ANJEL’S ‘BREATHE ME IN’ IS AN OTHERWORLDLY STORY OF LOVE + INTERVIEW
Hammering down on a human experience — like yearning for a crush — is ultimately relatable for everyone: and anjel explores this in new single “Breathe Me In.” The story of a sapphic romance is told through the eyes of the narrator (anjel herself) and how they wish to envelop the person they love.
Raised in a musical family in the Atlanta area, anjel has been pursuing music since the age of 3. anjel has been very open about her musical journey online, documenting herself learning guitar through Instagram, posting covers to TikTok, and sharing the writing and recording process. Her first single “Energy” was released in January of 2024, and she has released 7 more since then, including “Breathe Me In” this July.
Graphic by Paige Firsten / Image via Anjel
“Breathe Me In” begins with melodic vocals and a simple guitar track. This accompanied with anjel’s heavenly vocals draw the listener into a sense of security before the chorus chimes in with heavy drums and guitars — reminiscent of early 2000s pop punk and alternative bands that anjel has stated she takes inspiration from.
“She worships gently, bold and true / Like loving me were all she knew / Each sigh of pleasure, heart is calm / In her arms I wanna be here long,” anjel sings.
This track is an ode to your person, despite them not being yours. Someone you truly and earnestly wish to devote your entire being to, but are not fully there yet. There is a silent barrier between the two people, and it burns your insides when you are together. Battling two worlds of wanting to control the emotions you feel about a person and the desire to have everything exposed at once, anjel encapsulates this dichotomy perfectly. A craving to be one with this person in every sense: mind, body, and soul, that you want to be the air that they breathe.
“Breathe Me In” is niche yet universal in its story. While the song is about anjel’s own specific experiences, it resonates with the hearts of many. The dreamy, yet powerful, song is just one of many in her discography that have tugged on the heartstrings, and she is not stopping anytime soon.
Crave Music Magazine had the opportunity to talk with anjel about her recent singles, her musical background, and inspirations behind the music.
CRAVE: You have been surrounded by music growing up in a music-oriented family, who or what pushed you to start a songwriting and singing career?
anjel: Growing up in such a musical family is what solidified my love and natural talent for music. For as long as I can remember, singing is something I always had a gift for. I always put that to use through childhood & school . But beyond that musical background, I knew my career in music was a must because every aspect of it includes other hobbies of mine that I have a passion for. I fell in love with writing in elementary school. It might sound cliche or corny, but creative writing has always cultivated every part of my heart & mind. The hobbies of mine that I enjoy the most all have this same thing in common: it gives me multiple outlets of expression through its art. It brings me calmness. It’s like a release that I need to stay sane. As someone who has big big feelings and deep, elaborate thoughts; I need multiple outlets to be able to fully express myself and be satisfied. Writing does that for me. With writing, I can express myself through spoken poetry, just words on a page, or in song. That’s why I will forever preach that my music is a reflection of my mind. The multiple components of music help bring my creative mind to life. The melody is an extension of my emotion. The drums/bass create the pace and set the tone for that emotion, like a heartbeat. The lyrics express that said emotion through rhymes & figurative language. I get to play with my words and say things in more interesting ways than normal. While songwriting, I get to connect my real life experiences with my spiritual connection within myself and the earth upon me. I can connect my inner world to the beauty of nature and things I believe to be the most serene pieces of the earth. Once I get started, it just pours & flows out of me. To the point where it’s hard to control. And just like that, I get carried away and lost in my own writing. Which is equivalent to getting lost in my chaotic, yet beautiful mind. And I wouldn’t trade that feeling for anything.
CRAVE: What part of the songwriting and production process comes to you the most naturally?
anjel: In my songwriting process, I’d say making the melodies is what comes to me most naturally. When songwriting, I start by listening to an instrumental that I picked for the vibe I am going for. Then, I just let my voice lead the way from there. I sing whatever comes to mind. No solidified lyrics, maybe some good lines here and there, but mostly jibberish. But this part of the process is mainly laying the foundation for my writing. It’s like a mini jam session I have with myself to figure out the main melodies and cadences for verses and choruses, like creating the mold for the song. After I have that foundation, I then proceed to continue that vibe and emotion I created by spilling my heart out in lyric form. Filling the mold. Sometimes fitting all my thoughts into one small verse or line is difficult, but that also adds to the fun of it all.
CRAVE: The lyrics in “Breathe Me In” are very immersive, drawing the listener into a sense of wonder and fantasy. How do you come up with such vivid language, and what is the inspiration of said words?
anjel: Honestly, my biggest inspiration, not just for “Breathe Me In”, but for all of my songs; is my experience of love with my girlfriend . My favorite girl in the world. She is the muse and the inspo for a lot of my lyric spill. Love is such a beautiful thing to experience and I feel every aspect of it is something worthy to write about and share. I feel like I have gotten the privilege to experience the most beautiful love a person could ask for. I like to express my most memorable and genuine experiences, and being in love with her is my favorite of them all. And of course, with more songs to come and many different topics as well, I always tie it back to the love I have for her. I connect everything in my music because that’s how I genuinely feel. Every aspect of my life has, and is happening for a reason. Everything is connected and has deep meaning. I take pride in my lyrics because of how I can vastly express this one feeling of love in various ways. Specifically with “Breathe Me In”, I tapped more into the sensual side of my love with her. Love has so many layers and I wanted to highlight every one of those. I wrote “Breathe Me In” as a vulnerable way to express that physical side of love and how it pulls me in further and makes me feel as if “loving me were all she knew”. Fiery, passionate, gentle, and intentional; all words to describe this single and what it is. The title is a direct, yet bold expression of my desire and what the sensual side of our love feels like to me.
