AMAARA’s striking debut LP Child of Venus is a bold and unforgettable collection from Canadian-born singer, songwriter, producer, filmmaker and actor Kaelen Ohm (she/they). Classic-era dream pop at its core, the album draws influence from jazz, R&B and folk music with reverb drenched guitars, soaring synths, layered vocal harmonies and expansive percussion. Approached with cheeky lyrics and an 80s pop vibe, AMAARA’s lead single “New Love’s Mortal Coil” is out now alongside a stunning self-directed official video.

Underneath the splashy drums and cool-handed guitars of “New Love’s Mortal Coil,” Ohm muses on what she refers to as “the impermanence of new stages of love, and how we can get left in the dark with our emotions after the fire burns out.” The mesmerizing video, choreographed by Tatiana Parker (Justin Bieber, Niki Minaj), features an incredible lineup of dancers, Gerran Reese (Beyonce, John Legend), Will Johnston (Sigur Ros, Rita Ora), Randi Freitas (SZA, Justin Timberlake), Sarah Francis Jones (Demi Lovato, Gwen Stefani) and, of course, Kaelen Ohm who directed, edited, produced and stars in it.

Child of Venus is the culmination of a lifetime of artistic pursuits – a document of rediscovery and transition, with Kaelen Ohm coming up for air as an artist and human being truly reborn. As AMAARA, she is reflecting on love and loss throughout the album, as well as the healing power of pure psychedelia and the act of connecting with her inner child—which has led her to reflect on her own adolescence at large. “I’ve been on a journey of looking into my own childhood conditioning, and the notion of unbounded creative genius as well as where that goes wrong in adolescence,” she explains.  A reflective work that zooms in on the things we hold close and what manages to escape our grasp, Child of Venus is a record that leaves a mark on anyone who hears it, in the best way possible.

Photo Courtesy: Clifford Usher