kids encyclopedia robot

Anjimile facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Anjimile
Anjimile performing at Jamaica Plain Porch Fest in 2015.

Anjimile Chithambo, better known under the mononym Anjimile (/əˈn ˈd͡ʒɪm ːə liː/ ann-JIM-uh-lee), is an American folk musician from Boston, Massachusetts.

Early life

Anjimile was born in 1993 and raised in Dallas before eventually moving to Boston. Growing up, they started playing guitar at 11, and sang in choirs starting in the fifth grade and continuing until college. Their early musical influence came through listening to their dad's Oliver Mtukudzi albums in the car, and early Sufjan Stevens. Later influences were getting sober and connecting with their Black Malawian roots. Anjimile identified as a lesbian for 10 years, before coming out as trans. They self-describe as "queer/trans/boy king" and use both they/them and he/him pronouns.

Career

2016–2020

Anjimile began writing songs when they were a music industry student at Northeastern University, and wrote most of their most recent album Giver Taker while in rehab in Florida in 2016, where they got sober. In 2018, they entered NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert contest, and a panel from Boston affiliate WBUR named them the best entrant from Massachusetts. The following year, a Live Arts Boston grant from a pair of local non-profit foundations gave them the budget to make Giver Taker. Prior to releasing the full-length album, Anjimile had self-produced and released numerous albums of their own.

Anjimile released Giver Taker in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. International booking agencies had taken an interest in booking them but they could not tour due to the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Anjimile held a virtual release show for their album. NPR named the album one of the best 50 albums of 2020. Anjimile released their first full-length album in 2020 titled Giver Taker on Father/Daughter Records. According to Rolling Stone Magazine, Anjimile is an "artist you need to know" and their song "Baby No More" was a "Song You Need To Know" by the magazine. Anjimile was also Consequence of Sound's Artist of the Month".

2021–present

In 2021, they signed to 4AD, and released their EP, Reunion, which included reimagined, orchestral versions of songs from their 2020 album, Giver Taker, with guest artists Jay Som, SASAMI, and Lomelda. In 2022, they toured with Hurray for the Riff Raff. In 2023, they were featured on McKinley Dixon's album, Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?, and signed an open letter to SXSW from the Union Of Musicians And Allied Workers demanding higher pay.

In May 2023, Anjimile released the track “The King,” which Pitchfork wrote, "transforms acoustic guitar and his own voice into a whiplashing storm". The release of the track also served as an announcement of Anjimile's album The King, which was released on September 8, 2023, and features contributions from Justine Bowe, Brad Allen Williams, Sam Gendel, and James Krivchenia.

Discography

As lead artist

Albums
Title Label Year Source
The King 4AD 2023
Giver Taker Father/Daughter 2020
Colors Industry Lab 2018
Good Boy Self-release 2016
Human Nature Human Nature Records 2015
Extended plays
Title Year Source
Reunion (Instrumentals) 2021
Reunion 2021
Maker Mixtape 2019
Snow Day 2015
Singles
Title Year Source
“Father” 2023
“The King” 2023
“Stranger” 2021
“Maker (Acoustic Version)” 2020
“Ever New” 2021
“Sonja Smokes Me Out” 2019
Music videos
Title Year Source
“Baby No More” 2020
“Therapy” 2015

As featured artist

Albums
Title Artist Label Year Source
Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!? McKinley Dixon City Slang 2023
The Baby Reimagined Samia Grand Jury 2021
How Many More Times Esther Rose Father/Daughter 2021
Why the Wild Things Are Cliff Notez HipStory 2019
kids search engine
Anjimile Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.