NEW SINGLE RELEASE – Viji ‘Anything’
17 May 2023
Produced and co-written by acclaimed British producer Steve Mac, the track follows up on previous releases ‘live more & love more’, ‘people pleaser’ and her hit 2020 song ‘go’ which reached number two in the UK Singles Chart in 2022 after it became a viral sensation on TikTok. After teaming up with UK rapper ArrDee on ‘Home For My Heart’, Burns has also been riding the more recent high of her feature on goddard’s genre-bending ‘Wasted Youth’, proving herself to be an all-rounder when it comes to collaborations.
The South London artist’s latest single ‘alone’ showcases her soaring vocals and heartfelt lyricism as she paints a picture of the loneliness felt when living in a big city. Yearning for companionship, Burns confesses to coffee trips and dinners booked alone, admitting that she’s ‘never been on a date’ and finds it difficult to open up to others romantically. Each lyric weaves an honest, all-too-relatable tale, highlighting the struggles of trying to find love as a twenty-something year old woman in a metropolis like London. Burns sheds light on the societal pressures placed upon women to find a partner by a certain age, and how she feels them boiling to the surface the older she becomes: ‘All my friends are saying my time will come / But the years are going by, I’m not long off twenty-five / My fear is growing stronger, now I’m getting older.’
Introduced by a haunting choir, Burns begins her storytelling with a percussive vocal, drawing loving comparisons to many of her musical influences, some of whom she has cited as US songwriter and musician Kirk Franklin, pop sensation Anne-Marie, and 2000s powerhouse trio Destiny’s Child. The track pays homage to gospel music and old school R’n’B, harnessing her impeccable vocal ability during the chorus.
Burns continues to champion her individuality as a queer black woman, and although she may be afraid to bear her soul to potential suitors, she certainly isn’t afraid to do so in her artistry. From busking along the Southbank to taking over TikTok from her lockdown bedroom, she has since amassed national critical acclaim. Nominated for the BRIT Rising Star, Best Pop/R’n’B and Song of The Year awards in 2023, the indie-pop fusionist also earned a well-deserved spot on the BBC Sound of 2023 shortlist, as well as a nod in the Rising Star category at the Ivor Novello Awards.
Not planning to slow down any time soon, the singer made a major appearance in JD Sports’ Forever Forward campaign, alongside Central Cee, Joy Crookes, Nia Archives and Kano, and has been unveiled as an ambassador for New Balance. Returning from a trip across the pond, she has also not long completed a sold-out, debut run of live shows in North America, and has supported Sam Smith and Ed Sheeran on their respective global tours. No longer in ‘newcomer’ territory, the emerging star is also set to perform at a string of festivals this summer, including In It Together in Margam, South Wales, Mighty Hoopla in London, and The Big Feastival in Oxfordshire, with more to be announced.
‘alone’ is out now.