Anayka She – SHE [EP]

With the album SHE, singer Anayka She steps into her own, delivering songs that feel personal and direct against backdrops of mood-setting beats and melodies. The music carries that late-night-to-early-morn vibe, and her voice pulls you in, whether she’s whispering or going all in. Each track finds a way to keep your attention without shouting for it.

We start with “Coming,” a track that slowly draws you in, letting each note settle like a story that takes its time. Esteban “Cito” Crandle and Raymond “Ego” Cordero Martinez handle the production and leave it dripping with atmosphere—soft synths shimmering in the distance, creating a feeling of expectation where anything feels possible. Anayka’s voice glides over the laid-back beat like a warm breeze, with dampened bass drum thumps and rimshot clicks snapping clean. Playing it smooth, she slides between quiet confidence and something more seductive, teasing out every phrase and building a tension that sticks. The lyrics swim in late-night longing with lines like, “Don’t know who you came here with / But tonight, you’re coming with me” leaving you hanging in that space between wanting and having.

Another standout for me is “Berry,” which saunters in like it owns the place. It clings to you like the last bit of summer sweat, heavy with heat and carefree confidence. Ego Martinez lays down Fender Rhodes chords that roll in like clouds of smoke and finger snaps that pop in unpredictable patterns. Anayka masterfully flips the phrase “The darker the berry, the sweeter the juice” into both a celebration and a counterpunch, making this track a hip swaying flex.

If “Berry” strides confidently, “Mental Peace Is A Luxury” slows the pace and takes a breath, peeling back layers to reveal something deeper. The beat is restrained but potent, with soft lit synth strings and occasional acoustic piano touches humming in the back while a thick bassline carries the weight. Anayka’s voice melts into your ear, beautifully husky and unguarded, as she sings, “Might catch me happy on a Sunday / Might wanna die by next Monday,” and gently reminds us that, “Mental peace is a luxury.” The lyrics swing between moments of clarity and those darker moments in life, capturing the constant seesaw of fighting your own mind.

Later, the mood plunges into the depths with “Switch,” another personal favorite that steers head on into some of the most visceral lyrics and themes on the album. Everything about this piece moves and feels like a thick fog rolling in. The heaviness of the production presses down, but Anayka’s voice cuts through, flipping between soft confessions and cold-as-ice straight talk; admitting her faults while still pointing fingers. It could be that she is singing every line from her partner’s point of view, but it’s not hard to imagine that our sweet voiced leading lady is singing from her own experiences. Still, even in its most unremorseful cold-blooded moments, She keeps you locked in with every note.

Scattered throughout the album, tracks like “Touch,” “Mr. Right Now,” and “Ain’t No Way” hold their own without being overshadowed by the standouts. “Touch” bounces on a soulful house beat and Anayka’s warm tones, offering a smooth, laid-back vibe that’s easy to sink into. She pulls you in with lines like, “Love me like you breathe it / Suck me in then you release it / I love it when that feeling feels nice” and a sweat-slicked, hands-on-hips club vibe. But underneath, there’s a soft plea for something that doesn’t dissolve when the sun comes up. “Mr. Right Now” flips the mood, serving up playfully confrontational jabs as it lays into the games that fellas sometimes play, and “Ain’t No Way” slows things down, drawing on acoustic tones and a gentle bassline as our R&B starlet gets tangled up in issues of trust and openness.

There’s a real magic in how SHE builds its energy slowly, never needing to shout to make you feel it. It’s a cool nu-soul find that leaves its mark without forcing it, deserving to be played, shared, and talked about.

Connect with Anayka She via the links listed:
( Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Official_Site | Soundcloud | Spotify Threads | TikTok | Twitter | YouTube )