Driven + Dangerous

You could never tell by looking at her, but Anna De Ferran grew up in a guy’s world. She can trace the fuel in her veins on her mother’s side, whose family published Formula 1 magazines in the UK, and her Brazilian father who won a little race called the Indy 500. It’s natural that the sound of a revving engine would be music to her ears, but songwriting claims 1st Place in her heart. Her second single, Drive, from her debut EP starts strong by sampling a roaring V-10 Renault engine. It then takes a melodic turn in the verse and chorus, while the low purr of the engine becomes less prominent yet constant throughout. The singer then switches gears with Cold Hearted Girl. If you didn’t know better, you’d say it sounds like a long-lost collaboration between Dido and Portishead. The low and slow beats layered by London-based producer, Matt Prior, are buried underneath her breathy vocals. It lends the track an ethereal quality, and proves that she’s more than a one-trick pony. Much like Penelope in Homer’s Odyssey, Anna advises her would-be suitors to leave their childish games behind. In Danger, she taunts, “Danger, danger you won’t know what hit you till you find you’re on the floor!” She’s posh, passionate and has a style that breaks conventional pop molds. Currently, she’s keeping busy writing songs in Portuguese and getting ready to release her second video. Keep your eyes peeled for her debut album later this year; AnnaDeFerran.com.