NEWCOMERS
Meet the Five Artists Making Magic With Anima Studios
If you’ve been watching any movies or TV shows lately, chances are that you’ve probably heard needle-drops by artists now represented by Anima Studios. From Ezi’s “Afraid of the Dark,” featured in After We Collided, to Ashley Sienna striking a sync deal with Disney+, the agency’s slate of musicians are putting out music that lends itself to the big and silver screens naturally. Founded out of the deep corners of the Big Apple’s bustling creative scene, the boutique agency specializes in platforming its ascendant roster of creatives across film, advertising, and editorial. To find out more, we invited five of their artists to take the Interview hot seat. Knowing first impressions are everything, they made sure to give a sneak peek of what they’re all about, revealing the chaos of their Notes apps and the first words they’ll deliver at heaven’s gates.
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SOLA
Photo courtesy of Eliza Adedeji.
Where do you go when you need inspiration? I go hang with the dinosaurs in Crystal Palace Park.
Who are you singing for? Awkward Black girls.
What’s one thing you’d say before entering the gates to the afterlife? Hell can’t be harder than that.
What’s your next move? Cutting myself off from society until I finish this album, then playing some live shows.
Describe your latest project in three words. Hypnotic, ethereal, haunting.
What’s in your system before you hit the studio? Chamomile and dopamine.
What does your Notes app look like? Chaos. I’ll leave five unfinished thoughts in the same note and have zero understanding of what I was trying to say when I look back.
Dead or alive, who’s your dream collaborator? André 3000.
What album changed your life? Dummy by Portishead.
Which of your songs represents your life currently? My song “Pink Elephants.” 2025 has been a blur, and I’m not sure how I made it to the end.
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STONIE BLUE
Photo courtesy of Matthew Yoscary.
Where do you go when you need inspiration? Within.
Who are you singing for? I wish I could sing.
What’s one thing you’d say before entering the gates to the afterlife? I’m on the guest list.
What’s your next move? Locking in.
Describe your latest project in three words. Curious, groovy, DIY.
What’s in your system before you hit the studio? Water.
What does your Notes app look like? Guest lists for parties and grocery lists for the crib.
Dead or alive, who’s your dream collaborator? Jamie Foxx.
What album changed your life? N.E.R.D — In Search Of…
Which of your songs represents your life currently? “Learn Something New.”
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LANA LUBANY
Photo courtesy of Karine Lubany.
Where do you go when you need inspiration? A café, a drive, a Pilates class—alone with my thoughts.
Who are you singing for? People who live in their head. And my inner child.
What’s one thing you’d say before entering the gates to the afterlife? Sorry I’m late—traffic was crazy.
What’s your next move? Trusting myself.
Describe your latest project in three words. Too short, sorry.
What’s in your system before you hit the studio? Tea, a rushed breakfast (because somehow I’m always late), and unhinged concepts ready to be written into song.
What does your Notes app look like? Chaos—but I understand it.
Dead or alive, who’s your dream collaborator? Someone decisive.
What album changed your life? Britney Spears — Greatest Hits: My Prerogative. I had it on repeat.
Which of your songs represents your life currently? “73T (Hil An Tizi)” — “get off my ass” in Arabic. Finally a thought I didn’t censor.
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ASHLEY SIENNA
Photo courtesy of Ben Allen.
Where do you go when you need inspiration? I don’t really have a “place” I go. Inspiration is more like a setting I slip into. It’s whatever is happening in my life, filtered through my imagination. I romanticize everything—if something breaks my heart, it becomes lore; if something makes me feel powerful, it becomes a new world. My brain turns real moments into a magical storyline, and that’s where the songs come from.
Who are you singing for? Honestly, I write for myself first. You know that feeling when you’re hunting for a new song and nothing hits the exact emotion you’re craving? I got tired of searching, so I started making it. I’m always chasing that feeling. I write music to create sensations, and when a song makes me feel something intense, I trust it’ll hit other people the same way.
What’s one thing you’d say before entering the gates to the afterlife? Am I getting upgraded wings, or are mine already iconic enough?
What’s your next move? I just launched my second artist project, CRYSTAL FREAK, which is purely manifestation music—songs designed to shift your mindset and your reality. Now I have two lanes: Ashley Sienna is my angel-rave, dark dance-pop universe, and CRYSTAL FREAK is for anyone who treats music like a spell. Basically, I’m doubling the output: double the music, double the world-building, and double the chaos.
Describe your latest project in three words. Ethereal, sexy, fun. Angel energy, but a little dangerous.
What’s in your system before you hit the studio? A plan—always. I like showing up with a universe already built. I’ll jot down poetic lines or a messy list of words that capture the feeling I’m chasing. Then I make a Pinterest board (my favorite app ever) to lock in the visuals and mood, plus a few reference songs to guide the production. When the lyrics, imagery, and sound all point in the same direction, the session flows, and we usually leave with a full song by the end of the day.
What does your Notes app look like? A beautiful disaster. It’s about 80% song ideas, 10% emotional diary entries, and 10% to-do lists I’ll never complete. Random lyrics, words I’m obsessed with, phrases I hear in conversation—and sometimes timestamps from songs that spark something.
Dead or alive, who’s your dream collaborator? Billie Eilish, forever. She’s my favorite artist and the reason I started making the kind of music I make. I love how she pushes boundaries without needing to be loud—she can whisper and still feel massive. That kind of power means everything to me.
What album changed your life? When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? changed everything. It pulled me into dark pop and showed me that music could be eerie, beautiful, intimate, and huge all at once. After watching The World’s a Little Blurry, I went to my room and wrote my first dark pop song. That album didn’t just inspire me—it defined my artistic world.
Which of your songs represents your life currently? “ANGEL IN THE CLUB.” Not because I’m partying 24/7, but because it captures the phase I’m in—independent, magnetic, and powerful. Soft and ethereal, but fully in control.
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EZI
Photo courtesy of Matthew Yoscary.
Where do you go when you need inspiration? I get bursts of inspiration when I’m a passenger princess in a moving car.
Who are you singing for? Honestly, myself. It’s the best way I know how to self-soothe.
What’s one thing you’d say before entering the gates to the afterlife? Damn, that was crazy. Don’t know if I’ve got another one in me.
What’s your next move? Paris—for men’s fashion week.
Describe your latest project in three words. Cinematic, self-indulgent, internalized homophobia.
What’s in your system before you hit the studio? A flat white and my last therapy session (shoutout to Jennifer).
What does your Notes app look like? I currently have 3,483 notes. They’re moments of genius, to-do lists, one-word reminders, and several versions of texts I was too nervous to send—sometimes all in the same note.
Dead or alive, who’s your dream collaborator? Lady Gaga. I saw her live in LA and felt my blood leave my body when she walked on stage.
What album changed your life? Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus. That shit was iconic. One year for my birthday, my sister burned the CD with the artwork printed out and her “real autograph” on it. I played it on loop.
Which of your songs represents your life currently? “Play God.”
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