March Music Writing Challenge Day 8: Ethel Cain

If you haven’t listened to Ethel Cain before, you are truly doing yourself a disservice. There are countless demos on Soundcloud and YouTube, and they’re all fantastic pieces of art, but her first album “Preachers Daughter” is other-worldly.

Released in May of 2022, this album took the genre by storm and gained Hayden Anehöndia (whose pseudonym is Ethel Cain) countless fans and recognition. Some of her most notable tracks are American Teenager, Family Tree (intro), Ptolomea, and Sun-Bleached Flies.

At first glance, you may not know this is a concept album, but as you dig deeper into the instrumentation and haunting lyrics, you can start to piece together the story that Hayden so artfully crafted in “Preacher Daughter”.

I won’t spoil the plot of the album, nor the ending, but I urge you to listen to this front to back. It’s best listened to in a dark room, in one sitting, and with your BEST quality headphones. Her unique and ethereal vocals cut through you like a knife –you have no choice but to surrender to the dark terror that is Ethel’s story.

“Preachers Daughter” is streaming on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, and Soundcloud! I promise that you’ll fall in love with at LEAST a handful of songs on this album…but only if you’re patient.