With her newest single “Long Jump,” Zimbabwean-born, London-based singer-songwriter Ananya explores what it means to grow up and look back. The track reflects on how we carry the beauty of our past into an uncertain present. The track is a delicate, dreamy indie-pop ballad that captures the ache of nostalgia and the quiet reckoning of adulthood.
A Rising Voice in Reflective Pop
Ananya’s debut EP i woke up one night surpassed one million streams and earned praise from MTV, Rolling Stone Africa, and Wonderland. Building on that success, she continues to carve out a lane as one of pop’s most introspective new voices.
“Long Jump” expands on her signature sound with a warm, melancholic reflection on memory and identity. The song opens with the soft clinking of wind chimes, recorded at her childhood home in Harare, instantly setting a personal and nostalgic tone. Layered with Zimbabwean birdsong and raw lyricism, it becomes an emotional time capsule. We’ve all experienced that tug; the desire to return to a time that felt safer, simpler, or more whole.
“I reflect on my childhood quite often,” Ananya says. “How it shaped me, the love of a parent, and all the things I didn’t fully grasp as a kid that are only now becoming clear.”
Sonically and Visually Rooted
“Long Jump” is built over a lush, indie-pop soundscape that feels both intimate and expansive. Rather than simply revisiting childhood memories, it examines the emotional distance between past and present with care. There’s longing in the lyrics and a gentle attempt to make peace with change.
The accompanying video, directed by Eleanor Grace Hann, brings the song’s emotional texture to life. Shot in Ananya’s hometown, the video follows her as she revisits the places that raised her. She returns to familiar spaces, from grassy school fields to the theater where her creative journey began. Its warm, cinematic visuals reflect the song’s emotional core: the contrast between who we were and who we’re still becoming.
A Different Kind of Vulnerability
Unlike the more upbeat singles “Emotions” and “Happy,” this track takes its time and leans into vulnerability. It’s slower, more atmospheric, and feels like a journal entry written at golden hour. But instead of drowning in melancholy, Ananya offers something more grounded angle to her introspection: gratitude. “Growing up is daunting,” she admits. “Leaving behind the best days of your life and the place you once called home, now feeling more distant than ever.”
Layers of Ananya
Ananya’s musicality is only part of her creative identity. Beyond music, Ananya is also a fashion designer and co-founder of The Nani Wellness Project, an initiative addressing mental health in Zimbabwe. Her work across disciplines is united by a commitment to emotional honesty and community impact. Everything she creates, whether it’s a song, a garment, or a wellness program, reflects the women who raised her and the culture that shaped her. It also reveals the self-awareness she’s grown into.
Inspired by the raw storytelling of Joni Mitchell, the cinematic sounds of Lorde, and the poetic punch of Taylor Swift, Ananya brings something fresh to the genre. She doesn’t just sing about emotions, she invites you to feel them with her.
“Long Jump” is an anthem for anyone who’s ever felt the weight of growing pains, and the tenderness of remembering who you used to be. It’s a beautiful reminder that we don’t have to outgrow our past in order to grow into our future.
Listen to “Long Jump”
Stream + Download HERE
Watch the Video HERE
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