ANOHNI and the Johnsons Present “Why Am I Alive Now?” With Video Directed By Hunter Schafer

British-born, New York-based ANOHNI, “one of our generation’s greatest protest singers, or protest songwriters” (NPR’s All Songs Considered), presents “Why Am I Alive Now?” the new single/video from ANOHNI and the Johnsons’ forthcoming album, My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross, out July 7th. “Why Am I Alive Now?,” ANOHNI asks, her ever-emotive vocals resting atop a bed of lush instrumentation co-produced by Jimmy Hogarth. “I don’t want to be witness/Seeing all of this duress/Aching of our world/Why am I alive now?” As the song continues, ANOHNI’s voice is both subtle and powerful. The accompanying “Why Am I Alive Now?” video, directed by Hunter Schafer, is expansive and cinematic. In her second-ever directorial endeavor, Schafer creates a portrait of women seeking refuge in each other in the midst of an industrial complex overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Schafer comments, “I started listening to ANOHNI in high school, so it’s a huge honor to help her build a visual world for WAIAN. This music video was an honest attempt to answer the question that WAIAN begs, Why Am I Alive Now? I wanted to focus on the idea of finding sisterhood in a world that does nothing to help – I hope the direction, choreography, and tone conveys a small piece of that journey.”

WATCH “WHY AM I ALIVE NOW?” NOW

Ahead of this Friday’s release, ANOHNI will be performing live during an exclusive early album playback experience on Thursday, July 6th at Noon PT / 3PM ET / 8PM BST on her YouTube channel with special guest Nomi Ruiz. Additionally, this presentation will feature an on camera conversation between ANOHNI and Schafer.