anaiis

French-Senegalese artist anaiis brings her emotionally expansive blend of alternative and R&B to Songbyrd Music House, performing with Elliott Skinner in support of her forthcoming album, *Devotion & The Black Divine*. The project explores homecoming as an inward journey, along with new motherhood, selfhood, intuition, healing, and the nonlinear nature of personal growth. Its sound favors spaciousness, softness, emotional clarity, and a deep sense of acceptance.

The album grew partly from anaiis’ time in Brazil, where she created the collaborative mini-album *anaiis & Grupo Cosmo* through live improvisation while caring for her newborn son. The new material follows earlier releases including her reinterpretation of Lauryn Hill’s “To Zion” and remixes of “B.P.E. (Black People Everywhere)” by Sango and Hagan. Born in Toulouse and raised across Dublin, Dakar, Oakland, and London, anaiis has supported Daniel Caesar, performed alongside artists such as Erykah Badu and Nick Hakim, headlined a sold-out Barbican show, appeared at SXSW London, and released her 2021 album *this is no longer a dream*, featuring Chronixx, Sjava, and Topaz Jones.

Elliott Skinner opens the evening with an ethereal, intimate approach to folk and soul. A longtime collaborator of artists including Chaka Khan, Jon Batiste, Zayn Malik, Chance the Rapper, Saya Gray, Leon Bridges, Sam Smith, and others, Skinner’s solo work centers storytelling, community, love, and the Black Radical Music Tradition.

When: Sunday, September 27, 2026

Showtime: 7:00 PM

Doors: 7:00 PM

Tickets: $22 / $27

Lineup: anaiis with supporting act Elliott Skinner

Genre: Alternative and R&B

Ages: All ages

Venue: Songbyrd Music House

Address: 540 Penn Street NE, Washington, DC