You could say Annahstasia Enuke’s art starts with her intimacy – the lyrical generosity, her stage presence. Her uncontrived songs breathe life into old topics of daring to want more, grieving the loss of old lovers and old selves, and humanising our souls in an age of automation and artifice. 

In some ways Annahstasia’s striking presence is enough. At ease with improvisation, and with her set, the glances she casts at the audience seem just as much a part of the performance as her lyrics and execution. 

Brought up in Los Angeles, the 30-year-old’s fully formed vocal talents were met with bids to manipulate her natural voice. Avoiding this path fraught with dissatisfaction and subservience to the trend driven pop music industry has been key to her development as an artist.

Singing songs from her first studio Album 2025   ‘Tether’ – they are ruminations on independence and a desire for closeness. A highlight was the song ‘Satisfy Me’ – 

The lyrics ask of us ‘what do I deserve?’ – and as she spoke candidly between songs about how the world seeks to extract our humanity. In a world of extraction, it’s important to feel human intensely. And through her performance we are invited to imagine what that humanity feels like.

It seems her own songs re-instills her humanness where the forces of extraction can sap us of our humanity. Her songs  are about  the courage and discipline to be kind and compassionate – to ask more from life  and to love ourselves no matter what.

The Perth Town Hall is an amazing historical location, and the sold-out venue was packed with new listeners and plenty of established fans. What a beautiful location to hold such brave and contemporary folk-rock music!

Annahstasia has an imaginative way of using language and her vocal range triumphs.  This life is not a dress rehearsal, she seems to say. Comfortable with the presence she offered, it was an intimate experience as she spent lengths of time gazing at individuals in the audience.  She brought something new to this town and we lapped up instantly.

The standing ovation by  old and new fans was thoroughly deserved. With a rich, raspy voice – and a familiarity with falsetto that is equally astounding  – Annahstasia is a consummate performer whose music invites us to make sense of her inner life and courageous risks of the heart.