A story of reflection and self-discovery: Anaïs Mitchell's new album reviewed

Any artist who has habitually written or performed in character — from David Bowie to Lady Gaga — eventually arrives at their Mike Yarwood moment: ‘And this is me!’ With the release of her sixth solo record, Anaïs Mitchell has reached the point of personal revelation. ‘I’ve spent a lot of time trying to write in the voice of other characters,’ she says. ‘It felt like after so many years of working on telling other stories — now here are some of mine.’

In 2020 Mitchell was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people. Nevertheless, she requires an introduction. I’m sure I was one of the first British writers to interview her, in 2010, back when she was an obscure indie-folk artist working out of Vermont. She had released three records to muted acclaim and had been worrying away for a few years on a scrappy ‘folk-opera’ called Hadestown, based on the Orpheus myth. (Mitchell is not shy of a literary allusion or three; she was, after all, named after Anaïs Nin and her father, Don Mitchell, was a hippie-era novelist.)

Mitchell was one of Time’s 100 most influential people. Nevertheless, she requires an introduction

Fast forward a decade or so. After a long gestation, in 2019 Hadestown made its Broadway debut and became an unlikely sensation, winning eight Tonys, including best musical, and a Grammy. For some reason, its depiction of Hades as ‘a sadistic wall-building boss-king’ seemed to go down a treat in the age of Trump. It played to warm reviews at the National Theatre and touring productions have since put bums on seats as far away as South Korea.