before the tour begins, the group is also scheduled to appear on SNL UK on Saturday, October 24.