CRAVE: Were there any lines in particular that stood out while writing “Breathe Me In” that you knew 100% would be included in the song, or any lines that you feel embody the meaning of the story being told?
anjel: There are definitely a few lines in “Breathe Me In” that I feel like fully captures the meaning of the song . All of these lines were born during the 1st stages of my writing process. I built the rest of the song around them: “need to feel my feelings all— all till i cant take no more.” “ her breath, a tide that pulls me in her touch, a flame beneath my skin” “…like loving me were all she knew” “breathe me in and breathe me out baby love me like you mean it (uh) “silk slow devotion eyes like sacred fire” “each sigh of pleasure , heart is calm. in her arms i wanna be here long ""loves so pure there’s none could touch” “you’re my one desire.”
CRAVE: You have mentioned being a “future opener for Paramore” on social media before. Is Paramore a musical inspiration of yours, and what other musicians do you draw inspiration from?
anjel: YES! Paramore is an inspiration of mine. I love how intense and passionate their music is. The whole alternative/rock/indie genre is something I truly admire for the intensity and/or versatility of its sound. All genres of music inspire me, which is why I call myself a “multiversed” artist. My music taste is extremely extensive, I have always listened to the vast majority of everything you can think of. From Kpop to R&B & Soul to Rock and so much more. I don’t limit myself to one genre. I kind of see my music as eras. Whatever I'm feeling is what I create, and that could be put in ANY genre. So with that being said, some of my biggest inspirations have some things in common and some have absolutely nothing in common. Some being: Tame Impala, Miguel, Willlow, Rihanna, Zeke Bleu, Cafune, Mariah The Scientist, Halle, d4vd, Kendrick, etc.
CRAVE: You have performed live a few times recently in your hometown of Atlanta, what was that experience like for you?
anjel:Performing is something I want to be like second nature to me. The high anticipation of performing can become soooo nerve wracking for me, but honestly, those jitters add to my excitement to perform. I want to be a PERFORMER. I want performing, being on stage, to be a second home to me. My biggest goal right now as an artist is to perform as much as possible to get as comfortable as possible with myself onstage. The feeling is so exhilarating, awkward, enlightening, and scary all at the same time. lol. I see performing as the 3D way to express my music. Like yeah I did an outstanding job making the song, but how can I execute it the way I want to physically? How can [I] convey that message to the crowd? How can I express my musical expression through movement, emotion, and my body? These are questions I constantly ask myself before performing. I notice, in my recent performances, I do so much practicing beforehand and end up not executing anything I practiced when I actually get on stage. It’s a tough feeling, but I know not to be too hard on myself, as a new solo artist performer. Performing feels like a challenge; a challenge I will always be up for. Sometimes you just have to let the music lead you and learn from that every time. Learn what I do and don’t like, and what works for me. I know I'll get to a point where I am satisfied with my stage presence. So I'm really excited for that journey.
CRAVE: Recently you released another single “Reach Out,” what was the experience like creating that song and what did you learn from “Breathe Me In?”
anjel: Fun fact: I made “Reach Out” months before “Breathe Me In”. I just decided to drop “Breathe Me In” 1st (for no particular reason). But creating “Reach Out” was such a fun and raw experience. I usually write and create songs in the comfiness my bed. Which actually helps my ideas flow easier. I remember hearing the instrumental for the first time and letting my mind just speak for itself. I started with the chorus lyrics: “Reach out into the flame. Breathe out what you do not claim”. This is a lyric that is a reference to how I chose to live my life. I believe in “reaching out into the flame” by taking risks, going for it, living in the present, letting go and letting love. And after all that built up experience, you keep proceeding with life on a high frequency by “breathing out what you do not claim”. It’s like a philosophy. And that initial lyric shaped the rest of the song. I connected it to the curiosity people have of the world and themselves. And I connected that to what it’s like to explore that journey of life with the person you love. Again, I always circle it back to the love of my life. And that also adds to my concept of how everything is connected. Everything in your life leads you right back to where you need to be in that moment of time. Creating “Reach Out” felt like a big exhale. It was so raw and I created a sound to perfectly convey the idea of reaching for something and trying to grasp it. The way I wrote “Reach Out” really inspired my creative process for “Breathe Me Out”
CRAVE: Anything else you would like to add or promote?
anjel: Thank you all so much for having me and taking the time to listen to pieces from my discography & learn about my background and upcoming music career. This was fun to do. I do have more for yall coming soon. Be on the lookout for more music (consistently) for the rest of the year. But also be on the lookout for my 3rd ever music video. “My Filth” Official Music Video will be out SUPER soon
Listen to “Breathe Me In” & keep up with anjel:
Website / Spotify / Apple Music / Instagram / TikTok / YouTube
