Elliott J. Tilleczek

Tafari Anthony’s latest single is exactly what we need right now.

The soulful Toronto-based pop star – who counts Prince, Brandy, Rihanna and MNEK as inspirations – is delivering a message of empowerment on new release Live in a Dream, an inspiring track that allows his incredible voice to soar.

“I wrote Live in a Dream in January of 2018, just when I had decided to take some time off from releasing music and focus on writing and exploring some new sounds,” explains Tafari.

“I was in a very reflective space at the time and thinking a lot about how much I was obsessing about other’s successes compared to mine. To the point where I really was feeling like I was working so hard and no matter what good would come my way it wasn’t good enough.”

He continues: “I had a lot of preconceived notions on what defined success, but none of it was really based on my own achievements. I had to take a step back and realise it’s okay if things shift from what you hoped to achieve. It doesn’t make it worth anything less.

“So, this song kind of became the anthem for me to wake up and appreciate how far I’ve come and know that I did it honestly – even if by ‘industry standards’ it’s not enough.”

Tafari hopes that the song will bring some joy and confidence during the coronavirus pandemic while everyone is stuck at home.

“Music brings people together and process things they may struggle to process otherwise. Sometimes you just need to hear the message a different way,” he says. “So in a time where we are all isolated to our homes, struggling to stay optimistic, I believe music will keep us going.”

Listen to Tafari’s new single Live In A Dream below, and pre-save it for streaming services here.