Ethel Cain

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Hayden Silas Anhedönia (born March 24, 1998), known professionally as Ethel Cain,^[1][2] is an American singer-songwriter and artist born in Tallahassee, Florida and living in Enterprise, Alabama.

In mid 2017, Cain began experimenting with writing, recording, and producing her own ethereal style Gregorian chant inspired music. After releasing various mixtapes and EPs on streaming platforms under the moniker White Silas, as well as sites like SoundCloud and Tumblr, she adopted a more alternative sound and began using the Ethel Cain moniker in mid 2019.^[3] Cain's music deals in nostalgic and American gothic themes of the Southern United States, such as poverty, substance abuse, domestic violence, death, and transgenerational trauma. Her music has been associated with the ambient, alternative rock, and dream pop genres.^[2]

Early life[]

Cain grew up in Taylor County, Florida. Born to a Southern Baptist family, she was involved in choir from a young age. Cain finds inspiration from gospel music, country music, and classic rock. She is a transgender woman.^[4]

Career[]

2017–2019: Career beginnings[]

In 2017, while considering enrolling in the Florida State University film school, Cain began experimenting with creating reverb-heavy choral inspired music on GarageBand. From 2017 to 2018, she released her works to a small following of friends and followers on Twitter and Instagram, under the names White Silas and Atlas. In 2019, following the release of her debut single as Ethel Cain, titled 'Bruises', she connected with artist Nicole Dollanganger through social media, opening for Dollanganger on the artist's 'Heart Shaped Bed' tour in Chicago.

In September 2019, she released a small collection of songs titled Carpet Bed, her first extended play under the Cain moniker.

In December 2019, after the release of her Golden Age EP, she was backed by artist Wicca Phase Springs Eternal, who praised Cain for her "mature songwriting and understanding of melody".^[5]

2020-present: Inbred[]

In January 2020, after recommendation from Wicca Phase Springs Eternal, Cain was discovered by rapper Lil Aaron. While headlining a show with Girlfiend, Edith Underground, and Lil Bo Weep in Los Angeles, Cain was invited to meet with Dr. Luke's publishing company Prescription Songs and signed with them soon after.

After the COVID-19 epidemic began, Cain became housebound in quarantine. In August 2020, she moved from Florida into a church outside of Richmond, Indiana, where she would finish recording her first EP as a non-independent artist, titled Inbred. The EP, entirely written, produced, and mixed by Cain, was a departure from the heavier dream-pop sound of Golden Age and a step towards a cleaner, more alt-rock inspired sound.

In February 2021, Cain released her first single under the new publishing contract, titled "Michelle Pfeiffer" featuring Lil Aaron.^[6] The song was premiered on Paper and featured on Pitchfork, Billboard, Nylon, and The Fader.^{[7][8][9][10]} She announced her third EP titled Inbred, featuring a collaboration with Wicca Phase Springs Eternal. A second single, "Crush", followed on March 18, and a third, "Unpunishable", premiered on Apple Music Radio 1 with Zane Lowe on April 15, 2021.

Discography[]

Singles[]

Extended plays[]

References[]

External links[]

• Official website
• Ethel Cain on Twitter
• Ethel Cain on Instagram