On Thursday, September 4th, I traveled up to Stage AE in Pittsburgh to see Ethel Cain on tour for her new album Willoughby Tucker I Will Always Love You, released August 8th.
Ethel Cain is the character and project created by Hayden Anhedönia, a Florida-born singer, songwriter, and producer whose music blends Americana, slow-core, and dream pop. She first gained widespread attention in 2022 with her debut album, Preacher’s Daughter, a story and exploration of identity, faith, and life in the American South. In January of this year, she surprised some fans with Perverts, an experimental, droning record that departed from her previous sound. Now, with Willoughby Tucker I Will Always Love You, Anhedönia returns to the world of Preacher’s Daughter, creating a direct prequel that expands on the characters and stories that shaped the debut while incorporating some of the experimentation we saw on Perverts.