Annie Mack is full of soul – within her rich vocals, poignant lyrics, her strong production, and her immaculate musicianship. Hailing from North Minneapolis, Annie is a blues/roots musician that incorporates influences of folk, rock, and country gospel, all of which are prevalent on her latest project, Testify. All of Annie’s individual talents shine on her new EP – not only is she the artist, she also co-produced and wrote each of the tracks.
Mack also had the support team of co-producer Matt Patrick (Jeremy Messersmith, Reina del Cid, Cory Wong), guitarist Jeremy Ylvisaker (Andrew Bird, Jenny Lewis, Justin Vernon, The Suburbs), drummer Noah Levy (Mason Jennings, Mandy Moore, BoDeans, Brian Setzer), bassist Aaron Fabbrini (Romantica, Vicky Emerson), and joining Mack on the background vocals are venerated jazz and R&B vocalists Tonia Hughes and Sara Renner. Mack calls Testify her “love letter to black women,” and it truly shows in the team’s artistry in each and every song.
The 5-song EP as a whole is incredibly powerful, but the standout tracks include the opener, “Testify,” a gospel empowerment anthem, and “Get on the Train,” a song Mack wrote about self-love. Like every other song on the EP, “Testify” and “Get on the Train” are well-produced, musically thought-out, and Annie Mack’s vocals are consistently gorgeous.
Annie wanted to convey defiance in the EP and stated, “This was my defiance to murder and death being used to silence and to instill fear in black people,” Mack says. “The protests were happening just miles away, and the city was in the process of healing. Our work took on an even more purposeful intention–to create something strong and beautiful and Black from Minnesota.”
Testify is raw, honest, and stunningly uplifting. Annie Mack created the perfect musical work for what our world and society is facing right now, and her sound is a breath of fresh air. Her immense talent and passion for her music permeates the entirety of the work, and the message of Black strength and beauty was easily conveyed in the making of Testify.
For the latest news about Annie Mack, follow her at her website https://anniemackmusic.com