Penny For Them: Shiadanni’s New Single, ‘Penny Pills’ Gives Us Pause For Thought

Montreal based Alt-pop singer Shiadanni takes a deep dive into her mind and lets us have a glimpse with new single, ‘Penny Pills’.

With her previous singles, Shiadanni has already demonstrated that she can bring the party: they had were dancefloor burners, late-night anthems, fearless amalgamations of European club music and Latin soul. With ‘Penny Pills’ however she’s charting unfamiliar waters, and it’s also the first track she’s produced.

She gives it to us straight: all the turbulence, passion, pain, longing, and lost hopes of young adulthood, and the lure of short-term solutions to long-term intractable problems: Shiadanni is up front and frank about issues that many of us can relate to, but don’t often get their day in popular culture. Shiadanni gives voice to difficult subjects, and through the power of music, she makes them beautiful.

While it’s a serious topic, ‘Penny Pills’ is a thrill a minute from start to end. Because of the deeply personal nature of the verses, Shiadanni practically whispers them; her ASMR-infused vocals draw the listener in deeper. Conversely, the choruses are clear, high, and wordless, almost as if they were cries coming direct from her very heart. Add to this breakbeats, synths, and silky smooth backing vocals, and ‘Penny Pills’ is possibly one of the most ambitious and alluring singles of 2022.

Shiananni directed the gorgeous clip for ‘Penny Pills’, and it serves as a portrait of the artist in turmoil. We first see Shiadanni cornered: her back to the wall, and while she is defiant, and unbroken, she is nonetheless immensely vulnerable. Shortly after she’s she’s quite literally floating in space, her long hair flowing, eyes distant, lost in her thoughts. In one almost disturbing scene, we see her sitting in a shower of pharmaceuticals – but thankfully, we never see her take any.