Nashville’s not just about twang and tears anymore—it’s about to get a seismic, transatlantic shockwave courtesy of Anana Kaye. With her debut single “Cordelia,” lifted from the impending album ‘Are You There?,’ this Georgian-born force of nature doesn’t only enter the room; she kicks down the door with a boot heel made of truth and a disco beat.
Kaye cut her teeth in the deep, storytelling musical traditions of the Republic of Georgia, a heritage that bleeds into every fibre of her work. She landed in Nashville and started melding that rich history with Americana, folk, and alternative rock, so she’s no rookie. She’s traded licks with Americana pioneer David Olney, lent her talents to The Waterboys, and shared tribute album space with giants like Steve Earle and Lucinda Williams. The woman has pedigree and she’s got guts.
Now, she’s teamed up with Meridian (ECR Music Group) and her long-time co-conspirator Irakli Gabriel to drop “Cordelia.” Let’s talk about that track. Kaye pulls inspiration from the most rock ‘n’ roll character in Shakespeare’s King Lear—Cordelia, the one who refuses to play the bullshit game of flattery. In Kaye’s own words, she’s exploring “the clash between raw truth and seductive illusion.” How does she do it? By slamming those timeless, heavy themes against what she describes as a “disco beat with adventurous arrangements.” Think about that for a second. This isn’t a safe, acoustic ballad. This is a bold, genre-smashing move. It’s the equivalent of a leather jacket over a traditional Georgian chokha—utterly insubordinate and cool as hell.
Anana Kaye isn’t asking for permission. With Irakli Gabriel in the trenches with her, creating this ambitious sound, she’s building a whole new road. “Cordelia” is the first brick. Sophisticated, savage, and soaked in the kind of authentic spirit that the rock scene has been thirsting for.