Anso Baya announces debut album Watch the Stars for her new label

The eight-song record centres on the death of Baya's father. "Loss is rarely as simple or peaceful as we would like it to be," she said. "It can leave behind unresolved feelings and questions that may never have clear answers."

Baya wrote all of Watch the Stars and produced much of it alongside contributions from drummer Kevin Lika, and guitarist Franck Claudel. American session drummer Brian Griffin (Lana Del Rey, Brandi Carlile) also appears on the track "Peace". The album was mixed by Romain Dupont and mastered by Alex Gopher at Translab in Paris.

For the title track, Baya "didn't want to simply write a grief song that said, 'I miss someone'. I was interested in everything that can exist around loss: the feeling of helplessness, the questions, the responsibilities, the silences, and what it feels like to be left alone trying to save someone you love."

The accompanying video moves from a cold concrete building to a warm, golden forest. "We worked to translate what I had in my head into images that could suggest loss without forcing the emotion," Baya said. "I wanted the video to feel the way the song feels to me: intimate and painful, but ultimately reaching toward light."

Baya's approach to music prioritises narrative completion over convention. The track "Gold" runs for nearly seven minutes, which she considers key to the song's arc.

The artist founded Scarlight Records in 2026 after years of developing her songwriting and production independently. Watch the Stars is the first release on the label.

Watch the Stars tracklist

"The Light"
"Watch the Stars"
"Gold"
"Downtown"
"Desire"
"Tiptoes"
"Peace"
"Lift Your Eyes"