PREMIERE: Irish/Dutch act Patrick Stefan celebrates artistic expression in 'Anna' video

Patrick Stefan, formerly known under his 'Paj' moniker, has shared a tribute to an unforgettable Brazilian visual artist and first time Airbnb host, Ana Cordeiro, who inspired him to reach his full potential.

'Anna' celebrates expression and authenticity with soulful tones, accompanied by a dance-fuelled video directed by Cara Gaynor. Featuring choreography and dance talent from Alessandra Azevedo and Yves Lorrhan; the gorgeous visuals are full of dawn colours and Stefan's genre-blending melodies and sonic warmth.

Patrick Stefan has been praised at home and internationally for his ability to morph international music stylings into one unique, globetrotting sound. The first single Stefan is releasing under his real name heralds the announcement of his forthcoming album, slated for a 2022 release. 'Anna' soars with Stefan’s ethereal vocal—simultaneously grounded by deeply pooled percussion.

Despite its polished production, ‘Anna’ achieves a stunning simplicity. Stefan never steps across the line into over-production. A marimba incorporates the global sound Stefan has become known for on the breathless cut, which embraces vulnerability, prioritises emotion, and is capable of clearing out mental cobwebs.

It took an Ayahuasca retreat for the multi-instrumentalist to truly understand what had been missing in his music. Just before the Coronavirus pandemic swept Ireland, Stefan and his wife embarked on a life-changing trip to North Brazil, staying at the home of an artist named Anna. Stefan’s takeaway from the enlightening holiday was that he had been trying too hard to cram his music into outdated and unnecessary labels, and was attempting to tap into an of-the-moment sound that—simply put—wasn’t him anymore.

“We were Anna’s first guests in the Airbnb,” Stefan explains of the track. “And she was undergoing a renaissance in her own life. She was splitting from her husband, seemingly now living to the fullest. Her wisdom and fearlessness were inspiring. Anna treated us like family, and I wrote the marimba part and drumbeat while in her house.”

In the past, Hot for 2021 act Stefan has worked with and performed alongside the likes of Loah, Fehdah, Uly, and rising R&B star Aby Coulibaly. He even has performance credits alongside Eurovision winner Luisa Sobral, and Irish fiddler Martin Hayes as part of the award winning band Ensemble Ériu. The Dutch-Irish musician also took part in the Hot Press Lockdown Sessions' Y&E Series last year.

After completing his Masters in Global Music & Pedagogy at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, the Berklee College of Music graduate began releasing the bulk of his solo material under his former moniker, Paj. Stefan’s folk/jazz group, Leafzang, also released their eponymous album in 2011.

Collaborating across jazz, R&B, and world music genres in a sideman role, 2018 marked the debut solo release, where he stepped into centre stage as a singer-songwriter under Paj. But Stefan — the son of a “hippie folk singer from Holland” — always resisted the idea of his music being written off as man-with-guitar folk, incorporating elements from as many cultures as possible.

His brand new single was produced by Stefan himself and Alex Borwick.

Check out the stunning video for 'Anna' below: